He texted back.
That asshole Traeger threatened to feed me some balls. My own balls. He even described to me how he’d do it. Sliced nice and thin, maybe in spiral cut if I preferred. He did this in a very calm, quiet voice. Like all Hannibal Lectorish, the fucker. I was waiting for him to offer me a bottle of fucking wine and fava beans. What kinda crazy motherfucker does that shit?
He does like a good bottle of wine. You know we do live in the right part of the country for tasting. He texted back. It was a good thing Dragon couldn’t see him because Traeger liked whiskey, not wine. Fuck, he was pretty sure the other man hadn’t had wine unless his ole lady made him.
This time it was Dragon who sent him the emoji of the middle finger followed by words. UNFRIENDED in all caps.
He chuckled as he punched in the speed dial for King, “What’s going on, brother?”
“Nothing much. You know, just decided to make a cross country trip on a silver bird that could fall outta the fucking sky. How you doin, asshole?”
Fuck, he could hear the anger in King’s tone. Also knowing his friend and his chapter’s president had hopped a plane which was his most hated way of travelling, made Keys acutely aware of his friendship. He quickly explained what had been going down, waiting to hear what King thought. Although he was pissed and rightly so, King was the best man to have at his back.
“Shit, brother, sounds like you fell into some kind of sex ring or child pedophile bullshit. How much does the woman know?” King asked.
It was a standard question that had his gut rolling at the accusation. “She was unaware until recently. Like I said, her marriage was brutal, and her husband was a bastard who’s lucky he was killed before I got my hands on him.”
“So, you’re the great, great grandson of the founder of the town that literally treated you like a piece of shit, and the mayor, who is your woman’s granddaddy, knew this all along?” King asked.
“I don’t know how much he knew or didn’t know, but I aim to find out. The real truth though, I don’t give a fuck about who I’m related to anymore. I’m Keys. I left here a boy nobody wanted and became a man I wanted to be. Whose DNA runs in my veins don’t make a damn bit of difference to me.” He’d told her the same about Jaxson.
“I feel you. I have Duke who’s a pain in my ass, but I wouldn’t trade him for anything. Losing Luke and our sister gutted me, man. I won’t lie and say I wouldn’t do anything to get them back, but having my brother Duke, my brothers of the MC, you’re all the family that was given to me when I needed it. You keep me solid, brother. The fact you left thinking you didn’t have us, yeah, we got some shit to settle but that’s after we get home,” King growled.
A deep sigh left him, knowing his friend and prez had his back and brought his brothers meant the world to him. “I feel you. I didn’t want to bring you into my shit. Honestly, I didn’t know what I was coming into.”
“Yeah, I got that. Don’t much matter now. We’re here and looks like there’s more going on than what you thought. Plus, whether or not you’re the great, great grandson to the old fuck who founded this town or not, don’t mean shit to me. To us, you’re Keys. Brother and shithead who left us with two snarly fucking dogs and a litter who needs you to come back home. Minus one pup my ole lady claimed,” King muttered.
“Moana is not snarly, asshole. And I haven’t agreed to give anyone any of my precious babies.” Keys pressed his hand against his chest. Shit, he would’ve sworn he could survive without any of the men and women, yet King’s words had sent a pang straight to the center of his heart. Nope, they were his family he wasn’t willing to lose a single one of them.
“Minus a pup, shithead. I’ll holler as soon as we get eyes on the MeMaw. Cosmo and his woman are back home watching over the clubhouse and your babies for now.” King disconnected without another word, calling the older woman by the name Palmer did let Keys know King knew a lot