Wirth (Dirty Aces MC #5) - Lane Hart Page 0,50

safe tonight and every other day. Help him be the best leader he can be. Please also keep the bikers safe and out of harm’s way. Let all the men find forgiveness in their hearts to replace their anger and need for revenge. In your name we pray, amen.”

“Thanks,” Rian says when I open my eyes again. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. I just, I wasn’t sure what you would think. I know dad would’ve hated it and probably killed me himself if he had known.”

“Good thing he’s not here, isn’t it?” I reply. “Like he was perfect? You’re a better man than our father, even if you do things I don’t approve of – like starting a war with the MC.”

“Yeah. That was pretty stupid. I should’ve tried to get Cormac to talk to them first. Apparently, the Knights were going to get out of the heroin business anyway, which was Cormac’s whole issue.”

“At least no one died,” I tell him. “I’ll keep praying for the injured biker to get better. If he doesn’t live…”

“Then Cormac may have to take more than one bullet?” Rian finishes.

“Yeah. He could,” I admit to him.

“Then I’ll pray for the biker too,” he says with a small smile.

“Good.”

Getting to my feet, I walk around the small space to stretch my legs before sitting back down on the edge of the bed. “So, you said it was Wirth who worked out the deal with Cormac?”

“I think that’s his name – big guy with broad shoulders and dark hair who answered your door and put the zip ties on me?”

“Yeah, that’s him.”

“His friends said he’s got a huge set of balls to go into the pub alone,” Rian adds.

“Hmm,” I mutter. “He’s a good man.”

“They also mentioned he did it for a woman…”

“Oh yeah?” I try not to sound pleased by that and fail.

“Do you actually like him, or were you just playing him for information too?” Rian asks.

“I think I really liked him. He was better to me than I deserved,” I say, thinking about Hunt’s rage and how I could see in his eyes that he wanted to physically hurt me, possibly kill me for betraying the MC.

Wirth would never do that, though. I shouldn’t have been so quick to think he had fooled me into thinking he was a good guy only to betray me.

My trust issues with men, thanks in large part to my father, know no bounds. And for that, I’m certain I owe Wirth an apology, especially after he figured out a way to keep my brother safe.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Wirth

When we arrive at the pier, the only car in the lot is the black Jeep I remember from the Irish bar. We don’t see anyone immediately, so we walk around the pier shop, which is locked up tight, and cut through the dock to the pier. We spot the ginger and two of his fair-haired buddies standing way down at the end. It takes us several minutes to walk all the way out to them. On the way, I watch Malcolm screw a silencer onto the 9 mm he has in a shoulder harness under his cut.

Malcolm waves everyone back as we get within earshot of the Irish, only keeping me close to him. Cormac looks between the two of us, giving me a nod before his gaze settles on Malcolm. “You’re the president of the Dirty Aces,” he states rather than asks.

Malcolm points at his patches and nods. “That’s me. Wirth says you’ve already agreed to terms, but I want to hear you repeat them. Let’s make sure we’re all on the same page here.”

“We had bad blood with the Knight’s old president,” Cormac sighs. “Especially our former boss. They hated each other with a rare passion. Times have changed, and we need to change with them. Your man, Wirth, says that the Knights have patched over and are getting out of the heroin business.”

“That’s true,” Malcolm agrees.

“Then we don’t have any grievance with each other. There have been some mistakes made, but if we can put those behind us…” Cormac begins.

“We have one outstanding grievance,” Malcolm corrects him.

With a sigh, Cormac replies, “But once that’s settled, we’ll be straight?”

“We’ll be straight,” Malcolm confirms as he holds out his hand for a shake.

Cormac accepts the handshake, then asks, “Where do we do this?”

“Right here will be fine,” Malcolm says.

“All right,” Cormac agrees with another heavy sigh. “Listen up boys. Part of the deal is that the Aces