We stayed like that for another few moments and then he finally pulled away. “Tomorrow. I don’t care if it’s fuckin’ midnight or later, you and I are going to talk,” he said with certainty.

After he’d left, I let the excitement and anticipation work its way through me.

I allowed myself to hope that we could find a way to make this work once and for all.

Chapter Six

Kick

Peter Bishop and I had a strange relationship. I felt like my family owed him a lot for what my father had done to him, and I was sure he hated me for everything my father had taken from him. But I was also certain he hated the fact I knew every dark secret he had and that I had bailed him out on more occasions than he cared to admit.

I stood in his living room and watched the broken man in front of me. Fuck, he’d finally hit rock bottom. I’d never known him to admit he had a problem and that’s what he’d just done.

“Who do you owe this time?” I asked, hoping like hell it wasn’t the same guy he’d owed last time. I had nothing on that asshole so would struggle to dig Peter out if that was the case.

His eyes held fear when he gave me the name. “Jonathon Gambarro.”

“Fucking hell!” I yelled, “Why the fuck did you go to him?”

He hung his head for a moment before looking back up at me with regret. “I was running out of options.”

I grabbed the back of my neck and muttered, “Jesus, Peter. How long you got to come up with the money?”

“One week.”

Fuck.

I dropped my hand and stalked into his kitchen. Reaching into a cupboard, I grabbed a glass and then grabbed the bottle of bourbon I knew he had stashed in another cupboard. It had been a while since I’d been to Peter’s house but he was a man of habit, and, sure enough, the bourbon was still there. I poured myself a drink and downed it in one go.

Peter followed me. “I fucked up, Kick.”

I turned my head to look at him, a scowl on my face. “You did more than fuck up this time. Gambarro isn’t known for his compassion.”

“I don’t know what to do. Evie told me she would take care of it, but - ”

I cut him off, “Evie’s not fuckin’ going near this shit fight. I won’t have her involved in this. Do not fuckin’ tell her who you owe or I swear to fuckin’ God I will take you out myself.” Anger spread through me at the mere thought he’d even think to involve Evie in this. Did he not have a clue who he was dealing with?

He didn’t say a word. A good fucking idea because anything he’d say would be the wrong thing at this point. My fists clenched and I slammed my hand down on the counter in frustration. I stared at him for a long moment, trying desperately to contain my rage, and when I couldn’t rein it in any longer, I picked up the glass in front of me and threw it at the wall. “This is the last fuckin’ time, Peter!” I yelled at him. “ If I drag you out of this, and then find out you’ve done it again... so help you God because I sure as fuck won’t be.”

He nodded but remained silent.

He knew he’d pushed me to the limit.

He knew I was done.

The debt to his family was paid.

***

Four hours later, I sunk down into a couch at the clubhouse bar. Hyde sat in the couch opposite me, his eyes questioning what was wrong. I still wore my anger at Peter plain for everyone to see. “What’s up with you?” he asked as he drank some of his beer.

I struggled with sharing my dilemma with him but decided I needed to. Any involvement of mine in this could potentially impact the club. I leant forward and rested my elbows on my knees. “My ex’s father owes ten grand to Jonathon Gambarro and the only hope he has of settling the debt is if I step in and help him.”

Hyde’s face clouded over with displeasure. “And what exactly would that involve?”

“I’d have to threaten him with something. I’d need the debt wiped with no payment involved, so that’s the only way to make that happen.”

“Fuck, Kick. This is dangerous territory. You really want to get mixed up with Gambarro? I can assure you once you’re on his radar he’ll have you in his sights and won’t rest ‘til he takes care of you in whatever way he deems fit.”

I blew out a long breath. “I fuckin’ know that, Hyde, but what choice do I have? If I don’t step in, her father is dead.”

“And if you do step in, you’re a target going forward.” He leant forward. “And the club’s a fucking target.”

“Yeah.”

He shook his head and stood. “Stay out of it, Kick. The club doesn’t need any more trouble. We’re still waiting to see if Silver Hell connects us with what you and King did the other night; this is more shit we don’t need.”

Fuck.

***

“Please, Kick. I’m desperate,” my sister begged me over the phone at three o’clock that afternoon. She needed a babysitter for a couple of hours while she attended her university lecture.

“I can do it, Lina, but fuck, where the hell is Dave?” Her asshole ex-husband always let her down and it pissed me off.

“He’s drunk again. He just called me, like five fucking minutes ago, to say he couldn’t make it now because he accidentally drank too much at the pub after work.” Not only did she sound angry, but I could hear the exhaustion in her voice. Fuck, that asshole would be answering to me.