Page 56 of In It for the Long Ride

I nodded, but couldn’t bring myself to look back at her. We both knew she’d birthed the boy alone; it was only fair that I bore the burden of killing him that way.

Chapter 25

Montana

We rodeour motorcycles to a warehouse in Kankakee. There we were wired, and checked for contraband. We were not born yesterday. There were ways of hiding weapons on a bike. And we’d all done it.

“We just need a thank you. That is all we need. An acknowledgement that he is responsible for her being dropped off there,” Patrick explained, while Crystal wrung her hands.

I nodded and tried not to glare at the woman who was pulling at the patches on my kutte.

“Don’t touch that,” Crystal spoke up.

The technician gave her a long, blank stare.

“Do you think he has a grenade hidden in the quarter-inch stitching?” She hiked her brows up when the question went unanswered.

Patrick waved her off and Oak nervously chuckled.

“He’s expecting a meeting at D & D studios with Connar McDaniel at three. And with the Steel Disciples downtown thereafter. That means it's time to move.”

“Who the fuck is Connar McDaniel?”

“Me.” Patrick shot back, causing all to exchange nervous glances. “We’re going in together and we’re going to cause him to be off guard. You have no idea how hard that is.”

“You’re hoping he doesn’t know I’m his father.”

Easy laughed and his face contorted with confusion. He realized I was serious and he grabbed my arm.

“What are you talking about?” he demanded.

“Your aunt was pregnant when I went to war. Your grandfather made her give it up… The Valentino family adopted that child.”

“Does– Does Daisy know…?”

“Yeah.”

He cleared his throat, and we didn’t say much to each other until we arrived.

“Listen,” Easy paused, outside the door. “Be careful, alright. Don’t let him get in your head.”

“Me? That mother fucker better hope I don’t introduce him to the demons that live in my head. What about you?”

“I’m ready.” He nodded.

“Good.” I thumped his shoulder and we walked into the lobby just as the desk woman stood to show Connar upstairs.

We climbed onto the elevator with her.

“Oh, S–” Easy clapped a hand over her mouth and I slapped the button labeled, Close Door.

Patrick looked between us with only a subtle change to his expression.

“Things go quicker our way,” I pointed out with a shrug when his eyes met mine.

He tugged at his jacket and nervously looked toward his son, but there was no time to say anything, the door was opening.

At the sound of the subtle ding, Demetri looked up from his desk. Damien was sitting on it with his back to us and Joplin was between them, looking over something with the boss man.

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