Page 115 of Monster

If there was anyone who could make me feel human, it was Kai and Braxton.

And Emmy.

I reached over and cupped the back of his neck, squeezing affectionately, wondering if I was just imagining things as a parent, but it looked like he wasn’t sleeping or eating right. One thing about kids getting older was that it was harder to keep an eye on them and ensure they were taking care of themselves.

Kai was away from home. He had his own apartment near downtown Sacramento, just near the Sacramento River.

But he seemed to be holding up well right now, though, like me, he was good at hiding his emotions and how volatile he felt sometimes.

“Found him loitering around the warehouse, trying to take stock of what we have,” Micah said, tapping the bastard with his foot.

Micah took something out from his pocket and threw it on the ground by the fucker’s face. He started weeping at the sight of it, and it took me a moment to realize what it was.

A small bomb made out of what looked like a pencil sharpener and a metal lighter.

“Found this on him,” Micah said.

“Well, fuck,” I said. “What were you doing with a bomb near my property?”

He cried through the gag and made some noises that sounded like he wanted to say something.

I kicked him again.

“Pull the gag from his mouth,” I ordered. “I want to hear what he has to say.”

Micah dragged the man up to a sitting position and removed the white cloth from his mouth. I laughed when I realized it was the fucker’s own sock.

“Please. I’m sorry. Just let me go, and I promise you won’t ever see my face again.”

I thought about it. “Okay.”

The man paused. “Really?”

Roman laughed from behind me. “I hadn’t realized the Sons of War recruits such dumbasses to join their ranks.”

It wasn’t until Roman said it that I noticed the patch on the man’s vest. Two swords crossing each other in an X, with the club’s name underneath.

“I think you’re a little far from Las Vegas, no?” I asked.

Fuck, but how could I not see this coming?

The Sons of War MC was the chapter that took over when I moved the King’s Men to Sacramento. Many brothers from the King’s Men ruled by Boomer stayed behind and joined them. Those were the men who hated my guts. Who didn’t like that I had joined so much later than them and could take the club out from the slimy little bastard.

I should have fucking known they hadn’t let go of their grudge.

“Please. I d-don’t know anything. I was supposed to mess with your supplies and come back. That’s all. He didn’t tell me anything.”

“He?” Roman asked.

I crossed my arms over my chest and waited.

“Our prez, Sunny McCain.”

I already knew who Sunny was. He was Boomer’s illegitimate kid. He thought no one would know his connection to the old chapter if he changed his last name. Or perhaps he had used that connection, and that was how he was able to rise to the rank of president so quickly.

The boy was about Kai’s age, if not one or two years older than him.

“Did he send men here to go after my youngest?” I asked, my voice low.

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