Page 151 of Monster

Novak scoffed, though there was something about his expression that told me he was enjoying this. “You mean your son didn’t tell you all about our shit after he hacked into our system and extracted all our sensitive information?”

I smirked. Kai sure fucking did. I wondered how long it took them to figure that out, and judging by the hard look that passed over Julian’s face, I’d say way longer than he would have liked to admit.

I turned to my boy, who had been silent up to this point. “Why don’t you go home, son?”

He shook his head stubbornly. “I’m not leaving you.”

“Oh, we’re not going to hurt the boy,” Novak said, the begrudging respect in his voice was hard to ignore. “We came here with the intention of forming a partnership. I’m sure Kai would be an asset to us later.”

I took a step forward. “My boy is not your fucking asset. I suggest you fucking watch your words before you really piss me off.”

Novak put out his hands as if to say he was backing off.

“As I was saying,” Julian interrupted. “We can help you with the Sons of War.”

“How?” I asked, not really interested. If they thought I needed help to control a fucking chapter barely in its infancy, then they should have gone elsewhere with their business.

“By cutting off their investors,” Julian said.

“Who’s their investor?”

“Don’t you know?” Julian asked. “The people running Blue Paragon. Don’t you know they’re trying to take over your city?”

Behind me, Kai tensed, and I realized he knew something. Perhaps he had just found it out and hadn’t told me yet.

“And why would you help?” I asked.

Ezekiel and Julian shared a look. Up to this point, Ezekiel had been quiet, taking in everything. The huge man was probably as big as Micah, and just as emotionless.

I hardened my gaze. “And try to be fucking truthful. I don’t do well with liars.”

“The man who heads the group is trying to fuck with us,” Ezekiel said. “We’re going to get to him first, and that means cutting off his financial resources. You probably guessed the baby food manufacturer is a front to store the narcotics trade they are setting up. He already has contracts with the cartels in the South and with the French-Canadian mob up North. You don’t need me to tell you what this will mean for your club, do you?” he asked.

The King’s Men would be surrounded on both sides.

Fuck.

“And what do you want me to do?” I asked. How the fuck had we missed how much bigger this was than the Sons of War?

“The contract only exists between Blue Paragon, the cartels, and the French-Canadian mob because the Sons of War guarantee they can destroy your club. We need you to move up the timeline and take on the club. We need you to take them out.”

“I would have done that, anyway. Why the fuck wouldyouneed this partnership?”

“Because we need your numbers. You have been building a fucking army in the U.S. since you took the throne as club president,” Julian said.

I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes at him. I had men under me in the thousands. That was true.

But no one knew of that so-called army, even if there were rumors. How the fuck did they know for sure?

“We need your numbers, and you need our resources. We have connections to some very powerful people—hell, we’re powerful men, something I’m sure you will find useful later on. The King’s Men are getting into more bad things with each year that passes. We can protect you. And in return, you’ll lend us your men when we need it.” Julian let out a small sigh when I didn’t answer him. “War is coming, Dominic. You might not think it’ll affect you here in California, but that shit is going to get big. Do you really think you can protect everyone under your care? Your sons? Emmy?”

My nostrils flared, and I took a step forward. Kai held me back.

“You leave my sons and Emmy out of this.”

“They’re already a part of it. Kai’s the fucking heir, and I’m sure Braxton will join the club later on. And the moment you decided to take the poor piano teacher, you brought her into your world. We’re offering you a way to protect them all. With this partnership,” Ezra added.

They fucking knew too much about me and my club, and I wondered which fucker sold my information to them. I didn’t know, but I would soon.

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