Page 20 of Duke

I rush back to Pops, putting an arm around his waist. “Pops?”

He stops, shaking his head. “Duke knows. He knows about the bad blood between his father and I. Apparently that old bastard kept a journal and Duke found it while going through his estate.”

“So? Why should he care? Meat said Duke didn’t give a shit about his father. He hasn’t been back here for almost twenty years.”

“And he carries the guilt of that. My guess he is trying to make up for it in his own fucked up way. I wasn’t completely truthful with you earlier.”

“What?”

“There was more to the story… ” he wheezes out.

I rub his back lightly and put my hand out to stop him from walking any further. “Just take a minute. We’re in no rush.

“I stole money from the club baby girl. I fucked my brothers over. I’m not proud of it. I thought if I dressed her up in diamonds—she’d stay and be a mother to ya’. Ah, fuck. I was a goddamn fool. I thought I could buy her into staying with us for your sake. But she fuckin’ took all the money and jewels and left for the Hollywood Hills regardless. Shortly, after she left, I started getting involved with Duke’s aunt. He read it all in John’s journal. The man left a fuckin’ memoir for anyone to find. He’s trying to fuck me over from the grave.” Pop stops, he can barely breathe. But I can tell he needed to get it all out.

I suck in my breath at his words.

What Pops did could earn him a bullet to the back of the head and a burial deep in the woods. If he’s lucky.

No one fucks with the club and lives—not even an original member.

My arm gently strokes his back as he hangs his head in shame. He’s haggard and tired. I used to believe he was a giant from one of my fairytales. Pops was always larger than life. But now as I stare into eyes tired beyond their years, and I clutch his weak hand that shakes—I know I can’t let him pay for his sins.

I won’t leave him like my bitch of a mother did either. How can I turn my back on him after he risked everything to try to be a good parent to me? He might’ve raised my rough, butheraised me.

“What are we going to do about Duke?”

“You aren’t going to do anything Shanna. I mean it. Stay clear of him. I might be an old cripple, but a man’s business is a man’s business. I’ll take care of it. He said that he wants you to be his old lady instead of money, to repay the debt I owe.”

“Pops? You wouldn’t…? That’s fucking archaic!”

“No. I thought about killin’ him instead. If he thinks he’s gonna take you from me—I will. That’ll be the day the son of my nemesis takes my daughter for a bride.”

I gulp.

I might be more than willing to go, but I’ll never admit it.

No, never will.

Not even if Duke tries to break me to say the words.

My body might burn for him, but I’ll never be some man’s property. I just know he’ll expect me to say “yes” to whatever he wants. Hell no, that’s not me. I want freedom, not the chains he’ll put on me.

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