Page 5 of Undone

Dare’s eyebrows rose. “No one can be trusted. Don’t ever forget that.”

“Damn, I’ve missed you.”

“I’ll never come back.”

“You shouldn’t. You got out of this life… here I am sucking you back in.”

“I was never completely out. Besides, I owe Rog and the Club everything. I’d still be street scum if it weren’t for the MC… by the way—you look like shit.”

“I feel like it, too.”

“What happened?”

“It’s better if you don’t know.”

He followed me inside the cabin to a small bedroom and closed the door. “Did you forget who I was?”

I sat on the bed still wearing a towel. Dare grew up rough. Life in the Club when he was a teen made it even harder. But he had a bed of his own—regular hot meals, clean clothes, and respect. He was once the Reaper. One of the best Creed’s ever had. He knows better than most how cruel life can be.

“I know that look, Lucas. I used to see it every time I caught my own eyes in a mirror. Sometimes, it’s still there,” he muttered, raking a hand through his hair. He reached inside the shopping bag I dropped at my feet and took out a fifth of Johnnie Walker Blue. He opened it, took a long swig and handed the bottle over. “I thought you might need this to help get you through the night. I heard it in your voice when you called.”

“Thanks…Reaper.”My hands grabbed a shirt from the bag, pulling it over my head. I listened to him as I dressed; still feeling like I’d become someone else.

“It’s why I left. If I kept killing—it’s all my life would become. I stopped feeling a twinge of remorse, and the sight of blood stopped making my heart race. I knew if I didn’t leave it behind—I truly would be the Reaper. Taking lives would be all I did. Leaving, saved me. You should consider doing the same.”

I hung my head, closed my eyes, seeing my angel’s face. I then exhaled, taking a long swig. “I can’t. I’m in too deep now. I killed a half dozen men tonight… slaughtered them like animals. All to protect someone.”

“I’m sure these men already had tickets to hell. You just gave them an early ride.”

I shrugged, still seeing blood on my hands.

“I doctored the times on the surveillance tapes from the clubhouse. It’ll show you and Cortez are still there. Since you wear the same shit just about every day—I added more shots of you in the clubhouse, and your office. Your ass is covered. Besides, some of the highway patrol are still on the payroll. I added fifteen large into their accounts, along with some extra insurance—pictures of their mistresses to their private email accounts.”

“That’s some real mafia shit.”

He shrugged, “That’s who I am now. You don’t always need a bullet to take down a man.”

“You should go back to Chicago. Forget everything we’ve said tonight.”

“Agreed. But there is some business we need to discuss. Rog has been sitting on your money. He’s exposed. Rog—” Dare swallowed, “he…he was always there for me. He saved me. You know? I won’t have him taking the fall for what your Chapter has chosen to do.”

“So, that’s how you know about the cars?”

“Put the money into Sassy’s. It’s the easiest way to keep everyone out of jail.”

“What if we need it?”

“Call me for a loan. Didn’t you hear I was promoted last year? I’m a fuckin’ millionaire CEO.”

I laughed, “Welcome to the club.”

His brow furrowed. “Are you already drunk, Smith?”

“Not drunk. I’m a trust fund baby. But I never wanted my father’s company. Every time I wore a tie, it felt like a noose around my neck. My real name is Lucas S. Travers the third.”

“What the fuck? You are the heir that walked away from that financial empire?”

“I am.”

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