Page 26 of Hell's Claim

“What?”

“You always thought if I’d moved earlier, Whiskey and Chaser would be alive, as would their kids.”

“Ain’t gonna lie. I was about to leave the club. Julie made me swear to put the baby first, and the way you let things drag on did not sit right with me. We should’ve pushed much earlier, but you were determined to play by the rules,” Sunny said honestly.

“The charter was what we lived by.”

“Yeah, what we honoured, not them. They didn’t give a shit about the charter. You allowed filth to infect us while you brought in brothers to win a vote. You should have pushed for the war a decade beforehand. Nineteen years Hellfire was filth because you wanted to play by the rules. That was your mistake,” Sunny replied.

“Maybe. But we can’t change the past.”

“No. But you should learn from them. I’m back because you have got a dirty member still. He is amongst you. That’s the damn truth. I got a text message from a member of our chat group. I don’t know whose phone it came from, but I was told to be at that spot. Zeus wouldn’t have known I was there unless someone leaked it. You’ve got a traitor, Chance, and he’s hiding in plain sight,” Sunny informed Chance.

Chance looked shocked. “Bullshit!”

“I received a message from a burner. We all had burners, if you remember, but only our group knew the numbers. I headed to that place on the strength of that text. When I was shot, Zeus sneered at me, taunted about how did I like being betrayed by my own? I wouldn’t have been in that spot if one of ours hadn’t asked me to be there. But I’m not sure who, I can’t remember the number for love or money, and my phone disappeared, which was convenient,” Sunny explained.

Chance schooled his expression. “Are you back for revenge?”

“No. I’m here to clear the last traitor out of our club. How did Zeus know we were meeting the night Whiskey and Chaser died? It wasn’t common knowledge. That was a secret meeting, yet Zeus knew and made his move. We had a rat amongst us, and I want his name. He needs to pay for those crimes.”

“You’re wrong,” Chance stated empathically.

“No, I’m not, and you know it! Do not turn a blind eye to this. Don’t fail Hellfire again.”

Chance reeled back, and Sunny felt a little guilty at that jab, but it was the truth. They’d been at war and at a disadvantage because their commander had wanted to play by the rules. That had cost innocent lives and men, and their families had died because of it.

“I need to think,” Chance said, and then shot him a look. “That’s why you’ve not allowed Liv here.”

“Yup. Not going to have my baby girl caught in the crosshairs of a traitor.”

“If there is one.”

“Bullshit yourself all you want, but you can’t deny the facts. I was set up by one of our own, and so was Whiskey and Chaser.”

Chance finally lost control of his expression and looked troubled. “Like you, Sunny, I want the truth. Bring me proof, and we’ll deal with the traitor. These men have been at my side since the war, that’s eighteen years they’ve hidden the fact they betrayed us. If we’ve got a rat, he’s damn good. And I tell you now, I do not believe we have one. Someone set you up, but not a brother present today.”

“I’ll get your proof. I just hope you don’t regret this.”

“Truth always comes out.”

“Chance, I’m fifty-one years old. You think I don’t know that?” Sunny replied. Chance inclined his head and headed out.

“Hey! What about this toilet?” Sunny bellowed, glaring at the offending item.

“Get Jinx to move it,” Chance called back.

Sunny muttered a few threats and went in search of the prospect who was fast becoming the bane of everyone’s life.

A week later

Sunny flung the covers away and sat up. Images of tanned, smooth, soft skin kept torturing him. They weren’t enough for him to identify who the woman was, but there was no doubt in his head there had been one. Her moans and cries also echoed in his mind when he tried to sleep.

All he had was the smell of her perfume, and that had faded now. He ran a hand over his face and got up. Yanking on some shorts, he didn’t bother pulling on a top, and he left his bunk. He headed down to the rec room and saw it was empty. Sunny walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. He started making a sandwich when Tiny came in.

Tiny paused, surprised to find Sunny here, and then nodded at the food. “I’ll take two,” he said and grabbed a stool.

“Make your own,” Sunny retorted, but even so, began making Tiny his snack.

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