Page 90 of Redemption

“You know, she could have told us about this herself.”

“I’m not the one stopping her from being here!” he shouts.

“You caused this!” he shouts back, and Ky guides him back a couple of steps. He won’t win a fight with his father over Lex. “You did this. You pushed her away, and now we’re all paying the price.”

Tossing his water bottle behind the bar, he stomps into the Chapel. Ky sighs and looks at his father. “That wasn’t fair. You know that.”

“He’s gotta learn his actions have consequences.”

“And the whole living without his wife and only seeing his kids on weekends isn’t him learning that lesson?”

“Ky-”

“He’s hurting, too. Yeah, he caused this shitstorm, but he doesn’t need us piling on. If he gets pushed down any further than he is, he won’t make it back from this. You know that as well as I do.”

“He gets too many passes. No more.”

Jennings walks in, and the conversation ends as everyone moves to the Chapel. Colt doesn’t look at anyone as he sits in his normal seat with his arms crossed. Ky sits next to him, but he refuses to acknowledge him.

“Our warehouse just outside Black Valley caught fire,” Jennings says. “They have an idea that doesn’t require us to strip the patch from their backs, but… we need bodies out there.”

“What about-”

“I haven’t forgotten about the protection detail,” he says, interrupting Shep. “We’re gonna do a swap so we make sure we still have the coverage we need here. I’m not convinced they aren’t planning on us being short here to attack.”

“Who goes out there?”

“Patriot, Chips, Leo, Zane, Elliot, Josh, Ash, Ty, Brock, and Colt.”

Colt’s head snaps up. “No.”

“No?”

Ky stares in shock while others stare with slacked jaws. Not many people tell the President ‘no’ when he gives an order.

“I’m benched, remember?”

“Yeah, I do. I’m the one who kept your ass here, but we need someone who’s familiar out there and knows these guys. Whether we like it or not, you’ve had more playing time on their field than the rest of us.”

“Send me instead,” Shep says. “I lived there.”

“I’m good with that,” Colt says.

“No,” Jennings snaps. “Shep, you’re needed here because, along with your wife, we have the strip club to worry about. You need to keep an eye on our investment.”

Colt stands and walks out of the room, but Jennings bangs his gavel. “Let him go.”

Everyone stands, but Diesel holds his hand up. “I have something else we need to talk about.”

They sit, and VP nods towards him. “What’s that?”

“Cutting our ties with the department.”

TK looks around the room. “What department? Because I know you can’t be talking about the Police Department.”

“Did something go south with Ashley and Grayson?” Beckett asks.

The hope in his voice catches Ky by surprise. Does the man have a thing for his sister? He’s even younger than Ashley than Grayson is, but even though Beckett’s a Drifter, he knows Grayson’s the best match for her. What the fuck is happening to him?

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