“Funny thing about that—you’re not the only one with someone on the take in the sheriff’s office, dumbass,” I inform him.
At that moment, North steps around the doorframe and presses his Glock to the back of Stanfield’s head. “Drop it.”
I pull my weapon and aim it at his head as well. His revolver thumps to the expensive oriental carpet.
“You get all that?” I ask North.
“Recorded it all.”
I grin in Stanfield’s face. Then I glance to the doorway as Sheriff Davis steps into the room and into Stanfield’s line of sight. He shakes his head at him.
“You’ve really fucked yourself this time, Arthur.” He pulls out a set of cuffs and jerks his arms behind his back.
Stanfield’s face flames as he stares at Michaela and me. “You set me up? You think this is over? You think I don’t have friends in the governor’s office? I’ll be out on bail within the day.”
I get right in his face and give him an evil smile. “And when you do”—I arch my brow—“me and the rest of the Kings will be waiting for you.”
The bravado fades from his face and his eyes dart to Davis. “Did you hear that? He threatened me.”
Sheriff Davis shakes his head. “I didn’t hear a thing.”
Thirty-Four
Sly—
Sheriff Davis takes the coins into evidence and drags Stanfield out to his squad car. We follow and stand on the front steps watching. I turn to North. “Took you long enough.”
He grins. “Hell, he was spilling so much dirt, we didn’t want to interrupt. I had to put a fist in Davis’ sleeve twice and yank him back to keep him from stepping into the room too soon.”
Michaela starts to cry. “Is it over? Is it really over?”
I pull her into my arms. “You did good, babe. Got him to confess everything. They’ll reopen the investigation, rule it a homicide, and you’ll get that insurance money.”
“Oh, thank God.”
“Come on, let’s get out of here,” I say wrapping my arm around her shoulder, and we all walk down the drive.
North turns and looks back at the mansion. “Think the club could afford a place like that? It’d be nice with the pool and shit.”
“You lookin’ to be the next Hugh Hefner?”
He grins. “Lay around in my bathrobe all day?”
“Actually, I think it was a smoking jacket.”
“Even better.”
“You could hire Bad Bunny to wear her ears and feed you grapes.”
“Yeah, don’t think Aspen would go for that.”
I chuckle. “And just like that— your dreams are shot to hell.”
We reach the gate and the squad pulls past us and heads off. I see Stanfield through the back window and flip him off. He’ll get his. I’ll make sure of it.
“You come alone?” I ask North.
He snorts. “’Course. Think the two of us couldn’t handle this dickhead?”
“Well, I knew we could, but sometimes the guys get bored and tag along.”
He grins. “Bash is waiting by the that chick’s car with the bikes. If we needed him, he would have had our backs. ’Course he’d have to vault that fence, so who knows how long it would have taken him.”
We both chuckle at his joke.
We make it to the car. Bethany is sitting on the hood talking to Bash, but she slides off and bolts toward Michaela, slamming into her for a bear hug.
“Oh, my God, you had me so worried. Don’t ever do that again!”
She pulls back and Michaela smiles. “Thanks for calling in the cavalry.”
“What are best friends for if not to rat you out to your boyfriend?” Bethany glances over at me. “He is your boyfriend, right?”
I look at Michaela, leaving that answer to her. She bites her lip and I arch a brow, the stubborn little minx. Finally, she answers.
“Oh Bethany, he’s so much more than that to me. He’s everything.”
I feel a flush of warmth fill my body at her answer. “Took you long enough to admit it, woman.”
She cuddles to my chest and tilts her head up to me. “Well, I had to make you earn it, didn’t I?”
“Well, if this didn’t do it, I’m screwed.”
“Michaela, don’t give him a big head, he’s already full of himself,” North cracks.
I drop my mouth to hers and give her a thorough kiss. My brothers hoot and clap. When I break off, Bethany is fanning herself with her hand.
“I’ve got to get myself a biker.”
I look over at her and grin. “We might have a prospect available. The rest of us are all taken.”
“Bethany, you’re married,” Michaela reminds her.
“Oh, right. Damn.”
My brothers shake with silent laughter. We mount up and Bethany follows in her car. When we get back in town, Michaela taps my shoulder and points to the florist. I break off from the others and pull into the parking lot.
“What are we doing, babe?” I ask over my shoulder.
“Wait here. I’ll only be a second.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.” She scrambles off the back and dashes inside.
I do what she asks and wait. Good to her word, she’s back out the door in minutes, a bouquet of flowers in her hand.
I’m confused by the flowers and she fills me in. “Could we stop by the cemetery?”
“Sure, babe.” We ride the short distance and I park the bike at the curb. After we dismount, I follow her over to Cullen’s grave.
It’s quiet and peaceful here, with just the sound of bird’s chirping.
She lays the brightly colored bouquet down against the headstone and runs her fingers over the carved name. “I’m so sorry, Da. I thought such awful things, such wrong things about you. You did love us all, so much. I get that now. I gave you such a hard time the last few years. I never appreciated anything. But I did it, Da. I saved the pub. And I promise you, I’m never letting it go.”
Michaela stands and I put my arm around her. We stare down at the grave for a long while, and as she wipes at her eyes, I squeeze her shoulder. “Let it go, kitten. Let go of all that guilt. He was always so proud of you. And I know it ate at him that things went bad between you two the last few years. But he always knew it wouldn’t last. He used to talk about you, saying ‘when my oldest comes home.’”
“Oh, Sly. Is that true?”
“Got my oath on it.”
She wraps her arms around my waist and buries her face in my chest. I cup the back of her head and kiss her hair. “I know this is a strange place to say this, but maybe not, with your dad here and all.”
She tilts her head up and looks at me. “What?”
I cup her face and tell her what I’ve known for a while now, the words that have been gnawing at my insides, demanding to be spoken. “Babe, when you said I was your everything, it meant the fucking world to me. I don’t know how it happened, but somehow you wormed your way into my heart and you’ve become my fucking world. I’m in love with you, Michaela.”
A radiant smile blooms across her face and then she turns and looks at the headstone. “Did you hear that, Da? He said he loves me. He hasn’t asked me yet, but I want you to be the first to know, this is the man I’m going to marry.”