Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 110721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“Weren’t lookin’ hard enough.”
Of course. “You also mentioned protection and collections.” Activities normally tied to organized crime.
“Yeah.”
That was his answer? Just yeah? “Are you saying the club runs a legitimate security agency as well as a collection agency?”
He snorted. Well, there was her answer. The Kings were probably no better than the Mob.
“Are any of these businesses legal?”
“Depends on who you’re askin’.”
She knew Stone had no problem with breaking the law. She didn’t try to convince herself otherwise. But was his criminal activity a lot worse than what she thought?
“First of all, I’m asking you. Second, the legality of a business isn’t an opinion. If you weren’t aware, pesky things exist called laws. Either the club businesses follow those laws or they don’t.” She tilted her head to the side.. “Which one is it?”
“First of all,” he echoed, “club business ain’t anyone’s business ‘cept members. Second, that don’t include you.”
“Tell me, if my Honda needs work, where am I taking it?”
“You give it to me and it’ll get done.”
With that answer, she had to assume that none of their businesses were legal. It sounded like they didn’t even have legitimate-looking “fronts” typically used to launder illegally obtained money. That also meant the majority, if not all, of the money the club—and their members—earned was dirty.
Were they so arrogant that they didn’t think they’d get caught?
Probably not, since Taryn could take an educated guess that none of these “businesses” were new.
That also meant the house where she and Wren were staying was purchased with money earned by doing crimes. The truck that Wren had rode in was probably restored with the same dirty money.
All of that should bother her. She’d never been one to break the law. Now she was living in the middle of a crime ring.
Could she be considered guilty by association?
Worse, what kind of mother was she by not removing Wren from the situation?
But was Vic any better? The man beat the crap out of her in front of their son. The man Wren was supposed to look up to, to learn his morals from, was the last person Taryn now wanted to have access to him.
It was a dilemma that made her brain ache.
Yes, Vic was a bad man. But so was Stone.
The difference: Stone wanted to protect her. Vic was out for blood.
The choice might not be easy, but it was clear…
Wren’s well-being came before anything.
She could easily use the Kings as examples to teach him the difference between right and wrong.
But not if she was dead.
Chapter Sixteen
Yesterday, Stone brought Taryn over to inspect the old cafeteria’s kitchen to see if it would work better for her video classes. Or demos. Or whatever the fuck she called what she was doing online.
That cucumber bullshit she made the other morning didn’t look good at all. Or filling. If she served that to his brothers, they’d probably look at her sideways before spitting it at her.
Most of the kitchen might still be original but the commercial-quality appliances had been updated a few years back. Better yet, the kitchen area was a lot bigger than the one at the house, giving her more room to work. She’d have more burners, ovens, fridge and freezer storage, a huge stock room, and all the rest of the shit she had gone nuts over when she saw it.
With her eyes lit up, she ooo’d and aah’d over shit he’d never think twice about.
She was also excited about having a fuckton of storage for some of her chef equipment, unlike back at the house. At least the shit she wouldn’t need to keep there to make them meals at home. A requirement of their agreement.
Since she’d be coming over to The Castle on a regular basis, he had given her a key to the gate. When he handed it to her, she had stared at it in surprise.
“Every time I’ve been here, the gate hasn’t been locked.”
“‘Cause there wasn’t a threat. Now there is.” Or would be soon as soon as that motherfucking ex of hers got sprung. “Gonna be locked twenty-four-seven ’til that threat’s been eliminated.”
Her brow furrowed. “Eliminated?”
Fuck. Maybe he should’ve picked a better word. Neutralized? Dispatched? Silenced? Buried six feet under? Floating down the Susquehanna River? “No longer a threat.”
“He’s not even out yet.”
“Stupid to get caught with our asses hangin’ out.”
He had told all his brothers, as well as the prospects and sweet butts, that they needed to stay vigilant and always keep the gates locked. If they saw anyone suspicious, they needed to let him or Ogre know.
Since security cameras had been installed around the exterior of the former school years ago, he had Nut Sack check all the feeds to make sure they were all functioning since they hardly ever checked them unless they had a reason.
It had been a long fucking time since they’d had a reason. Usually no one fucked with the Kings.