Chapter 9

~Nick~

“Well, that was a shit show,” I rasped out.

I had been busy in my office when I heard a bunch of commotion downstairs. Just as I rounded the corner, I saw lone police officers barging into the club. After that, I saw red as I made my way downstairs to intervene. I knew Lily would make herself scarce the moment she heard the police identify themselves. She knew they were after her and would do anything to get her, even planting false evidence to detain her.

I stormed down the stairs, my anger rising with each step. The officers were spreading out, their hands resting near their holsters, their voices echoing through the club.

“We’re looking for Lily Johnson,” one of them announced loudly. “If anyone knows where she is, it would be in your best interest to tell us now.”

I pushed through the crowd of confused and angry club members to confront the officer who seemed to be in charge.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I demanded, my voice booming over the murmurs of the crowd.

The officer turned to face me, his expression stoic. “We have a warrant to search these premises for Lily Johnson,” he replied, holding up a piece of paper. “She is wanted for questioning in connection with a serious crime.”

“And you think storming in here like this is going to help you find her?” I retorted. “If she was here, which she isn’t, you’ve just scared her off. You’re not finding anyone with these tactics.”

“We have our orders,” the officer stated flatly. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we need to continue our search.”

I watched helplessly as they continued, knowing any resistance could escalate things quickly. After they turned the place upside down with no sign of Lily, they finally started to leave, their departure as abrupt as their entrance.

The club members began murmuring amongst themselves, tension and anger hanging heavily in the air.

Once the police were gone, I headed straight toward Snake, who was standing by the back exit. He gave me a subtle nod, letting me know Lily was still safe.

“She’s hidden away. Didn’t catch a glimpse of the cops, thanks to the heads-up,” he whispered.

“Good. Keep her out of sight until we know it’s clear,” I instructed. “This isn’t over. They’ll be back, or they’ll be watching. We need to stay sharp and protect her at all costs.”

Snake nodded, his face set in a grim line. “Understood, Prez. We’ll keep her safe. You can count on us.”

As the club slowly returned to normal, I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread. The police were the least of our worries if they decided to dig deeper. But for now, Lily was safe, and that was what mattered.

As I turned around, I called out to Death.

“Yes, Prez?” he responded promptly.

I noticed my sister, Vicky, walking closely behind him. Ever since she claimed him, though he’d probably say it was the other way around, he’d been different. He was still intimidating, especially when he tapped into that dark place for the club’s sake, but there was a noticeable return of his humanity, something we hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Death, a moment,” I said, signaling for him to step aside with me.

Vicky gave him a reassuring nod, allowing us the space to talk privately.

He approached, his expression unreadable. “What’s up, Prez?”

I glanced back at Vicky, who was chatting with some of the newer club members, looking more at ease than I had seen her in months.

“How’s everything with you two?” I asked, genuinely curious about his changed demeanor.

Death paused, a flicker of softness passing through his eyes.

“Good, Prez. Vicky… she’s been incredible. She told me about what went down with Derrick: the verbal abuse, the manipulation. It was rough before she made her escape and came back here.”

I nodded, clenching my fists at the memory of what Vicky had gone through.

“Yeah, she went through hell with that bastard. It’s a relief to see her finding some peace, finally.”

“Yeah, she’s tough,” Death agreed, his voice carrying a hint of pride. “She’s been helping me find some balance, reminding me there’s more to life than just the club and the chaos.”

“It’s good, Death. It’s good for both of you,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder. “Just make sure you keep her safe. With everything that’s going on, especially with the cops sniffing around, we need to be careful.”

Death nodded solemnly. “Always, Prez. I won’t let anything happen to her.”

As we rejoined the others, I watched Vicky laugh at something one of the new members said. It was moments like these, seeing the lighter side of our lives amidst the usual darkness, that reminded me why we fought so hard to protect our own.

Vicky and Death, with their unlikely bond, had become a testament to the club’s resilience and the personal battles we each faced.