The Broken Pieces of Us (The Devil's Dust #2.1)

“You might as well tell them,” Augustus laughs. Locks looks at Augustus with disbelieving eyes before sighing and looking away.

“You lost your priorities when you let your family into the club. You threw caution to the wind when your daughter came back,” Locks snarls, pointing at me. “Dani was a threat to the club, and she should have had a bullet put in her head.” I inhale a sharp breath, my arm raising slowly for a gun I hid in my waist band. I am going to fucking kill him. “When Babs told me about her niece, I told her no, and that should have been the end of it. But because you were fucking her, she thought she could do whatever she wanted to.”

My eyes widen, and my jaw tightens with tension. How long has he known? I feel guilt riddle up my spine as I look at the rest of the guys; the look of shock written on their faces not making me feel any better. But the fact remains, he started treating Babs like shit, threw her to the side while he dived in other pussy, and even hit Babs when she refused to live the life of scraps he threw her. He preaches about my priorities of putting family first, but this club is my family. Here lately, the only thing Locks has cared about is if he can stick his dick in it or make money out of it. He isn’t my brother, hasn’t been for a long time. Looks like I just came to terms with it too late.

“You never deserved Babs,” I snarl through my clenched teeth. My eyes penetrate Locks’ traitorous eyes of betrayal.

“Eh, that’s up for debate,” Locks clips. My hand flies to my back, ready to pull the trigger and kill him. He’s gone. I’ve lost the brother that I grew up with. He let the ways of the club to his head with a heavy appetite of greed. Just as my arm pulls back, Old Guy grabs it, stopping it from reaching my gun. I look over my shoulder at him, and he shakes his head, bringing me down from my rage and to the reality of the situation.

“I knew Augustus would be out for blood, so I bought my time. When my bike was blown up, I knew it was Augustus and I knew it was just the beginning of a war—”

“How’d you know it was Augustus?” Bobby interrupts, the words leaving his mouth before I could speak them.

“I met the guy Babs’ niece was dating once. I knew he was one of Augustus’ boys by the green bandana,” Locks replies casually. I turn my head to the side and eye Locks. He knew Babs would not settle for not redeeming her niece’s honor, knew the trap she would walk into, the war the club would wander in. The ultimate fate of it all, killing the woman I love, and nearly killing my daughter in the process.

“Anyway, I came to Augustus with a deal, and in return, I would be protected from his retaliation,” Locks continues, his tone as casual as can be. He made a deal? A deal behind my back?

“What deal?” I ask, my eyes raised with tension. I can’t believe what the hell I’m hearing.

“He gave me the location of every one of your girls,” Augustus informs. My nose flares with pent-up aggression. I’ll kill him. “In fact, if Lover Boy hadn’t shown up, your daughter might have died in that night club.” He looks at some guy standing beside him, the guy who Shadow said was harassing Dani at some party a ways back. “But Lover Boy was a blessing in disguise. If I had killed your daughter, I wouldn’t have been able to make this deal, now would I?” Augustus remarks. I turn and face Locks. He sold my daughter out, sold my club from under my feet. Why?

“You betrayed me,” I growl.

“You did it to yourself. You let club business come second when your daughter showed up, throwing everyone in jeopardy,” Locks spits, his face turning red from anger.

“Either way, he has to be dealt with,” Augustus prompts, pulling a pistol from his suit jacket.

He aims his weapon at Locks. I can’t decide if I like the idea that he is going to kill Locks, or if I’m pissed it’s not me ending his life.

The gun fires, and in an instant, Locks pulls Shadow in front of him, protecting himself from the bullet. I rush forward to grab Shadow, even when I know there is no way I’ll reach him in time. Suddenly Shadow wipes out, falling to the ground before I can reach him. I look at Shadow, looking for any signs of pain or blood, when I hear a disgruntled cough. My head snaps to the side finding Bobby lying on the ground holding his side in obvious pain. Bobby knocked Shadow out of the way protecting him, and taking the bullet in the process. Fuck!