Knight: Heart by L. Ann Marie
Prologue
Aylen
I love this new way of transcending space and time and can make Maiyun’s lab easily but have only tried from the reservation. This looks great, Maiyun has the Mohegans all on one shelf. I pull one and find GS. His birthday is coming up and I want to get a history for him. Cloud once told us a story in Warriors about GS first learning of his Mohegan heritage. I saw GS’s face in Cloud’s memory and thought I’d never seen him look so lost and disappointed. Not knowing his heritage hurt him. Cloud said it hurt because he couldn’t raise my dad with that knowledge. I think he was wrong. GS would want to give everything to my dad but GS had no one growing up until he and old Pres found the Club. It’s funny that Axe taught my grandfather and is my great-grandfather. Also, because GS is the Brother who would claim Axe’s daughter and Uncle Danny because he’s one of the legendary Enforcers of the MC just like his dad, Axe. And GS and Uncle Danny never met in the Club. It’s all a little out there.
Our history is important to us. I bet GS knows it now, but the ties to the west are new. I’m going to give him all of it. Mucimi told Maiyun a quote that stuck with me from one of the books, ‘They are not dead, who live in the hearts they leave behind.’ I keep thinking about where GS, and I, for that matter, come from. They need to live in our hearts like our Badass legends. They shaped our path in all the little things they did. Brothers always overlook people who aren’t loud and obnoxious. It’s those people going to work every day, living seemingly robotic-like lives, that feed us and house us. Without their support we’d be lost.
I know I’ve never thought about working the counter at Dunkin’ as a career. Whenever there was a problem, Prospects jumped in, I offered help and got a look from the manager. Protectors never work the counter at Dunkin’ according to him. I’m not an imbecile and would have figured out how to do it but was relieved I didn’t have to touch the keypad on the register. Joey would flip if her inventory was off.
Arms around me pull me back from the reservation to the man who officially claimed me just two short days ago. Seeing those soulful brown eyes on that ruggedly handsome face stuns me. “You’re home.” Because his arms aren’t around me…sometimes I’m an imbecile.
“Yeah. I didn’t get shot but was dragged all around the fuckin’ Clubs. It’s the middle of the night and he didn’t stop talking the whole time.” Poor Walker.
My dad thought he’d stop the claiming but Aiyana warned us. With a shield from Mucimi, Aiyana and Dakota, we did the actual claiming the night before last when my dad and his crew were in California. The Club went wild and I was glad to finally have it official, at least in my own Club.
I’m nineteen so you’d think he’d let it go already. Becoming President doesn’t get me respect from the one man that matters. I worked hard to get here.
Running my fingers through his messy but soft as hell hair, I try to get a smile out of him. “You didn’t get shot, so Aiyana still has you covered. I’ll talk to my dad again.”
“It won’t do any good. Jessie and Dakota got me home pointing out their shifts today. Your dad said he’d call Knight down. Getting help to keep us apart is how I took it.” It won’t do any good because my dad sees me as a five-year-old.
This is why I moved. He’s got to go home at some point and I’ll be able to do the job the way him and mom taught me.
Fuckin’ ‘rents make life hard sometimes. “I should call Uncle Danny.”
“Hell no, don’t call more of them here. Your uncle and grandfather just went home and your dad said he’d call your grandfather down already. I need some sleep so I can make the morning meets. Gimme a kiss and know I love you, Juana.” He’s been done with the ‘rents since the second time my dad shot him. Cort stood in front of him so my dad didn’t get more than a second on the laser.
Every time I hear Juana, the Mohegan meaning for my yellow hair, I melt. He spent a year learning me and our language from Kyler and Seth. I kiss my tired man and love him back, then giggle. Kyler read him yesterday and had Seth and Tucker laughing about us finally leaving the bed. They thought Aiyana would show with us bare-assed because she dragged us from bed.
His tired smile at the giggle sound is sweet as his eyes close.
“I’m glad we were washed and dressed when Aiyana showed to pull us to the party.”
He grunts. “She dressed us. We were washed and I was pulling boxers on.”
My smile is huge. “They were cute boxers.”
“You’re cute but off. Women showing in the closet as I dress isn’t anything I’ve ever lived. You think it’s all part of life.”
I roll my eyes glad his are closed. “Because it is for me, it’s all I’ve ever known. Sleep, you’re grouchy when you’re tired. I’m going to train.” And replay the day in bed we had until Aiyana showed. She’s always been awesome to the women Brothers making sure the testosterone laden men don’t drive us to drink.
He pushes up and I push him down. “Here. I can run the treadmill.” Which I will until he falls asleep. I need the book for GS and have no time later, so I need to pick it up early.
“Roger, Juana.” He’s out of it if he rogers Juana.
Kissing his head, I pull on panties and a sports bra, then move to the treadmill in the gym. I’m glad we got log cabin houses. Alder says they’re wood composite and I saw wood chips, cement and recycling in his head so I didn’t ask. It looks like log cabins made with real wood to me.
The Enforcers took the bubble compound and Security took adobe houses. Freed and shelter women have the log cabins with shared common spaces and homeless have an entire single room bubble compound like Alder’s but they’re made with recycled cement and plastic. Homeless families have their own with added bubble bedrooms like Harky’s but a little smaller. I smile, Harky’s extra bedrooms are for dogs.
I can’t wait for training to start, the neighborhood civilians that can, find jobs and move to homes in the new towns. Tolerance for being different changes when groups come from the same background, are appreciative of help and put their hand out to give help. I’ve seen it my whole life.
All we have left is the new Indian compound. I can’t believe so many from New England are moving. I did, so it shouldn’t be a shock but it’s unexpected. Aiyana set me up with a Rhode Island elder, Neema, who will handle Indian Resources for her people and our new people. Hopefully, the freed women will take to the familiar rituals if not the language.
Justice shows on the side of the treadmill and waves his hand. I smile looking at the basketball shorts and Prince T-shirt I’m wearing. “You’re good at that.”
He shakes his head but isn’t smiling. “Prez respects the fuck out of you, Brother. You made it to President without being groomed and fly too.”
I don’t stop running. “I’ve been groomed my whole life. Don’t make excuses for him. We all were groomed by every fuckin’ Officer at Princes. We’re all capable of running a Club and you know it. Our purpose is set so we won’t all do that but we all got the same lessons.”
He takes a minute and I almost stop to look at him. “He respects you and your ability, Aylen. This isn’t about anything more than he’s getting older and you’re proving it.”
“Whatever. My Brothers, in my own Club, see the disrespect every time he shows. That showed last night in Phoenix with a fuckin’ hoard of Brothers when I was claimed and he pulled Walker away so I wasn’t claimed there.” I stop and turn. “He’s got to go home soon, maybe I can earn that respect back from my Brothers when he does. Until then, I’ve got shit to do and don’t need the family drama.” My whole life I was never Teller or Phoenix. I was fine being kept from going to the Club. The Women's Center and my mom taught me more than the Club ever would. Here, I have a chance to teach the lessons the men and women in my life gave me. Cort is giving me a shot and I’m taking it. My dad can adjust or not. I just hope Walker can handle a life of Prince crazy.
Justice pulls me closer and kisses my head. “Prez loves you, Brother. Walker isn’t walking. He gets all in and will honor it, you and the Club you build together. Be at the reservation tonight.”
I lean in hoping that dream comes true. I wish I could see our future and hope I never do. I’m screwed up. Justice is just gone.
I know my dad loves me, he just doesn’t trust that I can do the job. By the job, I mean any job. Growing up, I always got the ‘good jobs’ like every other Brother but because I’m his, it’s not good enough to trust what I’ve shown him. I gave up looking for reasons why years ago when Teller flew with Flight Team One and my dad cut me from Justice’s list. I’m here now, happy and in a job I was born to do.
With a half hour in on the treadmill and a deep breath, I drop the clothes Justice dressed me in and shower, then dress in breeches and a top.
My biker boots are on me today. Aiyana had me in moccasins last night, but I always wear my boots traveling. As much as I moan about my dad, he always makes sure I have everything I need and a few of the things I love. When I was eight, he had boots made for me that match his and I wear them whenever I’m in pants or breeches going out the door. I have three matching pairs at different stages of wear, so I’m never in brand new boots unless I’m breaking them in at meets or on Protector rides with the crew. I love my boots.
A quick braid to my hair and I’m pushing to the mall a few towns over. They have a Hallmark store that has blank books. The empty store has me checking time, it’s almost five-thirty, so I hurry down aisles of cards and see the paper section. With a leather-bound book in hand, I leave a fifty in the empty book box lid and the outside wrapper section with the bar code from a Snickers bar. I never get to shop in places like this and decide to take the box on display. Dumping the candy into a paper bag, I throw a twenty in that box and push away before I’m buying more shit I don’t need. I hope I left enough to cover the book and seven candy bars. They need clear prices on merchandise.
Getting to Maiyun’s new lab on the ABSZ, I leave a candy bar and note of what I need from her for the book. She can leave the pages right in the book’s box and I’ll write it when I’m not busy. Really, my mind will while I’m reading it.
With that done, I push and drop candy bars in the fridge in my office, I push again, happy to see pop-ups and the simulator are empty. Running through both, I’m out before the Brothers get in. As I’m unlacing my boots, I see a bigger matching pair and shake my head with my eyes on my slow ass hands that changed to lacing my boots now that I know he’s here.
He bends and lifts my chin up. “He claimed you?”
I shake my head at him. “Go home, Dad. Anymore disrespect shown to a President and VP and we’ll be forced to move to Greece out of shame. I’m a Knight, we don’t do shame.”
He looks shocked. “Disrespect?” Seriously? He’s off if he’s not reading it from the Brothers. I sat alone at a table last night and every fuckin’ Brother that was close felt sorry for me. I pushed to the Protector house and jumped the cliff over and over.
“Are you kidding? You pulled him away so he wouldn’t claim me when he was just making the announcement. He claimed me here the day before. You’ve shot him multiple times. You walked in here and rechecked everything we did to set us up as if I was ten.” My eyes fill with tears but I don’t stop. “My whole life has been spent learning the lessons of my fathers from you, mom, the ancestors and my Officers. If you’d leave me alone long enough, trust in me, in those lessons, I’d be able to show you I’ve learned and teach the Brothers that never got them. I know I’m not Teller or Phoenix, but I deserve the same happiness they have. I deserve that from you.”
He’s shocked again and pulls my head to his shoulder. “Jesus. You deserve everything, Ay. You have my full support…”
I pull away from him, squawking. “No, I don’t, Dad. You’re delusional if you think you’ve been supportive. Respect and trust in your Brothers are lessons first taught to me by you. I didn’t think it meant only male Brothers or women Brothers that weren’t your kid, leaving me on that list alone. You’ve trained me for everything but don’t trust me to run anything. It’s not new or even unexpected, it’s the way you’ve been my whole life. Walker was not in my plan, but I did learn about all in with my Brothers and know how I should be treated by a man. I have the ability to keep myself safe and still am not trusted to make a decision for me. I’m late for sparring and have a full day.” Saying all that and seeing the shock in his eyes, I need to get away before he blasts me.
Pushing hard, I make it to Alpha and see Nova on the mat waiting. I get into position without a word and hope he’s pissed today. I need to get rid of some energy.