Free Club Scars by Mara McBain

because he would’ve been such a help to Kat in prison,” Murphy said with an eye roll.
    “Who said he’d get caught?” Taz asked with a sinister chuckle.
    “I’m saying that sometimes there are other avenues. Soriano was taken down legally.”
    “And Eva almost died,” Mox said pointedly.
    “Merrick’s political ties make him a dangerous man to go after,” Zeke mumbled around his cigar.
    “Are you saying we can’t touch him?”
    “I’m saying that he’s one that would be very difficult to bring down from that side of the law.”
    Murphy looked at Zeke in surprise. It wasn’t often the partners disagreed.   
    “What was it that Big Red said? When an animal is sick you put it down,” Reaper sneered at Murphy. “Sorry if that offends your cop sensibilities.”
    “You don’t know Kat’s father or his sick fuck brother, the governor. Reaper is right,” Crux said stubbing out his cigarette.
    Bowie shifted his hulking frame and nodded.
    “You weren’t here for that chapter, Murph,” Zeke said, his voice holding a rumble of warning.  
    Murphy held their president’s gaze for a long moment and then nodded, looking around the table. He raised his hand off the flat surface in a gesture of placation and acceptance. Crux nodded his understanding at the silent apology.
    “This was before our time too, so what do we need to know?” Mox asked. Rhys leaned forward beside him, his gaze sweeping over the men at the table.
    “The Merrick family has more money than God. John runs the family’s multi-billion dollar corporation and Connor is our illustrious governor, with aspirations to sit in the White House. What you really need to know is that they’re sadistic animals that make Rocco Soriano look like an amateur. Physical torture is just a warm up to their sexual depravity, and they like to play mind games. It’s amazing Kat made it out of there with her sanity,” Zeke said gravely.   
    “Even with Kat’s testimony there was nothing that could be done?” Rhys asked.
    The low chuckle that rumbled from Crux’s chest was anything but humorous.
    “They had her committed for a while and convinced people that she is unstable and delusional. The lawyers said she’s not a credible witness.”
    “That one is crazy like a fox,” Eddie muttered, shaking his head and stroking his blond horseshoe mustache.
    “My old lady is no more crazy than any other woman, but that doesn’t change what the paperwork says,” Crux said, crumbling his empty Marlboro pack before bumming another cigarette from Reaper’s pack.   
    “Since you made it clear that he wasn’t going to be in the kid’s life, what do you think his next step is?” Tech asked softly.
    “I don’t know what the fucker’s agenda is. He was babbling about making Cam his heir, and something about this being the first thing that Kat has ever done to make him proud. I will take care of my family. I don’t want his money. I’ll never allow Kat to be beholden to that monster.”
    “So, if it’s being part of Camden’s life he wants, he might just be licking his wounds before he tries to talk to Kat again?” Sambo asked.
    Crux nodded with a shrug.  
    “If he comes around when you’re not home is Kat going to be able to handle it?” Bowie asked, concern in his deep voice.
    “She’s scared shitless of the man. She won’t let him in. She knows where the guns are and I’ve made it clear that she is to call the cops and then call me. We’ll see which one gets there first,” Crux said, eyes flickering to Murphy. “That might be the deciding factor.”
    “Or Kat might finish it herself,” Zeke said with a little smirk. “I don’t know if that would be more traumatic or cathartic.”
    “I know it would feel good for me,” Crux chuckled.
    “If this was about you feeling better you would’ve shot the asshole years ago, dumbass,” Reaper said, bouncing the crumpled cigarette pack off Crux’s forehead. He laughed as Crux winged it back