Broken Chrome

Chapter 7

BROKEN CHROME

Chapter Seven

Brothers in Blood

The motorcycle disappeared into the darkness before Ghost could reach his.

He stood in the middle of the clubhouse parking lot, helmet hanging from one hand, staring at the empty road.

Emma had never seen him look so lost.

Not angry.

Not afraid.

Lost.

“Ghost.”

He didn’t respond.

“Ryder.”

His head turned.

The look in his eyes made her stop.

“I spent ten years believing my brother was dead.”

His voice was rough.

“I buried an empty coffin.”

Emma’s heart tightened.

“You never knew?”

“We found his motorcycle three counties over.”

He swallowed.

“Blood on the seat. Blood on the road. No body.”

“And your father told you he was dead?”

“Yeah.”

“Why would he lie?”

Ghost looked toward the clubhouse.

“That’s what we’re going to find out.”

Bishop approached with Jax and Ace.

“We’ve got three bikes heading east.”

Ghost nodded.

“How long?”

“Five minutes ahead of us.”

“Good.”

Bishop hesitated.

“You sure about this?”

Ghost looked at him.

“I’m going.”

Bishop’s eyes moved toward Emma.

“And her?”

Ghost didn’t hesitate.

“She stays with me.”

Emma opened her mouth.

Ghost raised one hand.

“Don’t.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything.”

“You were.”

“Maybe.”

For the first time that night, a faint smile touched his mouth.

“Put your helmet on.”

⸻

The Iron Saints rode through the darkness.

Emma had never ridden this fast.

Ghost leaned into every curve like he knew the road by memory.

Maybe he did.

His hand occasionally reached backward, checking that she was still holding on.

She was.

Not because she trusted him.

Because somewhere along the way, she had realized something terrifying.

She trusted the man beneath the leather.

She just didn’t trust the secrets he carried.

The road narrowed.

Trees surrounded them.

Ghost suddenly slowed.

Bishop moved beside him.

They stopped.

Ghost killed the engine.

Emma looked around.

“What happened?”

Ghost pointed ahead.

A motorcycle lay on its side in the ditch.

Jax pulled his bike over.

Ghost dismounted.

Emma followed.

“Whose is it?”

Ghost crouched beside the motorcycle.

His fingers brushed the tank.

He went still.

“What?”

He stood.

“This is Cole’s.”

Emma’s heart dropped.

“You think he crashed?”

Ghost shook his head.

“No.”

He pointed toward the ground.

Fresh tire marks crossed the dirt.

“Someone forced him off the road.”

Bishop scanned the woods.

“Could still be close.”

Ghost’s eyes narrowed.

“Spread out.”

The men moved silently.

Emma stood beside the motorcycle.

Then she saw something.

A small silver object glinted beneath the bike.

She bent down.

“Ryder.”

Ghost turned.

She picked it up.

A pendant.

A black rose.

Ghost’s expression changed.

“That’s the Black Rose.”

“You said they were a club that didn’t exist.”

“They aren’t supposed to.”

Emma held it out.

“Then why does Cole have their symbol?”

Ghost took the pendant.

His fingers tightened around it.

“I don’t know.”

A branch snapped behind them.

Ghost spun.

His weapon appeared instantly.

“Who’s there?”

Silence.

Then a voice drifted through the trees.

“Still protecting her, brother?”

Emma froze.

Ghost’s entire body went rigid.

“Cole.”

A man stepped out from between the trees.

Emma’s breath caught.

He looked like Ghost.

Not exactly.

But enough that there was no doubt.

Same blue eyes.

Same dark hair.

Same strong jaw.

Cole Callahan looked older than the photograph.

A scar ran from his temple to his cheek.

His beard was longer.

His clothes were black.

And his eyes held something Ghost’s never had.

Hatred.

“Hello, Ryder.”

Ghost lowered his weapon slightly.

“Where have you been?”

Cole smiled.

“That’s your first question?”

“You’re alive.”

“Apparently.”

“I thought you were dead.”

“You were supposed to.”

Emma stepped closer.

Cole’s eyes moved to her.

He smiled.

“And you must be Emma.”

Ghost immediately stepped between them.

“Don’t.”

Cole laughed.

“Still doing that?”

“Doing what?”

“Standing between me and everything you love.”

Ghost’s jaw tightened.

“You don’t know anything about what I love.”

Cole’s eyes darkened.

“I know exactly what you love.”

He looked at Emma.

“That’s why they chose her.”

Emma’s stomach twisted.

“Who chose me?”

Cole’s expression became serious.

“The same people who destroyed us.”

Ghost stepped forward.

“Tell me what happened.”

Cole laughed bitterly.

“You really want to know?”

“Yes.”

“Even if it destroys everything you’ve built?”

“Yes.”

Cole looked at Emma.

“Even if it destroys her?”

Ghost didn’t hesitate.

“Yes.”

Emma stared at him.

For the first time, she understood.

Ghost wasn’t trying to protect her from the truth anymore.

He was finally willing to face it.

Cole slowly reached inside his jacket.

Ghost raised his weapon.

“Easy.”

Cole pulled out a folded photograph.

He tossed it onto the ground.

Ghost picked it up.

His expression changed.

Emma stepped closer.

It was an old photograph of three men.

Silas Callahan.

Thomas Brooks.

And a third man Emma didn’t recognize.

“Who’s that?”

Cole answered.

“Marcus Vale.”

Ghost stared at the photograph.

“He’s dead.”

Cole smiled.

“That’s what Dad wanted everyone to believe.”

Emma’s pulse raced.

“Who is Marcus Vale?”

Cole looked directly at her.

“Your father’s best friend.”

Emma shook her head.

“I’ve never heard that name.”

“Because your father erased him.”

“Why?”

Cole looked at Ghost.

“Because Marcus was the one who discovered what Silas was doing.”

Ghost’s face hardened.

“What was he doing?”

Cole’s voice dropped.

“Running weapons through the Iron Saints.”

Silence.

Emma looked at Ghost.

“Your father was trafficking weapons?”

Cole nodded.

“And your father found out.”

Ghost stared at the photograph.

“What does that have to do with Emma?”

Cole’s eyes met hers.

“Everything.”

He pointed at the photograph.

“Your father wasn’t just a witness.”

Emma’s throat tightened.

“He was part of it.”

“No.”

Cole nodded.

“He helped Silas.”

Emma shook her head.

“My father would never.”

Cole’s expression softened.

“I’m sorry.”

He reached into his jacket again.

This time, he pulled out a small cassette tape.

“Your father recorded everything.”

Ghost stared at it.

“Where did you get that?”

“From the man who killed him.”

Emma’s breath stopped.

“My father was murdered?”

Ghost looked at her.

Neither of them spoke.

Cole stepped backward.

“I’ll give you the tape.”

Ghost’s eyes narrowed.

“What do you want?”

Cole smiled sadly.

“The same thing I’ve wanted for ten years.”

“What?”

“The truth.”

He turned toward the trees.

“Meet me at the old mill tomorrow night.”

Ghost called after him.

“Why should I trust you?”

Cole stopped.

He looked over his shoulder.

“You shouldn’t.”

Then he disappeared into the darkness.

⸻

They returned to the clubhouse just before sunrise.

Emma sat alone in Ghost’s office.

The cassette tape rested on the desk.

She stared at it.

Her father’s voice might be on that tape.

The truth about his death.

The truth about Silas.

The truth about Ryder.

Everything she’d ever believed could change in the next few minutes.

Ghost entered.

He closed the door behind him.

“You ready?”

“No.”

“Me neither.”

He sat beside her.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then Emma reached for the tape.

Ghost stopped her hand.

“Whatever’s on there…”

He looked into her eyes.

“…you don’t have to listen.”

She shook her head.

“I do.”

“Emma.”

“I spent ten years believing my father died one way.”

Her voice cracked.

“If that’s not true, I need to know.”

Ghost slowly released her hand.

She put the cassette into the old player.

Pressed play.

Static filled the room.

Then a man’s voice.

Her father’s voice.

Emma stopped breathing.

“Ryder…”

Ghost stared at the machine.

The recording crackled.

Then Thomas Brooks spoke.

“If you’re hearing this, Silas knows.”

Emma covered her mouth.

Ghost leaned forward.

Her father’s voice continued.

“Ruth was right. We should have gone to the police.”

Static.

Then:

“Ryder has to stay away from Emma.”

Ghost’s eyes closed.

Thomas continued.

“Because if Silas finds out what Emma knows…”

The recording suddenly cut out.

Emma stared at the machine.

“That’s it?”

Ghost shook his head.

“No.”

He turned the cassette over.

There was another recording.

A second voice spoke.

A woman’s voice.

Emma recognized it immediately.

Her grandmother.

“If you’re hearing this…”

Emma’s heart stopped.

“…then I failed to protect you.”

The recording continued.

And Grandma Ruth said the words that changed everything.

“Emma, your father didn’t die because of an accident.”

The room went completely silent.

“He was murdered.”

Ghost reached for Emma’s hand.

This time…

She let him take it.

And neither of them knew that, across town, someone was already preparing for their meeting at the old mill.

Someone who had been waiting ten years to finish what they’d started.