Chapter 6: The Truth Marcus Vale Was Afraid to Tell
Nobody trusted Marcus.
I could feel it immediately.
The room changed the second he walked in.
The bikers who had spent years searching for answers now looked ready to fight the man standing in front of them.
Razor moved between Marcus and me.
"You have five seconds to explain why you are alive.""
Marcus didn't react.
He looked older than I expected.
Not dangerous.
Just exhausted.
Like someone who had been running for a very long time.
"I know how this looks.""
Razor laughed without humor.
"Do you?""
Marcus looked around the room.
"Daniel trusted me.""
"Daniel trusted everyone.""
That sentence hit harder than I expected.
Because it was true.
My father trusted people.
And someone had destroyed him because of it.
Marcus lowered his eyes.
"I deserved that.""
Razor stepped closer.
"You disappeared.""
"I had to.""
"You let us believe you were dead.""
"I was trying to stay alive.""
"While Daniel wasn't.""
The room became silent.
Marcus accepted the accusation.
"I know.""
I watched him carefully.
Something about him was strange.
He didn't act like a guilty person.
He acted like someone carrying a burden.
But I had learned something important.
People could look innocent and still destroy your life.
"Tell me what happened to my father.""
My voice surprised everyone.
Marcus looked at me.
For a moment, he didn't see a teenager.
He saw Daniel.
"You look like him.""
I hated hearing that.
Because I wanted my father.
Not memories.
Not comparisons.
Not stories.
I wanted him.
"What happened?""
Marcus took a deep breath.
"Your father discovered a group inside the organization stealing money and using the club's name for illegal deals.""
Razor nodded.
"We knew that part.""
"No.""
Marcus looked at him.
"You knew half.""
The room became tense.
"What do you mean?""
Marcus looked at the door.
Then the windows.
Like he was afraid someone was listening.
"Daniel wasn't investigating criminals outside the club.""
A chill moved through me.
"He was investigating someone inside.""
Everyone stared.
"Who?""
Marcus looked at the patch on my father's jacket.
"The person who betrayed him.""
My heart started pounding.
"Who was it?""
Marcus didn't answer.
Instead, he reached into his jacket.
Every biker immediately reacted.
Weapons moved.
Marcus slowly pulled out a photograph.
And placed it on the table.
Razor picked it up.
His expression changed instantly.
I stepped closer.
"What is it?""
Nobody spoke.
I looked at the picture.
It showed my father.
Standing beside the bikers.
Smiling.
Happy.
And beside him...
Was Razor.
But there was something else.
Written on the back of the photograph were six words.
*The betrayal came from his brother.*
I looked at Razor.
The room went silent.
Because everyone understood the same thing.
My father wasn't warning them about a stranger.
He was warning them about someone they loved.
Someone inside their own family.
Razor slowly lowered the picture.
"Marcus.""
His voice was cold.
"Tell me everything.""
Marcus looked at him.
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because the person who betrayed Daniel knows I'm alive.""
A pause.
"And now they know Emily is here.""
The lights suddenly flickered.
Everyone turned.
Then the sound came.
A crash outside.
Glass breaking.
Razor immediately grabbed my arm.
"Down!""
We hit the floor as the first shot shattered the window.
The room exploded into chaos.
Men shouted.
Furniture moved.
Another shot fired.
I covered my head.
My father's jacket wrapped around me like a shield.
Then Razor pulled me behind a concrete wall.
"Are you hurt?""
I shook my head.
"No.""
Marcus looked toward the broken window.
His face had gone pale.
"They found us.""
Razor looked at him.
"Who?""
Marcus didn't answer.
Because everyone heard the footsteps outside.
Someone was approaching.
Slowly.
Confidently.
Like they weren't afraid of anyone inside.
Then a voice came through the door.
A voice I would remember forever.
"Emily Rodriguez.""
Everyone froze.
The voice continued.
"You finally found your father's family.""
A pause.
Then:
May you like
"Now you're going to learn why he died.""
The door handle began to turn.
