Chapter 8: The Evidence My Father Died Protecting
We spent the night moving.
Not because we were running away.
Because Razor said people like Victor were most dangerous when they believed they had control.
And right now...
Victor believed he did.
We stayed at an old farmhouse outside town.
Nobody spoke much.
Everyone was thinking.
Everyone was afraid.
I sat at a wooden table with my father's jacket folded beside me.
The jacket felt heavier now.
Not because of the leather.
Because of everything attached to it.
My father's secrets.
His warnings.
His final message.
Marcus sat across from me.
He looked exhausted.
"You hate me.""
I looked up.
"I don't know you enough to hate you.""
He nodded.
"That's fair.""
I studied him.
"Did you really try to save him?""
Marcus looked down.
"Yes.""
"Then why did everyone think you died?""
His face changed.
"Because Victor wanted them to.""
He explained everything.
Years ago, Daniel discovered Victor had been using the organization as a cover for illegal operations.
Money laundering.
Blackmail.
Threats.
Daniel wanted to expose him.
Marcus helped.
But Victor found out.
"He knew Daniel trusted me," Marcus said.
"So he used that.""
I nodded.
"He made it look like I betrayed him.""
Marcus swallowed.
"Daniel sent me away with evidence.""
"Why didn't you come back?""
His eyes filled with regret.
"Because I thought Daniel was still alive.""
The answer shocked me.
"What?""
Marcus looked at Razor.
"He told me if anything happened, I needed to disappear until the right moment.""
Razor stared.
"You knew?""
"I knew he was planning something.""
Marcus's voice broke.
"I didn't know he was walking into a trap.""
Nobody spoke.
Then Marcus pulled something from his pocket.
A small memory card.
"I found this hidden after Victor attacked.""
Razor took it.
"What is it?""
"Everything.""
We connected it to an old laptop.
A video appeared.
My father's face filled the screen.
I stopped breathing.
It was him.
Older.
Tired.
But alive.
"Emily...""
Hearing my name from him nearly destroyed me.
I covered my mouth.
Daniel looked directly into the camera.
"If you're watching this, then things went wrong.""
He paused.
"I need you to know I never stopped fighting for you.""
Tears blurred my vision.
"I know you may hate me.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
The room was silent except for his voice.
"I made choices that kept you alive.""
He looked away.
"Some sacrifices don't feel like love when you're the one left behind.""
That sentence broke something inside me.
Because for years, I thought my father abandoned me.
But he hadn't.
He had been trying to protect me.
The video continued.
"Victor will try to convince you I was the problem.""
Daniel looked directly at the camera.
"Don't believe him.""
Then he said something that made everyone freeze.
"The person who helped Victor wasn't who you think.""
Razor leaned closer.
"What?""
Daniel continued.
"I was betrayed by someone close to me.""
A pause.
"Someone who knew my daughter.""
My blood ran cold.
Because that changed everything.
Not just someone inside the biker family.
Someone who knew me.
Someone who knew my childhood.
Someone who knew where I lived.
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then the farmhouse phone rang.
Everyone froze.
There was no reason for that phone to ring.
Nobody knew we were there.
Razor slowly picked it up.
"Hello?""
A few seconds passed.
Then his expression changed.
He looked at me.
"Emily.""
My heart stopped.
"What?""
He handed me the phone.
I didn't want to take it.
But I did.
A voice whispered through the line.
A voice I recognized.
A voice from my past.
My mother's sister.
My aunt.
"Emily...""
I couldn't speak.
She continued.
"Your father was not the only one who knew the truth.""
I gripped the phone.
"Where are you?""
Silence.
Then:
May you like
"Run.""
The line went dead.
