ASHES & PAIN
Chapter 5
SPREADING
Kait came back slowly, awareness returning in pieces.
She felt the sheets against her skin. The mattress beneath her. Something tight around her side.
Her eyes opened halfway, and it took another second for the ceiling to come into focus. Her mouth was dry, her body heavy, like she’d slept too long and somehow not enough.
She shifted and immediately felt the pull along her lower ribs.
Her hand went to her side and found a clean bandage wrapped tight around it.
Not the way she’d left it.
“Don’t you dare move. You have any idea how hard it was to clean you up?”
Kait turned her head.
Sunshine was already getting up from the chair by the wall. She crossed the room and came to the side of the bed as Kait squinted up at her.
“The fuck… What time is it?”
Her voice came out rough and dry.
“Late.”
“How long have I—”
“About twelve hours.”
Kait swallowed against the dryness in her throat.
“You patched me up.”
“Yes, ma’am. Prince had Kowboy come get me.”
“Figures.”
Sunshine looked her over. “Your fever broke a couple hours ago. You scared the shit outta me.”
That got Kait’s attention.
“Fever?”
“Yeah, fever. Why did you let it get that bad? The infection’s spreading. You’re lucky you didn’t get blood poisoning.”
“Don’t yell at me.”
Kait pushed herself up on her elbows, but her strength gave just enough to make her stop.
Sunshine reached for her.
“I got it.”
Kait waved her off and managed to sit up, looking down at the fresh bandage.
“I’m just worried.”
“Been too busy to take care of it, I guess.”
“Kait, it’s infected to shit.”
“Yeah, I got that part.”
Sunshine studied her for a moment. “You been too busy to see your old friends too, apparently.”
Kait gave a faint, humorless huff.
“Haven’t seen you since you and—”
Kait cut her off with a look.
Sunshine got the message.
Kait swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. She made it upright, but not without a slight hitch in her balance that Sunshine definitely noticed.
Neither of them mentioned it.
“I heard he was in town,” Sunshine said.
Kait walked over to the dresser.
“Yeah.”
“Did you get to see him?”
“…yeah.”
“You talked to him?”
“Not sure you can call it that.”
“Was he an asshole?”
Kait chuckled.
That was answer enough.
HUNTSVILLE
The Huntsville clubhouse didn’t have the weight of the Dryden Nest yet.
It would.
It was still in-between—half reclaimed, half unfinished. Fresh boards along one wall, older ones still scarred from whatever had been there before. The smell of cut wood sat under everything else.
Lane stood at the head of the table, one hand braced against it, eyes moving across the room as the last of them settled in.
Konway leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching without saying anything. Koa stood off to the side, posture straight, still adjusting to the weight of the Enforcer patch. The others took their places without much noise—Trace dragging a chair slightly, Knife dropping into his seat, Rik and Kettle quiet, waiting.
Lane didn’t rush it.
He let the room settle.
Then he spoke.
“We’re moving a run in two days.”
No buildup. No framing.
Just the job.
Konway’s gaze sharpened slightly, but he didn’t interrupt.
Lane shifted his weight, straightening.
“Reyes hands off the truck on 19 and we run it north the rest of the way.”
Koa gave a small nod at that, already tracking it.
Lane’s eyes moved to him.
“You’re riding point.”
“Yep.”
No hesitation.
Lane looked back to the table.
“Knife, Rik—you’re middle. Keep it tight, no gaps. I don’t want space for anyone to slide in.”
Knife nodded once. Rik followed.
“Kettle, rear. You fall back if anything feels off.”
Kettle leaned forward slightly.
“Got it.”
Lane paused just long enough to let that lock in.
“Should be a pretty good fucking payday every time. We’re looking at two times a week.”
The table cheered.
Then Lane’s gaze shifted.
“Ok. Bail shit… Trace.”
Trace straightened in his seat.
“You’re heading into town. Hunter’s Bail.”
Trace blinked once.
“The place we picked up last week?”
“Yeah.”
Lane pushed off the table slightly, pacing once along the side of it.
“They’ve got two skips sitting. Both local. They want them picked up clean, no noise.”
Trace nodded slowly now.
“I’ll handle it.”
Lane held his gaze for a second longer, then moved on.
“This stays separate from the run. I don’t want overlap, I don’t want timing crossing. You go early, you’re done before we move.”
Konway nodded.
“This is some night and day difference from Barry.”
Knife scoffed.
“We haven’t even started yet. Gotta hit up more spots that may need protection. We need something local that’s ours. Some of these old timers may only want to deal with Barry.”
Lane turned back to the room.
“Whoever doesn’t want to stay under our protection… no big deal. Don’t get crazy. We’re not big enough yet to afford mistakes.”
Silence followed that.
Not uncomfortable.
Just understood.
Lane let his eyes move across each of them again, slower this time.
Measuring.
“Questions?”
No one spoke.
He gave a short nod.
“Good. Now, hit it.”
The chairs shifted as they started to stand, the room coming back to movement.
Lane stayed where he was for a second longer, hands resting lightly on the table now, eyes dropping briefly to the map spread across it.
Everything marked.
Everything accounted for.
Outside, the sound of a bike starting up cut through the quiet.
Lane didn’t look up.
He just reached forward, marked one of the route lines slightly with a sharpie, and left it there.
What else?
He hated it when things got quiet.
When things got quiet, he thought about her.
It actually didn’t matter. He thought about her regardless.
His hand moved up to his kutte pocket.
He almost took her picture out but stopped himself and grabbed the Sharpie instead.
THE NEST - CHAPEL
The Judge shifted in the tank.
Not much. Just a slow coil tightening against the glass, tongue flicking once into the still air.
Kait noticed it before anything else.
She stood near the side wall, arms loose at her sides, watching it for a second longer than she needed to. The room behind her filled in piece by piece—boots on wood, drinks being set on the table. Cigarettes being lit. Someone stopping a comment that was part of a private conversation.
“Klaus is staying in Europe,” Don said.
No setup. No warning.
Kait’s gaze shifted off the tank.
Don didn’t look up yet.
“Helsinki’s still unstable. Sweden’s starting to lean the same way.”
He lifted his head slightly, eyes moving across the table without stopping.
“He’s handling both.”
A pause.
“He’s also tied up in Germany. Personal shit. Ain’t clearing up any time soon.”
That landed differently.
Not louder.
Just heavier.
Don straightened, fingers pressing lightly into the table before releasing.
“That leaves us thin here.”
Blaze pushed off the wall now, stepping forward just enough to stand with the rest of them.
Diablo’s eyes flicked once toward Mack.
Mack didn’t move.
Don shifted his stance, settling into it.
“We’re fixing that before it becomes a problem.”
No emotion in it.
Just direction.
“We’re putting structure in place.”
His gaze moved again, slower this time.
“We’re voting Sergeant at Arms.”
That one moved through the room clean.
Expected.
Blaze didn’t react. Just stood there, already in it.
Don looked at him now.
“You’ve been covering the job.”
Blaze gave a short nod.
“Yessir.”
Don looked back at the table.
“Blaze as our new Sergeant at Arms. All in favor.”
Hands went up without hesitation.
Clean.
Blaze didn’t look around.
Didn’t need to.
Don gave a short nod.
“Done. Congrats, Sarge.”
Blaze nodded once more and shook Don’s hand.
“You got big boots to fill.”
“Won’t disappoint.”
Don nodded and turned back to the table.
“We’ll be voting Interim Vice President too.”
That shifted the room.
Subtle, but there.
Kolton didn’t move, but his posture changed just enough to catch it.
Mack leaned back a fraction.
Diablo stayed still, eyes forward.
Don didn’t look at Kolton yet.
“But after the Holidays. We also have the Veterans Table and the Toy Ride to worry about. Vets’ Table is gonna be at the First Baptist Church parking lot like always.”
His gaze moved across the table, steady.
“We’ll go over instructions as it gets closer.”
As everyone began to exit, Kait stayed where she was for a second longer, eyes drifting back to the tank.
The Judge had gone still again.
Curled tight.
Waiting.
Kolton caught her on her wait out.
He leaned one shoulder against the wall like he wasn’t blocking her.
“Mom’s doing dinner tonight.”
Kait’s eyes didn’t change.
“Yeah?”
He waited a second, like she might fill the silence.
She didn’t.
“She wants us over.”
That got a reaction.
Not big.
Just a slight shift in her gaze, like something tightened and passed.
Kolton pushed off the wall now, stepping a little closer, trying to keep it casual.
“Been a while.”
Kait looked at him for a second longer this time.
Then shook her head once.
“I’m good.”
It wasn’t dismissive.
It was final.
Kolton frowned slightly, not understanding the weight of it.
“How come?”
“Not hungry.”
“You can still hang out.”
That almost got a reaction.
Almost.
Kait looked back at him, something colder sitting behind her eyes now.
“I gotta go to Snake Eyes.”
“Kait,” Kolton said grabbing her wrist.
Kait looked at his hand then at him.
He let go.
“Is everything okay?”
Kait took a deep breath.
“Yeah. Why?”
“Just, worried about you.”
“I’m fine. Worry about putting your name in that box instead.”
Something in Kolton shifted.
“I’ll see you later,” she said stepping past him.
Not fast, not aggressive.
Just done.
snake eyes
The place looked quiet when she pulled up.
She killed the engine, swung off, and headed inside.
The place was dead.
No phones ringing. No walk-ins. Just the hum of the lights and the faint local news on the TV.
Kode sat behind the desk, leaned back in his chair with a laptop open in front of him. One earbud in, the other hanging loose. He glanced up when the door shut.
“Look who finally decided to come to work.”
Kait kept walking, dropping into the chair across from him.
“Busy?”
Kode snorted, tapping a key.
“Yeah. Swamped.”
He gestured vaguely around the empty office.
“Been dead all day.”
“Randy went home already?”
“No, he’s actually checking on a tip we got. He probably just wanted to get out of here. Can’t blame him. As soon as Mundo comes in, I’m out.”
He shifted, dragging his feet off the desk and sitting forward.
“Hey—actually… Dafne and I are checking out this new club. Kind of clandestine vibe.”
“Goth club?”
Kode shrugged.
“Have we met?”
She made a face.
Kode leaned back.
“You and Kolt should come.”
Kait let out a slow breath through her nose.
“He’s got the kid. He’s already at Loraine’s.”
Kode smirked.
“You can still come. Roll with us, Dafne is picking me up, we’re going in her car, she hates the bike.”
“She does? What the fuck. Dump her ass.”
Kode chuckled.
“She says it’s not very romantic. So, you in?”
“I guess…”
Kode huffed a quiet laugh.
“Sweet. No kuttes though. Just to check it out.”
“Alright.”
Kait shrugged.
later
The place didn’t look like a club from the street.
No sign. No name. Nothing pointing anyone toward it. Just a narrow stairwell cut between two old storefronts, dropping below street level.
Kode led them down.
Red light spilled up the worn steps from a pair of gothic lanterns below, catching on the black iron railing and damp brick. At the bottom stood a heavy black door, old and scarred, with a small barred window set into the center.
A bald guy in a black suit stood beside it, dark sunglasses covering his eyes despite the hour. He didn’t greet them. Just watched them come down.
Kode stopped in front of the door. He leaned over to Kait.
“It’s Klaus’ lost brother.”
Kait giggled.
The bouncer looked Kode over, then Daphne, then Kait.
He knocked once.
They waited.
A second later, the little window slid open.
Someone on the other side checked them out again.
Dafne leaned in, “Maybe you can be a bouncer here, Kait.”
“Fuck that,” Kait said as the door opened.
Inside hit different.
Not louder at first.
Just thicker.
Air that didn’t move right. Heat sitting too close to the skin. The kind of place where everything felt like it had already happened before you walked in.
Worlock driving through the floor more than the speakers.
Lights cut through the room in harsh colors—red, then purple, then nothing for a second too long.
People moved in pieces.
Not dancing clean. Just… shifting. Bodies close, hands already where they shouldn’t be, eyes not really focusing on anything.
Kait didn’t react.
Didn’t judge it.
Didn’t lean into it either.
She just walked in.
Kode stayed near her for a minute, saying something she didn’t really listen to. Dafne was already pulling him toward the floor, disappearing into the mass like she belonged there.
Kait didn’t follow.
Kode looked back and Kait dismissed him with a wave.
“Gonna walk around,” she mouthed and Kode nodded as he got lost in the dance floor.
Kait walked past the bar. Past the edge of the crowd. Toward the darker side of the room where the lights didn’t hit as often.
Someone offered her a green drink.
She tasted vodka and green apple. Safe enough.
The burn hit fast enough, but she didn’t like her vodka corrupted.
She headed to the bar and ordered two shots.
Then two more.
Within a half hour, the room stopped feeling so close.
That was better.
A guy suddenly leaned in.
Not subtle. Not aggressive either.
But he was too close, too quick, like he’d already decided something about her.
“Want some candy?”
“Sure.”
He handed her a pill and took one for himself.
They guy kept buying her drinks until the pills hit, then his hand found her waist like he had earned the right to do so.
She let it sit for a second.
Then, the guy’s mouth dropped near her neck, breath warm, voice low.
“We should go outback.”
She took a good look at him.
His hand slid higher, literally rubbing her the wrong way.
“Come on.”
Kait sighed.
“Maybe later.”
His grip changed.
A lot more hold.
“You can’t leave me hanging now, baby.”
He was pressing on her wound, and she was loving the way it hurt.
Kait started laughing enjoying the sensation.
“So we’re gonna go outback and you’re gonna fuck me in the alley?”
“Oh, hell yeah. I am.”
Kait laughed again.
Then looked over his shoulder and spotted Dafne and Kode still hanging out.
“I’m gonna pass.”
The guy stopped and looked at her.
He frowned making sure he heard her right.
“What did you say?”
Kait shoved him back.
“Fuck off.”
Space.
For half a second.
The guys grabbed her and held her by the waist trying to stop her.
Then the room broke.
The music cut.
Not clean.
Just dropped.
Lights snapped on too bright, too fast.
Voices rose all at once—shouting, movement, bodies crashing into each other trying to get out.
“Dryden Police!”
Someone yelled it, maybe more than one.
Didn’t matter.
Everyone moved.
The guy didn’t hear anything and he wasn’t letting her go.
Kait shoved him again and pushed through the crowd, shoulder first, slipping past people too slow to move, heading for where she thought the exit was.
Kode.
Dafne.
Gone.
Or lost in it.
Didn’t matter.
She hit the door, shoved through it, and the night air hit her harder than it should’ve.
Cold.
Clear.
Too much.
She made it three steps away from the building before a voice cut in behind her.
“Hold up.”
Kait didn’t stop.
Then fingers tangled in her hair.
Sharp. Sudden.
Her head snapped back just enough to register it.
Wrong.
Her heel drove back hard—caught him low enough to fold him for a split second.
That was all she needed.
She twisted out of his grip and turned, elbow coming across fast and clean—
It cracked against the side of his head.
The guy staggered, lost his footing, hit the pavement harder than he expected.
“Jesus—”
Kait heard a voice behind her. She stepped back, already resetting, breath steady but deeper now.
She turned.
Officer Michael Richter was standing right outside the back door with his hands up and a look of disbelief.
“What on Earth…”
“Fuck.”
He’d seen enough.
“Turn around for me please.”
His hand closed around her arm before she could shift away.
Not rough.
Not gentle either.
“Thought that was you.”
Kait didn’t pull.
Didn’t lean in.
Just stood there, breathing a little heavier than she should’ve been.
The noise from inside spilled out behind them—shouting, running, doors slamming—but it felt distant now.
Muted.
“Other arm, please.”
Same tone.
Routine.
Kait looked at him for a second.
Then sighed putting her arm back.
No argument.
No fight.
Handcuff clicked.
“Come on.”
Kait didn’t hesitate. She slid in, leaning back against the seat like she’d done it before, arms resting loose at her back.
“Just so we’re clear,” she said, breath still a little uneven, “I was defending myself. I shouldn’t get arrested for that.”
“Did I arrest you?”
The door shut.
Richter moved around the front, got in, and closed his door without rushing it. The radio crackled faintly for a second before he turned the volume down.
He didn’t look back right away.
Started the engine.
Kait’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“What do you mean, you just handcuffed me.”
He glanced at her in the rearview mirror now.
“Did you hear me say you’re under arrest?”
“No.”
“Then you’re not under arrest.”
Kait shifted slightly in the seat, not relaxing, but not fighting it either.
“Then why the fuck am I handcuffed in the back of your car?”
Richter pulled away from the curb, slow, controlled.
“Because you just cracked a guy across the head outside an illegal club in the middle of a bust.”
Flat. Matter-of-fact.
“And because,” he added, eyes flicking to the mirror again, “you don’t look like you’re in condition to be making the best decisions right now.”
That landed.
Kait let out a quiet breath through her nose, turning her head slightly to look out the window.
“I’m perfectly fine.”
“Sure.”
No agreement in it.
Just acknowledgment.
They drove a few seconds in silence.
Flashing lights reflected faintly off the glass as they passed the building again.
Richter spoke again, calmer this time.
“That place doesn’t have a license. Half the people in there aren’t old enough to be drinking. Other half’s doing worse.”
Kait didn’t look back at him.
“Yeah, that’s about the gist of it.”
Kait shifted again, rolling her shoulders back slightly against the seat.
“So you planning on taking me in or what.”
Richter huffed a quiet breath, almost a laugh but not quite.
“No.”
“Then…”
“I’m trying to figure that out.”
That got her attention.
She looked up toward the mirror now.
“What are the options?”
Richter met her eyes there for a second.
Measuring.
“Depends on whether you’re gonna make me regret letting you walk.”
Silence settled between them again.
Not tense.
Not comfortable either.
Just… there.
Kait leaned her head back slightly, eyes drifting forward again.
“You saw what happened. He grabbed me.”
“Yeah… but doesn’t mean I get to ignore everything else.”
Kait didn’t answer that.
Didn’t argue it either.
The car rolled through another empty stretch of road, engine steady, lights fading behind them.
Richter’s voice came again, lower now, almost conversational.
“What were you doing there anyway?”
Kait’s mouth twitched slightly.
“Trying to find a job.”
That got the faintest hint of a reaction out of him.
Not a smile.
Just something close to it.
He looked back at the road.
“Right.”
A pause.
“I was.”
He looked at her from the rearview mirror and saw her smirk.
The car rolled to a stop in front of Snake Eyes a few minutes later.
Richter killed the engine and stepped out without saying anything. The night air slipped in colder when he opened her door.
Kait turned slightly, wrists still behind her back.
He took her arm, steady, not rough, guiding her just enough to get her out.
She winced.
Richter noticed.
“You alright?”
“Yeah, just… It’s nothing.”
The tension released from her wrists.
He pulled the cuffs free and stepped back.
“Easy.”
Kait rolled one shoulder, then the other, working the stiffness out. She watched him a second, measuring.
“So I get a pass?”
Richter slid the cuffs back onto his belt.
He didn’t answer right away.
Just looked at her.
“It’s the only one you’re getting.”
Kait nodded.
“Thanks.”
“So where am I gonna find you next time?”
Kait shrugged.
The door to Snake Eyes opened.
Kode stepped out fast, like he’d been watching for her, relief hitting his face before he could hide it.
“Toast. Holy shit—”
He stopped when he saw Richter.
“Hey, officer.”
That shifted things.
Richter only glanced at Kode, then looked back at Kait.
“Only time, Miss Lokken.”
Kait nodded.
“Got it.”
“I hope so,” he said heading back to the car.
Engine came back to life a second later.
Taillights pulled away, disappearing down the street without slowing.
Kode watched him go for a second, then looked back at Kait.
“Fuck, Toast. You good?”
Kait flexed her wrist once.
“Yeah.”
Kode exhaled, tension leaving him now that she was actually there.
“Jesus.”
Kait didn’t answer.
She just turned and headed inside.
Kode followed right behind her.
huntsville
Lane’s cell phone rang twice before he picked up.
He didn’t look at the clock.
Didn’t need to.
“Yeah.”
A pause.
Then Kolton’s voice came through, easy, like it wasn’t almost three in the morning.
“Oh, shit. You up?”
Lane leaned back slightly where he sat, one hand resting against the table.
“Yeah, everything cool?”
A quiet breath on the other end. Not nervous. Just settling in.
“Yeah, just uh…”
Lane rolled his eyes.
“What, Prince.”
Kolton shifted, something faint in the background—maybe a door closing, maybe movement.
“Just church today.”
Lane’s eyes didn’t move.
“What about it?”
“Don’s keeping Klaus in Europe for little while. His mom is getting worse.”
“I heard.”
Then Kolton kept going, like he was filling space more than delivering anything important.
“We locked in Blaze for Sarge.”
Lane nodded once to himself.
“Good call.”
“Yeah.”
Silence stretched for a second.
Lane waited.
He knew there was more.
Kolton got to it eventually.
“We’re voting Interim VP soon too.”
Lane’s gaze dropped slightly.
“Yeah?”
“Don wants to wait till after the holidays, though.”
“Okay… What are you calling me for.”
No edge.
Just direct.
Kolton exhaled lightly.
“Just… running it by you. If you think I should.”
Lane narrowed his eyes.
Kolton kept talking anyway.
“Kait said I should put my name in the box.”
Lane didn’t move.
Didn’t speak.
Nothing.
On the other end, Kolton kept going, not hearing the shift.
“I think I should too. Hopefully this will make her proud me and—”
Lane’s grip tightened slightly against the table.
Not enough to show.
Just enough to feel.
“You’re doing this for her?”
Flat.
“Well, I mean. I will be more than just a Fang. She’ll be proud to be with the VP of the mother charter…”
Interim…
Lane stared at the wall in front of him.
“Not sure what you want me to say here.”
Kolton let out a short breath, almost a laugh.
“I don’t know. Nothing, I guess. Just thought I’d tell you. See what you think.”
Lane nodded once.
Slow.
“Do it.”
“Yeah?”
“Fuck it. Go for it.”
Silence settled again.
This time heavier.
Kolton didn’t fill it right away.
“Alright, man… yeah… I was um… I was also thinking about… proposing to Kait.”
Silence.
Not long.
Just enough.
Lane didn’t move.
Didn’t speak.
On the other end, Kolton filled it without noticing.
“Maybe on Christmas.”
Lane’s jaw shifted once.
Barely there.
“It’s… up to you.”
Kolton let out a quiet breath and went quiet for a second.
“Yeah.”
Not fully getting it.
Then Kolton shifted again, tone lighter like he was moving past it.
“We’ll see how it plays out.”
Lane nodded once to himself.
“Yeah.”
“Anyway, you good out there?”
Lane’s jaw shifted once.
“Yeah. Everything’s fine”
“Alright, bro… I’ll let you get back to it. Thanks.”
Lane didn’t stop him.
“Alright. Late.”
The line clicked dead.
Lane lowered the phone slowly, setting it back on the table.
The room stayed quiet.
Too quiet.
He sat there a second longer, his cellphone still in his hand.
He grabbed his bottle of beer and tried to take a sip.
It was empty.
He grunted then threw the bottle against the wall.
