Chapter 10: The Man I Used to Be
The voice outside the storage unit belonged to someone who knew exactly who I was.
Not the version of me everyone else saw.
Not Bear Jackson, president of the Iron Wolves.
Not the man with the leather vest, the gray beard, and the reputation that made strangers step aside.
The voice knew the man underneath.
The man I had forgotten.
Nobody moved.
The darkness inside the storage unit swallowed every sound except our breathing.
Lily held onto my arm.
I could feel her shaking.
I lowered my voice.
“Stay behind me.””
She nodded.
Marcus stood on my other side.
Elijah looked terrified.
Not nervous.
Not cautious.
Terrified.
That told me more than anything.
Because Elijah Carter had survived prison for thirty years.
He had faced things I couldn’t imagine.
But whoever stood outside that door scared him.
The metal handle moved.
Slowly.
Someone was testing the lock.
Then the voice came again.
“Bear.””
I stepped forward.
“How do you know that name?””
A quiet laugh came from the other side.
“You really don’t remember anything.””
My jaw tightened.
“Open the door.””
Marcus looked at me.
“Bear.””
I ignored him.
The voice answered.
“You always were stubborn.””
The words hit me strangely.
Not because they were insulting.
Because they sounded familiar.
Like something an old friend would say.
Not an enemy.
The door suddenly shook.
A loud impact.
Lily jumped.
I grabbed her and moved her behind a stack of boxes.
Marcus positioned himself near the entrance.
Elijah whispered:
“You need to listen to me.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“When the door opens, don’t believe the first thing you see.””
Before I could ask what he meant, the lock broke.
The door swung open.
A man stepped inside.
Older than me.
Tall.
Wearing a dark coat.
His hair was mostly gray, but his eyes were sharp.
He looked at me like he was seeing a ghost.
Then he smiled.
Not happily.
Sadly.
“There he is.””
Nobody spoke.
The man looked around the room.
Then his eyes landed on Lily.
His expression changed.
“You found her.””
I stepped forward.
“Who are you?””
The man looked at me.
“You really don’t know.””
“No.””
He nodded slowly.
“My name is Victor Kane.””
The name meant nothing.
But again, my body reacted.
My hands tightened.
My heartbeat changed.
A memory tried to force its way through.
Victor.
A handshake.
A promise.
A betrayal.
I hated it.
“What did you do to me?”” I asked.
Victor’s expression hardened.
“What did I do?””
He laughed quietly.
“Bear, I spent thirty years trying to undo what you did to yourself.””
The words struck like a punch.
“What?””
Elijah stepped forward.
“Don’t listen to him.””
Victor looked at Elijah.
“You’re still protecting him?””
Elijah’s eyes narrowed.
“You know why.””
Victor shook his head.
“No. I know why he forgot.””
The room froze.
I stared at Victor.
“You know how?””
He looked at me.
“I was there.””
My voice dropped.
“Where?””
“The night you chose to erase yourself.””
Silence.
I wanted to deny it.
I wanted to call him a liar.
But too many people had said the same thing.
You chose.
You signed.
You agreed.
“Why would I do that?””
Victor walked farther inside.
“Because you discovered the truth.””
“What truth?””
His eyes moved to Lily.
“The truth about what you built.””
My stomach tightened.
“The Iron Wolves.””
Victor nodded.
“Yes.””
Marcus looked at me.
I could see the confusion on his face.
The same confusion I felt.
Victor continued.
“You created the club to protect people.””
I stared.
“Then why say it was used against me?””
“Because it was.””
He looked at my vest.
“You trusted your brothers. You believed loyalty was enough.””
A pause.
“But loyalty without questions becomes a weapon.””
The words stayed in the air.
I looked at Elijah.
“What is he talking about?””
Elijah said nothing.
Victor answered.
“Your club became connected to people you never wanted to know.””
I stepped closer.
“And you were one of them?””
Victor’s face changed.
“Yes.””
That answer surprised me.
He didn’t deny it.
“I helped build the system.””
“What system?””
“The one that controlled information.””
My eyes narrowed.
“Explain.””
Victor looked at me.
“You were the only person who could expose them.””
“Who?””
He looked away.
“People with money.””
“Names.””
He stayed silent.
I grabbed his coat.
Marcus immediately moved.
“Bear.””
I didn’t hurt him.
I just needed answers.
“Names.””
Victor looked down at my hand.
Then back at me.
“You still have the same anger.””
A strange sadness crossed his face.
“You were always willing to destroy yourself to protect someone else.””
I released him.
“Tell me what happened.””
Victor took a breath.
“Thirty years ago, you discovered they were using your club to move information. You tried to expose them.””
“And?””
“They came after Lily.””
My eyes moved to her.
Victor continued.
“You thought the only way to keep her alive was to disappear.””
The room went quiet.
“I made the deal,” Victor said.
My face hardened.
“You.””
“Yes.””
“You erased my memories.””
He looked at the floor.
“Yes.””
The anger inside me exploded.
I grabbed him again.
“You stole my life.””
Victor didn’t fight back.
“I saved your daughter.””
The words stopped me.
Because Lily was standing there.
Alive.
Breathing.
Looking at me.
Victor continued quietly.
“You wanted to remember.””
A pause.
“But you knew remembering would put her in danger.””
My grip loosened.
“So I forgot?””
“Yes.””
“Everything?””
“Almost.””
I looked at him.
“What didn’t I forget?””
May you like
Victor looked at Lily.
“Her.””
