by Eve R. Hart
“What?” I said innocently then flashed him a cocky smirk.
“Your fucking Enforcer tone doesn’t slip by me, man. And you don’t have to worry about me going off. I’m cool.”
Brand snorted which earned him a punch to the shoulder from Ky.
“Talk later,” I said nodding to everyone across the room.
It looked like things were wrapping up and Axe and Bocca were saying their goodbyes. Which meant we needed to be respectful and get our asses over there.
With promises of keeping us updated, they headed off. I wouldn’t doubt that South Carolina was next on their list.
CHAPTER NINE
B-ry
“You good?” I asked Iron with a slap on the back after things had somewhat calmed down. I knew better than to ask him that in front of Axe and Bocca.
“Yeah,” he replied with a half grunt.
“Need me right now?”
“Nah, I’m gonna go up to the office for a bit. But don’t go far. I’ll be calling Church soon.”
I nodded then headed over to the bar. Figured Prez needed to get his thoughts worked out before he sat us all down.
So for the next few hours, I made rounds, listened to chatter, and made sure that nothing got out of hand. I’d been around long enough to know that when shit got tense, the littlest thing could make a man snap. I didn’t need any fights breaking out and if they did, I didn’t want Iron hearing it and getting distracted.
Ky had decided to head to the garage out front. I knew he needed to tinker with something while he sorted shit out in his head. I kinda felt bad for the guy. It wasn’t easy realizing that your other half more than likely knew something about your club that you didn’t. I just hoped he listened to Brand and cooled the hell out before he talked to Chris.
Cable had slipped off right after Axe and Bocca headed out, no doubt doing his nerd shit and trying to get a jump on things. I had a good idea he’d come to the table later with whatever he was able to find. I just hoped it was more than what we already knew. Sure, I was pissed that we had been left out of the loop for so long but that didn’t mean that I wanted to brush this whole thing off. I wanted us to stay on top of it. I wanted to help out in any way that I could. And I sure as hell wanted to take this guy down.
Brand was hanging out in the corner, his eyes slowly roaming over the room. He had a beer in his hand but I would have bet he hadn’t even taken a sip. If I could count on one person to help me keep an eye on these guys, it was him. And he usually did it without having to be asked.
Gwen came walking in not much later. The moment she saw me, she cut through the room heading my way.
“Where’s Knight?” she asked like she knew something was up. I had a good feeling that he’d snuck off and called her the first chance he got.
“Think he’s in Cable’s room. Best let me go get him.” I eyed her letting her know that there was club business going on and she should stay down here.
She gave a knowing nod, which didn’t surprise me since she was a club kid like me. And with her pops the Prez of the Gray Fort, Tennessee chapter, I knew she got it more than most.
“I brought a bunch of pizzas,” she said looking around at who was hanging around.
“Prospect,” I called out before she had the chance to ask someone else. After all, that was what they were there for. Hell, I had to go through it at one point. I knew that shit sucked but it made you respect getting your patch so much more.
“What ya need, B-ry?” the newest prospect said stepping up beside me.
“Gwen has food for you slack-asses in her car. Go bring it in.”
He nodded, not saying another word, and darted towards the front door.
“Thanks, Gwen.” I slung my arm around her, pulling her in for a quick hug.
She patted my chest then walked off. I watched as she headed to the back, my guess, to get some paper plates from the kitchen. She didn’t have to do that shit, but I respected that she didn’t take advantage of the prospects.
With a nod in Brand’s direction, I let him know I was stepping out. He understood that I needed him to watch things for a minute. Then I went to find Knight.
I was right, he was in Cable’s room watching over his every move. I knew it wasn’t because he didn’t trust him. He just needed to know everything.
“Your woman’s here,” I said as I ducked inside. I knew we were trying to keep things quiet for now, and on the off chance that they were going to talk about things, I didn’t want to take the chance that anyone would overhear.
“Yeah, thanks,” Knight said.
“Anything?” I asked knowing that the answer was probably a no.
“Not yet,” Cable said without turning away from his computer screen.
“Right, well, Gwen brought some pizza.”
“I’ll get some later,” Cable said and I knew he wouldn’t move until he was told to or he’d found something big to share.
Knight and I shrugged then made our way back down to the lounge.
“Hey,” Knight said the moment he made it to Gwen’s side.
She smiled brightly at him and the second she wrapped her arms around his waist, he relaxed a little.
I may have kept eyes on them a beat longer than I should have. I wasn’t trying to be creepy.
This life could be hard. Sure there were a lot of fun times. And the club meant that you had people to watch your back. It meant that you had a family that was more than blood.
But there were times it could be cold. It could be cruel. It came with added risks and at times, intense demands. Being an officer meant that those things always fell on us first. It was our job above others to make sure that things were taken care of. To be aware of the dangers before they were even there. I wasn’t complaining. Hell, I knew what I was signing up for when they offered me the spot and patch at the new chapter. And I was almost too honored to take it. But I did, and the moment that title was put on my cut, I stepped up in every way.
The thing that I was starting to realize was that you almost needed the other side of the coin. Knight, Brand, and Ky had it all figured out, though I wasn’t quite sure they saw it that way. Or weren’t aware of it would probably be more accurate. They had people they could fall back on at the end of the night. They had someone to comfort them when they tucked themselves away and let it all seep in. Ya know, when that burden of keeping the club strong began to wear you out.
I wasn’t envious.
Okay, maybe a little.
But as I stood there and was practically slapped upside the head by this realization, I started to see things very differently. In the way that maybe having a bunch of side pieces wasn’t satisfying at the end of the day.
Hell, just having one foot in an almost relationship wasn’t even enough. Let’s fucking face it, that was pretty much what I had going on with Laurel. I hadn’t been with another woman since she let me in. I hadn’t even looked at anyone. I wasn’t the type of man that did that. I couldn’t quite figure out why. But what else did I have to look forward to? There was something about that woman that made me feel like I wasn’t ready to let go yet.
So the question was, was I only wasting my time until I found my Gwen or Cami? Or even my Chris, because honestly, that guy was a rock when it came to shit going down with the club. He was there not only for Ky but for us all. Would I ever be a lucky enough guy to find my other half? The one that balanced me out and became my strength when I felt a little shaky?
The pathetic part was that I could see Laurel being that perfect person. She checked all those boxes, whether she realized it or not. Only you couldn’t force a relationship onto someone. And she was clearly trying to avoid anything remotely close to that with me.
I had no idea why I was thinking about it. It wasn’t like Laurel was going to change her mind overnight. She wasn’t going to see me as something other than a good time while she stumbled through what she was going through. I was a criminal. A low life biker. She was a fallen rich girl. So it di
dn’t matter that I got to see how shitty her so-called apartment was. Or that I knew she worked her ass off at Royally Brewed just to pay the rent on that fucking place. Or that I saw that she couldn’t afford the things in life that she was used to. Like getting her hair and nails done. She let me see all of it because I was nothing. I was disposable. And once she figured everything out and got her life together, she’d drop me like the piece of shit that I was.
That was how I imagined it anyway. I was a good time. A distraction.
That was all.
And it kind of hurt a little to know that.
Yet, I still kept going back.
Over and over again.
Maybe I was just an idiot. No, I was sure I was.
Iron wandered into the room and pinned us officers with a hard stare. I nodded and headed in his direction, noticing that Knight was already sending someone a text. I would have guessed Cable.
“You want Ky and Lake in on this too?” I asked because he’d brought them in on the earlier one.
“Yeah.”
I pulled out my phone and shot Ky a text probably at the same time Brand was. Lake was hanging around in the background, so I jerked my chin at him.
Iron waited until everyone was settled around the table before he began.
“I want everyone to shut those negative thoughts down,” he said in a stern voice. “I don’t give a fuck if you’re being a whiny baby and feeling left out. I don’t care if you think you’ve somehow been betrayed because they chose to keep it to themselves all this time. Axe did what he thought was best for everyone and I will sit here and back him up on it.”
I took in a deep breath. I had a feeling I wasn’t the only one feeling that way but I got where he was coming from. And maybe he was a little bit right. Now was not the time to get all butt hurt because I didn’t like the way the big Prez handled something.
“Now that that’s outta the way, let’s move along to shit that is really important. I want to double up on all patrols. We already have around the clock on the docks and the shipping yard, I want to keep that up. If a prospect is on watch, I want a member there with them. Knight, how’s our stock looking?”
“Full enough,” Knight answered. “Could add a little more out of the next shipment if you want.”
“Yeah. I want to make sure we are all loaded up at all times. Everyone carrying.”
Not that it was anything out of the normal. I knew all of us in this room were right now. Myself, having two strapped on me. Wouldn’t doubt Fitz and Knight were the same way. Probably Lake too. So yeah, we were always prepared.
Iron asked what Cable had found and the guy hung his head when he had to tell Iron nothing. Iron didn’t look like he was pissed, I mean, it wasn’t like the guy had a lot of time to do anything. And from the sounds of it, there wasn’t much to find on this Keften Jugovac fucker.
“For now, I want Lake working with you on watching the docks,” Iron said looking at Knight.
I wasn’t all that surprised that Knight didn’t look pissed at this. Lake was a good choice not only because he knew the docks well but the guy was up at all hours of the night. So that meant that when Knight was at home with his woman he would be able to relax a little.
“I don’t know if this guy is here, but if he is, I don’t want to be taken by surprise. I want to know about it. I want to be able to take him out before he gets a chance to realize that we are even on him.”
That pretty much went without saying. But I got that he felt the need to voice it and all.
Now that I’d had a chance to calm down and tuck my anger away, I was pissed for another reason. I was pissed for my brother. I was pissed for the club. I really thought about what it would have been like had it been one of the brothers I was close to. One of my own crew here. It shouldn’t have made any difference, we all wore the same colors. But it did. Because I knew these guys. I saw them every day. I talked and joked and drank with them regularly. So had it happened to one of them, I definitely would have taken it hard. I would have been hurting, just like the club. And I put myself in Bocca and Axe’s shoes right then. I got it, I really did.
I never said I couldn’t be a fucking blockhead sometimes. Thick as a damn brick and maybe even quick to anger at times. It was never a good combination. But living with that as long as I had, I also realized that there were always more sides to everything than just the one I saw. And once I thought about that, the picture always became much more clear.
“Ky,” Iron said looking at him. “I’m gonna need your eyes and ears around here for the next few weeks.”
Iron didn’t elaborate and I wondered what kind of play he was setting up for. I was sure I’d find out soon enough.
“Got it, Prez,” Ky answered automatically.
“Alright, Lake and Ky, you’re dismissed.”
And just like that, they were gone.
“Mase, I’m gonna ask you to step out too,” Iron said then clenched his jaw like he hated to ask him to do so.
I had a feeling he already thought of Mason at VP. Maybe not to the point that he shared everything with him and relied on him, but more like he was really hoping we all saw Mason as good enough to fill the seat.
I had an opinion on the matter but I’d kept it to myself. When the time came, I would vote the way I saw fit and no one else would sway me in any way. It was all about what was best for the club, and that would never change.
“I’ve got some things I want to bring to the table. There will be votes soon, so take the time to really think it over. Need to patch some people in. I want to grow this chapter but I want to do it right. Want you to think about who should make the cut, who needs more time, and who we should cut free. I don’t have time for bullshit right now, so you got any reservations, lay it all out there when the time comes. It will be soon, so I’m warning you now.”
There was a pause as he took each and every one of us in.
“I want to bring Ky and Lake to the table. They have been part of this club for a long time and they know the ins and outs. Lake being from the mother chapter, I feel would be a good asset to helping maintain and uphold the standards of what being a Paragon is about. Ky, well, this club is in his soul. This is his home and he doesn’t hide that fact. He’s been through enough shit that I think he deserves to be here as much as each and every single one of you fuckers.”
There was a low round of chuckling from all of us.
“If anyone has any objections, voice them now.”
There was a short pause. Of course no one spoke up because those two were as solid as they came.
“Alright, we’ll vote on it next meeting. I hate to say keep all this quiet for now, but I’m sayin’ it. Mouths locked on what we found out today. I want to bring it to the whole club but only once I’m ready.”
With that, he dismissed us. I had a feeling there was going to be a long, drawn-out meeting in the near future. Iron needed more time to gather information and sort through shit. In a way, this one had been bullshit, but it was also needed. After the bomb that had been dropped on us earlier, it was best not to let it linger too long without something from the Prez.
I’d had enough of people for one day. There was a lot for me to process and I just wanted to do it alone. I stuck around for a half hour, had a beer, then headed up to my room. I was damn tired and I had no idea how I’d made it through that long ass day. I didn’t even feel bad that I crashed right away.
CHAPTER TEN
Laurel
“What are you doing here?” I asked with a little more attitude than need be as I walked out of the back door of Royally Brewed.
I would never have admitted it, but I was glad he was there. I had a closing shift and since I had no car that meant I had to walk home. I didn’t have money for things like cabs or Ubers. I didn’t even have money to ride the bus, not that it ran this late. Besides, it was only a few blocks away. But I didn’t know any sort of self-defense and I didn’t even carry any kind of weapon.<
br />
Nights that I closed, it was a very tense walk home, to say the least. I hated it. And I hated that I didn’t have any other choice.
So the sight of Bryan sitting there on his bike looking like he was waiting for me was a welcomed one. I was still trying to play it cool even if inside my heart was fluttering and my stomach felt like it was tripping over itself with excitement.
He brushed off my attitude and gave me that panty melting half-smirk.
“Your chariot awaits, your Majesty,” he said, low and all sexy like.
I hated it.
I hated him.
Okay, no I didn’t really.
But it was just sad how quickly this man could turn me into a puddle of goo. And with that, I had a hard time keeping my guard up. I had myself to protect. I knew what this was and it wasn’t what I wished it could be. Still, as sad and pathetic as it might have seemed, I would have rather had a part of him than nothing at all.
Besides, it wasn’t like anyone else was knocking down my door. I wasn’t exactly the hot commodity that I had once been. If Bryan was willing to overlook that then maybe I should have just been grateful.
I rolled my eyes at him.
“Some chariot,” I said, a hint of playful irritation in my tone. “It looks more like a kid’s toy with a motor.”
I knew that would get him and I tried my best to hold back my smile as his face went hard.
“Besides, real men can afford something with four tires.” I couldn’t help it. I just kept pushing. It wasn’t that I believe that. I mean, really. Bryan sitting on his bike was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.
Continuing to play the game, I turned around like I was going to walk off. I wasn’t all that surprised when a second later his arms were around my waist and I was being lifted in the air. Nor was I shocked when he planted my ass, hard, on the back of his bike and shoved a helmet on my head.
“Who am I?” I whispered right before his lips crashed into mine.
The kiss was raw and violent. We fought with our mouths, both of us trying to prove who had the control here.
