Max
I didn't know what to expect, walking into the Holy Flames' clubhouse. It wasn't a place that I, as a member of the Devil's Route MC had ever thought that I would enter. And the thing was, it was very similar to our own clubhouse. Just the people were different.
I glanced around at the unfamiliar faces and swallowed a little. But I didn't have any moment of crisis, any moment where I lacked the confidence to continue. I knew that Devil's Route needed this, and I was going to do whatever it took to ensure that we had a solid future because the club was my whole family.
When Emilio finally came in to see me, I was restless, though. “Well, well, well,” the man said, eyeing me thoughtfully, “if it isn't Max Cordell.” He tented his fingers in front of his face, continuing to stare at me.
“Emilio,” I said, nodding at the man.
“You know, I've tried to negotiate with your father for a number of years,” Emilio said, “and he's never bothered to listen to me. But tell me, why are you here?”
I took a deep breath. “We've talked about this Emilio, at least to a certain extent. You want to take over our club, and I don't blame you. Nor do I hold any grudge against you. That said—”
Emilio interrupted me by waving my words away with his hand. “That's not what you're here to talk about,” he said.
I frowned and stared at him for a moment. “I'm sure you've heard of Jake Ryce,” I finally said.
Emilio laughed a little. “At this point, chico, everyone in the country has heard of Jake Ryce who beat up a rich guy right in the middle of a white, middle-class, suburban neighborhood!”
“The very same,” I muttered dryly. “Emilio, I need to get rid of him but he's my father's right-hand man. I need your help.”
“And why should I help you?” Emilio asked suspiciously.
“Because if you help me with this,” I said patiently, “then I'll owe you a debt. And if I owe you a debt, then you basically have the Devil's Route MC in the palm of your hand, albeit under another's authority. But you and I together...”
“You and I together...” Emilio mused.
“We would take over the region,” I said confidently. “All of the arms sales, all of the drugs trafficking. Whatever we set our minds to, we could do. It could be extraordinarily lucrative for the both of us.”
“But you wouldn't just be doing this for free,” Emilio said flatly. “Well, of course not,” I said, rolling my eyes a little. “The thing is–”
“It's your father and his successor,” Emilio said slowly. “You need to get rid of Frank and Jake, and then you would be able to do everything that you want.”
“I don't want to get rid of them,” I protested. “Especially not my father, Frank. I just—”
“Oh no,” Emilio said, holding up a hand. “There is, I'm afraid, no other way to do things than to get rid of the man. And the snake who has usurped you. Your father is too close to things and commands too much of a following. There is no way that you could seize power while he was alive, especially not now that he has scorned you in favor of someone else.”
I scowled at the man. “He hasn't—”
“He has,” Emilio said firmly. “Those may not be the words that are used within the Devil's Route, but that doesn't mean that intention doesn't appear as broad as daylight to those of us who are not members of your club. Max Cordell, you are an outcast.”
I frowned at the man, wishing I could hit him, or wring his head from his neck. I would do neither of those things, of course. But...
“How are you going to help me?” I asked peevishly.
“First, you need to help yourself,” Emilio said. “Your father is on his last legs. It would be easy for you to ensure that he was...” He shrugged expressively, and I scowled at him. “As for your father's chosen successor, Jake.” He tapped his forefinger against his chin. “You know that the man is unstable at the moment, that he has weaknesses. You need to figure out a way to exploit those weaknesses. Put Halley in danger. Better yet, put Cole in danger. And when Jake goes to rescue them, make sure that you pull the trap tight so they can't escape.”
I stared at him for a long moment, weighing his grim words in the back of my mind. Finally, I nodded firmly. “And after that…?”
“After that, the Devil's Route will have no choice but to hire you back,” Emilio said confidently. “And with such a clear sign that you are on our side — because you will have then killed off our greatest enemy — we'll be able to rest in peace and give you the tokens that you have earned by fulfilling these deeds.”
I frowned at the man, but I could detect no deceit there. Finally, I shrugged and nodded. “You're right,” I told Emilio, standing and sticking my hand out over his desk to seal our agreement. Emilio smiled at me, his teeth all sharp angles and points.
I left, feeling a shudder travel up my spine. But this was for the best of our club, I reminded myself. Even if Emilio was a scumbag, at least he was a scumbag that I could trust.