Chapter Eight
“They’re pretty,” Cheryl said.
Butch carried the large bouquet of flowers to the dining room table. Cheryl came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands as she looked at them.
“Who are they from?” she asked.
He pulled out the card and opened it up. “Congratulations on the new arrival. I can’t wait to meet her. Thinking of you. Love, Lash, Angel, and The Skulls.”
She placed a hand on his shoulder. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
He stared down at the card though. Ever since he’d dealt with Punk’s problem, he’d been focusing on training the fighter Ned picked out for the special Christmas fight. The card, The Skulls, it reminded him of what he had to do.
It wasn’t what he had to do, but what he needed to do.
“I need to make a couple of calls, babe. You okay here?” he asked.
“Of course. I’m more than fine here.”
He took her hand, kissed her inner wrist, and left the house. He walked out to the back yard and pulled out his cell phone.
He dialed Lash’s number and waited for him to pick up.
“I take it your wife got my flowers.”
“If I didn’t know how besotted you were with your woman, I’d have assumed you wanted mine.”
Lash laughed. “Not a chance. So, not that it’s not great to hear from you, but why are you calling?”
Butch paused. “You and I need to talk,” he said.
“Yeah, we really do. Look, there’s something I want to ask of you, but I don’t want to do it over the phone. I’m heading down there in three days. You think you can put me up and we’ll talk?”
“You’re leaving Angel alone?”
“This is club business, and I’m not bringing her there.”
“Sure, we’ll put you up.”
“Okay. It was good speaking to you, brother.”
Lash ended the call, and Butch pocketed his cell phone.
He didn’t know why Lash wanted to talk to him.
As he entered his home, the scent of cinnamon cookies overtook his senses.
“You’ve been baking again?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her.
“I did put them in the oven before you even answered the door,” she said. “They should be ready for you now.”
She pushed out of his arms and went to the oven. He watched her bend over, admiring the curves of her ass.
“How is the fight coming?” she asked.
“How do you know about that?”
“I think Ned trusts me. He talks about everything.”
Butch had noticed that Ned had a loose mouth when it suited him, and when it didn’t, there was never getting anything out of him.
She pulled the tray of cookies from the oven, placing them on the counter. She put two on the cooling rack, and he stole one, biting into the hot cookie.
They were his favorite, and she knew it.
Closing his eyes, he released a moan. “These are the best.”
“Good. I know you love them.”
“Lash is coming down,” he said.
Her eyes went wide. “He is? Do you know what for?”
Butch shrugged. “He said he was talking to the club about something. It’s club business.”
“Do you want me to stay somewhere else?”
“Not a chance.” He finished the last bite of cookie. “This is our home. He wants to talk business, we’ll do it at the gym. Simple as that.”
“Should I be worried?” she asked.
“There’s nothing to be worried about.” He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips against hers. “What will be, will be.”
She rested her head against his chest, and he breathed in her scent.
Part of him was worried.
For some time now, he’d felt this sense of unease, like he had to make a choice.
A choice that would change his and his family’s life forever.
The sound of the doorbell ringing had him kissing her head. “I’ll get that.”
“How did you like the cookies?” she asked.
“They’re the best ones ever. Thank you, baby.”
He walked toward the front door, and he was shocked to see Ned, Javier, Mistletoe, Cruz, and Punk at his front door.
“Merry Christmas,” they all said.
“What the hell are you guys doing?” he asked.
“Well, we didn’t get a chance to take Cheryl out, so we thought we’d bring a party here,” Javier said.
“We’ve got sleeping bags,” Cruz said, holding up his little bundle.
“Oh, so you think of coming to my house and even inviting yourself in for the night?”
“Hell, yeah,” Javier said. “Just be thankful he didn’t bring a woman with him. He saw a couple he wanted to bring back.”
“What’s this?” Cheryl asked, coming to the door.
“They want to celebrate Jade’s birth at our house where we have to clean everything up.”
She rolled her eyes. “Why not? You’re only going to eat all those cookies by yourself and then complain about needing to go to the gym.”
“I work at the gym every single day,” he said.
“Exactly, you should work harder.” She winked at him.
“Actually, this isn’t just a celebration for Jade’s birth,” Ned said. “Cheryl, honey, you didn’t get a baby shower.”
“She doesn’t know any chicks to do one for her,” Mistletoe said.
“So, we banded together and decided to be the chicks for you,” Punk said.
“This is a combined baby shower and congratulations. We have gifts and goodies, and I even have some punch that has no alcohol in it,” Cruz said. “Butch told us you were breastfeeding.”
“Stay away from that horny bastard. He gets off on everything,” Butch warned.
He watched his friends enter his home, and they all walked into the living room. He closed the door and leaned against the sitting room doorway, observing his friends.
Vegas, when he’d first arrived with Cheryl and Michael, had seemed like a bad place. They were far from the small town that he was accustomed to. Their time had been stressful, and he recalled the nights he heard Cheryl cry.
He’d felt overwhelming guilt, but now, after all these years, they were a family. He knew she missed Michael. Letting him go had been one of the hardest decisions they’d ever made.
Alex would always visit him, and sometimes the tensions would run way too high. He didn’t know how to stop it. They all had a history, and it made it hard for Michael.
He watched as she opened the gifts his friends had bought for her. One of them was indeed a breast pump from Cruz.
“Wow, Cruz, this is so thoughtful,” she said.
“Yeah, I heard about how uncomfortable it is for a woman if your kid’s not hungry. I didn’t know if your man here would be willing to suck it all out for you.”
Cheryl’s cheeks were bright red. “I never thought of that.”
“You have to, you know. It’s right up there as something that needs to be dealt with. You don’t want to be storing sour milk, and you know if you’re ever desperate, I will sacrifice my respect and help you.”
Butch hit him around the back of the head. “Don’t even think of putting your lips anywhere near my woman.”
“Hey, I was offering to help her. You don’t have to go around beating me.” Cruz rubbed the back of his head.
“He’s a weird one. Don’t worry about it,” Butch said.
Cheryl was still laughing as she unwrapped the final present, which was a robe and pajamas for her. The breast pump, the stroller, along with baby bottles, pacifiers, and clothes—it was all so incredibly sweet.
“Thank you,” she said. She gave each man a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Finally, she came to him. “And thank you.”
“What did I do?”
“You made all of this possible, and I love you for it. You’re a good man, Butch. I hope Lash and the others see that.”
He wrapped his arms around her waist. “I hope he sees it as well.”
“Come on, you two, stop smooching. Let’s get this tree up,” Cruz said, getting to his feet and standing in front of the naked fir tree.
“How old are you?” Butch asked.
“Old enough to still love Christmas. It’s that time of the year for everyone and not just kids.”
“Don’t even get me started, Butch. When we’re at the mall, he’ll sit on Santa’s lap,” Javier said.
“And demand his picture be taken with him,” Mistletoe said.
“Seriously?” Butch looked toward Cruz.
“There are some things in life that need adulting. In other aspects, people can kiss my hairy fucking ass.”
He grabbed the ornaments he’d put near the stairs and brought them in.
Cruz was the first one there, and Butch stood back as his friends began to put the decorations on the tree.
It felt surreal.
He hadn’t experienced this since he’d last been in Fort Wills, which right now felt like a lifetime ago.
Cheryl moved toward him, placing a hand beneath around his back. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m just … I’m feeling it, you know.”
“What are you feeling?” she asked.
“Family. It’s right here.”
“I know.” She rested her head against his chest.
Kissing her brow, he watched the guys assemble his tree. It looked a mess, but he’d fix it when they were gone.
For now, it was more than okay to have some fun.
****
Three days later
“You’re seriously cleaning the gym?” Ned asked.
Cheryl held the duster in her hand. Jade was in his office, sleeping away. The guys were all fighting and doing their training. She knew the special Christmas fight was just a few days away.
Still, her mind was on her man, who’d gone to get Lash from the airport. She felt so incredibly stressed.
Butch had opened up to her and admitted how much this meant to him.
He wanted to expand The Skulls. The last thing he wanted to do was to create his own club, but he knew his options were limited.
Going back home wasn’t an option. He couldn’t do it. Too much time had passed.
His love and loyalty were still there, but he just couldn’t bring himself to go back.
There had to be a point to move forward.
“It’s dirty,” she said.
“It’s a gym.”
“And it needs cleaning.”
Ned closed the book he was writing in, removed his glasses, and stared at her. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“You have that worried look. Now, Jade is down, so she’s out for a few hours. What’s up?”
She nibbled her lip. “Butch.”
“What about it?”
“You know he’s gone to meet Lash, right?”
“I’m aware, and I also know what he’s hoping to discuss. Is this bothering you?”
“I just, I don’t know what to do. I want to be there for him, and I’m not. I’m right here. Ugh, this sucks.”
“Honey, you’re not going to be able to do anything about what they’re discussing. This is between Butch and Lash. Not you.”
“I know, but he’s my old man.”
Ned chuckled. “It’s good to be worried. It’ll keep you alive, but you have to give your man space to make these negotiations.”
“Do you think Lash will agree?” Cheryl asked.
Ned put his glasses back on, and she saw him staring across the room. “Tiny would have disagreed.”
“He would?”
“Yep.”
“How do you know that?”
“I know Tiny. The Skulls, other than their Nomad chapter, was all about staying in Fort Wills. It’s the one part of his ruling as Prez I always found irritating.”
“So, do you think Lash is the same?”
Ned tapped his fingers on the board. “No. It’s not. Lash has made a lot of decisions and major changes. For the most part, I’ve not seen them coming, and no, before you even ask, I’ve not liked them. To be fair, he’s done what the club has needed at the time, and I can’t fault the kid for that. He’s got the role exactly right for what he needs to do.”
“But?”
“But again, this is all down to Lash, really. Opening a new clubhouse, expanding, that is a big deal.”
“I know it is, but I know Butch can do it.”
“You sound like a little girl begging Santa. Cheryl, you’re just going to have to wait and see what happens.”
“Waiting sucks.” She dropped down onto his sofa, folding her arms and sticking out her lip.
“You’re adorable when you have a temper tantrum. Don’t ever complain to me when Jade does it.”
She couldn’t help it. She stuck out her tongue and glanced at the clock. Ned’s laughter echoed around the room, and her heart raced. She hoped Butch knew what he was doing.
****
“It has been too long,” Lash said.
Butch slapped Lash on the back as they hugged. “The Prez look is suiting you.”
“It is? I’m sure I’ve got a grey hair. Look at this.” Lash pointed out a tuft of hair that looked its usual color. “The club is making me old before my time. I’m not going to last much longer. Congratulations on the kid, man.”
“Thanks. Want to see her picture?” Butch got his cell phone out and pulled up the pictures of his daughter. There was one of Michael and Jade as well.
“She’s so pretty,” Lash said. “You’re going to have to be ready to fucking kill any little shit that comes within sniffing distance of her.”
“That I will.” Butch laughed.
“It’s good to see Michael looking happy.”
“He doing good?”
“Yeah, he is.”
“We’re going to invite Michael, Alex, Sunshine, and their kids here for Christmas.”
“It sounds very much like a blended family.”
“It is.” They made their way out of the airport toward the waiting car.
Taking Lash’s bags, he threw them into the trunk and climbed behind the wheel. Lash was already on his cell phone, typing away.
“Just letting my woman know I’m safe and sound.”
“She doesn’t trust you with me?”
“She does. I know she worries though.”
“I get that. I’ll take us to Ned’s.”
“You know what, take us to a bar.”
“You want to go to a bar?”
“Hell, yeah. We need to talk, and Ned and I don’t always see eye to eye.”
“You want a titty club?” Butch asked.
“No. I’ve got a woman waiting for me at home.”
“You don’t cheat on Angel?”
“You really want to ask me that?” Lash asked.
“Just making conversation.”
“I could ask that about you and Cheryl.”
“Go ahead, I’ve got nothing to hide. I’d never cheat on my woman.”
“Angel’s my world. I just want a quiet bar, Butch. We’ve got some things to discuss.”
It was still early, but the thing about Vegas, it never slept, so he found them a quiet bar. Butch entered first and went straight to the bar, ordering them both a drink. Lash found them a quiet booth.
Taking a seat, he waited as Lash took a sip of the cheap-ass whiskey he’d bought him.
“It’s nasty, but it’ll do.”
“Why are you here, Lash?”
“Same reason you called me up, Butch. This deal where you stay in Vegas, you and I know it’s unfinished business. The Skulls is changing. I was one of the votes that decided for you to leave.”
“As with every single club brother.”
“It wasn’t easy. There was a lot of shit going down, and you made some shitty choices.”
“I know what I did.”
In the world of MC, there was no place for shared loyalties. The moment the Savage Brothers MC approached him, he should have gone to Tiny. Instead, he’d kept it to himself and tried to work for both clubs, seeing as they wanted the same kind of end. It had blown up in his face, and he’d been living with the consequences ever since.
“You know I’m not going to fuck this up anymore. My loyalty to you and to the club is solid.”
“I know that. The entire club knows that.” Lash knocked back his whiskey. “I know in this world you either have to constantly be moving, or you’re going to get run over and something or someone is going to try and take your place. I never saw how fucking dangerous it was being Prez when Tiny was in this spot. He made a lot of choices along the way that I didn’t care for.”
“We were living in dangerous times.”
“But those times are coming to an end. You know the club is no longer running guns or drugs for Ned. We’re out. Completely clean. Chaos Bleeds is doing it as well.”
“I’d heard Devil had decided to pull out.”
“We’re all tired, Butch. We’re all tired, and we need to know our family is safe.” Lash stared into his glass.
The tension in the air seemed to rise.
“Butch, before I continue any further, I need to know if you’re wanting to come back to Fort Wills. If you’re wanting to take your spot at the table,” Lash said.
Butch stared at him. This had been a question he’d been dreading.
“I don’t want you to bullshit me. Just answer my question.”
“When I first moved out of here, I’d have given anything and everything to be back in Fort Wills.” He stared around the bar. “I don’t know what it is, but something in Vegas changes you.”
“It’s Ned, he rubs off on you.”
“I happen to like Ned.”
“We don’t want Ned unprotected. He’s pissed at me and the clubs right now, but we know he’s an ally. We care about him.”
“That man is going to outlive us all,” Butch said.
“Answer the question,” Lash said.
“No, I don’t want a spot at the table. Fort Wills is not my home anymore. Too much time has passed.” He thought about Javier, Mistletoe, Cruz, Punk, and even Ned. Fuck, he’d somehow managed to create a family here.
“That’s what I figured.” Lash reached into the bag that he’d brought with him out of the car. “We took a vote. We’ve got the Nomad chapter, and we need someone here. Someone willing to keep an eye on Ned, to take this patch of land before another club claims it.” Lash pulled out a leather cut. “And I was hoping you’d be the one willing to take on the role of Prez. It means you’ll still have to deal with me. You’re still a Skull, only you’re the Vegas Chapter.”
And that was exactly what it said on the jacket, “The Skulls, Vegas Chapter.”
Butch held the jacket and ran his thumb across the patch that titled him Prez.
“You’re serious.”
“As a fucking heart attack. It was a unanimous vote, Butch. Some of the guys will head out here, you know, for parties and shit, and we’ll help you be part of the initiations for the club. You need to make sure they’re fucking good.”
“I will. I’ve got three candidates already,” he said, thinking about Cruz, Javier, and Mistletoe.
“Then I’ll meet them. You’re going to be responsible for the setup. You need a clubhouse, a base, something to call your own.” Lash reached into his bag and handed over an envelope. “Here’s a hundred grand to get you started. When you have a place, call me, and I’ll wire you the other cash.”
“Why are you doing this?” Butch asked.
“It’s good for the club. You and I both know that you were never meant to be a brother. It’s in your blood to lead, and I’m giving you that option. Take it or leave it.”
He took the money and shook Lash’s hand.
He wasn’t going to fucking cry.
“Welcome to the fold, brother.”
They left the bar, and Butch removed his leather Skulls cut, handing it to Lash, who rolled it up and placed it in the bag.
Pulling on his new leather cut, it felt right. The leather wasn’t worn in yet, but with time, he’d have it ready.
“It looks damn good.”
Climbing into the car, he took Lash toward the gym where he knew Cheryl and the guys would be waiting. He’d called them as he arrived at the airport and told them to get down to the gym.
“Do you like being Prez?” Butch asked.
“It’s okay. I’m not going to lie, it’s fucking tough. I worry about every fucking choice I make. The one with Kelsey’s ex being the fucking biggest one I’ve made.”
Kelsey’s ex, Michael Granito, worked for a special force within the Fed office. The Skulls acted as witness protection for victims. They helped to protect while the law did the work to put them behind bars.
When they arrived at the gym, it looked empty.
Butch locked the car.
“You know you’re going to have to get a bike, right? We’re still a fucking MC,” Lash said.
“I’ll deal with that.”
“Why aren’t you riding a bike?” Lash asked.
“It kept getting stolen.”
Lash burst out laughing. “Seriously?”
“It’s not fucking funny.”
“It is to me. It’s so funny. Holy shit, what the fuck have I just done? You can’t even keep a bike.”
“You’re not taking this shit back.”
“I’ve no intention of doing that, but come on, man, that is fucking priceless. I’m making you Prez of a brand-new fucking chapter, and you can’t even keep a bike from being stolen. Wow, this is going to be so funny.”
Butch didn’t appreciate his sense of humor.
Entering the gym, he saw Cheryl was waiting for him. She held Jade in her arms, and the moment she saw him, she stood.
Javier, Mistletoe, and Cruz were all there waiting.
“Well, well, well, old man Ned, you’re still alive and kicking,” Lash said.
Ned came out of his office.
“Fuck me, you’re getting older every single time I see you.”
They shook hands, and Ned pulled Lash in against him, slapping him on the back.
“Are you okay?” Cheryl asked.
Her gaze went to his leather cut, and her eyes went wide. “Seriously?” She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.
“Yes, seriously.”
She touched the cut right where it declared him as Prez.
“Say hello to the brand-new Prez of The Skulls, Vegas Chapter.” Lash pointed at him. “It had to happen eventually.”
“You got Tiny to agree to this?” Ned asked.
“It was a unanimous vote. We all know how important it is in this world to keep on moving forward. There’s our guy.” Lash looked toward the three men. “I take it these are the guys you want?”
“Yes.”
“They’re going to have to go through some testing,” Lash said. “You need to make sure they’re loyal.”
“We are fucking loyal,” Cruz said. “We’ve got Butch’s back.”
“It’s not just about Butch. It’s about having the name, the entire club at your back.”
“They do,” Butch said. “As soon as we have a base, you can come and check it out.”
“We will,” Lash said.
Butch saw the warning in Lash’s eyes.
His friends may be his friends, but that didn’t mean they had what it took to be a Skull. Butch knew without a doubt they’d pass their tests.
Holding Cheryl to his side, he smiled down at her.
This was what he wanted, and he was going to make damn sure that it worked.