I’m a dick.
Everyone knows this. Giving Jenni what she wants so I get what I want makes me even more of a dick, but I don’t give a fuck. You see, she’s sweet. She’s a bright light in my world that has been dark and bleak for so long. I’m going to do everything in my power to protect her, keep her close and not allow her fate to fall into the hands of a piece of shit who will fuck her and then throw her away. She isn’t trash. She’ll never be. So what if I manipulate the situation and kill two birds with one stone. I make her happy by taking on the kids, and I keep those fucks away from her virgin pussy.
It’s a win, win.
“Are you really going to take on those kids?” Cut asks me.
I nod. “Yeah, I think so.”
“This is what you want?” he asks again.
“Yeah.”
We’re at our weekly jury. Everyone’s been called to the table, just waiting on a few to make it in. Things are heating up with both the garage and the hunting business. One of the big-name mafias on the east coast has a rat who’s high tailed it out west. The last known area is Sin City. The feds are watching their organization close because this rat has proof of some dirty dealing. That’s why we’ve been contacted. It seems our relationship with the Irish has worked its way to the Italians. And we don’t give a fuck about the ins and outs or the whys. We get a name needing to be retrieved, and we quietly bring them in.
The door swings open and Hawk enters followed by Sin, and that fuck face Cruise. The occupancy of the table has increased, but the void that’s been left by Bubba seems to outshine the number of bodies that sit around the table.
“All right,” Cut announces. “We’re all here. I’m calling this to order.” He pounds his fist on the table. “There’s a lot of shit we need to bring to the table and a lot that needs to be decided.” His eyes cut to me. “First off, this isn’t technically a club call, but it is club business since it will be taking place on the compound. This is for informational purpose only.”
I keep my gaze moving along the men who’ve been my brothers for years. Some I don’t trust, and some I can’t stand, but we’re a family, and this family will have a hand with my other family.
“Lick will be going for custody of his niece and nephew. He’ll be taking up residence in one of the empty houses on the property.”
I hear congrats and nice job, so on, but one voice overpowers the support. “How the hell is he gonna do that?” My head turns to Cruise who’s staring directly at me.
“None of your goddamn business,” I grit out. “Like Cut fucking said, this is just for your information. It’s not for comment, and it doesn’t require a vote.”
“Sure as shit it’s gonna require a vote. I don’t want to be living around some fucking punk kids stealing my shit.”
“You need to watch your mouth, Cruise,” Sin cuts in. “This isn’t for you to decide. The decision has been made.”
“What? I pay for part of this land from my dues that I work my ass off for this club as my contribution. I should have a say.” He waves his hands around. “We should all have a say.”
“This is still my family’s land. Still in the Sinclair name. We have the final say,” Sin defends.
“Families have always been welcome,” Dyke adds.
“Families, yeah. I don’t have an issue with Sin and his bitch shacking up and playing house with that baby. But Lick’s a fucking single man. Who the fuck is gonna watch those kids when he’s got business to attend? He needs to hold up his end to be a full pledge member of this club. Playing daddy ain’t gonna earn him shit.”
“Being a single father’s never been a problem,” Hawk states. “My old man did it, Dyke did it. That’s when the old ladies come into the picture.”
“Who are you gonna get to watch ’em? Are you going to throw them at Savannah while she’s got her kid? Are you gonna ask Bianca to play grandma?” He laughs. “Oh, I know. You’re gonna have that old Queenie watch em, huh? She’ll be able to keep up with her walker. Sorry, brother, but your defense doesn’t stand.”
“It’s taken care of,” I voice to no one since I’d rather cut my left nut off instead of defending myself to that piece of shit.
“This should have no bearing on club business,” Yeller, an older member who left this charter shortly after Devin was killed, speaks up. His kids are grown now, and his wife passed a few years back. He doesn’t ride with us or keep up his part in the club, but he’s a member just the same. He’s earned the respect and the rocker on his cut just as much as the rest of us.
“I don’t agree. He can’t take care of his duties and stay available for those kids.”
I stand up, tired of this shit. Too much time has been spent on this. This is why I didn’t want to step up. I don’t like when people question the shit I’m doing. No one has a say in the way I live my fucking life, especially not this piece of shit. I lean over the table, scowling in his direction, and speak slowly and clearly so he can get a feel for what I’m getting at.
“I’m not doing shit alone. You get me?” My insinuation has him showing the shock clearly on his face. I smirk because he knows what I’m fucking saying. I scrape my teeth over my bottom lip. “Yeah, you get me. She’ll be with me, every step of the fucking way.” I slam my hand on the table. “Now this topic isn’t up for any more discussion.” I throw my body back into the chair when all I want to do is slam my fist into his fucking face.
When Cruise starts to open his mouth, Cut throws a look his way, stopping the fucking sack sucker in his tracks. “Enough,” he demands. “There’s more important shit going down than your fucking pissing contest.” He looks at Dyke. “We’ve got a little over a month before Bubba’s out of rehab. What he did put members of this club in danger. He turned his back on his brothers in the name of smack. I cannot condone his behavior.”
“He’s sick, Cut,” Dyke says, defending his son.
Sin sits up in his chair. “He almost got my woman and my daughter killed.”
“And as a father,” Dyke addresses Sin, “you should know that no matter the crime, they will always be your flesh and blood. Even when your blood doesn’t run through their veins, they’re still yours.”
“Make no excuses.”
Dyke shakes his head. “I’m not making excuses. I’m asking for forgiveness.”
Sin brings his eyes to Dyke. “Not sure that’s something I’m able or willing to give. Not sure trust will ever be pointed his way either.”
“He’s a good kid, Sin, just went down the wrong path,” Psycho, another one of the old timer’s, pipes in. “Hell, boy, we’ve all been there a time or two. Your pop was three sheets to the wind the night your brother was born. Coked so far outta his mind, the hospital had to remove him from the premises.”
“We’re all family here,” Hawk states, “a brotherhood, and we don’t turn our backs on our brothers.” His implication has Sin on edge. He’s fisting his hands, gripping until his knuckles are white.
“We don’t put our women in harm’s way, either, brother,” Sin grits through his teeth.
Hawk shakes his head. “He wouldn’t have done it if he were in his right mind. You and I both know that. I’m not picking one over the other, but I’m saying that we can all use a second chance a time or two.”
This is the shit that I don’t give a fuck about. It’s like female drama that has no place in my life. But I get where Sin’s coming from. I know where his head is when it comes to Savannah and his daughter. From the moment, he drove her car into Fury territory he’s had one mission, to protect her.
Scanning the room, I watch the different men around the table. I wonder if any of these fuckers would be defending Bubba if he pulled that shit with their women? Would I be quick to forgive him if I were in Sin’s shoes?
Nah, I’d probably slit that fucker’s throat.