CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
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DOMINIC
TAPPING ON MY shoulder, Mercy says what he can to keep me from losing my temper and breaking every bone in Drake and Levi’s face.
“C’mon, Dom. Keep it cool.”
They’ve been avoiding the clubhouse all week, but they couldn’t avoid the church meeting. Christian had club business to go over and at the end of the meeting, I took the opportunity to mention what fucking cockroaches they are.
“Oh c’mon, Dom, the bitch asked for it. So we roughed her up a bit. We didn’t kill her.”
“I carried her limp body into the hospital. The girl didn’t deserve to be tortured like that.”
Christian’s eyes sweep across either side of the Serpent table, taking in the heated argument.
“What’d you expect, boys? That’s his ol’ lady’s sister. You shouldn’t of tore her up like that. We all enjoyed having her around. She was a good fuck. She’s not gonna come around now.”
Drake shrugs. “So things might’a got out of hand. We were caught up in the moment. What’s done is done.”
His careless attitude fuels the fire already blazing inside of me.
“I want a fight night. Cage fight…in the ring. Hell, I’ll take both of you fuckers on at the same time. Give you a taste of how I like to get caught up in the moment.”
A few of the brothers grin at that. Their gazes move to Christian, anxiously awaiting his response.
“I’ll allow it,” Christian replies. “This shit needs to be worked out, then put to rest.”
Expressions downcast, Drake and Levi look to one another. I can see the fear in their eyes.
“I want it tomorrow night,” I demand.
With a tilt of his head, Christian accepts. “Get ready for a hell of a show, boys,” he tells the members. “Church is dismissed.”
The members clear out of the room except the board; Christian, myself, our treasurer Mike, secretary Sam, Road Captain John, and Sergeant of Arms Mercy.
“We need to talk about those two,” Mercy presses. “There’s gonna be heat on us if she talks to the police. If she hasn’t already.”
“She hasn’t,” I inform them. “She’s too scared to, but that doesn’t let them off the hook. They’re a problem. Their loyalties are more aligned with their clique of brothers than the club. They’re still runnin’ with Ditch. I want to bring it to vote whether or not we should strip them of their colors.”
Sitting back in his chair, Christian’s thumb and forefinger rest on his chin as he observes me. “You don’t think fight night and a suspension of colors is enough?”
“Fuck, no, I don’t. This won’t be a lesson learned for them. It’ll be a lesson on how to hide their actions better.”
“I agree with Dom,” Mercy tips his head. “They’re not respecting the patch. The fact they’re running with Ditch after he was stripped of his colors rubs me the wrong way.”
With a sigh, Christian sits forward. “All right, we’ll vote. Those who feel Drake and Levi should be given a beating and their colors suspended, say Aye.”
Christian, Mike, and Sam raise their hands and say Aye. Seeing Christian’s choice to vote against me is like a whip slashing across my skin—it’s a fierce sting.
“Those who feel Drake and Levi should be given a beating and stripped of their colors, say Aye.”
Myself, John, and Mercy raise our hands and say Aye.
“We’re at a draw, brothers. Drake and Levi will face fight night, suspension of their colors, and be put on a probationary period. We’ll vote again after the probationary period ends. Acceptable?”
My brothers all nod, except me, but it doesn’t matter, that’s how it’s handled in the Serpents when there’s a draw.
The rest of the board head out except Christian and me. Walking to the cooler, I pull out a beer and pop the top.
“You didn’t see what I did, Christian. They brutally raped and beat her. She’s not coming back from that and it’s killing Erika and that’s fucking with me.”
“You love this girl?”
“What do you think?”
“I think you do and it’s messing with your judgment. If not for her, we wouldn’t be talking about stripping their colors, would we?”
Dropping back into the chair, I stare him down.
“Their actions have become my problems. That’s what we’re talking about. I’m the one who had to stay up all night with Erika, afraid her sister had been killed, and I’m the one who went out at three thirty in the morning to take a battered woman to the hospital. That girl didn’t deserve what was done to her. All she wanted was for Ditch to stop treating her like a fucking punching bag. Now I see you defending them against me. How do you think I should feel about that?”
Dark, brown eyes stare boldly back at me.
“You’re not the only one I have to think about, Dom. I have sixteen other members. If I let Drake and Levi go, what’s to stop them from joining the Jackals or Black Diamonds? Why let them go when I can easily rein them in?”
“Strength in numbers. That’s what’s important to you?” Standing, I set the beer bottle on the table. “What about the brotherhood? What about protecting the family and the women in it? Or has the money, drugs, and turf war become so important, we’re turning a blind eye to brothers raping and maiming Serpent women? I can’t even bring my girl into this clubhouse without having to keep my eyes on her at all times. Maybe you need to think about that.”