“We need Tap with us and he’s not gonna be worth a damn if he’s worried about you.”
I wanted to keep arguing, but his point was valid. And, I refused to let my pride get in the way of rescuing the girls.
Tap grabbed my hand and squeezed. “Trust us, babe. We’ve got this.”
“I know, and I do trust you, I just… Law enforcement gets paid to do this shit and we dropped the ball. You’ve all already risked yourselves serving the country. It sucks that you have to be some kind of volunteer police force now as well. It’s asking too much.”
“Nobody’s asked us to do shit,” Link replied. “They didn’t have to. This is our city and we’re not standing around with our thumbs up our asses while girls are snatched from their homes and forced into prostitution or whatever the fuck they’re doing with them. We didn’t fight for our country’s freedom just to let some crazy motherfuckers destroy it from within.”
“What do you think Texas’s role is in all of this?” Havoc asked.
I’d wondered about the Serpents’ president as well. In the week I’d spent my nights at the club, I’d never seen him.
“Hard tellin’. I’d like to believe he’s not involved, but this shit’s happenin’ right under his nose. He’s either too blind to see it, too cowardly to stop it, or he supports it. Regardless, he’s not the man I thought he was.”
Tap tugged on my hand to get my attention. “We’ll make sure the girls are safe.”
I knew they would, but worry still ate at my gut. “Be careful.”
He raised my hand to his lips and brushed a kiss across my knuckles. “Always.”
By the time we sat down to eat dinner, Link had drafted up a plan of attack on the Serpents’ compound. He stepped aside and made a few phone calls while the rest of us ate. I didn’t know what all the president had up his sleeve, and I wasn’t happy about being excluded, but for the first time in months, I was hopeful.
After dinner, Link pushed back from the table and stood. “Everyone else should be at the station by now,” he said. “We have an early morning, and it’s time we all get our asses back there as well.”
During the planning, Tap had brought me up to speed on a couple of the club’s procedures. He’d explained that whenever the club planned to execute an op, Link called in all the families of members. The ‘old guard,’ a group consisting of Link’s father and the bikers who’d served alongside him, would stay behind with a handful of prospects to watch over the families until the men returned. And if the men didn’t return, the old guard and prospects would make sure everyone was taken care of.
I had to admire the way the club’s protection and provision extended to the families of the members. Not only was it the right thing to do, but it encouraged loyalty and gave everyone a sense of belonging. I understood why even an introvert like Tap had been drawn to the club.
“Tap, I encourage you to send your mother and daughter with us,” Link said. “I know your home is secure, but since Sasha is wanted, she needs to stay here. Your family will be safer with us in case anything happens.”
Tap seemed to consider this for a few minutes before pulling his mom aside and discussing it with her. As they chatted in the corner, I watched the way Tap listened to her. It was plain to see he valued her opinion and advice, and I loved that about him. Just watching them together made my heart swell.
Tap returned to the table to let Link know Doris and Hailey would go to the club, and that his mom was packing them each a bag and would be down soon.
“I drove,” Emily said. “They can ride with me and Jay, so you don’t have to leave Sasha here alone.”
“Thank you,” Tap said. Then he and Emily went outside to transfer Hailey’s car seat to Emily’s car.
Doris came down with the bags and we said our goodbyes. Then everyone was on their way. Tap locked the door behind the group, and we listened as the roar of Harleys faded down the road.
“Is your bike in the garage?” I asked, suddenly realizing I’d only seen a couple rooms of his house.
“No. I don’t keep her here.”
“Her?” I asked.
“Babe, if I’m riding it, it’s female.”
“Jayson’s gonna be super disappointed.”
Tap chuckled. “He’ll get over it.”
“So, does this other woman that you ride have a name?”
“Valkyrie.”
Surprised, I asked, “Because she chooses who falls in battle?”
