“In two days, we’ll strike with men from each of our chapters, Petrov’s soldiers, and reinforcements from the Frozen Furies MC. Hopefully, we won't let them know about our alliance with the Petrovs yet. No one ever told Pyro about our FFMC connection, so hopefully, he didn’t weasel it out somehow before betraying us. If we strike fast andhard, we can end this war before it escalates. Riot seems to want Indigo above all else, but it’s only a matter of time before he shifts from trying to take her to doing something drastic to draw her out.” Duke sighed and sat back in his chair. Priest took the reins from his father seamlessly.
“Clover's research shows that Petrov has vast numbers and operates a tiered system, with hisvorymanaging their own territories and sectors of the business and Mikhail at the helm. A differentvoryoversees each territory in the country. They’re like…mini-pakhans…or brigadier generals to Mikhail’s commander-in-chief. Regardless, with the snap of his fingers, Petrov could summon every member of the Russian organized crime syndicate in America. Don’t ever tell that prick Riordan I said this, but we’re lucky that they want to be our allies in this. He’s calling up his men near each of the Iron Raiders’ clubhouses so they can join forces with our men and the Frozen Furies.”
“If Petrov’s people can bolster our ranks, why are we even involving the Furies?” I ask, wondering why Duke would bother our MC allies. We generally only worked together when we were busting trafficking rings. Our club’s Colorado and Utah chapters were the only ones who bordered Frozen Furies MC territory, but they’d always had an amicable, if distant, relationship. They didn’t fuck with us, and we didn’t fuck with them, but every once in a while, we came together to fuck with someone else.
“I made a promise to Tisi that if we ever went after Riot and the Raiders, I’d send word.” Tisi was the prez of the Wyoming chapter of the Furies and had met Duke during the Salt Lake City incident. The crucible of that bloody night had forged an alliance between the Crows and the FFMC. “Tisi and Riot have…history. The Furies are more than willing to back us up on this.”
Idly, I wondered what their history was, but I pushed the thought away as Bones piped up from my side. His arm was still in a sling, but I could see a small bone pinched between his thumb and middle finger of his left hand as he used it like a worry stone. “Who’s going to protect the clubhouses during the attack? We can’t leave the women and families vulnerable while we all roll out to Raiders territory.”
“Each prez will leave behind a small group of Crows to protect the compounds, and Petrov has pledged some of his men at each location toguard the perimeter. Plus, our ole ladies will have shit locked down,” Duke said with a dark smile. “I don’t envy anyone who thinks they can fuck with our women and walk away from it. Clover will also be covering the compound’s security systems so she can raise the alarm and direct reinforcements to any chapter house should they need it.” This answer seemed to satisfy Bones until Duke added, “You’ll be here if there’s any trouble, Bones.” Bones glowered at our prez, not that his dark look did any good. “Don’t give me any shit on this,” Duke growled. “Your arm is still healing. You’ll stay, and that’s final. Knuckles, Blaze, and Thor will also stay behind to keep an eye on our interests in Sagebrush.”
“What about Indigo?” I asked, taking the attention off my brother.
“What about her?” Duke asked with a sigh.
“You know she’ll want to come,” I say with a roll of my eyes. “Not only did they attack hertwicebut they also hurt her friend and almost rear-ended her van. The girl is practically baying for blood.”
“Well, she ain’t invited. Indigo can either stay here with the ole ladies or spend some time at The Goldfinch with the Petrovs. Either way, this ride is for Crows only,” Duke replied shortly.
“Have fun telling her that,” I mumbled to myself.
“What was that, Cricket?” Duke asked sharply.
“Not a damn thing, Prez,” I said with a smirk.
“That’s what I fuckin’ thought. Now, if the Q&A portion of the meeting is over, get the hell out. We leave in two days, so whatever you need to do to prepare, get it done.” Duke turned to speak to Rook and Bear while the rest of the Crows made their way from the room, either to prepare for the upcoming attack or to make arrangements to keep things running smoothly here while the rest of us were off hunting Raiders.
Thor had helped me at Crow’s Landing before, so I was confident my bar would be just fine. He and Shiloh could handle a night or two without me, and with Indi’s help, they’d be fine. Just in case, I might text Archer and have him drop by to keep an eye on the bar. His tattoo parlor, Dark Star Studios, was only a block away from Crow’s Landing, and I knew he wouldn’t mind.
The clubhouse was clearing out. No friends from town or club girls would be allowed on the compound until after the Iron Raider threat hadbeen dealt with. Bones was sulking. His broody stare was fixed on Lennon, who was talking with Tank and her dad. He usually made more of an effort to pretend he wasn’t obsessed with Lennon, but maybe the pain, coupled with the outrage from being left out of the upcoming fight, wore through enough of his layers that his emotions were bleeding out of his eyes. I’d say I felt bad for the guy, but I really couldn’t. I’d never understand why he insisted on holding himself back from Lennon. She might be an enormous pain in my arse sometimes, but she was the kind of special that you had to snap up when you got the chance because it wouldn’t be long before some other asshole tried to swoop in and shoot his shot. I’d considered going after her myself for about three seconds before the involuntary heaves took over. Lennon might be smart, kind, beautiful, and feisty, but she’d always be like a sister to me. More’s the pity.
My other best mate, Priest, had drawn Indigo’s attention away from Knuckles, who was manning the clubhouse bar tonight. I slid onto a few seats behind Priest and shamelessly eavesdropped on their conversation. I’d been feeling off my game lately and needed some new ammunition to lob at Priest the next time the grumpy prick irritated me. “Come on, angel. The Iron Raiders have always been a problem for the Crows, and it’s for Crows to solve it.” Oh good, I hadn’t missed Priest telling her she couldn’t be there when we decimate the Raiders.
“That sounds like some meanie grown-up way of saying ‘no girls allowed,’” Indigo replied in a sulky tone. Priest grabbed a sucker from his cut pocket and put it in his mouth with an exasperated sigh. “If you want to challenge Duke on systemic misogyny in MC culture, I’ll help you write your speech after the Iron Raiders are destroyed. It’s safer this way.”
“I can take care of myself,” Indigo snapped, narrowing her eyes at Priest.
“Not safer for you, angel,” Priest explained. “Safer for me.”
“Fuck you very mu—wait. What?” Indigo asked, quirking her head like an adorably psychotic puppy.
“I’m the VP of this club, and I didn’t realize a sworn brother was plotting to betray us in the worst way. Ihaveto go and fix this. And when I do, I need to know you’re here or at The Goldfinch. If you’re not,if you’re with me and in danger, I won’t be able to concentrate. I’ll be eaten up with worry and unable to focus, unable to kill our enemies and watch my brothers’ backs the way I’ll need to.”
“But—”
“If I know you’re safe, I can keep my focus where it needs to be. I can do what needs to be done and come home to my family…to you.” Priest must have hit her with some grade A smolder because the irate badger gleam left Indigo’s eye, and she relaxed her posture a bit. “That was the sweetest bullshit I’ve ever heard, Growly,” she said with an angelic smile.
My friend huffed a laugh. “Yeah, well, did I convince you?”
Indigo sighed and leaned her elbow onto the bar top. She took a long pull from her beer while she considered her options. “Hmm, Iguesssince President Duke insisted, I’ll listen this once. For future reference, all requests of this nature must be given in writing three business days before the intended battle, or I will be considered a free agent and ready and willing to fuck shit up to prove my point.”
“Understood,” Priest rumbled to her in a tone I hoped I’d never hear again. The wanker was getting off on her crazy! I shuddered, given the absoluteickat the sound of Priest’s bloody bedroom voice. “We leave the day after tomorrow. I was wondering if you’d let me take you out tomorrow night?” Fuckingfinally.
“Like…on adate?” Indigo asked.
“Yeah, angel, on a date,” Priest replied. Indigo considered it for a moment, and then a moment longer. She was silent long enough while she processed what Priest had said that my brother began to shift in his seat, probably feeling nervous that, for the first time in his life, he’d be rejected.
“Can Sheila come?” Indi asked, breaking the silence that had stretched tightly between them.
