“I guess I just undersold how frustrated I was not to have encountered Lucius there,” I said.
It was... true, but on such an insignificant level that it really didn’t matter. That was like saying I was frustrated I wasn’t worth tens of millions of dollars; sure, but it was so meaningless, it shouldn’t have been worth mentioning.
“As a President, I try and put on a stoic face so that my people don’t panic if they fail their mission,” I said. “You’re also a President, so you know what it’s like. You can pick up on other people’s bullshit when they’re trying to sugarcoat something. But it’s more important to me that the other officers don’t pick up on that.”
Lane’s expression softened.
“It’s all good, brother,” he said. “I have to do the opposite. I have to wear my heart on my sleeve. You know me. Aloof Lane for the longest time. I just felt like something might have happened on that run you didn’t want to admit.”
“I mean, I didn’t want to admit that we didn’t see Lucius. I wanted to come back with good news, but…”
Lane nodded.
“We all do, Cole,” he said. “Let’s get together soon to plan the next strike.”
With that, the two of us went back inside, but we split up into different sections. I took a seat on the couch in the left corner closest to the front door, while Lane went to talk to Patriot and Axle about something. He had his back to me and thus couldn’t see how a headache had started to affect me.
Lying to my brother.
Jealousy of my brother.
The same old fucking story…
“Hey, boss?”
Phoenix stood before me, his hands in his pockets.
“Do you need anything else from me?”
I shook my head. I gave it no thought, but really, what else was I going to need from him right now?Not a damn thing, that’s what.
“OK, I’m gonna head to Billiard’s and see Jess if that’s cool.”
“Of course,” I said.
Everyone can go see their ladies. I’ll just go home and... I don’t know. Call up a Reapers bunny or something.
“When are you gonna get yourself a lady?” Phoenix said with a guilty grin. “Seems like everyone else in this damn building has hitched up. Guess violence has a way of making people want to lean into each other, huh?”
I chuckled back, but not because I thought it was funny.
What if Lilly was your lady?
Now that was funny, and that did make me keep laughing. The daughter of Lucius, my lady? That girl? The one that had refused to help me at all?
The one that I found really attractive and felt something with…
“Man, I am in no rush,” I said. “I’ve got bigger fish to fry right now. I’ll worry about that when I’m in my thirties, not when I’ve got a war to finish.”
“And that’s why we love you as President,” Phoenix said. “All right. Call me if anything comes up.”
That’s why they love me as President.
Because I focus on the club and my brothers at the expense of myself.
I sat on that couch for what felt like another hour or two, even though in reality, it was probably only about ten or fifteen minutes. I passed the time just looking at my phone, eavesdropping casually on other conversations, and just watching the room interact.
Everyone thought of me as the connector of the two Carters, as the guy who wanted to meet and greet and interact. But that had only been true in relation to the immature Lane, and even then, I suspect things might have gotten overblown.
