I’d acted like such a bitch, I might have blown my one chance at her. But if I could compartmentalize the past, or at least address it later when she wasn’t around…
“If you guys are in, I will get you guys a repair shop,” Cole said. “Or whatever front you want to operate out of. You’ll all have jobs that will pay you, but again, you will not get rich from this. I am not going to make you a part of the Black Reapers MC immediately. That is an honor and privilege that is not given out lightly. You have to show me you care for each other and that nothing can split you apart as it did in Springsville.
“But if you take your duties seriously, I will make sure you don’t have to worry about money. I’ll get you guys some weapons. Eventually, yes, I will make you Black Reapers.”
A chill actually went down my spine. This was what Mason had always hoped for—outside help.
But it wasn’t ours yet.
“And in return, I expect you to reduce the crime in this town and at my bar. I expect you to take care of the Bandits and whoever the fuck else might want to cause trouble here. And if there is a corrupt cop here, as some of you have told me, you either need to get him to stop being corrupt, or you need to get him in your pocket.”
I had to smile at that. I appreciated that Cole was a man of utility and being practical, not philosophical. I’d learned from the incident in my past that one couldn’t rely on corrupt systems to follow the ethics they preached. The only ethic I adhered to was treating good people with protection and bad people with force. Otherwise, I didn’t care if I did so with money, affection, violence, or whatever the fuck else could be used.
The end did justify the means.
And the end for you is Tara.
By whatever means necessary.
“Are there any questions?”
No one said anything.
“How many of you are committed to this? How many of you want in?”
Everyone nodded and said they would be.
“I’ll reach out to my former friends in Springsville,” Cole said. “I’ll get you the help you need. But it will take time. And even when you have a shop, even when you have weapons, it will be a slog. It took us years to eradicate our enemy in Springsville, and even when we united and ramped up our efforts, it took us several weeks to make progress. Don’t get your hopes up. You are not Black Reapers yet. But you can still make a difference.”
With that, Cole left. We all sat on the couch in silence, processing what had just happened. Even when Cole’s motorcycle came to life and faded into the New Mexico night, we still didn’t say a word.
It wasn’t until Mason smiled—yes, he fucking smiled—that we felt the tension breaking.
“I have seen a lot of so-called promises come through this town,” he said. “I’ve been around here longer than any of you have. I’m still not sold that he will make a difference. But he’s as close as I’ve ever felt to actual progress being made.”
“Fucking hell, is Mason Jett actually hopeful for once?” Garrett said.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
Laughter filled the room—laughter not just at Mason’s wry humor, but also at breaking the tension of the moment.
“It could be something,” Zack said. “He seems legit. I’ve studied psychology, and I can tell when someone is lying—”
“Save it, Professor Smartass,” Garrett said.
“You need to be careful,” Connor said.
“Who, me?”
“Yes, Garrett, you,” Connor growled. “You’re the one that’s most likely to fuck this up chasing pussy and using this as an easy button to get laid.”
“Pfft, like I need that to get some.”
Connor wasn’t wrong. But it also wasn’t a problem that seemed pressing.
The greater problem, one that wouldn’t get addressed tonight, was that the only person in the room who didn’t seem uplifted by the news was Steele. There was nothing in his demeanor to suggest that whatever he’d walked in with had been lifted. I could only hope he hadn’t found out that Tara and I had hung out.
No, that seemed unlikely. He would have punched me right here if that were the case. He probably had his suspicions…but why now versus yesterday befuddled me. Maybe it was because I had not gone to jail and would have been near her.
