“What do you know of River’s family, Nell?” I know he’s been here the same amount of time as Nell, but I’ve not been able to break through his defenses. I know Justice has tried, but the boy is painfully shy.
She twists her mouth slightly, “I know that he’s had it rough. If I’m being honest I never knew he existed until the night we were taken away. I knew his parents and his siblings, but I had never seen him til that night.” Her eyes dart in his direction,before meeting mine. “He’s a sweet kid, a little lost, but, well, aren’t we all?” She gives me a tight smile and a nod before rising to her feet, taking her empty plate with her.
I fix my gaze on the thin young man, his body hunched as if he wants to disappear into himself and decide that whether he likes it or not, he has me.
Chapter 3
Vex
“Do any of you know how to use a computer?” Dex yells out from the room he’s chosen as his office. It’s been a week and while things are slowly getting set up, we’re still a long way from DRMC standards.
“Depends how well you want it used,” Saint calls from his position on top of the bar Flack and Chef built.
It would seem that a clubhouse is not a clubhouse without a bar, even though we all agreed that we will take any parties off site. With families and survivors here at the Keep, it didn’t seem right to have a full working bar, club whores and strippers. Instead, we’ll use it for a drink here or there, and a place to prop up Flack in the evening.
The thumping of Dex’s footsteps get closer until he’s standing in the hall, hands on hips. “We need security, especially for our guests. I have no idea how the hell you’ve been managing this place without it.”
“Well, we have security cameras out the ass,” Saint says, securing the light shade above the bar before jumping down, his long hair floating out behind him.
Since we prospected we all have taken lengths to look less similar. Mainly because Rider would constantly get us mixed up and we got sick of taking shit from the Nipless Wonder.
“Yeah, but how do we know who we are rescuing is legit?”
“I can answer that one,” Justice butts in. He was a few years younger than us growing up, but we all got along and I was over the moon when I found out he was one of the people helping my sister. He dealt with the young men banished from the Keep. Loyal dealt with the women needing to leave. Since Blanche got rid of Eden’s Keep as we knew it, Justice has been helping Loyal run what was left in its wake. “Loyal still uses Blanche and her networks to screen them before we rescue them. It’s the only way to be safe.”
Dex stares at Justice for a long moment. “You grew up here, right?”
“Yes, sir, same as the Landrys and Loyal.”
“You wanna join the MC?”
Justice stiffens a moment, eyes wide. “You mean, join you guys?”
“Yeah. Get you a bike, you can prospect in. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll be given shit jobs for the first six months or so, but by the end of it you’ll have a patch on your back and a brotherhood.”
“I-, um yeah, I’d be honored.” Justice rushes forward to shake Dex’s hand.
“Good. Welcome to the club, prospect. Now, what do you know about computers?”
Flack snorts behind me and I try to hide the smile on my face. Don’t get me wrong, I had an idea Dex would make a great Prez and I’m damn well glad that Marx made the decision because he’s turning this chapter into something great. I can feel it.
When my brothers and I went to Marx about starting a chapter here in Louisiana, I never thought about any of thelogistics or hard shit. It was mainly about wanting to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. Brotherhood, family, that kind of thing. Thinking about it we were pre-programmed from the start to want this sort of connection to a higher power. Although in our case it seems to be a group of people that sometimes do bad things for the good of others.
“Yo, Vex, there’s a big blonde bastard outside wanting to talk to you,” TumTum yells into the open doorway.
I shrug at my brothers when they look at me with raised brows, but head out anyway.
“Down by the gate, brother. Didn’t want to let him in, especially with Greer playing on the swingset.”
I nod at him and how protective he is of the people we have here. Making my way down the short drive, I come to the gate, the big blond guy from the bait shop standing on the other side.
“Hey, man,” he calls out, waving.
I give a noncommittal wave, because, while I don’t think he’s dangerous, the guy is a lot friendlier than I’m used to. That could be a Keep thing though. No matter how long you’re out of the lifestyle, there’s still a level of suspicion that me and my family can never seem to shake.
“Yo, what can I do for you?”
He gets comfortable, leaning on the gate post, leg crossed over the other. “I was talkin’ to my mama, she’s gettin on now. Told her that new MC come nosin’ round the bait shop, and she wants to know if you’re fixin’ to grab yourself another spot or two down on Main.”
