“VP.”
“Pedro. Anyone else up?”
“Few guys in the kitchen. Iron’s in his office.”
Of course he is. The man probably didn’t sleep either.
“I need to handle something first,” I tell him. “Iron asks for me, tell him I’ll be there in ten.”
Pedro nods and goes back to cleaning.
I head down the hallway to the small room we use for club business. Files are stacked on the desk, and a laptop sits open to spreadsheets tracking legitimate businesses and less legitimate income streams.
This is the part of being VP that nobody sees. The paperwork, the numbers, and ensuring the club stays financially afloat while the president handles politics.
I spend twenty minutes going through reports from our protection rackets. Three businesses are late on payments, two new ones are requesting our services, and one owner is complaining about the rates. Standard shit that needs handling.
I make notes, send a few texts to brothers who handle collections, and mark the complaints for follow-up. The work gives my hands something to do while my brain keeps circling back to Bonnie.
When I can’t put it off any longer, I head to Iron’s office.
The door’s open. He’s behind his desk, in the same position I saw him in yesterday. He’s wearing a leather vest over a black shirt, with his full gray beard and those green eyes that match those of his daughter. Coffee mug in hand, paperwork spread in front of him.
He looks up when I knock on the doorframe.
“Ash.” His voice gives nothing away. “Got your message. She okay?”
“She’s fine. At the cabin with Titan.”
“Good.” He sets down his mug. “Close the door.”
I do, then turn to face him. “We need to talk about this marriage.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. It’s done.”
“It’s not done until she saysI do.” I move closer to his desk. “And I’m telling you right now, this is a mistake.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Iron leans back in his chair. “You think I want to hand my daughter over to that animal?”
“Then don’t.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“Why not?” I plant my hands on his desk. “We’ve fought the Savage Legion for two years. We can keep fighting.”
“And keep losing.” He stands up, matching my energy. “We’ve lost twelve brothers in the last six months, Ash. Twelve. How many more do you want to bury before you admit we can’t win this war?”
“We can find another way?—”
“There is no other way!” His voice rises. “I’ve tried everything. Negotiation, intimidation, alliances with other clubs. Nothing works. Marcus wants our territory, and he won’t stop until he has it or we’re all dead.”
“The Savage Legion are not people who keep their word.”
“He’ll keep it this time. The deal’s too good for him to walk away from.”
“But what he’ll do to her—” I stop myself, trying to keep emotion out of it. “Prez, you know what kind of man he is. What he does to women.”
“I know exactly what kind of man he is.” Iron’s jaw tightens. “You think that doesn’t keep me up at night? But the alternativeis watching more brothers die. Watching this club bleed out until there’s nothing left.”
