The thought of anything happening to Emily has me on edge.
How dare someone come into our town and put his hands on one of ours? It didn’t matter that she wasn’t wearing our colours; it still should never have happened. We’d stopped patrolling when we went legit. Maybe that was a mistake. I wasn’t the president of our club anymore, so all I could do was bring it up with Maestro to put it to a vote. The quicker that Emily was wearing my cut, the better.
The clubhouse is heaving with brothers when I walk in. Ignoring them all, I go directly to the room we use for church and put the code in the lock. I need one minute to myself to decompress because I feel like I’m going to explode. The thought of losing Emily tore at me. I’m not sure I’d survive losing another Old Lady. Closing the door behind me, I walk to the tapestries that hang on the wall in Church.
Our history and our legacy, written centuries ago, lay out in front of me. Our ancestors had gone through so much to ensure we had everything we needed to survive. Inhaling a deep breath, I counted slowly to ten until I was calm enough to think.
Behind me, the door opens. I’m not concerned, knowing it would only be either Maestro or Cash. Only the three of us have the code to this room.
“How are you doing, Red?” Cash asks, coming to stand next to me, arms crossed as we stare at the tapestries.
“I’ve been better, Cash.”
“Yeah, I imagine you have. Is Emily okay?”
Turning my head, a little, I eye the man who’s been my son-in-law for years. I couldn’t be prouder of him than if he were my own. I know he had regrets about things in his life, but they’d led him to us and to being part of our family. Realising he’s waiting for an answer, I nod. “Yeah, she’s tough. She’s pissed that he threatened the girls though.”
“I bet,” Cash agrees, clasping my shoulder. He squeezes. “We’ll get the fucker, Red. Don’t you worry.”
“I know.”
And I do. We’re only waiting for the vote, but even if it doesn’t go my way, I’ll still go and find the dipshit who thought he could threaten and hurt one of mine, but especially my Old Lady.
The door opens again, and the brothers start filing in. Cash and I find our seats waiting for Maestro to start church.
“Quiet down you fuckers this isn’t a social gathering,” Maestro orders in a biting tone. The brothers quieten down pretty sharpish, Surprise on their faces at the tone he’s using.
He picks up the gavel and brings it down on the table. “Church in session. I’m not wasting any time today. One of our Old Ladies was attacked in town today. We know where the fucker is. This vote is a formality only; we’re going after the fucker no matter what. Nobody,” he stares around the table, “and I mean NOBODY puts a hand on a woman in this town. I don’t care if she’s under our protection or not.”
Shouts of, “Yes, Pres!” echoed around the room.
“Good,” he nods. “Emily was attacked outside the diner today.” He barely finished speaking when the brothers were demanding blood. If I’d had any doubt that my brothers had my back when it came to my new Old Lady, their reaction alleviated it.
Maestro holds up his hand for silence. “I get it. I’m pissed too but not as pissed as Red is.” He points to me. “Want to fill the brothers in, Red?”
“Thanks, Pres,” I tell him, giving him the respect he deserves as president. Pushing my chair back, I stand. “You all know that Emily was an Old Lady in another MC before this one. They disbanded when they were all picked up and put in prison. Almost all have died there.” When they all nod, I continue, “Seems like while he was in there Emily’s ex had loose lips and his cellmate is here to find some big pay day he left with his greatest treasure. Not Emily by the way.”
“Fuckhead,” one brother mutters, and the rest rumble agreements.
“Anyway, this is what Emily knows,” I tell them when they settle down. I told them everything that Emily told us, including the information about the car her ex had called his greatest treasure. I handed the information to Hard-Drive while I was talking so he could get started on his searches.
When I’m done, Maestro takes over. “Now you know the reason. The guy is holed up at the motel just out of town. We vote on whether we pick him up and deal with him as a club. Let’s start.” He nods at Buck.
“Aye from me.”
And so it goes until all the brothers have voted. It’s unanimous. We’ll go and pick the fucker up.
“Buck get the van,” Maestro orders. “Ford asked permission that he goes along with Red. The boy is understandably upset that his grandmother has been hurt. We’ll be parked down the road as back up. Saddle up, brothers.”
Maestro turns to our enforcers Duke and Roar, “Get the shack ready for us, would you boys? We’re going to have some fun tonight.”
They grin manically at Maestro, giving him a fake salute. “Yes Pres.” They leave church. We haven’t used the shack for a hot minute; it’s about bloody time.
Church empties in a hurry. The brothers are ready to ride. It’s times like this that I realise how grateful I am for the life I’ve lived and the brotherhood I’ve built.
“Let’s go, Pops,” Maestro slaps my shoulder.
“You know we don’t need all the brothers for a snatch and grab,” I comment as we leave the clubhouse.
