“You know that Valentine's Day is just around the corner right? And you all have women. In your case, you have a mananda woman,” he says, pointing two fingers at Fox and Nitro.
“What's your point?” Nitro growls.
“Oh, just that, you know, ladies like to feel pampered and special and all that jazz. Such a pity that I know shit and I have no one to impart my wisdom upon.” Rider shrugs.
“If anyone is imparting wisdom, it’s me,” Pops says in a bored tone. “How many couples have I gotten together now?” He cups his hand around his ear, waiting for us to tell him but we sit in silence.
Rider ignores him, instead zeroing in on Rhodie as he finally arrives, the last of the brothers. “Well, look who decided to grace us with his presence.” Rider grins, dropping down into his chair and spinning.
I need to have a word with Wire. Why the fuck he’d order spinning chairs for Church is beyond me.
“Enough fucking around, let's get started.” I beat my fist on the wall, declaring Church open. “I’ve had word from Moss. Louisiana law enforcement have found bones belonging to one Travis Hitchens in a swamp near the Texas border. Case is formally closed.”
“That’s one bad guy down,” Mad Dog mutters.
“We still have whoever was pulling his strings that we need to deal with, but it’s nothing we can’t handle.”
“Famous last words, brother,” Rhodie murmurs.
I huff out a breath before moving to the next item on the agenda. “Wire, what you got for us?”
“We’ve been making money hand over fist in the last month. Devil’s Big Tow has had an uptick in business, no idea why but I ain’t questioning it. Security business is booming -” Gus lets out a whistle while the Tombs family all beat their fists on the table, “Devil’s Rose Ink is thriving under Mad Dog and Lovely, and Blanche and Lovely’s community center is doing a lot of good. All going to plan, we'll be having the first graduation in June.” More whistling and thumping breaks out. “Payments will be in your accounts as usual.”
“Thanks, Wire. Right, we got any general business?” I let my gaze roam, stopping when Savage clears his throat.
“Yeah, I got something. Valentine's Day is coming up and I’m planning a kick ass surprise for my woman. Just giving you all a heads up.” A slow smile crosses his face as my face drops.
He’s right; it is coming up and I had planned to go all out. Lovely has never had a Valentine’s Day, and I want to give her one. I want to see her face light up, her small hands covering her mouth as she gasps. She missed out on a lot of shit in her life, and it’s up to me to give her all those experiences.
“Shit, we’ve all, apart from Mad Dog, Rider and Switch, got women. You know as well as I do that if Savage plans some big fuck off romantic gesture and we don’t, then our women will make our lives hell,” Judge groans.
“Not my woman,” Rhodie grins, too fucking confident in his words.
“Your woman will lead the revolt,” Tank points out.
“Nope. Chewy doesn’t care about such things.” Rhodie shrugs, smug asshole.
Pops leans forward, palms on the table. “You sure about that, Shit Stain? You sure my beautiful, hormonal,pregnantgranddaughter won't care about such things?” His dark bushy brow raises as Jules, Tav and Gus snort.
“No! She said just last night when we saw an advertisement for chocolates that she doesn’t care if I get her chocolates or not for Valentine’s Day,” Rhodie says with his whole chest.
“Oh, my sweet summer child,” Rider shakes his head, patting Rhodie on the arm.
Rhodie shrugs Rider’s hand off him, “You don’t even have a woman, so don’t stir shit.”
Rider tilts his head. “What makes you think I ain't got a woman?”
The room goes silent as we all stare at our brother.
“Well, do you have one?” Fox asks, intrigued.
“Define ‘woman’?” Rider grins and we all groan. Someone throws a bottle cap and hits him between the eyes. Serves him right.
“You could have blinded me!” Rider whines, hand rubbing his head.
“I’ll try harder next time,” Jules growls.
“OK, so now that we all agree that we’re in fucking trouble, do we have any suggestions?” I ask my men.
