I almost fall off my chair. “You went to school?”
“For the last couple of years, yeah, that surprise you, sis? You’re not the only scholar in the family.”
“Jesus Christ,” Dad mutters.
“No, it’s just you kept all of this from us.” I look down at my plate. “It would’ve been nice to have been included.”
“Hey.” I look up at him. “I was gettin’ my shit together. I’m a better person because of it. I’m sorry. I don’t expect either of you to forgive me, but I’ll work on gainin’ your trust back.”
Dad looks skeptical, but I want to believe him.
I clear my throat. “I’m proud of you,” I say. “For sticking it out.” He’s right, I am surprised, not that he isn’t smart. But Max has always had an attention deficit, not that he’d ever get tested. The fact that he stuck to something and finished it is a wonder in itself.
He ruffles my hair in that annoying brotherly way as I try to shrug him off. “Aww, thanks, sis.”
“What are the MC paying you to do work for them?” Dad asks as Max glances at him. “What? They do pay you, right?”
“Yeah, it’s a business owned by the club, I prospected while I finished my apprenticeship,” he explains. “Hornet is a diesel mechanic, he let me tag along a few times until I realized I really enjoy heavy machinery.”
“Who’s Hornet?” I ask.
“The club’s Enforcer,” Max says.
Of course. What is it with MC club enforcers and garages? Tag does the exact same job, except they only service Harleys and vehicles. Rock, who has the Truck n’ Haulage business, let the MC buy in, and now their towing and truck mechanic business is through the roof. If Max were working here, it’d be easier to keep my eye on him, not that he’s gonna jump ship from the Hellions. I know how deep biker’s loyalties lie…
“Have you looked into this club?” Dad directs that question at me.
“The Hellions?” I balk.
“Yes, the Hellions? Who are we dealing with here?”
I shrug. “How would I know? They’re in Mississippi. Not my jurisdiction. I also just found out Max is part of their MCtoday.” I emphasize that last part.
“You could just ask me.” Max offers.
“We’d only get a biased answer,” Dad replies. “And I know for sure they’re nothing like the NOLA Rebels.”
“How do you know that?” Max fires back. “Bane is a good man, and he took me in when I had nowhere else to go?—”
“Which is exactly what these cult-like clubs do,” Dad says, his nose in the air.
Jesus, here we go. His air of superiority always shows its ugly head.
“Cult like? Dad, you’re gettin’ a little ahead of yourself,” Max defends. “They’re a good bunch of guys, and legit.”
Dad focuses his attention on my brother. “How legit could they be? They’re a gray area. I know all about that cigar business they hide behind.”
I do, too. I don’t know what they do in that tobacco shop calledCigar Haven, but I’m sure there’s nothing legit about it.
“Dad, you watch too many movies,” Max says, licking his fingers. “I need more napkins.”
I toss some across to him, but my father isn’t done yet. Oh, no, he’s just warming up.
“Bro, just be careful, that’s all we’re saying, right, Dad?”
Dad looks less than impressed. “Their feud with the Skeltons leaves little to be desired,” Dad says, referring to the rival MC club in Mississippi. From what I heard, the Skeletons were helping the Cut City Boys get across the state line, thus my undercover op when we busted their plan right open. Of course, I have the MC to thank for that little hiccup. They barged in before we were ready to make arrests, resulting in a massive investigation afterward. Yes, we succeeded in arresting most of those implicated, but it was messy.
What the MC doesn’t realize is the implications of their actions when they rush in and try to take over official police business. Granted, they didn’t know at the time I was undercover, but we’re the police for a reason. They need to keep their noses out and let the cops run this city. Not the MC. Not the fucking mafia — yes, they have ties with the Irish that hasn’t gone unnoticed, and let’s not even talk about the underworld. They already took down the Carusos — a very old mob family who moved back to Louisiana some years ago to stake a claim. They were trafficking from here to Texas and running drugs and guns through the city. They were a hierarchy that had to be eliminated, we can all agree on that. The Gulf Cartel still rules over most of Southern Texas, but the Stiletto Riders keep them in check, and the MC up to date. Those chicks are badass.
