“We can’t have her bringing heat on the club with how fragile things are right now.” Steel taps his thumb on the arm of his chair.
“It’s not her fault my brother’s a raging dick. I’m not sending her back out there unguarded after what happened.”
“And if Kincaid’s men draw the Feds to our doorstep?”
“They’re already at our doorstep for a hundred other reasons. This doesn’t change that. If they need someoneto take down, I’ll do what I do best.” I grin, but it’s fake, and Steel’s expression turns grim.
“You’re not taking the fall for the club again, Chaos.”
“Someone might have to. What’s the other option if the Feds close in? I’m not looking Tempe in the eyes and telling her that her kid’s dad isn’t coming back. Or Reagan.” I look from Steel to Legacy. “And it’s not even about your old ladies being pregnant. Or your kids. You want Luna or Aimee to have to deal with losing you guys? It’s not fucking happening. If shit goes down from this Iron Sinners fallout or this crap with my brother, you let me fucking fall. Promise me.”
It's all I have left.
A sad fucking realization, but the truth.
I don’t have an old lady who will give a shit if the bed gets cold. No kids for me to miss them growing up. All I’ve got is this here. This family I made when I no longer fit with mine. All I have is what I can give my club.
And what I can giveher.
Protection.
I glance at Willa, who watches me like she senses something stirring. Even if she hates me, and even if I’m still pissed at her, I’ll take the fall for her like I always have.
“Although I appreciate the grandstanding, we’re going to make sure it doesn’t come to that.” Steel tries to reassure me, but we all know it’s something he has no control over.
Being a biker comes with the acceptance that we’re more likely to die in a shower of bullets than from old age.If I go down protecting my club, I consider that a life well spent.
Glancing across the table, I meet gazes with Venom. Then I look to my right, where Soul offers me a single nod. They’re on the same page as me, even if they don’t say anything to add fuel to this fire. The three of us have talked about it when the other guys have gone home to their old ladies. We’re in agreement on how this will play out if it comes down to it.
Burning the Iron Sinners compound to the ground was a bold move. Someone at some point will need to take the fall. We’ll make sure it’s one of the three of us. All three of us, if necessary.
So long as it isn’t them.
“So what’s the plan then?” Steel asks. “You’re keeping your brother’s ex here?”
“For now.”
“She doesn’t seem too happy about it.”
“She’ll get over it.” I shrug. “Tempe did once.”
He grins at the reminder of meeting his old lady when she snuck into our clubhouse to steal something for our rivals. He wouldn’t let her leave until he sorted things out with the men who sent her here. She fought it at first. But then, he moved her into his house, and the rest was history.
I was still in prison at the time, but I heard enough to know everything had changed for Steel the moment Tempe and her younger brother walked into his life.
“Well fuck, if that’s what we’re comparing it to, good luck, brother.” Steel turns from me to Ghost. “I want youto confirm who the truck is registered to and where they’re staying. We need to know how many guys are in town looking for Willa.”
“You got it.” Ghost nods.
“Any update from Monroe on what Zane might be up to next?”
“He tipped off the Feds that Sapphire Rise is where we’re storing new gun shipments. He’s wrong, of course, but they’ll use it as an excuse to raid.”
“Fuck.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “When?”
“Tomorrow, if what I’m hearing is right. That’s why I was there earlier uploading additional firewalls on the computers. If they try to break in, the system will self-corrupt.”
“I don’t want you anywhere near Sapphire Rise tomorrow.” Steel points at me.
