Dragon shrugged. "It's not like it's anything I aspired to be when I was six or seven. But by the time I entered my teens, I already knew where I would fit in. The club knows how to use everyone's strengths to its benefit. The Bridger Family knows what it's doing. I mean, they were under our radar too before they had that run-in with Ze back then. That's the only reason we found out about them through Colton."
"You said 'run-in' like they bumped into each other on the street. Colton had been contracted to kill Ze," TT said. They had heard about that incident some years ago when it went down as news—well, big news—that spread quickly between chapters, as it was important to keep everyone on alert.
Dragon laughed. "I'm used to speaking in code."
"Fair enough," TT said with a short nod.
"What do you think about them?" Dragon asked Ajay since he was a former DEA agent. He wrapped his arm around his man and pulled Richie closer while waiting for a response.
Ajay sighed. "To be honest, we don't know anything about them. The only reason I'm aware of what they do now is because I'm a Lord. The DEA looked into them because Colton Bridger married Zaire Esai, who we're aware is an enforcer for the Chicago chapter of the Lords."
"You said 'we're' again," Richie teased.
"Ah shit... yeah. Sorry," Ajay said.
"What's that about?" Dragon asked, looking between Ajay and Richie.
"It's an old habit of mine to say 'we' when talking about the DEA. A bad habit I'm trying to break. I never want anyone to think that I'm still working for them. I turned in my badge, gun, and turned my back on my co-workers who can't understand why I walked away," Ajay said.
"What about your fucking bitch-ass husband?" TT asked as his boyfriend's estranged husband was cause for concern.
"Still has refused to sign my divorce papers," Ajay said.
"Don't worry, baby. He will. I'll deal with him—"
"No, don't. At least not yet. They're watching us closely, mainly because of what's going on between the Lords, Castiellos, and the Jade Dragon Triad. But there is also a personal interest in why I joined the Lords. As far as the DEA is concerned, I went from being a highly decorated officer who was on my way to apromotion and who upheld the law to a criminal who breaks the law overnight," Ajay said.
"Lot of accolades you gave yourself there," Dragon teased.
Ajay smirked. "Just being honest."
Dragon smiled and kissed Richie's cheek.
TT growled but nodded. "Fine."
"I can deal with your husband," Dragon offered.
"If and when we need to deal with him, we will. Once he realizes that I'm never giving TT up, he'll get pressure from the DEA and his family to sign the papers. Not to mention pressure from my lawyer," Ajay said.
"Alright," Dragon said. "I do know the Bridgers have major pull, and that might be the reason the DEA knew nothing about them. The Castiellos couldn't get us out on their own. It wasn't until they cashed in their favor with them that we got set free."
"That's true. Even when the DEA looked into them after Colton joined, we don't have anything. Colton, on paper, is just a member who rides and parties with them. But we know the truth. On paper, the Bridgers are rich and powerful as fuck and have fingers in everyone's pies, including royalty internationally," Ajay said.
"You said 'we' again," Richie reminded him. "Do you mean that as 'we' the DEA or 'we' the Lords?"
Ajay sighed and hissed as he was still working on it. "Both, because that's what the DEA knows, but the Lords know the truth."
Richie squinted his eyes at Ajay playfully and nodded. "Ooookay."
"Oh for fuck's sake, Richie. I'm never going back to the DEA," Ajay said.
Richie winked. "I know... I just like having a prospect I can tease."
"You're a prospect too," Ajay pointed out.
"But I won't be soon. I'll be a full-fledged member," Richie boasted. "You had to start over."
"Oh, fuck you, Richie," Ajay flipped him off too, and all four of them laughed.
