“He needed to raise cash for his dying kid. The Mercy chapter wouldn’t help him so he went to Hopper.”
The line stays quiet, and I check the call is still live. “His kid died before he could get the treatment, it was over fifty grand.”
“My dad was killed over cash,” he murmurs, then clears his throat. “I doubt my mom will show up at the club, but if she does ever ask, never tell her this.”
“I’ve got you, brother. I'll let the brothers know not to say anything.”
“Thanks.” I hear the crackle of him inhaling on a joint. “Leo?”
“Yeah?”
“I... Never mind. I've gotta go. Talk later.”
“Sure.”
The call ends and I sigh. I have a bad feeling he’s going to want out. I never would have believed he ever would, but a sister and now his dad, even I would have to think twice if it were me.
8
Cas
Sparky joins me as I light a cigarette, watching old ladies pack up their cars and brothers checking over their bikes before they set off.
“Shit is changin’” he murmurs.
“Yeah,” is all I can say.
“There’s no comin’ back from this. You see that, don’t you, Cas?”
All I can do is nod. I feel his words deep in my bones. Fuck, they’re in my soul.
Tack rolls to a stop by us. “This wouldn’t be happening if you were still our president.”
I keep my mouth shut, and stare at him, but it doesn’t deter him from continuing, “Some of us have been talking. We need you back at the head of the table, if there was a vote, you’d be…”
Straightening up, and squaring my shoulders, I cut him off. “You’d do well to be on your fuckin’ way. Your chapter has been weak for a long time, and you didn’t see you had a traitor in your own clubhouse. If I still held the gavel, I would have shotyoudead and let Slade deal with you on the other side.”
He rides out with fuck all else to say. I might feel a certain way about Leo, but I’d never show it to other brothers.
“It might not be such a bad idea,” Sparky throws out.
I shake my head. “The club is Leo’s now.”
“How long will there be a club while he sits at the top?” he argues.
“A question I've been wondering myself,” Leo says from behind us. Sparky turns but I remain watching brothers ride out of the club. “If you’ve finished bitchin’ about me, I'm gonna go check on my sister.”
I hear his boots hit the gravel as he walks away. I don’t turn around. I don’t move a fucking muscle.
“I’m out, too,” Sparky tells me and walks over to his bike.
“Should you be riding after drinkin’ all day?”
“At this point, I don’t give a fuck.” He arches his brow and asks, “Since when have you been my mom?”
“Fuck you. I just don’t want you dyin’ on me too.”
His mouth opens and closes before he says, “Why, Cas, I do believe it’s taken you over thirty years to admit you need me.”
