“Now that one is done, we’ve still got a need for the other two. Not going to have the vote today. Talk among yourselves. If you want the position, let me know. If you’ve got someone in mind, same thing. I’ll let everyone know who’s running for what, and we’ll vote on it next week.”
“Still does shit for my numbers,” Bulldog murmurs, but a glare from Casper shuts him up.
“Next on the list?”
“National chapter,” Kooper says, and I feel the eyes on the table move to me.
“Go on,” Casper says.
Kooper shrugs, looking at the man in charge and not at me while I train my eyes on him. “Figured we need to make shit official, which is easier to do if we make it official in-house first. And might help any new prospects understand rank.”
I catch Casper’s nod. “Makes sense. What say you, Law?”
I look on in shock as I finally understand what’s going on. This is about me. My place in the club. And from the way Kooper spoke, it seems like it was already being discussed behind closed doors.
Casper’s voice pulls my attention back to him as he keeps talking. “Willing to step in and help set up the national chapter? I know you talked about it before I took over, but it’s a thing that makes more sense now the longer we go at this. Too much shit has been sliding, not only with what Domino took over in Michigan, but elsewhere as well. I’ve been running it while I can, but you know this chair is a full load already. Adding more shit isn’t going to make life easier on anyone.”
I raise both eyebrows, and he shrugs. “You put most of us through prospect duties. You’re one of the oldest here who knows the bylaws, even with the brain issues.” The boys laugh at his words before he continues. “Not sure how it’llwork long-term, but you leading the charge to start it seems like the right move.”
“Might help get the word out faster with setting it up like you want, boss,” Flint adds. “Once they all realize he isn’t dead, of course.”
A couple of the boys hum at that. I’m sure most already know I’m alive. Hard to keep that shit secret when I’m walking around. I’ve even talked to a few sister-club presidents already.
One of the conditions I put in place several years ago was that anyone wanting to take on the president role of a sister chapter had to do time here. Not for bitch duty, but to see what it took. I taught and showed a lot of them how to start a club. Several took to my lessons right away. Others learned the hard way, and it took them longer to get their feet under them. But I know most of them, and while they may hate having been stuck in the dark so long, they’ll get over it and see the reasoning behind why the club did what they did. Same with Ruby.
I know she still holds a small grudge against the boys, thinking they didn’t care. But in reality, it was all for her. Not me. I could die, and they would move on. But Ruby grew up here. She was part of the family even if she didn’t always feel it. I know that, even if I don’t know her. Parts of this club are just known, including taking care of the kids raised here, at all costs. Sometimes that makes us look like the villain, other times the saint. We do what we can to keep them safe. It can hurt, but we put them above ourselves, even if we lie and say we don’t.
“He has a way with swaying the votes,” Chains mutters. “Pretty face and all that.”
I flip him off and get a round of laughter from the table.
“Law?” Casper asks once more.
I look around and see each man I accepted at this table before me. “I know some of you are still pissed at how things are going with me and mine. You all know that I stay out of your shit, so I expect the same. If I accept this,” I pause and scan the table once more. “I want your word, from each of you, that you’ll let me live my life how I choose, either living on a memory or making new ones. This club is my whole life, and I would be damn proud to continue to be in it and watch it grow. But if you can’t accept that, accept me and all that comes with it, then I’m not sure I can agree.”
I hold eyes with many of them till I get a nod from each, ending with Kooper. We didn’t say sorry—guys don’t do that type of shit—but we’re moving past it. And from the looks of my brothers, they’re moving past it as well.
Casper bangs the scythe to seal it before even calling in the vote. “Done. What’s next?”
“Devils Damned still want to talk?” Jumper asks.
I heard they reached out a while ago, and at the time we said no. Let the Crazy Eights handle it, or so I’m told. General’s been filling me in each time something is brought up that I’ve got no clue about. Like how the Crazy Eights were once willing to work with us, mostly on sex trafficking cases we found out about. But after one of theirs was killed and we didn’t step up enough to protect them, they pulled their alliance with us. All but Billy. She’s Casper’s old lady, and I doubt anything can break them apart. Found out about her after I woke up, and I recognized what I saw between them instantly. What they have is real and life-altering. Neither willwalk away from the other. If Casper had to choose, like she did, I think he would choose her over the club. Hell, half the boys here with an old lady would. Even Kooper.
Fuck. I still can’t wrap my head around that. I feel things, but they’re off. The lack of memory is fucking with me. I get random spouts of happiness and anger when I think about Ruby, Kooper, and the one they made. It’s random. I’m sure if I had the memory to go with it, I would understand why a pastry makes me happy, or why seeing theMario Kartgame pisses me off. Maybe one day I’ll get it.
I wasn’t blowing smoke at Ruby. I want to remember her, at least. I want to know things that I can share with her kid. If Special K comes along in the memory, too, I’m not going to fight it. Not sure if that means I’ll end things with Diana, but I’m not going to stop seeing her at this point. I can’t see a memory pulling me away from her, but that’s a worry for another day and time.
“No. At least they haven’t reached out directly. C8 might have more, but Billy ain’t getting much out of them lately. Maybe that’s a good thing. Have shit go back to normal for a bit. In-house knowledge, no shared connections with another group. Might sound shortsighted, but with everything this club has gone through over the past few years, I could use a few months of just typical shit.”
Casper gets nods and grunts of agreement from everyone.
“Old ladies sure know how to turn the place upside down,” Jumper snorts, and everyone agrees. But those with said old ladies have smiles on their faces, probably recalling all the good times. Only when Chains got his woman did shit start getting interesting around here.
We’ve had kidnappings, houses blown up, assaults, threats, infiltration, war—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Each man here who has a woman has fought and bled for her. And each brother has helped support them in their endeavors. The club might seem on the brink of disaster at times, but each moment has tested us and brought us to the other side better, either with each other or how we see things. Each time is a lesson learned. We can plan and prep for all types of shit, but till something comes in that you haven’t thought of, you never know if you’re as good as you want if you can’t step up and deal with that shit.
“As far as I’m concerned, the Devils are dead business,” Casper says to the group.
“Unless we find their fucking VP,” Flint growls.
