Bombs wait. They take time to think through. You have to see it from all angles to get it right. Just like running a club.
“You still talk with Tommy?” Kooper asks with a raised eyebrow. He was with us in Russia, knows the guy as much as I do. Enough to ask around about him, at least.
“Yeah. He still sponsors Menace and told me he’ll loop me in when he comes into town to avoid any awkward meetups. We both agree that the only way to make it work is if we keep what we have with my girl separate. He does the fighting thing, and I do the—”
“Fucking?” Kooper grins, and I just nod.
“Where’s Casper?”
Kooper shrugs. “Had a few more calls to make. He’s still trying to get all the clubs into going with a national chapter.”
“He getting a lot of pushback? Figured most would be on board with having a rotating club check in on shit to make sure it’s legit.”
What happened in Michigan and the reason I was there also spread through most of the clubs. Everyone had an opinion on it—they still do, even though it’s not their call to make. Being the boss of that chapter won’t be easy, especially with so many still suspicious of those in that area. But I’m not some ordinary person, and I refuse to be knocked down.
“Yeah, he’s noting those who are being a pain about it and wanting to look in on a few himself before going forward. But the most pushback is from trying to find brothers to lead it who’ll get the backing they need. We’ll need a majority vote, and we’re still looking to see who the nominees will be. It’ll be an interesting vote once one comes to pass. We’ll need a few club doctors on hand to patch up our boys when things come to blows.”
I shrug. “We could always appease people and have a person rep each region in one way or another. Have a head guy, but each region gets a place at the table.”
Kooper sets his drink down and looks at me as if he’s never seen me before. “Wow. You get the president patch and then you get a brain?”
“Not just a pretty face.” Jumper grins before getting up and lifting his chin at us as he departs.
I give him a nod, then look at my girl a few tables away, talking to some of the old ladies. I wait till I see her eyes before I raise an eyebrow, asking if she’s good. A smile and a nod my way, and I’m looking away with a smile of my own.
“Not you too,” Kooper complains.
I don’t let my smile fall. I hope it dazzles him as I grin that much more.
He groans with a shake of his head, and I know I’vedone it.
“Find yourself one and then come complaining to me about how bad it is.”
“Not going to happen,” he mumbles into his drink.
I huff at that and don’t plan to argue on it anymore, so I look about the club. It seems like nothing has changed, but there’s still a presence missing. One that should be here.
“How’s Law?” I ask.
“Same.”
“And Ruby?”
I look over at him when he takes longer to answer.
“Pissed.”
“Can you blame her?”
He shakes his head. “No. But I can be pissed that she’s not looking at it from our side. We only did what we thought would keep her safe. Not sure how that makes us the bad guys in all of this.”
I shrug. “Don’t know. But that’s her dad. Her mom already left her, and then she thought he did too. You can’t fault her for how she feels.”
“Don’t fault her, just don’t like it.”
I roll my lips in and don’t say it. I want to, but I don’t. The guy’s not ready to know what we all know. About what he he really doesn’t like when it comes to Ruby.
We sit in silence as we drink our beers, and I just let things soak in. Club up north is doing good. Radar is stepping upin the tech spot, doing daily tutorials with Flint over a live feed to learn more. Mickey, Rooster, and Lucky are sticking around too. I hope to get them voted in as officers soon. They’ve all earned it. Bane is even on my short list of officers too. He’s turned around and has become one hell of a club brother. I’d be a fool not to look beyond his mistake and see what he has to offer.
