Raze (Dirty Soul MC: Long Beach #1)

Chapter 31

“You are welcome.” Peyton slaps a leaflet onto the bar beside me with a clever grin on her face.

“What the hell is this?” I pick it up and look it over.

“It’s the opportunity you’ve been waiting for to change this town's perception of the club,” she chimes

“Babe, this is a fundraisin’ event on Dakona Beach.” I laugh.

“Exactly, what better way to show this community that you're here to do good than to make yourself a part of it? I figure you park up on the sidewalk, let the kids have their photos taken with those bikes you all keep lookin’ so shiny, and get started on making that change.” I love the enthusiasm of this girl, but this is a terrible idea. Cliff has ensured that the people in Belmont Park fear us, we can’t just rock up at a fundraiser and start playing the good guys.

“It ain’t safe right now, not with all the shit we got goin’ on with the Reapers. We can’t risk ‘em bringin’ out their grievances around civilians.” I notice how disappointed she looks as she takes the iced tea Polly passes her over the bar.

“It was a great idea though.” I do my best to cheer her up. My girl’s been quiet the past few days, it’s obvious she has something on her mind. I really thought a trip to the salon with Alicia today would cheer her up but I guess it’s gonna take a lot more than that.

“You gonna tell me what’s troublin’ ya, darlin?” I ask her again because I hate the thought of her being upset.

“I told you, I’m fine.” She puts on a smile and leans over my knees to kiss me and when Wrath moves past us and sees the leaflet on the bar he stops and reaches between us to pick it up.

“I heard about this, they're tryin’ to raise money to get another lifeguard tower put out there,” he mentions.

“I was thinking you guys could show your faces, let the town see that you're not all bad,” Peyton explains, and I see the cogs starting to turn in my VP’s head as he nods like he’s impressed.

“You know that ain’t such a bad idea. I’m pretty sure Dev’s brother dates the girl whose dad’s behind this. Corey asked us for a donation the other week, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember, and the club was generous,” I remind him.

“Well, maybe we could speak to him and ask what we can do to help. Your girl’s right, Prez, there's gonna be a lot of people here, and there have been five drownin’s in the past two years on that beach. They need more eyes on the water.”

“You really do like to do ya homework, don’t ya?” I laugh when I figure nothin’s changed about how curious Wrath is. He was always intuitive as a teenager and I was shocked and disappointed when he dropped outta high school. But he’s proven over the years that you don’t need school to be smart.

“It’s too dangerous, us goin’ anywhere right now is. Supposin’ the Reapers choose there to retaliate to what happened the other day?” I nod at the leaflet then notice the way Peyton holds her breath and looks panicked.

“Come on, Raze, that ain’t gonna happen here, this thing is gonna be huge, it’s far too public, the police presence would put ‘em off.” He seems keen and when I take in what he’s saying I guess it makes sense. The Reapers would be stupid to start anything in such a public place.

“Fine, talk to Dev, ask him to get Corey’s girl to speak to her daddy.” I send him on his way and almost get knocked off my stool when Peyton throws her arms around my neck.

“This is going to be so good for the club, I can’t wait for everyone to see what I see.” She practically straddles me and when Trinity, and the whore I haven’t bothered to learn the name of, scowl at her she hits them back at them with a deadly, sweet grin.

“Look who’s back,” Ruckus interrupts, bursting through the door excitedly He’s followed inside by a long, dark-haired, native American guy who doesn’t share Ruckus’s enthusiasm. In fact he looks worn out and pissed off. His eyes are narrow and red-rimmed like they haven’t had much rest in a while and I know who he is before we even get introduced.

“Tawk, meet ya new prez. This is Raze. Raze, Tawk,” he introduces us, and I slide my hand from around my girl’s waist to hold it out for him.

“Good to meet ya.” I smile sadly. I’ve heard a lot about the guy that came here from the Colorado charter. Most of the brothers don’t know it but he came here to be Jimmer Carson’s eyes before the takedown. Ruckus tells me he’s been on the road ever since Cliff ran scared and took his eighteen-year-old daughter with him.

Tawk says nothing back, just nods his head, and gives me a good firm shake of his hand.

“I hear you’ve been out lookin’ for Cliff’s daughter?”

“Willow. Her name’s Willow.” His nostrils flare.

“Well, you got everyone here’s support. Findin’ her and bringin’ her home is high on my list of priorities, and I know it means a lot to Wrath.” I look around and when I don’t see him I figure he’s still talkin’ to Dev. It’s a shame he ain’t here to welcome home the guy who’s been out lookin’ for his sister.

“Every lead I had turned out to be a dead end. I swear Cliffs fuckin’ with us.” He scrubs his hand over his face and takes the stool Peyton was using. Polly places a shot of tequila in front of him and he knocks it straight back. “I’ve ridden, day and night. I’ve been to nearly every fuckin charter tryin’ to find someone he might still be connected with.” He shakes his head and stares into the space in front of him like he’s drained. “She’s vanished, gone. For all I know she’s already dead.”

“Don’t you fuckin’ say that!” I hear Wrath's voice come from behind me, and when I look over my shoulder I see him standing in the door frame with Dev behind him. He marches over to Tawk and takes a firm hold of his shoulder, and for a second I wonder if he's gonna land one on him. Instead, he shoves him back so his head lifts up.

“There ain’t no way that Willow’s dead, she was a fighter when she was a kid and she’s a fighter now. We will find her.” He points his finger in Tawk’s face. “Then once she’s home and safe, me and you are gonna talk about your intentions,” he warns.

“I’ll tell you my intentions right now.” The barstool scrapes across the floor when Tawk stands up and Wrath’s finger presses into his wide muscular chest. “I’m gonna make her my old lady, take care of her, and never let her out of my fuckin’ sight again.” He shows no fear, as he barges past Wrath and heads back out the door.

“You sure showed him.” Griller pats Wrath on the back sarcastically.

“You always have somethin’ to say don’t ya?” Wrath swings around and Ruckus immediately grabs hold of him.

“You care so much about your sister, why ya here? Why ain’t you the one out there lookin’ for her? I heard that your thirst for your daddy’s blood was untenable, yet he’s still out there.” Griller continues and when Wrath nearly breaks free of Ruckus’s hold I quickly put myself between them.

“Don’t let him get to ya.” I press my hand into his shoulder and feel him push against it despite Ruckus’s attempt to pull him back.

“Griller.” I calmly turn around to face him. “Your mouth runs too freely, the day you become perfect is the day you get to judge another brother.” I purposely let my eyes roam over to the corner of the room where Alicia is sitting with Rocco and her brother.

Alicia quickly looks down at her hands and blushes while the smirk on Griller’s face falls flat.

“Wrath is here because I asked him to be. That’s all you need to know.” I turn back to Wrath and tip my chin at Ruckus to let him know he can let him go.

It only takes a few seconds for everyone to get back to their business and when I feel Wrath’s eyes burning into the back of my head I wrap my arms around Peyton’s neck and draw her in close.

“Why don’t you take Alicia back to our place and check on Reggie?” I whisper into her ear, before placing a kiss on her temple.

“Is that code for get out of here?” She looks up at me over her shoulder.

“I don’t like the atmosphere here right now, and I’d feel a lot more in control if you weren't here.” I give her an honest answer, and she shows how mature she’s become when she kisses me and heads over to Alicia.

I wait until both girls have left, then look at Wrath and gesture my eyes toward church so he knows to follow me.

I figure it would be in bad taste to take him into his father’s office given the mood he’s in.

“You wanna talk?” I ask, closing the door behind me, and although we’re alone and all the seats are empty he still takes the chair that belongs to him.

“Griller’s right, I know it, you know, the whole damn club fuckin’ knows it.” He rests his elbows on the table and buries his head in his hands.

“If you need to leave to find her–”

“I can’t.” He looks up at me and shakes his head.

“I let her down, I’ve done it her whole life. I should have never left her, or Freya, behind when I went nomad. Come on, Raze, we both know that Tawk lookin’ for her is pointless. Cliff will have her hidden somewhere no one will ever find her. He has this sick idea that his kids owe him their loyalty. He’s lost me, he lost Freya, there is no way he would lose her too.”

Hearing what he says makes me even more understanding of Stacey's decision to keep her little boy a secret.

“I wanted to come here and make a change. I wanted to do that by your side, the way we used to be, but you’ve made it very clear that you ain’t ever gonna forgive me for what happened to Eden.”

“We’re not talkin’ about her now, we’re talkin’ about your sister. We need to find Cliff, and when we do, we’ll find her too and you can start being that big brother she needs.”

“And when are you gonna be the brother Eden needs?” He doesn’t even look mad at me anymore, just fuckin’ helpless.

“I’m doin that right now,” I tell him, hating that I can’t tell him what I know, but I owe it to Eden to let her have the life she wants without him railroading it.

“Wrath, I promise that we will find your sister and bring her home, but you can’t compare this to what’s happenin’ with Eden. We both know it ain’t the same. Your little sister needs you, mine don’t need me. All we can do is focus on makin’ this a safe place for them both.” The words hurt but they seem to work. Wrath closes his eyes and drags his hands through his long hair and I slap him on the back, letting the guilt of what I’m holding back from him weigh heavy on my shoulders.

“Ya’d think you takin’ that cocky bastard’s eye out woulda taught him somethin’.” He looks toward the door with a smirk, and despite the hurting we’re doin’, we both laugh as we head back out to the barroom.