Chapter 10
Axle
Last night and having Angel waiting at home for me was still on my mind as I locked my phone and keys into my allocated cubbyhole, I filed into church behind my brothers.
Nerves have had my stomach roiling all morning.
Today will be the day that decides if I stay or leave.
Most would think I’d choose the brotherhood; it’s how we worked, but Angel had been mine long before I’d landed here. I’d miss them, but for her I’d leave.
“Let’s get to it, fuckers. I’ve got shit to do,” Maverick opens the meeting.
The brothers chuckle and his VP Spook shakes his head in amusement.
“Petit, what’s happening with the businesses?” Maverick asks our treasurer.
Petit is French-Canadian; he stands six foot eight in his socked feet, and dresses more like a lumberjack than a biker.
He’s also crazy good with numbers. I’m sure most looked at him and saw wild, long dark hair, and a black beard and wrote him off.
They’d be stupid too. The man handles all our investments, as well as investments for our club and makes us plenty of money. We have no complaints.
“All looks good, Pres. The casino is pulling in a lot of cash. Adding the hotel and spa was a great plan. The diner and motel are turning over the same as always, as are the bar and the tattoo shop. Axle’s garage is still turning a profit, so nothing to report on that front.
If you want to speak to the tribal head, I’ve got a shipment of meds coming in next week from the Rusted Panthers MC. ”
“I’ll get hold of him this afternoon. Thanks Petit.”
The big man sits back in his seat with a satisfied nod.
“Spook, anything we need to know about?”
Spook adjusts his glasses and stares at our president for a minute. If it had been anyone else, they’d have shat themselves, but the two of them had been friends since they were five. Not sure why they did this pissing contest every time though.
Finally, Spook sighs and eases back in his chair, shaking his head as amusement lights his face. “Got two teams out but nothing that will affect the club.”
Maverick nods and moves on. “Axle wants a vote to make Angel his Ol’ Lady. You all know their history. He has something to tell you first though, something he thinks you should know. Axle.” He turns towards me.
Pushing my chair away from the table, I stand, pushing my hands into my pockets as I clear my throat before I speak.
“All of you know about Angel. I’ve never made a secret of looking for her.
Now, I know most of you thought I was nuts to chase a ghost, but I knew I’d find her one day, just didn’t expect it to take twenty-eight years.
Before you vote, I think you should know why she disappeared. ”
I’m silent for a minute as I look around the table at my brothers, men I’ve worked with and fought with.
Men I’ve laid my life down for. They’re my brothers, maybe not in blood but still my brothers, and they deserve my trust, so I continue.
“Her family was in Witness Protection…” When a few start to speak, I hold up my hand, “Let me tell you first, then you can decide because we’re not sure if there’s still danger or not. ”
I lay it all out for them from the moment I left her all those years ago on the side of the road just outside our town, to when I found her a few days ago at the diner in the next town. I tell them about her foster family, our daughter, and the danger that still may or may not exist for them.
When I’m finished, I sit down and give them time to think about everything. Roman clasps my shoulder and gives it a quick squeeze before he folds his hands on the table in front of him.
Maverick and Spook catch my eye; they each give me a nod. I sag with relief that they don’t hold Angel’s history against her. The rest of the brothers are muttering to each other low enough that I can’t hear.
Maverick speaks. “You’ve heard our brother’s story. He’s held nothing back. He came to me as soon as he knew and filled me in. It’s been a long time since we’ve had such a vote, not since my father was president. This is a moment for this generation’s books.”
Maverick straightens, his gaze sweeping across the table. The weight of his words lingers in the air before he continues.
“It’s time to vote. Aye or Nay to Axle making his Angel an Ol’ Lady. Start voting, Rusty, you’re up first.”
Our chaplain eyes me, then nods. “Aye.”
Maverick points to each brother in turn, and Mamba notes the votes down, so far it’s all Ayes.
When Maverick gets to Ash, our enforcer, he hesitates. Rolling his lips between his teeth as he looks down at the table before lifting his eyes to mine. “I’m sorry, brother, but I have to ask a question before I can vote in good faith. How do we know the Irish won’t come after your girl?”
“It’s okay, Ash. I understand it’s a lot to ask of my brothers. We’re not a big club, so I understand. Her foster father is an ex-Marshal and he still keeps tabs, but the truth is we don’t know.”
Ash looks troubled. He shakes his head. “I’m sorry Axle, it’s Nay from me. As enforcer I can't vote aye, not when I have to ensure the security of the club.”
“It’s okay, brother,” I tell him. “I understand.” And I do.
Am I disappointed … fuck yes, but I understand where he’s coming from. I’d actually expected it. Ash was doing his job. I expected Carnage, as our Sergeant-at-Arms, to vote Nay too. Their jobs were to protect and maintain order as well as enforce them.
Carnage sighs and rubs his hands over his face. “I have to agree with Ash. I’m sorry Axle, it's a Nay from me.”
I tilt my chin at him. We continue to go around the table, until we reach our VP and President.
Spook has little ones, but he’s also in the security business and has a background that is very different to the brothers sitting around this table. I have no idea how he’s going to vote.
He grins at me, and I blink. It’s seldom our VP loses his serious look.
“It’s an Aye from me. I’m already monitoring the situation, and your woman’s foster father is no slouch.
Plus, he’s got a background that few of you know about.
His father was part of an MC that broke apart when he was fourteen.
It’s why he’s so good at working in the grey.
He’s an interesting character; I’m considering offering a place in ‘Hit It.’
That comment causes a few raised eyebrows and grunts of disbelief that Spook ignores to reassure me.
“We’ll keep her safe brother.”
I clear my throat as emotion fills me. I needed to meet Jake sooner rather than later, it seems. “Thanks, VP.”
Maverick turns to Mamba, “Mark my vote as Aye. Let us know if we’re welcoming an Ol’ Lady into the fold. She’d be the first for this generation of members.”
I hold my breath even though I’d been keeping a tally in my head of the ayes and nays. The ayes far outweighed the nays, but I was still nervous as fuck.
Mamba looks up from his screen, “Majority is ayes with two nays.” A wide grin splits open his dark face. “Congratulations, brother.”
“Fuck,” I let out a relieved bark of laughter that brings a round of chuckles from the brothers. “Thank you.” My thanks are heartfelt.
“Congratulations, Axle,” Maverick tells me. “I’ll have a cut made. Petit, if you organise food, we’ll party this weekend.”
“Pres,” I interrupted. “If Petit could order the food from Lala in the next town, I’d appreciate it. I’ll pay for it as it won’t come from our diner, but it’s because of her I found Angel again and I know she could do with the money.”
Maverick nods at Petit, “That’s fine with me.” Turning back to me he says, “Invite her to the party. She treated us with respect, and she called you and Roman her boys, so she’s already one of ours by default.”
Tipping my chin, I acknowledge his order. I’m not sure I’d be able to speak, anyway. My throat is clogged with emotion, and I’d hate to sound like a pussy.
“Any other business?” Maverick wants to know as he lifts the pipe that had been taken from the pump jack on the first well they’d ever found on the far side of the property.
He uses it to hit the plough disc hanging on the wall next to his chair.
Both are a nod to his history. He no longer ranched the property our club sat on, but they once used to.
When we stay silent Maverick taps the disc with the pipe and it rings out, ending church.
I wait until everyone leaves, and it’s only Roman, Maverick, Spook and me left behind.
“Was there something you needed, Axle?” Maverick wants to know.
“Yeah,” I admit, looking at Spook. “You know she gave our daughter up.” He nods.
I hesitate, because I’ve not had this conversation with Angel yet. I’m not sure how to bring it up.
“Can you find her? Make sure she’s not in danger? Nothing other than that.”
Surprise flickers across their faces. “You don’t want to meet her?” Spook asks.
A soft laugh leaves me, but I shake my head. “More than you know, but it broke Angel giving her up, and it still hurts her to this day. She had her foster father keep tabs until Honor was twenty-one. She doesn’t want to disrupt her life.”
“That’s her name?” Spook asks.
“Yeah, it’s a name we both chose when we had a conversation when we were teens.
She asked the family that adopted our daughter to name her that.
Her full name is Honor Hannah Gilbert, she’s twenty-eight.
Her adoptive parents were called Hannah and Fred Gilbert.
They lived in Maine when they adopted her.
Not sure if they’re still there or not.”
“I’ll find her and let you know,” Spook assures me. “Although you know that Angel’s dad probably already knows this information.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “But I don’t know him and can’t exactly ask him to give me information on a daughter I knew nothing about until recently.”
“Fair enough,” Spook nods. “Give me a few days and I’ll get back to you and see what you both want to do.”
“Thanks VP, appreciate it.” Looking down at Roman, who’d been suspiciously quiet, I tap his shoulder. “Come on, I'll buy you a beer.”