7. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
Griffin's Beach Colt
S itting in the Griffin's Beach clubhouse feels like coming home, especially with Lex settled on Colt's lap. For the past two days, Lex has been busy and unable to stop by, but tonight, he finally convinced her that it would be good for the both of them to get away from the house and without the kids. If they make it to his apartment, which hasn't been reassigned to anyone else, he wouldn't complain.
Lex hasn't slept more than a couple of hours, at most, since they returned to Griffin's Beach, and he feels guilty for adding to her plate. He tells himself that if he knew what was going on with her, he would have found other arrangements for Hailey and Lucas, but he knows as well as anyone that's nothing but a big fat lie. Lex melted Colt's once frigid heart and turned him into a bigger softie than she is. Not that he'll ever admit that aloud.
He digs his fingers into her tense shoulder, and he knows it probably hurts. But it's the good type of hurt. The type that brings relief afterwards.
"I talked to Lily this morning," Lex says, her head rolling as he works out a knot above her right shoulder blade. "She said she'll have Grayson take the guardianship papers to the house to have them signed tomorrow. It sounds like an easy process. As long as their parents sign them."
"I don't think we'll have any problems getting them signed. If Grayson runs into problems, I'll let him know to give me a call. Undertaker and Venom can accompany me to remind the man of what I said the last time I saw him. And it's pretty much a guarantee he won't make it through the visit without pissing himself."
Moaning quietly, he knows her eyes are closed, and he smiles to himself. Reading her mind isn't something he's too capable of yet, but he can read her body. He knows exactly how to relieve the tension she carries, and in a bit, he plans to help relieve more of her stress. Naked. In bed.
No matter how hectic life gets, they made the decision after they nearly divorced to prioritize their marriage. No matter how busy things get with the club or kids, they have to be on the top of the list. Always. He won't risk losing her because he knows he'll never survive if she walks away again. He also knows that if she does, she won't come back. There have been too many chances as it is, and he has nothing left to bank on.
"I can't believe Gavin and Kent are both prospects," Lex says. "God, we're getting old. When did that happen?"
Kent, Jace Conway's son, isn't much older than Gavin, and it feels like they went from ten to eighteen overnight. "I think it was somewhere around the time we had Calla," he murmurs in her ear.
"I suppose I shouldn't be too upset about growing old. Not everyone gets the luxury. Especially in this life."
She's not wrong. The number of men in Colt's past who never made it to see their kids graduate is higher than he'd like to admit. They all knew what they signed up for when they joined the club, but it doesn't make the reality of it any less painful.
"Your moans turn me on, baby," Colt whispers to change the subject. Too much thinking about the men they've lost reminds him of darker times he wishes he could erase.
"That's because you can only imagine me naked when I moan," she says, and the lightness in her voice that she had during their time in Summerville returns.
Kissing her neck, he continues to rub her muscles, loving the feeling of them relaxing beneath his touch. "How about we take this to the apartment? I'd love to give you a full body massage. Complete with at least two happy endings."
"Colt," Jennings calls as he steps out of the office.
"When the fuck did he get here?" he mumbles.
Lex giggles. "Well, it was a nice thought."
"Don't think this is over," he says as she stands and rolls her shoulders. "What's up, Jennings?"
"Can I talk to you for a minute?"
He shrugs at Lex while Venom walks over and sits at the table. Lex takes the seat Colt vacates, and he walks towards the office. "Sure."
Jennings shuts the door behind him and sits behind the large desk in the small room. With nowhere else to go, Colt sits on one of the chairs in front of him. Aside from a filing cabinet, there's not much room for anything else. How the hell do Jennings, VP, and his dad meet in this small space with a much too big desk?
He can't help but feel anxiety even though he's done nothing wrong that he's aware of. It feels exactly like his grade school years when he'd get called into the principal's office. The only difference is that he usually knew what he was getting in trouble for then. Here? Not so much.
"How are things going?" Jennings asks.
The question catches him off-guard. "Um, they're good. A little hectic, but that kind of comes with the territory of being in Griffin's Beach. We've taken in two teenagers after finding them squatting, and Lex has something going on. Then there's Lacey getting knocked up, and I think that's about it."
The words come out in a rush, and while he's never been nervous around Jennings before, he certainly is now. He's judging Colt.
Is he going to tell me that letting us patch in here again was a mistake? That I don't measure up to some expectation or standard I don't know I'm being compared to. Why does he keep staring at me like that? Is he really scrutinizing every move and word? It's fucking unnerving.
"Lex hasn't told you what's going on?"
Colt shakes his head. "Says she can't yet because whoever she talked to asked her not to tell me. As much as I want to know so I know how I can help her, it’s part of who she is to be loyal, and I can't really fault her for that."
"It doesn't bother you that she won't tell you?"
Is he worried I'm going to go all dark and stormy on them? What's with this interrogation about my marriage, man? "I'm not going to lie and say it doesn't bother me, but it's not so much about knowing what as much as what she needs from me. I hate that she does everything on her own. I'm trying to do more where I know I can to help her out."
"I know what it is, Colt, and I can't say anything, either. It's not club related. Not directly. I kind of wish it was because at least it would be a problem we could fix, but I think it's good you're keeping an eye on your wife. I know she's going to break eventually under the weight, and when that happens, she's going to need you."
If it's not club related, why the fuck do you know but I can't? "How bad is it?"
"Just shy of parents dying, I think," he says. "For the record, I don't agree with her keeping this from you, but she was asked not to say anything. Even to you. I only know because I have to. I have to respect her for keeping her word, though. Most people consider spouses an exception to the secret rules."
Now Colt's confused. If it's not club related, why does Jennings need to know? "Is that what you wanted to talk about? To make sure I'm there for Lex? Because I promise you, Jennings, what happened in Black Valley will never happen again. I've learned from those mistakes, and I'll do damn near everything not to repeat them. I won't risk losing my family again."
"No, I'm not worried about that. You left your home to start fresh for your wife, but when she said you had to come back without telling you the reason why, you did it without any hesitation. You've grown up a lot the past couple of years."
"Thank you."
It's strange both Jennings and VP have commented on how much he's changed. The scrutinizing look changes into something else, and Colt relaxes. He has no idea what's going on, but he doesn't feel like he's in trouble anymore.
Licking his lips, Jennings sighs. "Has your father talked to you about anything recently? About the club?"
TK? "No, why? Is something wrong? Have we made a decision who we're going to work with as a supplier?"
"No, not yet. Um, we're looking at mixing things up around here a bit."
"What does that mean?"
"It's time I step down."
Colt gapes. He knows he looks like an idiot in front of the man he's known as the President for his entire life, but he can't help it. It was always inevitable that Jennings would one day hand over his title of President, but this feels sooner than he'd ever imagined. For some reason, picturing the Drifters without Jennings at the head of the table feels wrong.
"Are you okay? Are you... Are you sick?"
"No," Jennings says with a laugh. "It's just time. VP and your father are also stepping down. It's time to let a new generation take over and lead."
Wait, you, Dad, and VP? What the fuck happened while I was gone?
"Dad never said a word about this. This is... Wow."
"You impressed VP when he talked to you. The old Colt was impulsive and hot-headed. The old Colt would have had a complete meltdown until Lex finally told him the secret out of frustration and desperation to get him to stop. Instead, the man sitting in front of me wants to know because he wants to help. You've matured, and I've been talking to Dax. You've shown a lot of great leadership skills and self-awareness. Honestly, I never thought you'd be able to step back and see some of the damage you created for yourself."
Apparently, I was never seen as someone who could be a decent man. I'm not sure how I feel about everyone being so surprised at how far I've come.
Wrinkling his nose, he shakes his head. He earned every doubt anyone's ever had about him. "It always sounded like an insult, but I guess Lex was right. We're getting old. Hell, we have a third generation joining the ranks as prospects."
"We've been trying to figure out who would be the best fit to replace me, and all three of us agree that it should be you."
He blinks and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Me?"
"You."
"What... But... Tripp. He's next in line."
Laughing, Jennings shakes his head. "It's not a monarchy. I always hoped he'd be the one to take over, but Tripp's not ready. And to be honest, I don't think he wants the seat. He'd be in a constant state of struggle because Avery's not very involved with the club—not that anyone can blame her. Feeling torn between his loyalty to the club and loyalty to his family would tear him apart."
Avery almost dying at the hands of their rival is an enduring reminder of what damage their lives can create on their loved ones. It's one of the darker times in Drifter history.
"You want me because of Lex, don't you?"
"Lex plays a factor, but it's more in terms of the fact she's in the position to support you in this seat. We've leaned on her in the past, yes, but she's a Drifter through and through. She knows the club, the rules, and which of those rules need to be broken. She never holds back on telling you what she thinks, and she'll tell you if your plan is stupid. More than that, she's the one person you seem to really listen to. It's so easy for us to overlook how much we need strong women at our sides to be successful. Alexis is as strong as they come."
Jennings, VP, and his father want him to be the next President of the Drifters. Of the mother charter. "She definitely won't hold back. I just... I'm not sure if it's a good time for her."
"You're at a point in your life where you'll actually listen to her instead of getting defensive and let your pride get in the way like you have in the past. It's up to you, but we haven't been able to agree on anyone until you came back home."
That's why Jennings pushed to get us back. Why he fought Dax for us. I thought it was for Lex, but it was for me. "I need to talk to Lex first. It's an honor, and I would love to accept right now, but I can't make this type of decision on my own. If she has reservations, especially with the timing, I have to take that into consideration."
"I understand. This isn't public knowledge yet, so I'm counting on your discretion. Not even Tripp knows."
Nodding, Colt stands. "Of course. When do you need a decision by?"
"Whenever you're sure. I'm not in a hurry. I want you to be certain this is what you want. What you both want. It's a lot of responsibility."
They shake hands, and he walks out. He needs to talk to Lex, but she's not at the table where he left her. He looks at Venom. "Where is she?"
"Zane stormed in a few minutes ago and pulled her into the Chapel. I was about to rip his fucking head off, but she said it was fine. VP saw what happened and ran in there after them," Venom says.
Venom's curls are gelled and bleached, a change he made a while ago, and his eyes never leave the Chapel. His loyalty makes Colt wonder if he'd be someone to sit on either side of him if he accepts the spot at the head of the table.
The doors open, and VP drags Zane outside through the front. Lex steps out a few moments later looking exhausted, and all excitement about his conversation with Jennings drains from Colt. Zane being angry is nothing out of the ordinary, but his reaction, along with VP's, doesn’t paint a pretty picture. His wife's demeanor doesn't make him feel comfortable at all.
Just fucking tell me what's going on, baby. Please. I need to know how to help you. Especially if it'll make you feel better. Like killing your fucking brother.