Chapter 2 #2
Before long, Dragon found himself at the buffet table. His eyes grew wide as he scanned all of the dishes. "Oh, hell yeah," he said as his grandma handed him a platter, not a plate. "I'm so close to just asking for a fork and letting me eat from all of the trays."
Ayanna chuckled as she shook her head. "It's good you learned manners as a child."
Richie came up behind him. "You're about to put yourself into a food coma, ain't ya?"
"Shit, you already know," Dragon said as he began piling food on his platter—everything he'd been dreaming about eating for the past five and a half years, especially his father's famous ribs.
It didn't take long before Tiny Tim joined him, a big smile on his face as he piled food on two plates. One Ajay held for him while he added to it. "I'm about to tear this food up. It smells so damn good," TT said.
"Oh man, my mom's arroz con pollo... Oooh, she made papas rellenas and mofongo, too!" Dragon said with glee. He had already added his father's ribs and Uncle Gaaji's steak to his plate; now it was time to find someplace to sit down and eat.
Since he and TT had finally made their plates, everyone else started making theirs as well.
There were plenty of tables set up both inside and outside for people to eat and chat.
Dragon sat down with Richie, Ace, Ahiga, Burger, TT, Sofia, Footlong, Gina, Shotgun, and Ajay—the siblings and their present lovers.
Even though TT wasn't blood-related, he was still family, having been a member since childhood as Burger's best friend.
He and Dragon spent every day together for over five years, which made them brothers by family, too.
The group sat and talked about everything, catching up on years.
Members of the club and chapters came by to say a few things to TT and Dragon, which just brought them joy.
Dragon ate everything on his platter and had to unbutton his jeans to get a little relief. "Damn, Dad, you put your whole legs into those fucking ribs," he complimented.
Dasan laughed and nodded as he took a swig from his beer. "Had to show out for my son's and TT's coming home party."
"And Uncle, that steak was better than a Michelin five-star restaurant," Dragon said.
"How would you know? You've never been to one," Burger teased.
"Shut the fuck up, Burger, and let me praise this good-ass food," Dragon said.
Burger laughed and nodded.
Ace laughed as well. "You're about to blow up the toilet soon, I bet."
Dragon nodded and chuckled. "Food was rich as hell. My stomach has been trained to have cast iron defense by eating all that prison shit. I ain't used to this luxurious meal."
Everyone laughed and nodded in agreement. The alcohol flowed as smoothly as the conversations. Dragon looked at Shotgun and shook his head. "Ain't you a model-looking motherfucker? No wonder you caught Gina's eagle eye."
Gina laughed then gazed at her husband with all of the love she felt. "Yeah, his looks are just my type, but it was his personality that won me over."
"Thanks, baby," Shotgun said, then kissed her.
"I'm glad you've found your place here. Gina loves you so much," Dragon said.
Shotgun smiled. "Yeah, me too." He looked at his wife and kissed her again, as he could never get enough of her. "I love her as well. She's my queen."
Dragon nodded because that's how he wanted his sisters to be treated by their old men. He toasted their relationship, then took a sip of his beer. Gina started telling him about their honeymoon and showing photos from her cell.
"Damn, that's nice," Dragon said, thinking he should take Richie someplace that nice.
"I saw a BMW bike out there; is that yours?" TT asked Shotgun.
"Why do you assume it's mine?" Shotgun asked with a chuckle.
"Because from what Burger told me about you... I know it's yours," TT shot back.
Shotgun laughed and nodded. "Yeah, it's mine. I own five motorcycles; two of them are Harleys, so don't worry."
"Five?" Dragon asked, eyebrows cocked.
Shotgun nodded. "Yeah, once I learned how to ride one, I just became obsessed. One is a 1951 Vincent Black Lightning, which cost me a little over nine hundred grand."
Dragon choked on the beer he'd been drinking, and Richie had to rub his back as he coughed to clear his airway. TT whistled, then finished off the beer he'd been drinking before switching to the hard liquor.
"Yeah, we all drooled over it for a fucking month after he showed it off," Ace said, smiling.
"I let Dasan drive it whenever he wants to," Shotgun said with a proud grin.
"Why not give him the bike?" Ace asked with a cocked brow.
Shotgun snorted. "I'm a Lord, not a fucking saint."
"You ain't a Lord—yet, but you will be. I already know you'll earn your patch," Burger said.
"I plan on it," Shotgun said with pride.
"My baby will surely earn that patch in a few months, and I know that he can't wait," Gina said and patted his thigh.
"Jesus Christ, how rich are you?" Dragon asked.
"Rude," Gina said, slapping her brother's arm. "Damn, how much did you work out to get this solid?"
"Every day for over five years, sis," Dragon said.
"To answer your question, I'm not filthy rich. I made some damn good investments, though. Gina and I will be moving out soon and into a mansion."
"Damn, a mansion?" TT asked, then whistled again as he shook his head in amazement.
Gina grinned. "Yes, and you're all welcome."
"You're going to let us party in your mansion?" Dragon asked.
Shotgun nodded. "My home is yours. The Lords are my family. It's just that Gina and I want kids, and the clubhouse isn't the best place for that. I do love living here, though."
Dragon nodded because he agreed. "So, when are you moving out?"
"Not until this shit is settled with the triad and until after I get my patch," Shotgun said.
"Will you still be a doctor here?" TT asked.
"Yeah, I love the idea of having my own practice. Not to mention it doubles as a holistic clinic where I can legally prescribe Richie's drug," Shotgun said.
"Well, not the more intense version of it," Richie added.
Shotgun winked at him. "Of course."
"Look at you, man. You've come a long way," Burger said, complimenting Shotgun.
Dragon checked the man out again and had to admit, Gina hit the goldmine.
The guy was handsome as hell, smart, and rich.
Best of all, he was in love with her. He liked Shotgun.
He turned his attention to Ahiga, whom he'd met only once before.
"How are you adjusting? Your prospecting period is almost over. "
"I can't wait until I can sew my patch on my cut," Ahiga said.
"What kind of bike do you ride?" Dragon asked him.
"Ace got me a Harley S2 Del Mar, that's Nightfall Blue. I love it," Ahiga said, grinning from ear to ear.
"Spoiling your baby, I see," Dragon teased Ace, who laughed and nodded.
"Damn right," Ace said.
"Does everyone have to have a Harley?" Ajay asked.
Ace shook his head. "No. That rule was stricter in the past, but Indians and other adventure and sport bikes work too. We know everyone can't always afford a Harley. But one thing that remains in our rules is that if you leave, the club keeps the bike."
"I'm not leaving," Shotgun said, thinking about all of his bikes. He had zero plans to lose them.
Dragon laughed and took a swig of his beer.
"Yeah, I bet," he said, thinking about Shotgun's vintage bike.
They all laughed, and he continued to chat with his family before eating some more of that food.
This was one of the happiest days of his life, and he wasn't going to let the Triad or that CO, who he knew was waiting for him at the Kingdom, distract him from being with his club.
"So, you're going to take me for a ride on your hog?" Richie asked as Dragon ran his fingers down his motorcycle over the red dragon painted on the side of it.
"It's a 2016 Harley Sportster Iron 883, custom paint job, too," Dragon said as he smiled down at his other baby.
He handed Richie his helmet, then put on his own.
"Come on, baby." He climbed on, then started the engine, and the bike purred to life.
"Good job, Ace," Dragon said because he knew his older brother was the one who kept his bike up.
"I'm so excited for this," Richie said as he climbed onto what he knew was the 'bitch seat,' and he'd gladly be Dragon's bitch.
His old boy, his Property of, and he hoped to one day be his husband.
He wrapped his arms around Dragon's muscular waist, and the two rode off.
The Castiello men who had been doing security opened the gate for them, and Dragon revved the engine as soon as he was on the road.
It felt so good to be back on his bike, driving down the highway, wind whipping his face.
The best part was that Richie was with him, screaming in glee as he held his arms out at his sides.
Dragon laughed as he increased his speed to Richie's delight and his own.
He drove for over an hour until he pulled off onto the side of the road and into an abandoned warehouse, then killed the engine.
Richie climbed off, but Dragon just turned around so that he was sitting on his bike backward.