Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Gemini
I hang up the phone, my head shaking in disbelief as Mercury asks, “What the fuck was that about?”
“That was Big Daddy, reaching out to talk to me about our future plans with everything that happened to the club,” I reply, my mind still reeling at his words.
Not too long ago, the older club members were out on a ride while us ‘second gens’ as they called us, got the clubhouse ready for a party.
Instead of them coming back talking about their escapades, we had the sheriff and four deputies show up to inform us that literally every single one of our fathers, our brothers, were dead.
Two tractor trailers jackknifed across the highway and slid into the bikes as there was nowhere for them to go, since they were on the stretch where a guardrail protects a steep drop down the mountainside and the other side was nothing but sheer rock.
None of them had a chance to save themselves, nor did the passenger vehicles behind them.
It was a fucking shitshow of epic proportions with the stretch of highway shut down for almost two days as vehicles, bodies, and even parts of bodies were recovered.
Needless to say, the ‘party’ we held was a wake while we waited for the local crematorium to return our fathers’ remains to us, since there wasn’t really enough to bury in caskets.
Because we’re a small, family club, we mostly stay to ourselves, but several years back, during a trip to Sturgis, I met a group of men from the Kings when I stumbled upon another club giving them shit.
Without thinking, I jumped into the fray and prevented the man I now know as Big Daddy from getting clocked in the head with a broken bottle of Jameson.
His parting words that day were if we ever needed anything, to reach out to the Kings.
So, when the accident happened, I did just that very thing since I was thrust into the role of president with little to no knowledge of how shit actually worked.
It’s not that I hadn’t been my dad’s right-hand man, but I was still learning shit from him and the other officers when they died.
A shudder rips through me when I stop and remember I had originally planned to go on that ride with them only to have my dad tell me to stay back and ‘handle the zoo crew’ as he called the rest of us.
Now, there are just four of us left—me, Mercury, Orion, and Pisces, and we’re not sure where to go from here.
Do we basically shut the doors to the club that’s been around for the past two generations?
Or do we try to rebuild even though anyone who comes in won’t be family?
These three men are not only my club brothers, they’re my blood cousins; we’ve grown up together, learned to fuck and fight together, and now, we’re trying to figure out how to move on together.
“Well, don’t leave us in suspense,” Orion says as he cleans his Glock.
The fucker is always cleaning his damn guns. Says he needs to be prepared for anything at any time since he’s our SAA. Granted, we see little action of any kind, but like our fathers before us, we all served a four-year stint in the military then came home to take our places alongside our dads.
“Give me a minute, I’m still trying to process what he asked of me, of us,” I snap.
Because the challenges Big Daddy outlined have me intrigued and with our current situation glaring at us like we did something wrong, it’s worth thinking about.
But I won’t make the decision on my own, I’ll take what the other three have to say into consideration, then we’ll forge ahead together, just like we’ve done everything all our lives.
Mercury starts humming the Jeopardy theme and I glare at him. He’s a solid brother, and I’d trust him with my life without a second thought, but sometimes, his humor is a bit skewed.
“Fine, I’m just going to spit it out then we’ll discuss it,” I yell, which has all three of them looking at me in concern.
I never yell. I’m calm, laid back, and even-keeled in my actions and temperament.
But the accident flipped a switch or something, because I honestly find myself biting my tongue more these days.
I’m sure there’s a professional out there who would have an absolute field day trying to diagnose me, but the bottom line is I’m hurting.
My dad was one of the best men I knew, even though he lost his way for a bit after my mom died.
Next to him, Uncle Jed was stalwart and loyal.
Maybe a bit over-the-top at times, but he helped raise us.
Aunt Becky, after collapsing when she heard the news, looked at me and said, “It’s yours now, Gemini.
You’ll make them proud.” Then, she and the other aunts sold off all their shit, bought a huge-ass RV, then decided they were going to see the country.
I can’t blame them. For whatever reason, each of my aunts and uncles met at a young age and having your best friend and life partner gone in a blink of an eye likely changes something fundamental inside.
Still, they check in weekly, which was my only caveat to them even going, and so far, they’re doing okay.
Much, much better than the four of us, that’s for damn sure.
After we held a memorial once we got their remains and the aunts left, we’ve pretty much holed up in the clubhouse drinking and existing.
Although in reality, existing is probably too kind; we’re just here.
Orion, who’s always had more of a nurturing nature, is the one who makes sure we eat at least once a day, since he learned to cook at his mother’s side.
“Well, get on with it,” Mercury probes. “Rip the bandaid off, man.”
“Shit, you guys are impatient as fuck today,” I grumble. “Big Daddy has an issue and thinks we’ll be the solution.”
“And that would be?” Orion asks, leaning forward and giving me a ‘get on with it’ look.
“His president and possibly more of the members in the King’s Montana chapter betrayed them and he had to take him out. He needs someone he can trust to come in and take over the reins,” I inform them.
“And he thinks you’re the best man for that job?” Orion inquires.
“Us,” I correct. “He thinks we’ll be the right men for the job.”
“Big Daddy wants all of us to go in and clean house?” Pisces asks.
“That’s exactly what he wants,” I remark. “What are y’all’s thoughts?”
“It’d be nice to start over fresh somewhere that nobody knows us and we don’t have to hear the gossip and accusations,” Orion mumbles.
Yeah, like how our fathers were responsible for the nightmare that happened three months ago.
As if they caused one tractor trailer’s brakes to fail which set off the horrific chain reaction that resulted in nearly forty deaths once all the bodies had been recovered.
Our dads were out on a run, plain and simple.
Thankfully, they went by themselves this time, because often, our aunts rode up behind them and they’d stop and eat, check out some sights, then come home.
But this time, the aunts were at home cooking while we cleaned and arranged shit.
Such a fucked-up time and those memories play on a constant loop in the back of my mind.
“But aren’t they a one-percent club?” Orion asks. “We’re not exactly choirboys, but what do we know about that kind of lifestyle?”
“Big Daddy was clear that while there are charter rules that apply for every chapter, the chapter itself makes the decision as to what they will and won’t do.
He said some run guns, some run drugs, some dabble in a few other things, but many have legitimate business ventures to fill their coffers.
He said one of them has a working ranch, another has a mortuary and crematorium, one is a ‘pleasure’ farm that sells their, uh, sperm. ”
My brothers start laughing and of course, Orion is making jacking off motions which has us laughing even harder as we visualize just how something like that would work.
“Yeah, that’ll be a hard pass, boss,” Mercury finally spits out through his mirth.
“Not like I want kids at this time in my life, but I don’t want any kid of mine running around out there without me knowing about him either. ”
“I agree,” I tell him, “but you have to admit it was a brilliant way to bring in some hard cash for their club. But like you, I couldn’t have my blood out there and never know who they are and what they’re doing.
I’m too damn possessive over anything that’s mine, especially when it comes to a kid with my DNA running through their veins. ”
“So, what kind of shit can we do in Montana?” Pisces asks.
“Funny you should say that,” I muse, smirking at each of them in turn. “Seems there are already a few businesses that we can step in and take over, including a cattle ranch where they raise grass-fed cows and bison for butchering and for breeding.”
Mercury looks down at his custom-made motorcycle boots and groans. “You want me to wear my boots and risk them stepping in cow shit? Are you nuts?”
“There are probably farmhands or whatever they’re called already working with the livestock,” I point out.
“Besides, he said there’s also a bowling alley where they run moonshine out of the back, a tattoo parlor, and a bike repair shop.
Seems all of our interests, aside from the cattle, are available and all we gotta do is say ‘yes’ to the dress, in a manner of speaking. ”
“Ain’t wearing no fucking dress,” Orion mutters before he grins. “Then again, it would give the lovely ladies of Montana easy access to my dick, so there’s that to consider.”
“Oh, yay. Orion, the manwhore, has a whole new park to play in. I’m guessing they have club chicks?” Pisces inquires.
“Hey! I resent that,” Orion exclaims. “There’s nothing wrong with checking out the merchandise before you buy it.”
“It is when you have dick rot,” Mercury states, mirth dancing in his eyes.
“That’s what condoms are for, dipshit. You don’t take a ride on the O train without one,” Orion teases.
“For fuck’s sake,” I grumble. “This is why I was hesitant to accept as soon as Big Daddy offered the position. Because he’s not a man I want to get on the wrong side of, and I’m afraid y’all are a unique breed that takes some getting used to.”
“Takes one to know one,” Orion sneers. “You’re our ringleader, after all, Gem, so keep that in mind when you’re slinging insults. We get it from you!”
“On a serious note, what are we thinking?” Pisces asks, bringing us back to the elephant in the room.
“Whatever we decide, it needs to be unanimous,” I remind them. “All for one or nothing at all.”
“I think we’re all in agreement that this move will be good for us,” Mercury states. “Give him a call and ask him when we need to be there.”