9. Raptor
Chapter 9
Raptor
" Y o, Raptor," Prez calls as I enter the kitchen. "You busy, brother?"
I shake my head. "Not right now," I tell him. I'll be heading to the custom ride shop soon. There are a couple of bikes that need to be finished before the big order begins.
"Good. I need you to get your shit together. Your flight leaves in a few hours."
I blink. "What?" The fuck is he talking about? What flight? Where the hell am I flying to?
"Brother, your flight to Ireland leaves in a few hours. You've got to get your stuff. I ain't shippin' that over."
I laugh at his words. "Funny, Prez, but I ain't goin' anywhere yet. We've got custom rides that need to be finished before the big order begins. I ain't leavin' you short."
He shakes his head. "You won't be. We've got it covered. Rush and Cage finished those customs last night. They've both learned from the best. You. So they're more than capable of takin' over from you when the order starts. So pack your bags, brother. You're goin' to Ireland."
I stare at the man who’s not only my president, but my brother, a friend. "You serious?" I ask, my heart racing. Fuck... Can it be true? Am I actually heading for Dublin?
"Deadly. Now don't take this to mean we don't want you here. You're goin' to be a tough act to follow, brother, but you’re needed with Py, Wrath, and Preach. They've done well recruitin' but they're nowhere near where they need to be. We all know your mind is in Dublin, on Mallory. So, brother, go find your woman and tie her to the fuckin' bed," he says with a laugh while shaking his head. "That woman blows hot and cold, but I get it. Long distance ain't for everyone. Now, you don't have to be. Just make sure she's worth it."
He has no fucking idea just how worth it Mallory truly is. The woman is all I fucking think about. She's still not answering her calls or texts. I haven't spoken to her since the night she called. But she's doing okay. Pyro's keeping an eye on her through Chloe. They haven’t seen her in months but have spoken to her daily. She's alive and doing okay, according to Chloe. I'll feel better once I'm in Dublin and can see for myself.
"Best get to packin', brother. You haven’t got long and there's no fuckin' way you're leavin' without saying goodbye to everyone. So you'd best get to it."
I shake my head, still trying to wrap my head around this shit. "This your idea?" I ask.
"Not entirely. I think Rush was the mastermind behind it all. That fucker's been workin' his ass off."
That's for sure. While I've been working on customs for the past few months, I've had both Rush and Cage with me, teaching them the ropes. They're both fast learners and now they're able to build bikes themselves, and they're fucking good at it. Leaving New York, I'll know that I won't be leaving my brothers in the lurch. They've got Rush and Cage to help out when things get busy. Both boys are going to make the Vipers a lot of fucking money.
"Go," Ace urges. "Get your stuff packed and then say goodbye to the women."
I laugh. I know the women are going to cry. They've been a part of the club for years, and I've helped each of them throughout that time. They're like sisters to me. Saying goodbye ain't going to be easy, but what I have waiting for me in Dublin is going to be more than fucking worth it.
I don't hang around. I head to my bedroom, surprised to find Rush standing by my door. "You good, brother?" I ask.
He nods, a big old smile on his face. "I'm good. Wanted to see if you needed a hand."
I open my door and he follows in behind me. "I appreciate everythin' you're doin', Rush."
"Your woman means the world to you, Rap. I've seen how the brothers are with their women and yours is halfway across the world. It's got to be fuckin' hard. You've been wantin' to be with her for months and it just seemed as though everythin' kept getting piled on and you couldn't leave."
Gratitude hits me hard. Fuck, he's one hell of a brother. "Gotta say, man, words can't describe how much I'm in your debt."
He shakes his head. "I'm repayin' my own, Rap. When I was released from juvie, it was you who kept me on the straight and narrow. Unlike the other brothers, who watched me like a hawk and kept waitin' on me to fuck up, you were at my side, showin' me the ropes, keepin' me on the right path. You knew what I needed to succeed. I'll never forget what you've done for me, brother," he says thickly. "From the bottom of my heart, Rap, I owe you my life. If it weren't for you, I'm not sure if I would have been able to succeed."
I reach for him and pull him into me. He doesn't tense. Instead, he returns the hug. "Trust me, kid, if there's anyone in this world who would have been able to right the wrongs they've done and find the right path to continue on, it’s you. No one fuckin' blames you for what went down when you were a child. You had no choice, and while your actions hurt someone we all care about, they also led to Ruby being saved. Trust me, brother, you belong here."
"As annoyin' as you are," he says as he pulls back from me, "I'll miss you, old man."
I chuckle. "I would invite you to come with me but I doubt you'd leave Ruby behind."
I see something whirring behind his eyes. "I've thought about it."
Now that's something I hadn't expected. "And?"
"It's a fuckin' lot to leave behind. My sister, Cage, Seri and Esme."
It's telling that he hasn't said Digger and Octavia. While they took him in, they haven't treated him as they have done Ruby and it's obviously weighed heavily on Rush.
"It's a decision only you can make. If it's one you want to make, you'll have to be prepared for the guilt trips."
He laughs. "Yeah, no doubt."
I study him. "You want the move, don't you?"
He glances away. "Here, I'm always goin' to be the punk kid who shot Octavia. The only ones who don't treat me that way are you, Pyro, and Wrath."
Fuck, the kid's struggling. "You want me to speak with Ace?"
He shakes his head. "I've already spoken with him. He's spoken with Pyro and he's agreed. It's just a club vote now, brother."
I laugh. "Fucker. You had me thinkin' you were stayin' here."
He grins. "What do you think's goin' to happen when the women find out I'm goin'?"
"Hence the guilt trips." It won't just be Ruby, but Seri and Esme. Probably Octavia too.
"I know that if I stay here I'm not goin' to shake that tag, brother, but my hands are tied unless the club votes it."
"They will. Don't worry, they'll know that this is what you want. Havin' you in Dublin will help a fuckin' lot to grow the club."
He grins. "What do you need help with?" he asks, glancing around my room.
"Nothin'. I just need to pack my clothes. Everythin' else is just crap I don't need."
He nods. "I get it. When you have no family other than the brothers, you don't tend to have much. It was the same with Preach when he upped and left."
"The same when you do too."
He lifts his shoulders and shrugs. "We'll see."
I give it six months and he’ll be in Dublin with us. If I have my way it'll be a fucking lot sooner than that too. "It also makes sense as to why you're puttin' in all the overtime."
He chuckles. "That helps, but I want a new bike. Mine is good, but it's not me."
"Trust me, kid, I get that. You ever need help, I'm only a call away."
He reaches out to shake my hand and I pull him in for one last hug. "Get your woman, Rap. I can't wait to meet her."
This kid is the fucking shit. "Be good, kid. I'll see you soon."
He leaves my room and I begin to pack my clothes. I know the goodbyes are going to be long, and I appreciate Rush taking the time to say his privately.
"Brother," Pyro greets as I exit the airport. "It's about fuckin' time."
I chuckle. Getting off the plane, it felt as though I was home. Everything in me settled the second I breathed in the Irish air. "Tell me about it. How is everyone?"
"Good. You'll see for yourself that life here isn't as hectic as it was back in the States. Even Preacher is doin' better."
I nod, glad my brother is doing okay. His world turned upside down when he found out Tyson wasn't his son. It fucked him up mentally and it's got to be hard to come back from that.
"Ace said you spoke to Rush. What do you think about havin' him here?" he questions as we climb into the SUV.
"I think it will be a huge benefit to us to have him here. He's a good kid. He'll thrive here."
He grins. "That’s exactly what I said to Ace when he spoke to me about it. Havin' Rush here will boost our numbers. Not only that, but it'll give us a better in with the younger generation. So far we've only got Tank and Bozo who are under the age of twenty-five."
Tank and Bozo are the prospects for the Dublin chapter. From what I understand, they'll make great additions to the club.
"When Dig and Octavia find out, they'll lose their minds," I tell him. "I'm surprised they haven't known he's wanted to leave. It's clear he's not entirely comfortable with them. He's a lot closer to Esme and Serenity, and in turn Shadow and Reaper."
"It's got to be hard for them, Dig especially. Tavia was hurt because of Rush's actions. He's got to live with the reminder that his woman was shot for the rest of his life. It's got to be even harder knowing the boy who shot her is livin' in the same clubhouse."
"When you put it that way..." I muse. But it's still fucked up that even after all these years they've never let him close, and that's why he wants to leave. He's a good kid and can feel the disconnect from them. Leaving will make Dig and Octavia better, and it'll give Rush a fresh start. "When will the vote be?"
"We're havin' ours tomorrow, and from what Ace said, tomorrow evening is when they'll have theirs."
"He'll get the votes," I say adamantly.
"No doubt. I've given Wrath and Preach the head's up about it, and from what I've gotten from them, they're both willing to vote in favor of Rush moving."
I take a deep breath. I just hope the other brothers are the same and vote for him to move.
"Now, you've not asked about her, but I know you're dyin' to know. Brother, Chloe's not heard from her at all for the past forty-eight hours. All calls and texts are goin' straight to voicemail. Jess said she spoke to her yesterday but hasn't spoken to her today, and like Chloe, her calls are goin' to voicemail."
My gut tightens. Fuck. What the hell?
"I'm takin' you to her home now. I know you don't want to wait. I wouldn't if it were Chloe."
The rest of the drive is tense. I'm on edge as Pyro drives us, my mind fucking racing as I think about what the fuck could have happened.
It takes close to thirty minutes before we reach Mallory's house. It brings back memories of when I was last here. Christ, it's been too fucking long.
"Brother," Pyro says low, "the door's ajar."
Just as we reach the door, it's opened and a tall, dark-haired guy walks out, his head held high, his gaze on us. It's clear this man is a killer. "Pyro," he greets.
"Rap, brother, this is Maverick, Chloe's uncle and Jessica's cousin."
I give him a chin lift as he smiles at me. "Jess told me what happened and asked me to check it out. The house is empty. They left in a hurry, taking only half their clothes, both Mallory and Jayne's. We'll find out where they've gone."
"Their cell phones?" I rasp.
"Sitting on the kitchen table. I assure you, we're going to find them. But from what it looks like, they've upped and left willingly." He turns to Pyro. "If I have news, I'll have Jess call Chloe."
Py nods. "Appreciate it, Mav. Thanks."
I watch as Maverick leaves, a sickening feeling in my gut. Something's happened. I just know it has. I shouldn’t have left it this long to come here. I should have trusted my gut when she stopped taking my calls.
Now I have to find her. I won't stop until I do.