Chapter 9
NINE
MARCO
I knew what I was feeling was excitement, but it felt more like shock. I was at the Rusty Pelican, with Hunter and the rest of the gang and we were in the middle of church.
I had been anxious when I walked into the bar earlier. I’d met Axel, the president of the MC, on several occasions in the past few weeks but I had never spoken to him about serious matters before. More importantly, I had no idea how to make my case about joining the club.
When church began, I discovered that the other guys had made a case for me already. I didn’t have to do much talking. They had already spoken to and convinced Axel that I would make a valuable member of The Bad Disciples.
He was looking at me now, and behind him, Hunter, Glock, Tank, and Gunner were smiling wide. Axel had just told me that he had made a decision and he was going to patch me in as a prospect of the MC today, right there.
“You seem confused,” Axel said, and some of the other men sniggered.
“I’m shocked. I didn’t think you would accept me in so easily,” I said, and Axel shrugged his shoulders.
“I’ve seen you around for the past few months. I’ve heard your story. I know Hunter is your best friend and I trust him. If he thinks that you’re going to be invaluable to us, I believe him,” Axel said.
I looked down at my leg nervously. This could potentially be the best thing that had happened to me, but was I up for it?
“Don’t worry about your leg. I am not,” Axel said and I snapped my head up to look at him again.
Until this moment, until he had said the words to me, I was riddled with self-doubt, but I wasn’t anymore.
These men believed in me, and my abilities and I had to do everything to prove them right. I had already made that decision.
“You’ll be fine,” he said and then walked over to me and stuck his hand out.
We shook hands, and a cheer rang out in the bar. It was done. I had accepted the offer, and I still couldn’t believe it was actually happening.
“We’re going to give you your patch now,” Axel announced, and one of the men from the group came over to me and handed me a leather jacket which I had seen the other men wearing. It had the the words prospect on it.
Hunter came up to help me put it on and then thumped my back.
“In a few months, we are going to initiate you with your nickname. Till then, we’re all going to call you Marco,” Axel added, and I nodded my head. “After that, being a prospect lasts about a year or two. Once we feel like you are one of us, then we will vote you in a full member of the club.”
“I won’t let you down, Axel,” I said seriously.
“I’m sure you won’t,” he said. “The boys will show you around and bring you up to speed on the kind of work we do here,” Axel said with a nod of his head. I looked over at Gunner and Hunter, and they smiled at me.
I was a part of a brotherhood now. I could feel a sense of belonging creeping into me again.
“Congratulations, man, you are one of us now,” Gunner said, and we shook hands.
Some of the men had already started passing beers around. Church was over, and it was time to celebrate. Hunter and I hugged before I went around shaking everyone else’s hand. I knew the guys already, but they were my brothers now.
I hadn’t woken up in the morning expecting to be patched as a prospect of The Bad Disciples today.
This day was turning out to be more than I thought.
First with Quinn, then her leaving me her number and now this!
I felt an irresistible urge to take out my phone and call her, but what would I even say?
I didn’t know her and I wouldn’t expect her to understand.
As far as I was concerned, it was technically just a one night stand.
We were cheering and drinking and in the middle of getting drunk. I was grateful to Axel and more so to the guys for thinking me worthy of joining the MC.
I couldn’t decide yet what had made me happier today. Waking up to Quinn in my apartment or being patched into The Bad Disciples. My life was finally turning around, even Hunter seemed like he was fretting over me less.
I had a bottle of beer to my lips when the bar doors opened, and all eyes turned to it. We were technically still in the middle of church, which meant that the Rusty Pelican was closed to the general public.
I saw Quinn walk in. She had changed into a pair of tight jeans that accentuated her curves, and she was wearing a thin sleeveless t-shirt through which I could see the fluorescent color of her bra.
I straightened up when I saw her. I wanted to rush to her and tell her that she shouldn’t be here. Now was not the time to come looking for me! As happy as I was to see her.
However, before I could do or say anything, I noticed that she wasn’t making her way towards me, but instead, walking straight in the direction of Axel.
I turned to look at him, and on his face, I saw a look of recognition. Axel and Quinn knew each other!
I banged the beer down on the table, as I gawked at them. Axel had thrown his arms open to greet her and Quinn walked directly into them.
“Who the fuck is this?” I heard Hunter murmur beside me.
“You don’t know her?” I asked him, and he shrugged his shoulders.
“Never seen her before,” he replied in a hoarse whisper. We were all staring in silence as we watched Axel and Quinn hug.
I was confused and nervous about what was going on. This seemed like a nightmare coming true. Axel turned toward us and cleared his throat.
“Gentlemen, this is Quinn. I would like to introduce you all to my daughter. She has just returned from graduate school to live with us for a short while,” Axel said, and I was glad that I had put my bottle of beer down because it would have definitely dropped from my hand and crashed to the floor.