Chapter One.
Drake
For fuck’s sake, did they ever stop arguing?
Unamused, I gazed around the table at the inner circle and rolled my eyes.
Beside me, Ace snorted as Gunner, Rock, and Apache argued with Fish and Texas, with Axel egging the fight on.
Manny sat there watching, entertained, making a flippant remark every so often.
These were the bunch of kids who ran Rage MC.
Desperately inhaling a calming breath, I wiped a hand over my face and slammed the gavel down. The arguing stopped, and they looked at me.
“Who pissed in your cereal this morning?” Apache demanded.
“Man should be in a good mood, considering the noises coming from his bunk last night,” Axel boomed. I sent him a sideways glance, but Axel didn’t look abashed.
“You finished?” I asked.
“Actually—”
“You’re done!” I snapped at Axel. Founder or not, I was president.
“Jeez,” Axel complained. Resigned, I recognised his state. Axel was high from last night. Not from drugs, but from having everyone present.
“At least Drake still has a room. Falcon claimed mine,” Ace whined.
“That’s why we’re here,” I said, and they looked at me in confusion.
“To sort out Falcon stealing my bunk?” Ace inquired, scratching his head.
“No, asshole. Jesus, will you concentrate?” I snapped, and Ace grinned.
“What’s on your mind?” Texas asked.
“Last night, everyone was here, and it was great, but I also noticed how crammed and cramped we were.”
“Yeah, I thought that. All joking aside, I know we rebuilt, but the clubhouse needs expanding,” Apache agreed.
“Or do we need a new chapter?” I suggested.
The bomb dropped, and silence fell. Everybody swapped glances before turning their attention back to me. Most of them were hiding their thoughts. However, I knew I’d just taken everyone by surprise, all apart from Ace, who held my eyes with an understanding glint.
“Split the club?” Fish finally said.
“No, create a new chapter that allows Rage to grow,” I responded.
“That was never a goal,” Axel replied quietly. But Axel was considering the idea.
“No, but you can’t deny how tight space was last night,” I argued.
“But we’re not often all together like that,” Gunner drawled, chewing things over.
“Nope, but our families are growing,” I pointed out. Gunner nodded—he couldn’t dispute that.
“What do you have in mind?” Texas asked. “You wouldn’t be bringing this up unless you had an idea, Drake.”
“Spike mentioned some land in Minnesota, just across the state line. Phoe and I took a peek when we went away for a weekend,” I said, and eyebrows rose.
“Really, you just happened to look?” Apache challenged. Manny looked amused that he was being called to task.
“Yes,” I snapped, and Apache smiled grimly.
“Describe it then,” Rock demanded.
“It’s massive—a good hundred acres. It even has a peninsula.
There’s an old camp that could be converted into a great moneymaker.
The town is Ortonville, and it’s got decent business opportunities.
The clubhouse could be situated on the main piece of land or the peninsula, but there’s nothing suitable for a clubhouse right now.
It needs building. The land is enough that the new chapter can create a community like Hellfire or Unwanted Bastards. ”
“You’ve put a lot of thought into this,” Manny replied.
“Yeah. Creating a new chapter isn’t an easy thing. They’ll need funds to build a clubhouse, to start businesses, to buy homes,” I said.
“Somehow, I don’t think any of us are struggling for money,” Rock drawled, amused.
“Guess you’re looking at the younger brothers, not us old assholes,” Fish stated.
“Yeah. None of us will volunteer to move. This is our home.”
“Drake, that goes the same for the younger generation,” Axel boomed.
“But they’re not as entrenched,” I replied.
“No? Ask Hunter, Slate, or Klutz if they ain’t. They’ll have a different answer than what you anticipate,” Gunner said.
“Maybe, but we can only ask,” I muttered. I knew there’d be some aversion to this, but they were all digging their heels in, apart from Ace.
“What’s your opinion?” I asked him.
“Who are you considering for president?”
“There’s only one name that springs to mind. Kid’s earned this and deserves a presidency. He’ll never get that here because of the legacies.”
Ace nodded. He knew who I meant immediately, as did Axel. “You think he’s ready?”
“Yeah, I know he is.” I folded my arms and prepared for the reaction.
“Who?” Manny demanded.
“Calamity. That’s the only brother I can honestly say meets any criteria we could come up with,” I replied.
Stunned silence mixed with relief hit me, and I realised that some of them thought it might have been them.
I’d not do that to them. They were too vital to this club.
Which made it seem that Calamity wasn’t; he was, but he could spread his wings with this opportunity.
Calamity would make a fuckin’ amazing president, but that wouldn’t happen here.
Dante was my legacy, although he was a little fucker at the moment.
“The boy deserves a shot,” Axel agreed.
“Calamity’s one of us!” Gunner fired back.
“And he will always be. But are you telling me Calamity doesn’t deserve a chance at leading? That you don’t think he has greatness?” I retorted.
“Yes, but Calamity’s ours,” Gunner replied lamely. That made me laugh.
“Just because he’ll be opening another chapter, doesn’t mean that he’s not ours,” I said with a smirk.
“Seriously, does anyone have any doubts or concerns about Calamity being nominated to open another chapter?”
Everyone glanced at each other before shaking their heads.
“How do we inform the rest of the club?” Axel asked.
“And does Calamity get to pick his inner circle from existing brothers?” Rock added.
Good questions. “Anything like opening a new chapter falls to the inner circle as per our charter. Calamity can ask, but can’t force brothers to go with him. I’m hoping some do because we need space. But at least we won’t have to continue turning people away. Legacies will have a choice, too.”
“Okay. Are we gonna vote on this?” Axel boomed.
“No other questions?” I asked, surprised there wasn’t more.
“Nah. Deep down, we guessed the club couldn’t keep going the way it was,” Apache replied.
“Once we’ve voted, then what?”
“Then I inform Calamity and work out a plan with him and who he’d like. Then we call the brothers together and announce the news,” I answered Fish.
“What if somebody has an issue?” Rock said, playing devil’s advocate.
“Then I deal with that in private. But Calamity is more than ready to lead, and I’m not the only one who thinks so,” I stated. I made sure my voice conveyed my opinion as implacably as possible. “Unless someone here wants to be president—if so, speak up, and we’ll discuss it.”
Various versions of fuck-no flew at me, and I inwardly smiled. I knew my brothers. They liked the roles they were in. Nobody wanted extra responsibility. And leaving RC was something they’d never consider. Not after the blood we’d spilt to keep this city safe.
“Let’s vote,” I said, fairly confident which way it would go. It had to be unanimous, or it wouldn’t pass. I nodded at Texas to record the votes and looked to Ace for his answer.
Ace opened his mouth, and so it began.
◆◆◆
“Come in,” I called in reply to a knock. I knew who it was; I’d been expecting him. It was nice that the kid knocked, unlike the older brothers, who barged in. The younger ones often showed more respect.
“Prez, you wanted me?” Calamity asked, entering. His limp was noticeable as he stepped into the office, and I motioned for him to sit. We’d nearly lost Calamity in the war. The world would be a darker place without him, so my heart warmed to see him in front of me now.
“Sit down, Calamity,” I ordered. Calamity needed to be sitting down because this news would knock him on his ass.
“What’s up?”
“Got a proposition for you. Calamity, I want you to go to Ortonville, Minnesota, and open a new chapter,” I said.
“Okay, not a problem. When and how long?” he asked. Damn this kid, he was one of the most genuine people I’d ever met. Calamity didn’t even guess what was coming.
“Kid, we voted you in as president of a new chapter based in Ortonville,” I added.
Calamity stared for such a long time that I wondered if he’d stroked out on me.
“Calam?”
“Sorry, Prez, I thought you said you wanted me to be president of a new chapter.” Calamity laughed.
“Son, you heard correctly,” I replied, and Calamity stopped laughing and started peering around. “What are you doing?” I demanded, wondering if he’d lost the plot.
“Looking for the cameras. This is a joke, right? It was a good one.” He began to get up out of his chair.
“Sit. Down.” I ordered, and Calamity obeyed. “This isn’t a prank. The meeting was held yesterday. The inner circle voted, and it was unanimous. We were hoping you would open a new chapter in Ortonville. Naturally, RC will be the national chapter, and I’ll be the National President.”
“Nah, you don’t want me! What the hell do I know about leadership?” Calamity shook his head in denial.
“That right there is why. Your humility, respect, honour, and loyalty. Believe me, Calamity, this wasn’t an easy decision to make,” I said.
“See, that’s why…”
“Shut up, kid, and let me finish. This wasn’t simple, you’re the ideal brother, and I want to be a selfish fucker and keep you close.
But that’s not fair. You’re the easy choice, but it’s fuckin’ hard letting you go.
You’re thirty now, Calamity, and grown into a man I’d stand beside any day of the week.
It’s been a long, difficult journey from when you first set foot on Rage, and I couldn’t be prouder of you, not even if you were my son. ”
“Drake…” Calamity said in a strangled voice.