Chapter 30 #2
“It wasn’t sudden,” Stone interjects tensely, “the officer brothers have been discussing it for a while. We all have kids, women we love, you all have grandkids now to consider, and our affiliated clubs all agreed cutting the contracts was for the best, and the Cartel accepted because they had someone who wanted to do the loads but promised to stay out of our territories.”
Doc continues, “We were going to call for a full church without old ladies because it is with all due respect fuck all to do with them. Money is only being cut for one month before every single brother will earn an extra four hundred dollars with the extra ammo and guns we’d be transporting for the Cartel, but Trigger and Dirty demanded we cut loose straight away without a full club vote and sort the fallout afterwards, and I’m now understanding why. ”
I look down with shame, and Pidge shakes her head before she looks at the brothers, and fuck me, my heart pounds as pride takes place when she snaps, “One person in this room even thinks of judging my husband for trying to deal with his pain, I swear to god I will destroy your bikes or anything you hold dear!”
I look to see them eyeing her like she is all talk, and I clear my throat and admit, “She makes Annie look like an angel and I should know because I have been a victim of her pranks, like laxatives in my coffee kind of pranks when I’ve pissed her off, that is all I’m going to say.”
Their eyes widen before they nod, and I chuckle a little before sighing.
“Look, I don’t have the urges now, it was only for a few months, maybe four tops before fucking became my outlet to hide from my anger and pain, but the more Mama tried to force her way into my life reminding me of what she did, the more I wanted to spiral back down that rabbit hole,” I admit.
“That’s why you moved out?” Anchor asks, and I nod in confirmation.
“It is, and while I will always be here for the brotherhood, day or night, my place isn’t here right now. It is with my wife in her old childhood home where we’ll be bringing our son home,” I reply.
“And you don’t need professional help?” Doc asks softly, and I shake my head as I admit, “My wife is all I need. She centers me and takes away that anger I feel, but I just,” I look at Mama, “I don’t forgive you.”
She flinches and her bottom lip wobbles but I continue knowing I need to get this out, “You ruined what I thought was a brilliant childhood, you made me feel unwanted and I, fuck, I can’t have a relationship with you because despite you claiming you wouldn’t have gone through with the abortion, all of us in the room know you would have just to hurt Dad.
I became indispensable to you, then I became your meal ticket.
” I swallow the lump forming as my mother's tears fall, and I admit, “I won’t stop you from being a grandmother, but as for you and me, there won’t be a relationship.
I’ll be cordial, but that is about it because that is all I can offer. ”
She nods in understanding, knowing she broke my trust and how I saw her while the brothers look away, none coming to her defense, knowing I’m right, she would have aborted me had Dad decided to leave her.
I clear my throat, and I address the brothers, “I’m sorry if I broke your trust, and I’d understand if you’d want me demoted from my –”
“Fuck that!” Scar, Trigger's dad instantly cuts in, “You are the best secretary, so don’t even fucking think of finishing that sentence, son! You got hurt by someone you cared about, you spiraled, and even through that, you still put money back into the club, so shut the fuck up!”
I put my hand up in defense as every brother vetoes my words, and Doc chuckles, “Nice try, brother, you’re not getting out of vetting the twenty employees that want jobs around the various club businesses or the new potential prospects and clubwhores.
The paperwork is already on your desk so keep that shit locked in, you’re not being demoted. ”
I groan, fucking hating paperwork, causing everyone to laugh, before I shake my head and I say, “I am sorry though,” and the brothers nod as Thunder admits, “I hated the cocaine runs, brother, I won't miss it,” and Shadow agrees, “I was petrified we were going to get caught, and my woman would be forced to live without me. Yes, the money was good, but by the sounds of things, you and your brothers have come up with an even better plan to get more money into the club, and you’re continuing our legacy.”
I give them a nod in thanks before Dirty asks, “Shouldn’t we be celebrating not only a graduation and a wedding but a new baby boy?”
“You know what, brother? I think we should be celebrating,” Stone adds, “But more to the fact Ace lost the bet!”
Fuck me, I’m never going to live that down, though I’m not surprised they’re pushing the cocaine issues under the rug.
Family, it’s what we are, what I’ve given to my wife.
I roll my eyes at Stone’s words causing the fucker to grin wide as the brothers all laugh while Summer walks gingerly over to us.
I give her an encouraging smile, and she holds her hand out to Pidge, who looks at me, and I lean down and gently caress her lips before whispering, “Go make friends, Pidge…”
She smiles and takes Summer’s hand, who pulls her towards the other old ladies, where all the kids are in the back being occupied by Cole, none the wiser to what has just been said, and Anchor walks up to me, giving me a hug.
“How bad is bad?” he asks, and I wince, understanding his question.
“Chocolate sauce, glitter, custard balloon, several kittens in my office along with chickens, hot sauce, salt, anything nasty she can think of in my food and drinks to the point I nearly shat my pants in the diner, though in her defense at that point she wanted me to fire her. Now she just does the pranks because she’s feeling insecure and wants me around her.
” I admit, and he winces and confirms, “Yeah, she ain’t meeting Annie,” and I chuckle but nod.
Those two would be a fucking nightmare.
Dad walks over to me next, and I give him a sad smile as he takes me into his arms and chokes, “I’m sorry I didn’t see how badly you were struggling.”
“Not your fault, Dad,” I murmur, and he shakes his head, denying my words before we pull back.
“I took her side, old lady or not, I shouldn’t have, I knew that bomb would have been too much for you,” he admits, and I sigh, “It’s alright, we’ll be alright,” and he nods before we look at the old ladies doting on my woman, Lyra already sitting in my wife’s lap, and I grin.
“She fits in perfectly,” Doc says as he pats my back, my brothers all surrounding me, showing me their support despite my issues, and I nod because yeah, she does.
“She saved me,” I admit, and Dirty reminds me, “You saved her as well.”
And he’s right because we saved each other, and I, for one, cannot fucking wait to spend the rest of my life with her, with my brothers, who I know will always have my back, standing behind me along the way, helping me if I ever lose my way.