Chapter 2
I looked around the church and took in the sea of blue vests that filled the pews.
Most of us wouldn’t typically be inside a church, but it was only right that we paid our respects to Rameek, also known as Slim.
He’d been a part of the crew for the last three years, and he was a good dude.
It was crazy that we were laying him to rest. I’d just talked to him a few days before he was killed, and he wanted to meet up, but we never got around to it.
I couldn’t wrap my head around who would want him dead.
The members of the Vipers were spread out around the church.
We didn’t want everyone in one spot, because we needed to be aware of any potential threats.
We didn’t know who had killed Rameek, so we were all on high alert.
I sat near the door because that was my thing.
No matter where we were, I sat near the door or at least facing the door.
Beast, our president, wasn’t around, so as the vice president, I had to look out for everyone. My right hand, Tech, was on the opposite side. Tech was the sergeant at arms and good as hell with computers. He was able to hack into pretty much any system.
I swirled the toothpick in my mouth as I listened to multiple family members talk about how good a person Rameek was. Even a couple of the chicks he fucked with got up to talk, and I was surprised. Nobody was disrespectful, but I wouldn’t want all the women I messed with to speak at my funeral.
At one point, I felt someone watching me, and when I looked up, I locked eyes with Rameek’s sister.
She looked at me with hatred in her eyes, and that shit confused me.
I’d never met her before, but I knew who she was.
He never brought her to the club, but I’d seen her at the events in the past. The only thing I knew about her was that she was younger than him, which made her even younger than me, since I had a couple of years on Rameek.
I waited until the family left before I approached the casket. The family buried him in his vest, and that shit hit me hard.
The rest of the members stayed behind so I could have a moment alone.
“Rest in peace, boy.” I did our signature hand movement and stepped away.
“I can’t believe someone killed him,” I heard from behind me.
I turned around and faced Beast. I wasn’t sure when he arrived, but at least he came to pay his respects.
“Me either. When did you get here?”
“A few minutes ago. I got caught up.” Beast touched his nose and looked down at the ground.
His energy was off, but I assumed it was because of what happened. As the president, I knew he felt responsible for all the members.
“Heard you.”
We stood to the side while Tech approached the casket.
When he was done, he walked over to Beast and me.
“Are y’all planning on going to the repass?”
I scrubbed my hand down my face. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to go or not.
“I don’t know. His sister gave me some dirty ass looks, and I’m not trying to cause anyone any discomfort. I might just head out to the clubhouse and chill until everyone comes back.”
“I don’t think I’m gonna go either,” Beast added.
The three of us walked toward the door, while some of the other members said their goodbyes. A few of the members were going to escort the hearse and the family to the cemetery. I was riding, too, but I would play the back.
“I’ll meet y’all at the clubhouse later.” Beast walked away before either of us could respond.
“Has he been moving weird to you?” I asked Tech when it was just the two of us.
“Yeah. I was going to ask you the same thing. What you think that’s about?”
Beast had been off for the last couple of weeks. He hardly came to the clubhouse, leaving me in charge of everything. Whenever I asked him about it, he would say he was handling business. He was real secretive about whatever the business was.
“I don’t know, but I’m sure we’ll find out sooner or later.”
“You right. I know I’m trying to get a plate at the repass.” He rubbed his stomach.
“You sure that’s all you trying to get? No disrespect, but Slim has some fine ass family members.”
Tech laughed and shook his head.
“I ain’t gonna hold you, but he definitely does. I’m not on that, though. You know baby shower and funeral food be hitting.”
We slapped hands and chuckled. “You ain’t never lie. Let’s get out of here, though. Shit, maybe I do need to get a plate myself.” I smirked. I saw a few of Slim’s family members I could lend a shoulder to while they grieved. I shook my head at my crazy ass thoughts.
Tech opened the door, and we stepped out. The family was already in the limos that would take them to the cemetery, and some of the Vipers were already on their bikes.
Tech and I were parked next to each other, so we walked over to our bikes, then put on our helmets. I didn’t pull mine all the way down so I could communicate when it was time to leave.
“I got you on the plate,” Tech said as he kicked his kickstand down.
“Good looking.”
When I saw the casket come out, I turned my bike on. Adrenaline rushed through me when the engine purred underneath me. That feeling would never get old to me.
Ever since I was six, I knew I wanted to ride motorcycles. It was the first time my dad put me on the back of his, and I fell in love with it. The wind whipping through me and the rumble of the engine excited me even at a young age.
My father, Animal, was the president until he was killed a few years ago.
When he died, Beast became president, and I became vice president.
That was five years ago, and I missed my dad a lot.
He was my best friend and taught me everything I knew about bikes and running the club.
He was a good dude, but you didn’t want to get on his bad side.
He didn’t get the name Animal for nothing, but according to him and my mom, he changed his ways when they had me.
Don’t get it fucked up, though; he was still a killer, until someone got the best of him.
I never did find out who it was, and it made me think about it even more with not knowing who killed Slim.
There was a rival gang, the Disciples, but I wasn’t sure if they were responsible for the deaths.
We’d had fist fights, but nothing too crazy.
“Kane, I think they are ready,” Slider told me.
Slider had been in the club for years, and he was the second road captain, sometimes called the tail gunner.
Whenever we went for rides, he rode in the back of the line.
His purpose was to keep the crew in formation and maintain our safety.
He was the counterpart to Rico, who was the official road captain.
Slider earned his name because he would slide in and out of states, never planting seeds anywhere. He’d been in Sunrise Valley for the longest, so it was safe to say he’d finally planted some roots.
“Aight, bet.” I revved up my bike. “Vipers, let’s roll.” I made the motion for everyone to pull off.
Everyone pulled off, and nothing but blue and chrome bikes filled the street as our engines roared.
The cars, including the hearse, were covered on all sides.
One would think it was a celebrity or something with as many bikes as it was on the road, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
We had to send our boy off in style with one final ride.
When we got to the cemetery, I spotted a few of the Disciples, but as long as they kept their distance, we were good. When they pulled off, I veered to the left, while everyone else kept going. I saluted Tech since he was the closest one to me, then picked up speed to head to the clubhouse.
If I wasn’t around, Tech was in charge, and I knew he would have everything under control.
I needed a minute to myself because Slim’s death really fucked with me, and the look in his sister’s eyes caused me to feel uneasy.
There was no reason for her to look at me like that, because she didn’t know anything about me.
Maybe she heard about the way I didn’t focus any of my attention on women.
I fucked them and sent them on their way.
There wasn’t anything else they could do for me.
Both of my parents hated it, but it was what it was.
I was never disrespectful, and I always told them what it was up front.
I knew my mom was mad because she wanted grandkids, but I didn’t see that in my foreseeable future.
When I arrived at the clubhouse, I parked my bike in front and headed inside. There weren’t many people around since they all were at the repass, but there were a few stragglers left behind.
“Hey, Kane. Do you want something to drink?” Drizzle, one of the chicks I fucked with, asked.
She was our main bartender, but I didn’t trust her that much. Hell, I didn’t trust her at all, so I was in the market for an official bartender. Drizzle was good, but too busy trying to find her next victim. Her name should have been Guzzler, since she liked to guzzle any dick she could.
“Yeah. Let me get a shot of tequila. You know which one I like.” I sat on the stool and looked around the room.
A few guys had a game going on the pool table.
Some other ones threw darts at the board on the walls.
Women dressed in damn near nothing danced in the middle of the floor as Symphony’s voice flowed through the speakers as she sang about fuck niggas.
She was from the Valley, so I fucked with her music most of the time.
When Drizzle placed the glass in front of me, I removed my toothpick and tossed the shot back.
“I can help you relieve some stress if you need me,” Drizzle said as she leaned over the bar. Her titties almost fell out of her shirt.
I leaned forward and rubbed my hand over the star tattoo on her left breast. I smiled at my handiwork.
I’d done the three tattoos she had. Not only was I the VP of the Vipers, but I also owned a tattoo shop.
K’s Ink had been my shop for over seven years.
Tattooing had gotten me out of some dark days when I dealt with the grief of losing my father.
Drizzle tried to get my name on her ass, but I refused. She wasn’t my girl, so she wouldn’t be stamped. The only woman I would allow to get my name would be my wife.
“Get me another shot, then meet me in my room.”
“I got you.” She scurried to get my shot, and I noticed an extra sway in her hips. She didn’t have to do all of that, though, because regardless, I was going to fuck her.
She may have been for everyone, but that wasn’t my problem. I never kissed her, I damn sure never ate her pussy, and I always strapped up. I also pulled out before I could even cum. I was not letting a cum bucket have the opportunity to trap me.
Drizzle handed me the shot, and I quickly took it back.
Grabbing my helmet off the bar, I headed to the room I had on the second floor of the clubhouse.
I had a home, but I would never take any of the women I fucked where I lay my head.
It was either the bathroom or my room in the clubhouse.
I wasn’t even trying to go to a hotel, because I didn’t need anyone to try to set me up.
Bitches knew what it was when it came to me, and they would take the dick any way they could get it. Some may call it cocky, but it was just facts to me.
It took all of five minutes for Drizzle to make it to my room and drop to her knees. For a few moments, I forgot about everything while she swallowed my dick. After I nutted, I strapped up, fucked her, then sent her on her way before I showered and took a nap until everyone else came back.
When they did, we would celebrate Slim the only way we knew how: music, women, and our bikes.