Wrath Chapter 1 #2
Rage had his arm around Betty. They were laughing at something Storm, my VP, said.
Seeing them made me wonder if anyone else would ever end up settling down.
Except for us and the Ruthless Marauders in Knoxville, Tennessee, all our other friends’ clubs were well on the way to being primarily, if not all, claimed men.
Dublin Falls was fully settled except for the prospects and the latest members.
Hunters Creek was over halfway there. The Horseman of Wrath in Florida had just started.
Diablo, their president, and Scorpion, their VP, had claimed old ladies.
Scorpion just did it a few months ago. The Iron Punishers were well into it, and our chapter of Pagans in Cherokee, North Carolina, was getting there.
Hell, even our friends, the Dark Patriots, although not an MC, were marrying left and right.
Dad always asked me when I was going to find a good woman and make her my old lady.
He grumbled that he’d be too old to hold his grandkids if I waited much longer.
I told him to stop acting like a decrepit old fossil.
He was sixty this year. I was thirty-eight.
There was time. Just because he had me when he was twenty-two didn’t mean I was too old to have a family still.
He’d roll his eyes and continue muttering.
He tried to get me to go after Braelyn. She and I laughed and told him it wasn’t happening. We adored each other, but as brother and sister, not lovers. Betty would tell him to shush and leave me alone.
“Hey, what’s up? You seem lost in thought over here. Is everything alright?” Ryder asked. I hadn’t heard him come up to me. I needed to pay attention. Being oblivious like that could get a man killed. I glanced over at my enforcer.
“Everything is great. Just woolgathering. I zoned out for a few minutes. Do you need me?”
He shook his head. “No, I don’t need you. I saw you staring off into space and wondered what was up. If there’s something you want to talk about, I’m here. You know that.” He squeezed my shoulder.
“I know you are, brother, and I appreciate it. Dad and Betty distracted me and made me think about growing up in the club and how he finally ended up with a good woman after my mom. It took forever. And then I wondered if our club will get old ladies or poor Betty will remain alone.” Ryder was two years older than I.
He’d joined the club as a prospect around the same time as I did. We’d become best friends.
“Damn, that’s some heavy thinking. This kind of thinking should be done over drinks. I’ll be honest. I’ve wondered the same thing. Seeing the other clubs find their old ladies or men makes me feel old and worried. I’m forty, Wrath. I thought I’d have a woman and kids by now.”
“Forty isn’t old. Look at Dad, and then you have Bear and Bull in Hunters Creek and Diablo in the Horsemen. They were well past forty when they got them.”
“True, and that gives me a slight hope that we haven’t been passed the fuck by.
It was fun for a lotta years partying and fucking whomever we wanted, but that shit has gotten old.
I’d rather go home, watch television, and snuggle on the couch with someone.
And if you tell anyone I said that, I’ll have to hurt you,” he growled.
I laughed. “No worries. Your badass enforcer image is safe with me. I hear ya. I’m feeling the same. Maybe we should be proactive and take out want ads or something. Wouldn’t that cause a stir?” I chuckled.
“Christ, don’t even suggest it. That would be a nightmare. I can only imagine what types we’d get applying,” he muttered as he shuddered.
“Rage asked me the other day if I’ve seen any likely candidates. When I told him no, he mumbled about being too old to rock grandkids,” I told him.
“Your dad means well. He wants you in a loving relationship. He’s head over heels for Betty, which makes him want it for the rest of us. You’re not the only one he asks those questions. He’s been doing the same to me and a few others I know of,” Ryder admitted.
I groaned. “What can I do with him? I love him, but sometimes…”
Ryder kept smiling. “There’s nothing you can do. Rage is a unique individual who you have to accept as he is. You have to admit. Even when you might want to choke him, he makes you laugh.”
This comment made us both laugh and nod. One of our prospects, Dylan, came rushing up. He appeared flustered, and I knew him to be unflappable. He’d been with us for about six months and was doing an excellent job.
“Pres excuse me,” he said, slightly out of breath. He acted as if he’d been running.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. I was immediately on alert for trouble. Had something happened at the compound?
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I have a problem and need some help. Since everyone seems to be here tonight, I came to ask if it’s okay to request it.”
“Come with us. We can talk in the office. It’s too loud out here,” I told him.
I led the way to my office. I technically oversaw Pagan’s Pub, though I had help from Chains, our club’s secretary.
I unlocked the door and ushered him inside.
No surprise, Ryder came with us. He shut the door.
I gestured to the seats. Dylan seemed to take a seat reluctantly.
Ryder sat on his left, and I leaned back against my desk.
“What seems to be the problem, Dylan? What do you need to ask for help with?” I asked.
He glanced uneasily at Ryder. I didn’t understand why until he said, “It involves my family.”
That made me stand straight. I had a choice to make.
Ask Ryder to leave or let him stay, and he’d be let in on a secret.
Usually, as my best friend and enforcer, he’d be privy to it.
But in this instance, I hadn’t told him or anyone else in the club besides Crusher about Dylan’s family.
The only reason Crusher knew was he was our main computer guy, and he’d investigated Dylan when he asked to prospect.
Investigating people was standard when they got close to the club or wanted to join.
However, I already knew about it because Dylan told me about them flat out when he asked to prospect. I made my decision in a split second.
“You can say anything in front of Ryder. It’s time he and the rest of the club knew anyway. Ryder, I’ll explain what and why later. Go ahead, Dylan.”
“I’ve had a cousin staying with me for the last two weeks. I know I should’ve told you, but it was supposed to be for only a few days. It’s my uncle’s kid.” He paused after dropping that nugget.
I knew what he meant by his uncle and what the implications were. “Goddamn it, Dylan, you should’ve told me. What has this kid of his done?” I snapped.
“Nothing! I swear. Jae has been behaving and staying inside. I’ll explain later the why of it, but we’ve got to hurry.
I got a call from Jae saying I needed to get my ass home and to bring some of the club with me.
That was all that was said. I know it has to be bad.
There’s no reason for my cousin to say that otherwise.
I wanted your permission to ask some guys to accompany me.
Two should be enough,” he finished in a rush.
Unlike other prospects, Dylan had a small place in town.
He didn’t get to stay there often, but insisted he wanted to keep it.
There was no rule that he had to live in the clubhouse, so I didn’t care.
I was okay with it as long as he came when we needed him and he did his share of the prospect work.
I stood, and Ryder came to his feet. “Your cousin didn’t say why?
” I reiterated. Dylan shook his head. “Alright, you’ve got me and Ryder.
Until we know more and I get a chance to talk to the club, it’s best if the three of us go.
Give me a minute to tell Chains I’m leaving. I’ll meet you two by the bikes.”
“Thanks, Pres, but it doesn’t have to be you guys. I can ask Forge and Fury,” he protested. Fury and Forge were regular members, not officers.
“Nope. We’re here and available. Let’s go,” I said.
It took me ninety seconds to tell Chains I had to bounce and that I’d be back if I could.
When he asked, I assured him nothing was wrong.
I joined the others outside. They had their bikes started, so I hurried to get mine fired up and my helmet on.
I’d grabbed my jacket inside and had it already on.
It was the beginning of May, but it could still be nippy at night.
Dylan sped along in the darkness. He took the lead since he knew where we were going.
As we rode along the mostly deserted streets, I wondered what trouble the cousin had run into and what it might mean for my club.
I’d kept the nature of Dylan’s background secret for a reason, but it was past time to tell the others.
Some might be upset, but it was done for a good reason.
I hoped that whatever happened tonight wouldn’t make my secrecy blow up in my face.
I swear to God, if this landed us in deep shit with his uncle’s issues, I’d have to boot Dylan out and regain the trust of my club.
It was a fast ten-minute ride to his apartment.
It was in a relatively decent section of Eatonton.
The town was where we had our businesses, such as the pub, but our compound and clubhouse were located at Lake Oconee.
It was a quick drive, so it wasn’t like it took forever for us to get to town.
But it gave us privacy for whatever we wanted to do.
Mainly, it consisted of no one watching our every move, calling the cops every time we revved our bikes or shot off our guns.