Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
“That’s Mike,” Luke said, more to himself than anyone else. “Stay here.” He commanded me, walking behind Ronnie, as the entire club walked over to join the mass of men in leather.
Chapter 23
Dallas
“I’m not stayin’ here,” Brooklyn snapped, falling in behind our men. I stood there, watching in horror as she stomped off. Soon, everyone was following Brooklyn’s lead and although I had been told to stay, I joined them. As we approached, I recognized the black and white patches the men wore, with Metal and Madness stitched boldly across the back. In the middle stood a man who wore a different cut from the Devil’s Renegades, but the colors were the same. He stood tall and proud, without the slightest hint of fear on his face. To say he was handsome was an understatement.
“Before you open your mouth, I want everyone here to know that I am willing to die for this cut. Right here tonight.” My heart stopped at the mere thought of Ronnie being subjected to danger. I watched the anger radiate from him, as he continued his speech. “Your club has been coming into my town and ruining the relationship we have worked to build with this community our entire lives. I don’t give a fuck if there are five hundred of you motherfuckers, I will fight until I don’t have a breath left in my body, as will my brothers, to protect what we have. So, if you think bringing in reinforcements from all across the country is gonna help save your ass, then you’re wrong. We may go down tonight, but you can rest assure that at least half of you motherfuckers are going down with us.” At Ronnie’s words, my nervousness dissipated and was replaced with pride; the kind that straightens your backbone, and allows you to lose all sense of reason and logic to defend what makes you who you are. This club had made me who I was and now our odds were looking better. Judging by the looks of my sisters, our army had just doubled. “Now you have traveled a long way to say something, so speak your fucking mind.” My eyes stayed trained on the man leading the pack, who I assumed was the president of the chapter. I later found out that he was the national president, the top of the food chain, and every piece of shit in the parking lot behind him derived from the same basket as this one bad apple.
“First of all, I don’t know what you mean when you say we have ruined your relationship with your community. I don’t see how that’s possible. How can a few men destroy in less than a month something that you say you built in a lifetime?” The man waited for a reply, his stance casual and non-threatening.
“Your men came into my town and trashed bars, disrespected civilians, and intimidated everyone they came into contact with. Half the places we were once welcome now have signs that read if you wear a cut, you can’t come in. Now when we go somewhere, we are under the close watch of everyone who isn’t family. We don’t need that kind of heat on us. Like I said, we have fought very hard to earn the trust of the people in this town, and you should know how difficult that is to do.” The man’s face transformed from impassive to incredulous, as he eyed Ronnie, his mind battling whether he should believe him or not. He yelled a name and a man from the back of the crowd reluctantly came up front.
“Do you have any idea what this man is talking about?” his eyes never left Ronnie’s as he spoke; waiting for an answer that would prove Ronnie wrong, yet by the look on his face, you could tell he already knew the truth.
“I mean, we didn’t trash no bars. Lopair got a little rowdy one night, but what was I supposed to do?”
“Fucking stop him. Apologize to the people you disrespected, and deal with your man when you got out of the public eye,” Luke snapped, his voice so deadly and threatening that it took the man a moment before he could reply.
“Look, I’m my brother’s keeper,” the man replied, his defense weak and unconvincing to Luke, who fired back at him on a snarl.
“I’m my brother’s keeper, too,” he said, pointing to a large, round patch on the front of his cut that said it just as plain as day in orange and black. “But you can bet your ass if one of them steps out of line that I handle it, so my club doesn’t take the fall for it. That’s what a brother’s keeper does, he protects him even if it’s from himself.” The man had no response, and I knew Luke wished he did. He was itching to put his hands on him, as was everyone else in the club. If these guys didn’t shut up soon, all hell was fixing to break loose.