Page 25 of Just Heartbeats (Royalla Motorcycle Club #1)

Kodiak sat at the head of the long table, resting his forearms on the polished surface. They were no closer to getting answers or catching the Deception Motorcycle Club member responsible for the threat to Royalla.

The meeting room buzzed with tension and reeked of men who rode around the clock and hadn't seen a shower in days.

Low murmurs, the occasional cough, and the soft clink of rings or buckles as the men shifted in their chairs grated on Kodiak's last nerve.

The officers of Royalla MC filled every seat.

Some slouched with crossed arms, others leaned forward, elbows on knees, ready for whatever he dropped on them.

The other patched members stood behind the chairs, all eyes on him.

This was their war room, their church, their sacred place. The walls were lined with framed photos of brothers long gone. A bloodstained Deception MC patch—torn and faded—hung nailed to the far wall like a trophy. Or a warning.

Kodiak's eyes scanned the room, his gaze stopping on each man long enough to make his point. This wasn't another check-in.

He cleared his throat, gaining their attention. "First, it was the message on the fence in retaliation for killing Curtis Monroe, a Deception member. As you know, we all, regardless of the patch we ride under, have a universal rule. An eye for an eye."

The room went still. All fidgeting ceased. A few curses broke the silence. Patchholders exchanged glances, the kind that said, 'We knew this was coming.'

"And now." Kodiak continued, "We get wind from Moroad Motorcycle Club that Deception's making moves. They're pushing into our territory, trying to take our chops."

Hunter, the sergeant-at-arms, leaned closer to Rocco, who wrote on a piece of paper and then growled under his breath. "Fucking snakes."

Kodiak nodded once and spoke louder for Hunter. "I don't think this has anything to do with taking a life in payment for Chopper. They want to take our contracts, undercut our clients, and push us out of our backyard. The problem is, they ain't smart about it. They're loud. Messy. Desperate."

"They wanna start a war?" asked Duke, his knuckles white against the bottle in his hand.

Kodiak's eyes narrowed. "They already did."

He straightened and crossed his arms over his chest. "There was no reason for them to go after Chopper. None. He wasn't running hot, wasn't crossing lines. Hell, he had barely left the garage the last few months of his life. But Deception put a bullet in his back anyway."

Men shifted uncomfortably. His jaw ached anytime he talked about Chopper.

"They wanted to send a message. But we still don't know what the hell it was about." He exhaled slowly. "And that pisses me off more than anything."

From the far end of the table, two rows of members back, Baddy said, "What was the reason, then? For Chopper?"

Freshly patched, three months in, Baddy took everything in with a wide-eyed mix of loyalty and confusion. Kodiak respected the kid for having the balls to speak up and learn.

Kodiak looked at him. Long enough for Baddy to shift uncomfortably on his feet. He gave a slight shake of his head. He wasn't angry over the question, only weary. He'd buried too many brothers and lived with too many unanswered questions.

"I don't know." He met Baddy's gaze. "With Chopper, there was no note. No call. No warning." His jaw tightened. "But I do know that—before Chopper was murdered, Curtis Monroe tried to kidnap Roma."

A ripple passed through the room. Even the older members, the ones who'd seen it all, sat straighter. Nobody messed with the girls and women of Royalla.

Kodiak held up his hand for everyone to remain quiet. "He failed. But it was a move. And a warning."

"Why her?" asked Rusty. "She's a kid."

"We'll probably never know, but like everyone here, we can guess what they wanted with her." Kodiak cleared his throat and looked around the table again. "They're playing dirty, and they're getting reckless. That makes them stupid, which makes them dangerous."

"Agreed," said Cruz.

Kodiak planted his hands on the table and leaned forward. "So, listen up. From now on, we're on high alert. No one rides solo. No one talks shop outside this room. Everyone checks in. We lock down, tighten up, and we wait. Because they're coming."

He paused before adding, "And when they do, we're going to remind them why Royalla doesn't back down." With that, Kodiak stood. "Meeting adjourned."

The others, needing to move and escape the seriousness, headed toward the door.

He waited until the room emptied, then stepped out into the hallway and locked the room behind him.

Like the others who would go check in with their loved ones and make plans to keep their families safe, he headed toward the bedroom to see Roma.

Baker hitched his chin. "Roma's in the kitchen."

He gave a two-finger salute, changed directions, and entered the clubhouse kitchen. Roma stood at the counter, tapping the screen on her cell phone and then doing the same thing to her watch. He paused, listening to the hum of the fridge while checking her out.

She was barefoot, in cutoffs and one of his old T-shirts, her hair twisted up in a loose bun that swayed slightly as she moved. His chest swelled as he inhaled deeply. There was something jarringly domestic about the scene.

He stepped forward. She turned her head and smiled.

"What're you doing?" He leaned down and kissed her.

"Mm." She licked her bottom lip. "Making a grocery list. I've been keeping track of everything we need, and now I'm putting all my notes on my phone. We're out of everything except booze, hot sauce, and bottled water."

"I'll have someone run into town and pick everything up." Kodiak glanced at her phone. "You're not leaving the compound."

She faced him, snaking her arms around him. "Guess what? Nowadays, people can buy groceries on an app and have them delivered by using their phone."

"Smartass." He gave her a slow, amused look. "You think someone's gonna walk into this compound? Past cameras, razor wire, and ten guys with guns to hand you a bag of lettuce?"

She grinned. "They would do anything for a twenty percent tip and a five-star rating."

He rubbed her hips. "Let's not test that theory."

"I was thinking someone could meet them at the gate."

"Right now, it'll be better if someone takes the truck and picks up the supplies," he said.

Her eyes softened as she looked up at him. "How was the meeting?"

He ran his hand down his beard and exhaled through his nose. "It's going to get worse before it gets better."

She nodded, grabbed her phone, and typed. "I'll add coffee to the list."

Kodiak kissed the side of her temple. "Thanks, baby girl."

He had to take one day at a time and hope like hell he could keep his men safe.