Page 2 of Master's Rise

“Only Amos was Officer. Deacon won’t fuck with Falcon. Without you, Falcon was covering everyone. Billy was shot the day you rode out. That’s where we were when he challenged you. Deacon took all new Officers since Raid beat the shit out of him and we stepped out. Amos was the only one that Deacon kept. Brinks, Jinx and Falcon kept Club jobs but we were dropped as Officers. That’s been done since his first day as President. I overheard something you need. Deacon plans on hitting freight as it heads up here. He’s got help with another Club,” Hade tells me.

Sonofabitch. Falcon looks at me with regret in his eyes. “We stayed for our Brothers. We couldn’t walk after Billy got shot. He’s in bad, Cort. Machines keep him breathing. His son won’t let them take him off ‘em.”

I left them to deal alone. Grabbing a bottle, I pour and drink to Billy. How could I have left them to deal? Shaking my head, I finally look each one in the eyes. “Nothing I say can change what I’ve done, I yielded to Deacon, I can’t go back, it’s in the bible.”

Raid shakes his head and I’d swear he’s groaning. “Nothin’ to go back to. Six-Guns are taking over, Deacon’s a patsy, he just doesn’t know it yet. They’re going to give up the chapter and even sent new cuts with their brand. I saw the boxes. Badass isn’t Badass enough for them.”

Great. Twelve years of work just flushed away. It explains why no one is wearing cuts.

“Since I can’t go back and you know it, why are you here?” I go for obvious and hope they’re here to stay.

They all look at Hade. “We need a Club we can believe in. Colorado is the closest Badass charter around. We ain’t moving to fucking snow eight months a year. Here we got plenty of roads to ride, trees up the ass and two lakes close. Cities are not far and you need Brothers at your back with a threat to your freight.”

For the first time in a long while, I smile and it’s real. “I need my Brothers. I can divert freight but have too much for me alone to handle...”

“We need a Club. You’re our President,” Jinx says.

My smile falls. “I left you all out there. Billy is as good as gone...”

“Cort, we all fucking knew Courtney was playing you and let it happen because you were finally happy. If we knew what she was up to, we’d have told you. She’d been screwing around with Allison and Deacon for a good month. Raid dragged her away from them the night you clocked him. He didn’t want you to see it like they were. After that, you didn’t trust any of us and we figured you clued in. Billy said we should tell you at the hospital, but then he got shot and you were gone.” Hade’s eyes show honesty and hurt.

Raid dragged her away? I mentally close my eyes again. Shit. They didn’t know everything and I thought they were hiding everything from me. “Jesus, Raid. The marks on her arm. She said you wanted a piece of her and she was fighting you off for months.” I watch his head shake out a no. Sonofabitch.

I know I owe them for what I’ve done, but a Club here? “I’ve shown I’m not a good leader when it got tough...”

Hade cuts me off again. “We’ve shown we’re not good Brothers when it got tough. Makes us even. Now, we drinkin’ and coming up with a name? We got Brothers sweating out your answer in Santa Fe and Taos, they’re just waiting for a new name and Club to belong to.”

Brothers don’t ever quit, that feels good.

“One condition, don’t hold back on me. I let you down and feel that deep. I need everything so that never happens again.”

Every one of them is up. Falcon swears honesty with his allegiance, then they all do.

Life is fucking great with Brothers at your back. I’ll never make it again and know it. I know what losing everything feels like. Jules, my dad, then Brothers, now Billy. Never a-fucking-gain.