Page 18 of Next Level (Royal Bastards MC: Oakland Chapter #1)

TINK TALK

E veryone is seated around the table. I’ve been home for an hour. Needing to unwind from the drive, I had a couple of beers while a few stragglers came in from work.

Zoom is reviewing all the information he’s collected on Jared, Garrett, and now George.

It seems he married Letti while she was pregnant with Garrett, and they had Jared four years later.

Shortly after Jared was born, George and Letti were involved in a car accident with the boys.

Letti died, and the boys were hospitalized.

George went to jail for vehicular manslaughter since he had been drinking and caused the accident.

I have the whole case file here. It states they were fighting.

Since the boys were so young, they were given up for adoption because neither George nor Letti had any family.

George had been in prison ever since, only getting released this year on good behavior.

Zoom can’t find any link to our club, except that he went to school with my dad, but he was a few years younger and closer to my mom’s age.

Garrett was lucky to get good foster parents, Cherry’s parents, but he just rebelled against them. I told them everything Cherry had told me regarding her adoptive brother.

Zoom filled us in on Jared. He was so young and had a bunch of health problems. He was in the hospital for a long time before being put into the system.

They didn’t know if he was going to make it for a while.

He had three foster families who were trying to take care of him, but his medical bills were too much.

When he finally got adopted, they weren’t as loving as they seemed.

Everything he said lined up with what Sam told me he was complaining about.

“But why take Sam?” I ask the room.

Everyone’s eyes are on me, but no one speaks.

Dawg speaks up, “Maybe we need to talk with your mom? Seems she would be the only one who would remember high school shit.

Lazy leans forward, resting his forearms on the table, clasping his hands. “I don’t remember George Casso, but I didn’t go to school with your dad.”

Most of our Oakland Chapter was taken out in a rival club raid a few years ago. I’ve rebuilt this chapter since taking over.

We all sit around talking scenarios, but we still don’t know how this links to me or Sam.

“I need to talk to my ma to see if she has any inclination about who George is,” I say to everyone.

I get a lot of nods and agreements, but our enforcer adds, “Or we find George and ask him ourselves.”

I rub my face, exhausted.

“Well, the two are being transferred here, so we need eyes on that station. We can grab George there. If the guys are released, we’ll pick them up. I don’t want them walking around.”

All the men agree. We concluded the meeting with nothing resolved, only more items to follow up on. Now I need to speak to Ma.

When we exit the clubroom, I hear women in the kitchen. I look to Dawg and say, “I thought no women were going to be here tonight.”

Lazy comes up next to me, answering, “My ol’ lady and a couple others are making dinner. We thought you’d want a home-cooked meal. I told them not to leave the kitchen until I came for them.”

I smell the food coming from the kitchen, and my stomach growls. He was correct. I’d love a home-cooked meal. I can’t get mad at them for having the women here to cook. No one knows why I didn’t want them here.

I slap Lazy on the back. “It’s fine. Church is over. It’s all good. I’m starving.”

Lazy’s old lady, Siren, is one hell of a cook. She’s usually the one in charge of all our cookouts. I take a seat at the bar, and Jay comes up, handing me a beer, while Dawg sits next to me and lights up a joint.

I reach out before he even gets it to his lips, needing to relax.

Dawg smirks, taking a deep inhale before passing it to me.

I take a big hit, slightly coughing, before taking another one.

Dawg chuckles. “Been needing that release, I see. Should I call Tink in here to handle that?”

I choke even more, handing the joint back to him. I look at my best friend and frown.

He feigns innocence. “What? I know you. You get all pissy when you don’t get laid.”

Shit, no one knows about Cherry and me.

I grin. “Um, no, I’m good.”

Dawg looks at me, and then it dawns on him. “Fuck off.”

I smirk even bigger.

“Fuck no. You didn’t!” he exclaims, handing the joint back.

“Yep, and all I can say is I’m hooked, brother.”

Dawg slaps me on the shoulder. “NO! You…the man who says, ‘I’ll never have a girlfriend.’”

I chuckle, grabbing my beer and taking a long swig before replying, “Yeah. It seems I’m going to try out this relationship thing.”

Dawg’s mouth drops open, but he doesn’t reply.

I just beam.

He turns his head from me, grabs his own beer, and says, “I’ll believe it when I see it. No woman has ever locked you down.”

“Believe it,” I say just as Tink strolls into the room with Cracker following her. Both girls are holding food in their hands.

“Okay, I’ll give it half an hour before you’re headed to your room.” Dawg bets me.

I chuckle. “You’re on.”

Tink looks good as usual in tight jeans and a Harley tank top, setting some chips and dip on the bar. Usually my dick would be hard as a rock, but for once, it’s not.

Her eyes light up when she sees me. “Hey, RayRay. Glad you’re back.”

She rounds the bar, and I prepare for her to touch me. I can feel Dawg smiling big behind me.

Moving in, Tink reaches for me, but I grab her for a hug instead of letting her feel me up. I murmur into her ear, “We need to talk.”

The glow on her face falters, and she replies, sounding unsure, “Okay.”

I was going to take her to my room to have this conversation, but Dawg would think we’re fucking, so I motion for her to sit next to me. Dawg’s at my back.

“Everything okay? I swear I didn’t start the fight with Tamara,” Tink rushes out, telling on herself.

I look over my shoulder at this news, and Dawg shrugs.

Fuckers didn’t tell me.

“Tink, it’s not that. I just wanted to let you know I’m seeing someone,” I blurt out.

Tink’s face turns from worried to shocked.

“It’s not Tamara,” I spat, not wanting her to think I picked her.

Tink interjects, “It’s Sunshine’s friend, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is. I’m sorry. I can’t lose you as my friend. I hope you know I never wanted to hurt you, but you knew this was just us having fun.”

She shakes her head. “I know. I’ll be fine. I’m just glad it’s not with that twat waffle, plus I can’t lose this club.”

I grab her for a hug. “You’ll never lose us. We’ll always have your back.”

She returns my embrace.

When we release, her expression softens. “Okay, I’m going to help get dinner out. And thank you for not being mad I beat Tamara’s ass.”

I am a little shocked.

What the fuck?

I don’t say anything. Once she’s gone, I turn to Dawg, irritated. My eyes narrow on my best friend.

Dawg raises his hands in surrender. “Hey, we didn’t want to add to your shit. We dealt with it.”

“How?” I growl.

“We kicked Tamara out. Said she couldn’t come back until you were here.”

I turn to face the bar, irritated, but I get it. I grab my beer. At least Tink handled herself. I always wondered if she could take Tamara’s crazy ass.

“Babe, you didn’t tell me your friend had superpowers.” Dawg’s voice rings with laughter next to me.

Looking over, I see Dawg is on his phone.

I snicker because my best friend isn’t wrong. My Blossom definitely has some kind of power over me.

The bar fills up with members, and we all sit around drinking as the girls get dinner ready. We’re about to sit down to eat when my ma strolls into the room.

“My boy’s home, and he doesn’t even call me!” she yells from afar.

All the brothers glance down the bar at me with mixed faces like I’m fucked.

I wince, already picturing the incoming guilt trip.

I get up from my seat and go greet her, giving her a big hug.

“Hey, Ma.”

“Don’t you, hey, Ma me. I’m mad at you,” she argues, pulling away from me.

Here we go. Why is every woman in my life crazy?

“Ma, I’m sorry. It’s been crazy. I’ve been all over and just wanted to relax when I got home. I was going to call you,” I attempt to plead my case.

“You know I don’t like having to depend on Brooke or the club giving me information. You’re my son. Samantha is my grandbaby. I should be the first person you’re calling,” Ma fires back at me.

Not wanting to fight with her, I give in, admitting defeat to myself, and say, “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Instantly, she’s appeased with my apology and looks around. “Okay, where’s my grandbaby?”

Shit!

“Ma, she’s with Brooke. I dropped her off with her mother.”

Ma’s head tilts to the side, glaring at me crazily. She snaps, “What?”

I rub my face. “Ma—”

Ma interrupts me. “Don’t you Ma me. I am your momma, and she is my grandbaby.”

“Exactly, Ma. You are my mom. Sammie is with her mom. She’ll be here this weekend.”

“Vicki, sit down. Sammie’s home, for God’s sake. Give the boy a break. Christ, woman!” Lazy yells from the bar, using my ma’s real name.

Lazy’s an old fart, and he doesn’t take any shit, even from my ma.

Ma snaps her attention to Lazy. “Boy, you best—”

I grab her into a hug, whispering into her ear, “Chill out, Ma. Everything’s okay. We’re both home safe. Now, can we eat dinner?”

She relaxes into my hold, squeezing me back.

“Okay, baby. Okay,” she says softly.