Page 119 of Ranger's Rise

“He’ll never ask me to sing again.” Since I say it on the mic, the Brothers laugh and Cort pegs me a finger.

Walking in Memphisstarts and I sing. The Brothers get into it and sing with me. Cort is smiling and laughing when the Brothers get loud. Before I’m even done, Raid is telling me his song. He’s dancing, he informs me. I look at Freedom and she’s smiling. Fuck!He’s VP. I didn’t expect an order from him. Thank fuck I’m SAA and only have two above me that I have to take orders from.

Music comes on and I smile.Waiting for Supermanis a song I know. I sing and the Brothers help again. I watch my girl’s eyes and know this fits. She’s waited for me and had to put up with my schedule or me running out to save someone else. She never complains either.

When I’m done, I turn, happy to relinquish the mic. Chaps is sitting in front of me trying to look up. I bend. “Hey, Chaps.”

“I wouldn’t ask, but feel you mean it when you sing. Can you doOne Hell of an Amenfor me? It means something.”

I nod, swallowing hard not sure I can do this one. I look for Freedom and she walks my way. Cort and Raid are watching so I bend to her ear. “He wants me to singOne Hell of an Amen. I don’t know if I can make it through that one.”

She turns and Raid and Cort come our way. Fuck. I look back and Chaps is waiting right in front. I don’t know what Freedom said, but they pull me back to the table and pull stools over, then turn and sit.

“For this one, he needs Brothers at his back.” Cort has the Brothers quiet.

I face the Brothers with Chaps right there in front and feel my Brothers hands on my shoulders. With a deep breath, I take it in. The music starts and I tell the Brothers to give the same hand that I got to Chaps. I smile when they crowd around him and do. Freedom pushes through and stands behind his wheelchair and I sing watching her eyes. When her tears fall, I look at Chaps. He’s singing with me. My dad and Tito flash in my head and by the time I’m sayingbe well my friend, ‘till I see you again, I’m blinking my eyes, but my voice is loud and I belt it out for my family, our lost Brothers and for Chaps. He salutes me and rolls away.

I close my eyes and take a breath while the Brothers are loud and yelling. Holy fuck. I can’t believe I made it. I wipe my face and throw chin to Cort and Raid. Freedom pulls me away and right out the back door. We walk to the lake and sit. “I need a fucking drink after that.”

She nods. “That was so fucking sad, hard and painful, but inspiring, exhilarating and moving. You fucking nailed it too.”

I swing my head. “I felt it deep. So fucking deep.”

“We heard.”

I look back and Falcon sits on the side of us. Cort and Seren sit, then Raid and Lorelei. We watch the fire reflection running across the water. Cort laughs and I turn toward him.

“Holy fuck. Brothers at my back feels fucking good.” I’m amazed, taking them in, this has to be half the fucking Club. I love my Brothers. They’re sitting, watching the water with us.

Seren laughs. Freedom is swinging her head, then looks up at me.

I kiss her head and smile. “I guess it wasn’t that bad.” I shrug.

They all laugh at me.