Page 21 of Sam (Crow MC 2nd Generation #2)

REAPER

I’m waiting for the brothers to arrive; this will be a brothers-only meeting. I’d insisted that my dad and his crew attend this one, too.

I’d fallen apart last night with both my girls being taken and hadn’t been the Pres that I should have been.

Logically, I knew why it had happened. It didn’t make me feel any better about the situation.

Sam had taken over without hesitation and had done my job for me when I couldn’t.

Maybe it’s time to step down and resign from my position. That’s what I want to discuss today.

The door opens and Draco appears, followed by Onyx. I know it won’t be long before the rest appear.

“Pres,” they greet, taking a seat. Tilting my chin at their greeting, we sit in silence, but I know my brothers, and there’s a reason these two came in before the others.

“Sam did well last night,” Draco starts, turning to look at me.

“He did,” I agree. “I’m proud of him.”

“You should be,” Onyx agrees. “He was a good lad that’s turned into a good man. He’ll be a good Pres when you’re ready to step down.”

“It’s why we’re here today,” I admit.

They’d known that I could see it in their eyes. I also knew that neither would try to dissuade me. They both knew once I made a decision, I wouldn’t change it easily.

“My sister is a fucking idiot,” Draco growls out in frustration. “She let a good man go for fuck knows what reason and has literally fallen off the face of the earth.”

This is news to me. I mean, I’m not thrilled with her either, but I didn’t know about her not being in touch with her family. Frowning, I turn to look at him. “I thought your parents said she was travelling?”

It’s Onyx who speaks up, and I’m not liking what I’m hearing.

“That’s because she told them that. But I’m not so sure that’s what she’s doing, and Beau is tight-lipped about the whole thing.

Something else is going on. I’m not sure what, though.

She’s still working, that much I know because my investments are regularly updated.

Mum and Dad are getting worried. Bella is still in contact with them weekly, and I think that’s the only reason they haven’t brought it up. ”

“What about her tracker?” I want to know.

Draco scrapes his fingers through his hair, and he and Onyx share a look, “It’s been disabled.”

I sit up straight. “What the fuck?! Since when?”

“Since she blew everything up. And her and Sam went up in flames,” Onyx admits. I want to rant at both of them for keeping shit like that from me, but I can see they’re both struggling with the fact that their baby sister is out there somewhere with no protection, doing God knows what.

Clamping down on my worry, I temper my voice when I say, “Brothers, that’s been over a year; in fact, we’re going on for nearly two years now. Are you telling me that a Crow sister has been out there unprotected for close on two years now?”

“That’s exactly what we’re saying, Pres,” Onyx responds with a nod.

“Fuck,” I swipe my hand over my face. “Get Beau and Dog in here. Tell the other brothers Church will be late. Let’s find out what they know, and if we need to, we’ll bring the others in.”

Onyx gets up and walks out, coming back a few minutes later with Dog and Beau.

Onyx shuts the door behind them. Waiting until they’re seated before I demand, “What the fuck is going on with Bella, and why the fuck is this the first time hearing that she may not be travelling? And her fucking tracker’s disabled,” for this last bit I glare at Beau, who calmly looks back at me like his Pres isn’t fucking angry with him.

“Does Sam need to be in here for this conversation?” I want to know.

Beau shakes his head, “No, it’s best if he’s not. He’s happy and has moved on. Let sleeping dogs lie.”

“Fuck,” I run my hands down my face in frustration, then growl, “Your generation is giving me high blood pressure.”

Ignoring Beau for the minute, I turn to Dog. “Do you know where she is?”

When Dog shakes his head, I turn my gaze to Beau, who is also shaking his head. Exasperated, I demand, “Does nobody know where she is?”

When all the brothers shake their heads, I don’t know what to think.

Am I so out of touch with my brothers and sisters that I’ve been totally oblivious to what’s going on under my nose?

Some of what I’m thinking must show on my face because Beau leans forward, “Pres, nobody knows what’s going on with Bella, and that includes me and her family.

Those of us who know her best. Don’t take this on. ”

He’s got my attention. I listen as he continues, and it’s like he’s describing a stranger, not the girl who used to follow us around, hero-worshipping us.

“Bella, well, Bella’s good at compartmentalising shit.

We had a massive row about how she was doing things before she disappeared.

I disagreed on what she had planned for Sam, and I’m still fucking fuming at her for leaving like she did.

But Bella, being Bella, made sure the company is fine and keeps in touch with her mum, so she doesn’t worry.

She also gave us code words so that if she called and said one, we’d know she was in trouble.

Not that they are much help when we don’t know where the fuck she is. ”

He stops and gathers his thoughts before continuing, “This is what I do know.

Four years ago, about the time she started really pushing Sam away, she got a visit from the Vikings.

It was after that that things started to change; Bella put all sorts of plans in place to be used when needed, including moving the company solely into my name.

She has a will that she updates yearly. Every quarter, she went away for a secret long weekend and came back covered in bruises and usually exhausted.

“When she started up with Sam, I assumed that whatever they spoke to her about was over. The day that she and Sam blew up, I came into the office to find her packing up. Once I had Alec pick Sam up, she handed me a file with all her information, including her most recent will, a letter for her parents and brothers, and then she was gone. Like you, that’s the last I saw of her.

She’s still working and looking after the clients she kept, but the rest she moved over to me. ”

He throws up his hands in defeat. “That’s it, that’s all I know. Whatever she’s doing has to do with the Cursed Skulls, and it’s secretive as hell and more than likely dangerous.”

Looking around the table, I see that this is not news to any of them. “Have you had Hawk contact his family?”

“It’s the first thing I did,” Dog admits. “All they said was that what she was doing was important, and they were watching out for her. They couldn’t tell me more because it would jeopardise her and not to let the brothers know but to come clean with you if you asked.”

I’m stunned, pissed, and worried. “Fuck, okay. We’ll keep this amongst us for now. Fuck, I guess I can’t step down just yet,” I mutter, scrubbing my hands over my face, suddenly feeling old and tired.

“No, you can’t,” Dog agreed. “But maybe what you could do is start having Sam shadow you. I’m sure with him and Ally only starting out, he doesn’t need the additional stress of running the MC. Have him shadow you until it’s time to step down.”

Letting Dog’s words sink in, I realise that his suggestion feels right. “Thanks, Dog, excellent idea. Fuck!!” I shout again, then take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Feeling a little calmer, I look at Beau, “Call the brothers in.”

“Pres,” he acknowledges, standing. I take a long look at him. I’m not a complete idiot. I watched last night and noted the change in him about Ellie.

‘Jesus,’ I rub at the sudden ache in my chest. My baby girls are growing up, but at least they’re attaching themselves to brothers and men that I trust. Beau’s older than Ellie, but somehow, I think him being older than her will work better than someone her age will.

Ellie’s an old soul, as my mum’s fond of telling her.

The brotherhood starts filing in, and I know they’re curious about why I’d called some in earlier than others, but it wasn’t the first time I’d done that, and I’m sure it wouldn’t be the last time. They knew I’d fill them in if I needed to.

When all are seated, I pick up the gavel and study it for a minute, thinking about how many times I’d used it over the years. Looked like I’d be using it for a bit longer.

Banging it down on the table, I call the meeting to order, “Church is in session.” Once I have everyone’s attention, I start my speech, adding the changes suggested by Dog.

“First, thank you, brothers. Last night could have gone a lot worse if it wasn’t for you. Bren and Ellie are home and safe. I appreciate everything you all did in bringing my daughters home.

“I’m the first to admit I didn’t handle it well and wasn’t much use as President last night, which brings me to the second part of business. I’m thinking of stepping down and letting the second generation step up to the plate.”

As I’d expected, there are protests. Sam steadily eyes me. Fuck, I love my kids. They may not all be mine by blood, but they’re mine all the same, and Sam, well, Sam has stepped up just like I knew he would when it was his time.

Giving him a nod, I turn back to the room, holding up my hand. I continue, “I’m not stepping back completely, not just yet. This was suggested to me as Sam and Ally are only starting out, and I don’t want to add to the stress of running the MC, as well as his business, on his shoulders.

“Contrary to what some of you think, I sometimes listen to advice, especially when it comes from one of our older members. They’re not quite senile yet,” I smirk at Dad, Dog, and Gunny. Thor’s away, but he’d have enjoyed that comment.

“Fuck you, Reaper,” Gunny laughs, with Dad and Dog all throwing insults my way.