Page 32

Smoke

The last few hours have been both euphoric and heartbreaking. Leaving Tenley was hard. All I wanted to do was immerse myself in her and show her exactly what she does to me.

As I was leaving the cabin, Doc arrived to check her over. I’m expecting a full report, hoping there are no hidden injuries or complications.

As the president of the club, it was only fitting I was the one to break the news of his son’s death to Wolf.

For forty minutes I’ve stood beside the bed where Cub lies. I’ve hugged my brother tightly in my arms, comforted him and listened to his words full of pain and memories. I watched as his already splintered heart from the loss of his sweet wife fracture even further from the loss of his son. I felt every crack, every fissure. It’s gut wrenching. I try to hold my emotions in check, like I’ve done for many passing years, but I give into them. I cry with Wolf, for Wolf and the loss of his wife and son. Then I cry some more, yet this time for my own loss. It’s kind of cathartic. I now feel like I can still hold on to all the important parts of my past, yet releasing the restraints that were holding me back from the future.

“I’m sorry,” I tell Wolf when I see that time is ticking. “I need to go. I called Church.”

“Right.” Wolf runs the palm of his hand down his face to wipe any stray tears away. He moves to make for the door.

“Wolf, I don’t expect you to be there. Take some time out. Grieve for your son. Let us handle this.”

“Like fuck,” he growls at me, swinging the door open and nearly taking it off its hinges. “I have the rest of my life to feel the pain of his loss, but what I need right now is revenge. I want those fuckers to pay for what they have done,” he snarls. “I’m hoping that’s what my brothers want too, if not, I’ll do it on my own.”

“The fuck you will,” I grasp Wolf by the shoulder, halting him from taking off down the corridor. “Cub is a brother, a brother we have all lost. You are our brother. Don’t you dare fucking insult me or this club in thinking that we would ever consider not taking action against Dunne and his merry gang of fucking assholes. We will make them suffer for what they’ve done.”

“I’m sorry,” Wolf says sheepishly. He knows better than anyone, that when it comes to the Young Outlaws, to this club, we stand by every brother, their chosen woman and every god given child in the fold.

“Under the circumstances, you’re forgiven, but never, ever fucking doubt the loyalty of your brothers or this club.”

We take a few minutes to get to the common room. Instantly, everyone moves around Wolf, offering their condolences. I take the opportunity to make my way into the back room where we hold Church and take my seat before the rest of them come through.

The first through the door is Stone, closely followed by Mammoth.

“Before we get into it, Mammoth. I want to say that the last thing we would have wanted is for you and your brothers to turn up as we’re taking a hit from the Death Valley Irish.”

“Smoke, if this is the Irish like you suspect. That wasn’t a hit. That was just a fucking warning.”

I nod, knowing that he’s telling the truth. If the Death Valley Irish wanted to take us out, they’d have packed that car with enough explosives to take down the Fontainebleu in Vegas.

When I see that there’s no one else making their way into the room despite of the time, I raise a brow at my VP.

“What’s going on?” I question as they both stand at the other end of the table, looking like they’re going to drop a vast pile of stinking crap on me.

“With everything that’s been going on, I haven’t had the chance to warn you…” Stone rubs the back of his head. A clear sign that he’s got something to say but not wanting to say it.

“Spit it out will yah,” I sit back in my chair. “Whatever it is, compared to the day this club has had to endure, it will be cake. ”

Movement in my peripheral has me swinging my attention to the half-open door behind Stone and Mammoth.

The door swings fully open, and a blast from the past comes swaggering into the room. Not a hair out of place, cut cleaner than the OR at St. Mary’s, and a face that has many girl’s panties dripping.

“Can’t deny that women love some of my sugar, still that’s the first time I’ve ever been considered as cake.”

“JB, I told you to wait outside,” Mammoth groans at the new arrival.

“You know how I like to make an entrance, always popping up when you least expect it, nonetheless, when it seems to be most needed. You know that, Smoke,” his comment referring to a situation in our past.

“Johny fucking Bravo,” I hiss between my teeth. “You were told to stay away, so I suggest you turn your ass around and get the fuck out of my club; out of Reno, before I put a bullet in that pretty head of yours.”

The End.