Page 3 of Snarl (Primal Howlers MC #9)

Snarl

T HE NEXT MORNING, I rode out to Monument to meet Sundance at the cabin and Lennon was on my mind the entire time.

I literally could not stop thinking about her.

I’d try to focus on something else, but she’d invade my thoughts within a matter of seconds.

The last thing in the world I needed right now was to get hung up on a woman, but Lennon Whitman had grabbed my full attention.

It was as simple as that. I wasn’t going to waste time trying to convince myself that she hadn’t.

And even though I knew pursuing her was a bad idea, I also knew it was something I had to do. Driven by pure animal instinct.

I pulled up to the cabin a little after nine o’clock to find it buzzing with activity. In fact, the place was busting at the seams.

“Sundance around?” I asked a young prospect who was busy loading up a truck parked outside.

“Yeah, he’s in his office,” he replied .

“Thanks,” I said.

The cabin was the Howlers’ base of operation, so I walked up the porch steps and into the giant building that looked like something out of a magazine with its log beams and wide planked floors.

Bikers filled the room, along with a few women, who paid me no mind as I glanced around.

One entire wall was filled with pinball machines and the wall by the windows was set up with pool tables.

Sofas and coffee tables took up the center of the room, while above the pool tables was the biggest TV I’d ever seen.

“Holy shit, the prodigal son returns,” a familiar voice called out and I turned to see Orion moving toward me. Orion was Sundance’s son and one of the most solid brothers you could ever hope to ride with.

I embraced my old friend, mussing up his hair. “Your shit’s almost as long as mine, son. You trying to take my place around here?”

“You’re never around so what the hell am I supposed to do?”

I sighed. “Yeah, I know. I need to make it back home more often.”

Orion chuckled. “You say that every time you’re here, but by morning you’re already gone.”

“Actually, I’ve been in Denver for a couple of months,” I admitted. “I was already in Colorado when your old man called me home.”

“Are you shitting me? Why didn’t you tell anyone? Does Rocky know?”

“Yeah, he knows. I had some business to take care of in Denver that was gonna keep me in town for a week or so and while I was looking for a place to stay, I found a pay by the month apartment in town, and before I knew it, I’d signed a rental agreement.

I’m really not sure why. Something inside me said to do it so I did. ”

“Well, Pop’s gonna be glad to hear you’re sticking around.”

“I didn’t say that,” I snapped back, reflexively.

“It’s alright, Easy Rider. I know you’re a rolling stone.”

“Sorry.” I laughed. “It’s just a little strange being back here. That’s all.”

“Just like you remember?”

“It’s a hell of a lot busier. That’s for sure. Except I don’t recognize anyone. What the hell is going on around here? Where is everyone?”

“A bunch of the guys are in Oregon, and those of us who aren’t, are working double time to make up for their absence.”

“Oregon? What the hell for?”

“Helping out the Dogs of Fire. Pop will tell you all about it. He’s in his office with your brother. They’re waiting for you.”

“Alright, we’ll catch up later then,” I said. “I owe you a beer.”

“You owe me many beers, but we can settle up another time,” he replied.

I made my way through the cabin to Sundance’s office to find the door open. Sundance and my older brother, Rocky, who just happened to be the club’s VP, stood hunched over Sundance’s desk, studying a scattered pile of documents.

“Knock, knock,” I said, announcing myself .

Sundance and Rocky straightened up and smiled in perfect unison, causing me to burst out laughing.

“Jesus, you two are becoming one person.”

“He’s the brains, and I’m the face,” Sundance replied.

“Fuck you,” Rocky said. “I’m the brains and the face.”

“Doesn’t leave you with much, does it Sunny?” I asked.

“Leaves me with the title of big swingin’ dick, which I most certainly am.”

“You’re certainly a dick, that’s for fuckin’ sure,” Rocky said.

Sundance pulled me in for an embrace followed by Rocky.

“How are you, brother? How’s the road been treating you?” Sundance asked .

“Road’s been alright. Aside from a few bumps here and there. Speaking of which, I have to thank you again for the assistance back in Iowa.”

Nine months earlier I’d run into some trouble with a meth head MC in Sioux City called the Ghouls when I’d unknowingly patronized a tavern they owned.

There wasn’t a cut in sight when I walked into the joint, but by the time I’d taken the second sip of my beer, the place was packed with members.

And they all wanted to know what the fuck a Primal Howler was doing in their fucking bar.

“Sundance told me what happened,” Rocky said. “Told me they worked you over pretty good.”

“Would have been a hell of a lot worse if one of those brainless assholes hadn’t remembered doing a run with Sundance back in the day.”

“For once, my reputation preceding me wasn’t a liability,” Sundance joked.

“He got the club to stop wailing on me, pulled me to my feet and asked if I knew Sundance. When I told him you were my president, he told everyone to back the fuck off and leave me alone.”

“Razor Rob is definitely a brainless asshole, but he’s okay,” Sundance said.

I rolled my shoulder, still feeling the pain of having my arm yanked behind my back. “Seriously, if you hadn’t been cool with that guy back in the day, I probably wouldn’t be able to walk right now.”

“Rob and I made some serious money on that run. Along with a lot of other guys. But that was another lifetime ago. Half the people from back then are either dead or in jail.”

“Things were a lot simpler back then, that’s for goddamned sure,” Rocky grunted.

“And some things are exactly the same, which leads me to why you’re here,” Sundance said. “Take a seat, let’s have a talk.”

“Hey, before we do, there’s somethin’ I gotta tell you,” I said. “When you called me and told me to come back home. Well, uh—”

Sundance put his hand on my shoulder and smiled. “You’d already been in Denver for a couple of months.”

“How the fuck did you know?” I glared at my brother. “You narc’d?”

“Your brother didn’t say shit, Snarl,” Sundance disclosed. “Be real, would ya? You’re a 6’6” goddamned werewolf in a biker’s cut. Did you really not think someone in town would eventually see and recognize you?”

I grimaced. “I guess I’m used to being sorta anonymous wherever I go. I mean, people notice me, but most tend to get a ‘keep the fuck away’ vibe from me.”

“Gee, I wonder the fuck why,” Rocky deadpanned.

“If you knew I was in town, why didn’t you say anything?” I asked as we took our seats.

“Because I respect that,” Sundance said, putting his finger on my nomad patch. “Remember what I told you when I gave you that?”

I nodded. “You said, this nomad patch means you’re as free as a biker can be, while still belonging to a club. And that sometimes the club’s needs would come first, and sometimes my freedom would.”

“And the last thing I told you?”

“That I was the kind of man who would know which needed to come first and that was the reason you were granting me nomad status.”

Sundance nodded. “That’s right. That’s what I said then, and it’s what I mean now. I trust you. And just because you’re in the area doesn’t mean I have any more of a leash on you than if you were in fucking Siberia.”

“But now, you need me. The club needs me.”

“That’s right,” Sundance replied. “Not just our club but the Dogs of Fire as well.”

“What’s up?”

“You know the Dogs own a piece of our grow business, right?”

“Sure. They oversee the Oregon and Washington side of the operation.”

“That’s right. An arrangement that’s been extremely profitable for both clubs. So profitable in fact that it’s gained the attention of the Spiders MC.”

“The Spiders? I thought that club was all but wiped out?”

“All but ,” Sundance replied. “They’ve regrouped and have a new President. A real nasty piece of work named Warlock, and he is demanding the Dogs turn over one hundred percent of their interest to the Spiders.”

“Or, what?”

“Or it’s all out war between the clubs.”

“And the Spiders don’t stop at club members. They go after families,” Rocky said.

“He’s right,” Sundance said. “And if the Spiders are already strong enough to threaten Hatch and the Dogs, it’s only a matter of time before they make a move.”

“So where do we fit into this shit sandwich?” I asked.

“Right now, Warlock believes the Howlers don’t give a shit about who’s running the Pacific Northwest operation as long as its profitable.”

“Why do they believe that?”

Sundance grinned. “Because that’s what I’ve led Warlock to believe and I’m one charming motherfucker.”

“Could charm the hands right off of Big Ben,” Rocky said.

“Big Ben is the name of the bell inside of the clock tower, not the clock itself,” I corrected.

“Why the fuck would you know that?” Rocky asked in disgust.

“Because he reads,” Sundance said.

“I fuckin’ read!” Rocky challenged.

“He reads things other than beer bottle labels and carburetor manuals,” Sundance replied, before turning his attention back to me.

“I’ve sent twelve guys to Portland to help the Dogs out if and when the shit hits the fan.

What I need you to do is stick around here and help me get some of our younger guys and prospects battle ready in case the fan is big enough to blow our way. ”

“You really think Warlock could make a move on us? ”

“I do. He’s seasoned but he’s a brand-new president who’s looking to make a name for himself. At the same time, he’s trying to prove that his club is strong enough for war.”

“You think they are?” I asked.

“I think going to war with any club would mean losses and I don’t just mean financially.”

“But you want the troops to be ready just in case,” I said.

“That’s the idea. You the right man for the job?”

I shook my head. “Nope, I’m the right beast.”

Sundance and Rocky smiled again.

In unison.

Creepy as hell.