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Dante

“Tell me you’re joking,” my mother all but shrieked.

I closed my eyes and mentally counted to ten.

I had come to the kitchen for a beer. That was my first mistake.

I had sat down at the small dining table.

That was my second mistake. I should have disappeared to my room.

But seeing the bikes outside, and knowing Rachel was hidden away in her room, I really couldn’t be fucking arsed with going up there.

I knew if I went past her door, I’d be compelled to go in.

And God knows where that would have led.

We started off this morning almost fucking at the top of the stairs. How did it end like this?

And now here I was, being almost tackled to the floor by an angry mother who came flying through the kitchen like a woman possessed.

“Don’t fucking ignore me, Dante!” I rubbed my hands over my tired eyes and looked at her.

“I’m not ignoring you. I’m taking a second to wait for the ringing in my ears to go away.”

“Did you burn the house down?” She barked at me, placing her hands on her hips.

“What house?”

“Dante, don’t piss me off. Have you burnt that many houses down that you can’t remember which one?”

“Obviously not.” I said, trying my hardest not to roll my eyes at her. “Yes, mother. I burnt the house down. What of it?”

“You decided to do this after we had the police at our door? The police came here looking for Rachel, you’re on their radar—”

“I’m always on their radar.”

“Brilliant. Now you can add kidnapping and arsonist to your rap sheet. Crash!” She snapped as my father walked into the kitchen. “Are you hearing this?”

“Canada is hearing this, Mama. Calm down.” He said cooly, pouring water from the kettle and giving it a stir.

“Calm down? Calm fucking down! And what if this comes back on the club?”

“We’ll deal with it,” he said, bringing the drink to his lips.

“I want her gone.”

“Katherine…” my dad warned, using her real name.

“No, don’t ‘Katherine’ me! This will end in tears, mark my words! He’s already neglecting Bee in favour of her .”

I had to laugh at that.

“Mother… it’s been a day. I’m not neglecting anyone, least of all my daughter. I’m sure she’s been perfectly fine. I saw her this morning, and I’m going to go up and see her before I go to poker tonight.”

“Win big,” my dad said, heading towards the door to leave.

“Is that all you have to say?”

My dad looked back at my mother’s words. “What else is there to say, Kitty? I trust that Dante is doing what he thinks is best. Remember your place.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that you’re an old lady,” I said coldly. “ Just an old lady. You’re not a member of this club.”

“I am your mother.”

“And I am a grown man. I will do as I please. You don’t have to like what I do, but it's not your business. Whether my actions come back on the club or not is none of your concern. If the club is affected, we’ll take it to church.”

“He’s right. And he’s the future leader. The club will go in his direction once I’ve stepped down, Mama. You know this. It’ll be his vision we’re following. You don’t get a say in this. You certainly don’t get to tell him to get rid of his old lady.”

“Fine,” she snapped and pushed past my dad, out of the kitchen.

“Well… that could have gone worse,” I said with a twist of my lips.

My dad sighed heavily and took the seat opposite me. “It’s not the end of it, lad. You know it, and I know it.”

“Not my problem. I’m at poker tonight.”

“Cheers. Start the war, but leave it to me to finish. Typical.” He grinned at me. “Speaking of new leaders, though. Have you thought any further about when you’ll be ready to take my place?”

“We’ve been through this. There’s no rush for you to step down. The club loves having you at the head of that table. It’s where you belong.”

“No-one can rule forever, Dante. You know that as well as I do.”

“Macbeth won’t be happy.”

“When is he ever happy? He’s not leader material. If I hand him the reins to this club, I’m handing him the nuclear red button. He’ll destroy everything we’ve built. Everything my father built. I’m not going to let that happen.”

“And I’m not sure I can rule a club knowing there’s a brother hating me and begrudging every breath I take.”

“Then you bring it up in church. The club sees more than you think, Dante. They know Macbeth is a spiteful little bastard. He’s my son, and I love him, but I know the jealousy he has.

I know he’s coddled by your mother, and he always looks like he’s up to no good and scheming.

I’m blinded by love, and even I can see that.

I promise you; your brothers see it too.

If he’s jeopardising the club, you bring it up at church. It’s the right way.”

I thought about that for a moment.

The club always came first. It was our biggest, most strongly enforced rule.

It’s the main reason a lot of the men chose not to have old ladies or start families of their own.

Our loyalty was with the club. It was in our blood.

If the other guys thought Macbeth a danger to the safety and longevity of the club, they would have no problem voting him out.

It wouldn’t get rid of him. He’d still be a pain in the ass, but we wouldn’t have to abide by club bylines when dealing with him, and he wouldn’t be privy to any club details or secrets.

“When are you thinking of stepping down?”

My dad grinned at me. “Today. But… I’m going to put it off. I’ll let you get settled in with Rachel and put her mind at ease about living this sort of life. And I’ll see this through with the prospects and the Rough Riders. Did Vienna find out any information?”

“Not yet. It’s been a long day.”

“The fire. I know. Okay, well let me know as soon as you hear anything. We’ll deal with that, and then I’m done, Dante. I’m looking forward to seeing my son take the leading role. It’s what you’ve been preparing for your entire life.”

With that, he got up and gave me a friendly slap on the shoulder. “Just think about it. We’ve got some time now that Rachel is here, but just… think about it. That’s all I ask.”