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Chapter Twelve

Matteo

“ W hat the fuck were you thinking?” Shark shouts at Globe the next day, his face a deep shade of purple from the anger he spouts. I have never seen Shark this angry before, but when Globe came back with Irene in tow, shit hit the fan.

Thankfully, Regan, Wini, and Mila were here to sweep Irene out of the room to avoid watching the implosion occur.

One thing that was ingrained in us during initiation and patching?

No females. Partners and agency workers, all were allowed except for MC members.

They told us from day dot that females are not allowed to know the ins and outs of what we do because a lot of us don’t have spousal protection, blah blah.

A bunch of other stuff that I didn’t listen to because I honestly thought I would remain single for the rest of my days.

Now, all I can think about is being ridden by the raven-haired girl who got shuffled out of here like the room was on fire.

“I was thinking that Irene is smart and able to help as needed. She’s got a fire to burn with the trafficking circuit, and she needs to let off steam. Mav and his crew are working on getting flesh for the team, so really, it’s not as massive as you are making it seem!”

“Maverick and his team have their own quarters where they conduct business. That is their secret place where they can freely do what they please. This is the MC we are talking about, Globe. You know the fucking rules, or else you wouldn’t be sitting as an officer!”

“She doesn’t need to fucking travel with us!Fucking hell, Shark. Stingray kept his women on a leash, which you are so keen to follow in his footsteps on. Why don’t you understand that them having the burning desire to kill people that hurt them makes them valuable to the team?”

Shark pinches the bridge of his nose while everyone around them waits with bated breath, myself included.

Shark has the ability to get rid of any one of us for any reason.

If he wanted to get rid of Globe for talking back, only a select few would bat an eye.

While it’s not great, it’s the way the hierarchy works.

Globe is taking several deep breaths while I stand at his side, silently taking a pledge to him in this situation.

Shark may be right that Mav’s team is fairly independent, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be.

The catacombs aren’t the only place that has seclusion.

“You know, I can hear everything you are saying,” Irene snaps as she is trailed by the girls.

Mila looks like she’s ready to kick anyone’s ass for questioning them, but Regan and Wini look unsure.

I can tell that Regan wants to go to her four men for protection, but also wants to stand strongly on her own two feet with this.

There’s shit that none of us know about when it comes to each other, but I can tell that this is more than just her taking a stand for herself.

“Irene, please leave,” Shark bristles, his eyes narrowing in the women’s general direction. “This is-”

“A man’s job? Not my business?” She snaps back, her head half-cocked and hands on her hips.

Irene isn’t here to play. “You want to know what’s funny about all of this?

The agency is what makes this work. You bring them down?

Great! We need fewer fucking perpetrators in this world.

But without the agency? Your world would be fucking rocked. ”

“Irene-” Globe starts, stepping toward her. She snaps a hand up, stopping him with the singular move and commanding the room.

“No, I’m tired of being some female,” she spits, “that sits on the sidelines because I’m supposed to nurture these kids back to their daily lives.

You aren’t the only group of fucking psychos here.

Don’t get it twisted either that I’m ungrateful or some bullshit.

These women know the shit that I have been through, and yet I’m pushed aside to enact my own sense of revenge because I have a pussy between my legs? ”

My jaw drops, as several others do, and some inhale sharply as they process the tongue-lashing she just gave our president.

Glancing over at Shark, his face is a mix of rage, embarrassment, and maybe even a little amusement.

“You want to shed blood so much?” He asks, his body slowly rolling up to his full height, which is easily six foot five.

A moment later, a wicked smirk plays on his lips as he swaggers closer.

Irene doesn’t waiver, doesn’t let him posture her into a corner.

“Then how about it? You are fired from the agency.”

“Woah,” Wini jumps in, her round eyes snapping between the two individuals from behind her glasses.

“She’s one of the operating officers, you can’t just fire her.

It needs to be brought before the board-” she prattles on and on, though it’s clear that Shark isn’t listening.

It’s almost as if Wini is begging Shark to knock it off, something in her eyes telling him to tip the scale back in her direction.

It would have worked.

The second Wini stops her babbling, Irene scoffs. “You obviously value this agency so much and have zero understanding of how it works.”

Haze cuts in. “Ulia was smitten with her, Shark. Don’t do this. She also has the most knowledge of the markets of the trafficking circuit…” Another plea to fall on deaf ears.

The stare-down doesn’t last long before Shark dismisses the crowd with a sneer. “Get her out of here.”

No one moves a muscle.

“Now!” he barks, causing Globe and I to snap into action.

“You really going to do this? Because I brought her to a meeting, and she wants to fucking avenge Nero?” I snap, finally sick of the stupid mind games.

Globe shakes his head at me, but I don’t let him stop me.

I refuse to continue to be a fucking mud mat.

I have all my fucking colors. “I guess we will be finding our own accommodations then. Call me if shit pops up, and I will be here. What time do I need to be here for the roundup later?”

Shark scoffs and then looks down at his watch with a heavy sigh. “They are still working on getting funds transferred for us to ride. It will take another hour or two.”

“Sounds good,” I acknowledge, grabbing Irene’s hand and turning toward our Pres. “For now, I’m officially moving out of the clubhouse.”

I turn on my heel and force us to walk out of the clubhouse.

Luckily for her, I know the perfect place to go.