“Thank fuck,” Bricks mutters.
“You scared of funeral homes, bro?” Wrath asks.
“Not scared.” Bricks cocks his head and seems to search for the right explanation. “Just not eager to anger the spirits.”
“Damn right, brother.” Sparky slaps Bricks on the shoulder. “Healthy respect for the dead.”
“This isn’t about disrespecting the dead,” I assure my two apparently superstitious brothers. “It’s business. A place to clean our cash and maybe burn an extra body or two once in a while.”
“Gnarly,” Stash mumbles.
“We’ll be helping out an old family business in our new territory,” I add in my most convincing tone.
Next to me, Murphy chuckles. I glance at Rock and he nods.
“That’s a plus,” Dex says. “Build up some goodwill. Gives us a stake in Slater County.”
“Right,” I confirm.
“Do we need to take a vote?” Rock asks, sitting forward.
Bricks raises one hand. “Whatever Teller needs to make the deal work.”
“Second,” Murphy says.
Everyone else voices their yes vote.
I indulge in a mental fist pump. Fuck yes. I’m looking forward to a new challenge. Something that will benefit my club and keep my mind occupied.
“All right. Thank you, Teller.” Rock slaps the table. “Anyone else?” His gaze moves up and down the table, offering each of us a chance to discuss whatever’s on our minds.
Sparky squirms and stares at the door.
“Got somewhere else to be?” Wrath asks.
“I left brownies in the oven,” he whines.
“You better not be baking pot brownies in the clubhouse kitchen,” Murphy warns. “You promised. Not with the kids around.”
“No.” Sparky gestures wildly in the direction of the garages and his new building. “Kitchen’s done.”
“Great, he gets a bakery and immediately burns it down,” Z groans.
“Willow’s over there,” Stash says. “She won’t let the brownies burn.”
“He just wants to be the first one to eat all the brownies,” Rav says.
Dex points at Sparky. “Now that sounds plausible.”
“Brownies aside, does anyone have any other business to bring to the table?” Rock asks.
When no one raises their hand, Rock sweeps his arm toward the door, releasing us from church.
ROCK
After church,I normally would’ve hung around to talk to everyone. But the constant stress of holding onto this secret leaves me too irritable to waste an afternoon at the clubhouse.
Unfortunately, I’m stopped about a hundred times on my journey from the war room to sweet escape.