Once that problem had been solved, Rocket placed a call to his prez. Despite Copper’s ranting threats, Rocket hadn’t given up the details over the phone. What he had to say was an in-person conversation and one for the entire club. After much bargaining, Copper agreed to call an immediate emergency church. Only problem, some of the guys were getting an early start that Friday night which meant barely dressed club girls were hanging all around and many of his brothers were well on their way to being blitzed before the sun had even set.
He and Chloe stepped into the clubhouse just as Copper’s thunderous voice rang out. “Get your asses in the chapel.”
“Think the girls are in the kitchen,” Rocket said to Chloe.
“Seriously? You’re not expecting me to cook or something while we’re here, are you?”
With a chuckle, he kissed her lips once. “Of course not. We’ll grab something on the way home. Cop said they were in there sucking down wine like water.”
She was trying, Rocket had to give her that, but her brightness and perky smile were too cheery to be believable. “Okay. See you after your meeting.” She kissed him this time, grabbing the flaps of his cut and fusing her mouth to his. Her sassy tongue swirled around his then was gone before he had a chance to lock her against him. “Don’t be long,” she whispered. “I need you tonight.”
He groaned. Not only was he going to be the last one to walk into church, he’d be doing it with an obvious hard-on. Though the way the club girls were dressed, the majority of his brothers were probably at full chub by now.
He waited until she disappeared into the kitchen before joining the rest of the club in church. All eyes zeroed in on him the moment he opened the door. Being the center of attention was getting old real fast. Time to end this shit once and for all.
Mav was the first to speak. “What the hell is going on, brother?” he asked, which sparked a barrage of questions his way.
“All right, rein it in,” Copper yelled when the noise grew too loud to discern what any one man was saying.
Rocket curled his fists. “Can you all shut the fuck up?” he yelled over the rumble of his brothers’ curiosity.
The room fell deathly quiet. Completely unused to any kind of outburst from him, he had the attention of each of his brothers. “Esposito has Lefty,” he said.
The silence lasted for exactly two point four seconds before mayhem erupted. Each of his brothers shouted questions, insults for Lefty, and general exclamations of disbelief.
Rocket’s gaze met Copper’s. The president blinked at him, clearly as caught off guard as the rest of them. With a jerk of his head, he shook off the stupor and banged his giant palm on the tabletop. “Shut the fuck up,” he roared. “Explain yourself, Rocket.”
He sighed. What he wouldn’t give to have someone else tell the story. “Took Chloe home to grab some of her shit. Her brother was waiting there, freaked out as fuck because he couldn’t get a hold of her. When I showed up, he flipped even more, came barreling out of the house guns blazing. Literally.”
“Shit,” Jigsaw muttered. “You good?”
Rocket waved away the concern. “Yeah, it’s all good. Turned out Chloe had told her family an ex attacked her, and her brother thought I was that fucker.”
Mav snorted. “Musta been a few tense moments.”
“You have no idea. Thought the guy was gonna fill my skull with lead a few times. He’s a Green Beret.” Respect for Chloe’s brother shot through the roof. More than a few of his brothers had served and each knew what was required to be a special forces soldier of Scott’s caliber.
“How’s Esposito fit into all this?”
“Getting there.” Rocket rubbed the back of his neck. He was starting to feel twitchy without Chloe nearby. Even though she was perfectly safe and happy getting tipsy with her girlfriends, he preferred to keep her in sight. “I was distracted.” He shook his head. “Off my fucking game after explaining shit to Scott. Esposito waltzed right the fuck into the house like he’d been invited for a beer.”
“Guy’s got cojones,” Zach said. “I’ll give him that.” He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, and feet propped on the table. As usual, his hair looked like a freaking Ken doll.
Rocket grunted. “He said he was there to ask me one more time about this bullshit mission.” With a shake of his head, he stared at his palms resting on the table. “Knew the second he asked, he had something for me. Something that would keep me from telling him to fuck off.”
“Lefty,” Jigsaw said.
“Lefty.”
“Goddamn,” Copper muttered. “How’d he get ’im?”
“No fucking clue. Don’t give a shit, either. Esposito has friends in high and very low places. Anyway, he had a video of Lefty so I know he’s not lying.”