“No, but he’s got my back if I need him.”
“I see that.” The more I’m around them it seems there is nothing the guys won’t do for each other.
He slides his hands up under my shirt, gently cupping my breasts. “Now, where was I?”
Thirty-Seven
Z
Priest wants to meet with all of us early the next day. Apparently, he no longer requires sleep. With no sign of Sway waking up, he wants to make the formal announcement that I’m taking over downstate today, including stitching the President patch into my cut and swapping my Upstate rocker for Downstate.
Anxiety thrums through my veins. Normally, a brother would make his intention to run for president clear.
This isn’t unheard of though. The lives we live, the nature of being part of an MC leads to plenty of injuries and even death.
We have rules in place for this situation.
Since I didn’t get shitfaced last night, I’m up before anyone else. I want to have my own little meeting before Priest’s.
I tap out a text to Rock, Wrath, Murphy, and Teller, asking them to meet me in the chapel.
Leaving Lilly’s warm, sleepy body takes all my willpower. “I’ll be back in a bit. Stay here,” I whisper to her.
She mumbles something and shoves her head under the pillow.
Murphy and Teller are already waiting in the chapel for me. There’s even a pot of coffee already brewing.
“Thanks.”
“Wasn’t us,” Teller says.
“Can your first act as president be kicking Serena out of here?” Murphy grumbles.
I meet that request with a hearty eye-roll. “I got more pressing things to worry about than every place you’ve ever stuck your dick. What’s your issue, anyway? Heidi handled herself fine.”
Teller glares at Murphy, who glares right back.
“What?” Murphy spreads his hands in front of him. “I didn’t do anything.”
Teller shrugs. “I still feel like kicking your ass for some reason.”
“Jesus Christ.” I slam the mug I was about to fill with coffee on the table. “Do I need to tell Charlotte and Heidi you lovebirds decided to elope with each other? You need a room?”
“Fuck you,” Murphy grumbles.
“Not with Teller’s dick.”
“Glad you’re all taking this seriously,” Wrath rumbles from behind us.
“Fuck off, sasquatch,” I say over my shoulder.
He shoves me to the side. “Don’t let this gig go to your head. I’ll still kick your ass.”
Instead of annoyance, I laugh. “That’s why I want you around, brother.”
Wrath lifts his chin. “Is that black swill in your hands coffee?”
“Supposedly.”
He picks through the mugs on the side table, searching for one that doesn’t have something growing out of it.
“A little mold is good for your immune system,” Teller says. “Just pick one.”
“Oh goodie, you woke up annoying today.” Wrath frowns. “This place is disgusting.”
“Makes you appreciate how much Trinity and Swan do around the clubhouse, doesn’t it?”
“Hell yeah it does. Swan needs a damn raise,” Murphy says.
“Whoa.” Teller flicks his gaze at the door. “How about that. All of us here before President Always-on-Time.”
“Kinda early to announce you have a death wish,” Rock answers without smiling.
“I found the last clean mug.” Wrath says, grinning and waving a shiny black mug in Rock’s face.
“Brought my own,” Rock answers, holding up his mug and a middle finger.
All this fucking around just makes me realize I’m going to miss my brothers when they head home without me.
Once everyone’s sufficiently caffeinated, and I’ve swept the room for bugs, we huddle at one end of the table.
“Priest says he heard Sway’s doing better,” I announce first.
“Thank fuck,” Murphy groans.
“Don’t get too excited. You’re still staying down here,” Rock reminds him.
In fact, Trinity and Hope will be driving down tomorrow to pick up the girls. We have a long week ahead of us.
“I’m still glad he’s not gonna die,” Murphy says. “Come on, the guy took a bullet to the head. It’s a miracle he’s even alive.”
“Can’t argue with that.”
“With all the people in need of miracles in the world. If that’s not a sign there’s no God, I don’t know what is,” Teller says.
Rock slides his gaze over to Teller. “Feeling philosophical this morning? Because we really don’t have the time for it.”
Teller shrugs. “Just sayin’.”
I’m not touching their conversation.
Instead, I shuffle through a few papers. No surprise, Sway doesn’t leave a lot of information around. Nothing labeled ‘In Case I Die, Here’s All the Illegal Stuff My Club Does’ laying around. “Their finances are a mess,” I finally say.
“Well, that explains why Shadow said,” Teller pulls a disgusted face, “they can only afford to flush—”
Rock holds up his hand. “We get it.”
“No wonder it smells like piss in here.” Murphy chokes on his laughter and ducks his head.
“That’s pathetic. Doesn’t he keep saying his porn business is making bank?” Wrath snatches a handful of papers out of my hand, scans them, and quickly tosses them back on the table.
I slide a folder down to Teller, who flips through everything. “It is profitable, but he’s immediately investing the cash into several other ventures.”
Fuck me. I drop my head and rub my temples. Somehow it just now occurred to me I might have to deal with Stella while I’m running Sway’s club.
“What’s wrong?” Rock asks.
“Nothing.”
“Hope you and Stella parted on good terms.” Teller grins and waves what looks like a schedule at me. “Says here you’ll be dealing with her a lot.”
“Maybe Steer will want to do it. Sway must trust him. Hell, I trust him. He saved our asses helping us at Crystal Ball a few years ago.”
Rock reaches over and closes the folder Teller’s tearing through and pushes it to the middle of the table. “Let’s get down to business before we’re interrupted. That can wait.”
Teller flops back against his chair. “Whatever. I thought that’s why I was here.”
Ignoring him, Rock focuses on me. “What’s your read on things? Who can you count on? Who do you need to keep close?”
I sit back and think about the conversations I’ve had over the last couple days. “Rooster, for sure. He’s all about the club and the brotherhood. Seemed to appreciate my help, not resent it.”
“Good.” Rock nods. “I didn’t get to talk to him as long as you, but he gave me the same impression. Who else?”
“Steer, for sure. I think he’s just relieved Shadow didn’t move into Sway’s role.”
“Got that too,” Wrath adds.
Teller taps his fingers against the table. “Smoke’s an issue.”
“Christ, is he still here?” Murphy shakes his head. “Didn’t he try to shoot someone? Surprised Sway didn’t put him to ground after that stunt.”
“He still a drunk?” Rock asks.
“Only saw him once so far and yeah,” Teller answers, “he was shitfaced for sure.”
“Keep him away from the weapons, but other than that, I don’t see him challenging you,” Rock says.
“Who else?”
We go over more names.
At least there are more in the ‘Okay’ column than ‘Watch’ column.
We left our biggest question mark for last.
“Shadow didn’t take it as bad as I thought he would. Almost seemed relieved someone else was coming in to handle things.”
“That right there tells you how useless he is,” Wrath says. He bumps Rock with his elbow. “Fuck knows when you were inside, we did everything we could to keep
everyone out of our business.”
“Which I appreciate,” Rock says.
Murphy waves his hand to catch my attention. “I still wouldn’t trust that fucker.”
“I don’t.” I glance at the empty chairs around the table. “I don’t trust any of them one hundred percent.”