The President's Wife (Snakes Henchmen MC 0.5)

“That was crazy,” He blows out a breath of air while dropping down on the couch next to me. “Is Mom gonna be all right?”

I nod, not knowing what to say. Looking at my not so little boy, I see the man he’s becoming. The good man, Lynette has helped me raise. When I look at him, I see the future leader of the Snakes, a man to be feared, a man who will one day be more powerful than even I first realized. He’s already the size of a house, strong, smart. The girls love him, and don’t he love that?

It makes me smile to see him dressed like a biker, jeans, t-shirt, biker boots, his clean cut. Not the same one he used to wear, the one he fixed himself, one that my old man handed him a couple of months ago. Basically a prospects patch. Not that he’s a prospect, and he won’t be for two years yet, but dad wanted him to have it. He gave Tank one too. When Lynette asked Jett why he wore it, he told her, ‘Practicing. Won't be long before I'm a prospect, Mom.’ She just smiled and kissed his head.

“There’s something I need you to do for me,”

“Anything. What do you need, Dad?”

This isn’t going to be easy. Jett isn’t going to want to do what I’m about to ask of him. However, I need them all safe. Telling Jett what I need from him won’t go down well. He’s stubborn and thinks he can fight with the big guys. He might be a strong kid for his age, but he’s still my son. I won’t keep him with me, I won’t let Jett get hurt. Lynette wouldn’t cope with that at all.

So, I tell him, “Lynette doesn’t feel safe right now. Not after what happened. She has nothing to worry about,” Lies! “But she’s heavily pregnant, and all this stress isn’t helping her or the baby. Not to mention what her being upset is doing to Willow.”

“What do you need from me, Dad?”

“I need you to be a man, Tate. I need you to take care of your mom and sister at the safe house until this whole mess is sorted out.”

He narrows his eyes. He’s going to do that kid thing, the moaning and whining thing kids do when they don’t want to do something. A man, he might think he is, but inside, he’s still a fifteen-year-old boy. I turn in my seat and take his shoulder in my hand. “

I know this is a lot to ask, Jett,” He smiles slightly as my use of his road name. Who in the hell gives a fifteen-year-old a road name? My crazy father, that's who. After all, he gave me mine at that age. “I know you want to be there for Haiden, and I know he needs you, that’s why, after the funeral, he’ll be going with you. I need you both to take care of those girls up there,” I point toward the stairs. “They are my life, Jett, just as you are. If there’s anyone in this world I trust with them, it’s you.”

That gets me a smile. “How long will we have to be gone?”

“I don’t know, Son. Hopefully not long,”

“Will you be all right?”

“I’ll be fine. Just take care of your mom and sister, make sure Haiden doesn’t go off the rails, and I’ll be back before you know it.”

Jett nods and looks down at his big hands.

Where the hell did my little boy go?

What happened to the days when he needed his dad?

When he cried in the night and snuck into my bed for a cuddle?

Kids aren’t kids for long. In the blink of an eye, they’re grown up, and they don’t need you for the things they once did. That’s not to say I won’t always be there for him, to protect him. Even when he’s the big, bad biker outlaw that he’s destined to be, I’ll be there to protect him. The same goes for Willow, future teacher in the making that one.

But what about the baby inside my beautiful wife’s stomach? If I don’t get this shit sorted, and fast, I may not get to meet my child until his or her first birthday!

* * *

You sure this is a good idea?”

“She’s my wife, BlackJack. She’s not coping. I’m worried about her. Just look at her.” He can see her as well as I can, standing with Taylor, looking lost, in a world of her own. The funeral was hard for all of us, but having her breakdown in my arms at the graveside was heartbreaking.

Titus and Hillary got the send-off of all send off’s. A biker and his old lady’s send off. Every member of the MC from Tennessee to California were in attendance. Titus was a much-loved member of the Snakes Henchmen, a trusted member. One we’ll never forget. His name has been added to the mural of our fallen brother, the huge mural that is painted proudly on the wall in our church office.

Titus’s sons have held it together well. Well, as much as they could being at the funeral of both their parents. Hammer is doing nothing but keep his cool for the sake of his brother. I spoke to him last night, I thought the kid was gonna pull his gun and kill the whole town. I’ve seen that kind of anger before. He’s a hothead like his father.

I promised Hammer we’d avenge his parents. I promised him that he’d be in on the kill. The kid told me he’d kill whoever did it and their whole families. Hammer is going to be a force to be reckoned with in years to come.

“I know you’re doing what you think is right, but do you really think leaving her alone is what's best for her right now?”

“What’s best for her,” I hiss in BlackJack’s direction, “Is to be away from me! I love her too much to keep putting her through this.”

“Through what, Shepard?”

I roll my eyes while turning them back to Lynette. Everyone is around her, talking to her, but she’s looking into space. Taylor has her arms around Lynette, and I swear that's the only thing keeping her on her feet right now.

BlackJack grabs my arm and yanks me around to look at him. No other cunt in the world would get away with touching me like that. As it is, this man is the closest thing I have to a real brother.

“I agree that right now the women and kids should be at the safe house on lockdown as Apollo ordered. I don’t agree with you staying away from her for extended periods of time. What about when she gives birth? What if the stress of you leaving her on top of all this pushes her into premature labor?”

I don’t want to think about that shit. I’m doing what I have to do for my wife and her peace of mind. I’m not doing this for any other reason other than to keep my family safe. No one in this damn MC, not even my father, would question my reasoning. No-one but BlackJack.

“You’ll keep an eye on her for me, won’t you?” He sighs, yet nods his head. If there’s anyone in the world, I can count on it’s Jack. “Thanks, brother.”

“You’re just gonna sneak off to find these fuckers by yourself? You’re not even going to explain things to your wife?”

“Get off my damn back, BlackJack! This shit with Devils Raiders ends now! They’ve had their fucking day. They killed our brother!”

“I know this, Shepard. You’re not the only one who lost his brother!”

He’s telling me nothing I don’t already know. We all lost a good brother. We all buried him in our private graveyard. We all said goodbye. However, there are two young men now orphaned because of those scumbags thinking they can walk into our territory, kill two of our people, and drive the fuck off, bragging about what they’ve done.

And for what? Because they believe I pulled the trigger on their Prez? Fuckin’ cunts know nothing, I didn’t kill their Prez, and I have no fuckin’ clue who did. But if they believe I was the one who ended him, then it’s my family they’ll come for next, and BlackJack damn well knows it.

My father has agreed to let me sort these fuckers once and for all. I’m not going alone; I don’t have a death wish. Few of the other guys are coming with me, Animal, Red, CueBall, Dizzy, Lion, Steal, and young Hammer. My father will be a phone call away should we need him. If we do, he’ll have the whole damn club there to back us up in minutes. We’ve got more weapons than those fucking Devils Raiders could even imagine possible. Although they must be some stupid motherfuckers to attack a club our size. They don’t have a quarter of the men our charter has.

Death is coming for them. I just hope they’re ready