The One I Need (Snakes Henchmen MC 2)

By the time we reach the clubhouse, I realize it isn't going to go well. The Prez is beyond pissed with me. Okay, I get why, but shit, his daughter could have done worse than a bastard like me. I'd never hurt her or that little girl. I'd lay my fuckin' life on the line for the two of them. I'd bleed the fuckin' streets red to keep them safe. Hell, the Prez has to know that!

Shepard pushes me down into a chair in the middle of his office like I'm some fuckin' war criminal he's about to torture the shit out of. Jett and Hammer are also here. There's no point me looking to either of them right now, both VP and Chief Executioner/ Sergeant-At-Arms aren't gonna do shit to help me if it means going against Shepard.

Hammer, my blood brother, has been part of this club for almost as long as I can remember. He knows the rules better than anyone. Blood brother or not, right now he's not going to so much as ask what I'm supposed to have done to deserve whatever the Prez is accusing me of. And he will think nothing of offing me should Shepard tell him to do so.

Yeah, so I'm pretty much fucked right now.

“You have ten seconds to tell me why I shouldn't let these boys rip you a new asshole, boy.” He'd let them too. Hell, my own brother would maul me like a damn bear if Shepard told him to.

“I know I defied a direct order, but all I've done is be there for Nova. I haven't touched her.”

Liar. You've kissed and groped her a million times.

Not that the Prez needs to know that.

“I am one hundred percent dedicated to this club. I have killed, bled, and almost died for this club more times than I can count. I've never questioned your ruling over the brothers. Not once. But I love her, Prez.”

His nostrils flare, his eyes bugged out. He's about ten seconds away from punching me out.

“Look, beat the crap outta me if that's what will make you feel better, but it won't change the fact she's mine. And I will do anything to keep her with me, to protect her and Ember. I don't give a shit who says what. I won't let anyone mess with what I have with my old lady. Not even you.”

I swallow hard, and I do mean hard, when he slams his hands down on the arms of the chair I'm sitting in, almost tipping me the fuck back. He's a strong fucker to move a man my size. I can feel the heat of his anger burning my fucking face like molten lava.

“You think yourself damn lucky that I trust you with my life, boy.” He hits me with a hard stare before grunting and pulling away. I breathe deeply in relief. Hey, the man might be getting on in years but he packs a punch and a half.

I thought for a second he'd de-patch me and have the brothers rip me to shreds.

“What you wanna do about this, Prez?” Jett's a good friend, my best friend, my brother, but he wouldn't think twice about blowing my head off if the Prez ordered him to.

“Let me ask you this, Jett,” Shepard folds his huge arms around his even bigger chest. Never does he cover his patch. Even the one inked on his huge chest is always visible, poking out the top of whatever shirt he's wearing under his cut. The same ink each brother wears with pride. “How would you feel if Tank claimed your sister as his old lady?”

Already claimed, Prez.

But if he honestly told me that I couldn't claim her, that I'd lose my patch if I did, I'd choose the only family I've ever known. Snakes Henchmen MC Tennessee Charter is all I have ever known. Who the fuck would I be without them?

But the thought of walking away from Nova, from Ember, fuck, I don't know that I could do it without taking out half the fucking city.

“Tank is one of the best brothers in this charter, Dad. Defying your order was low, but since when was it wrong to fall in love? Nova is not a little girl anymore, Prez, and she sure as hell ain't no weak woman.” No, she is not. Working with the damn Exorcist she's got to be strong.

“I'd rather my sister be with Tank, a man I know can protect her and Ember, than she be with some other asshole like one of those damn Devil's Hornet cunts.”

“Huh.” The Prez huffs while scratching his stubbled chin, seemingly in thought.

“What you wanna do, Prez? You want me to beat some sense into my little brother and make sure he stays away from your daughter?” Damn Hammer! “Or you gonna let him claim your daughter as his old lady? Cause I gotta say, she could do far worse than Tank.”

I'm trying to suppress a smile. I should have known Hammer would stand up for me. Always does. As long as I deserve it, of course.

“Come on, Prez, you helped me raise him after our parents were killed. You know him. He's not gonna fuck up or hurt Nova. She's a strong woman, Prez. She's more like you than you think. If he hurt her, she'd damage him in ways no one would recognize him afterward.” I believe it too. “If she loves him, trusts him not only with her heart and life but the heart and life of her daughter, then don't they deserve a chance?”

“You've made your point, stand down, son.” Hammer nods respectfully and steps back. “My daughter means everything to me.” I open my mouth but I close it just as fast when he stares me down. I know when to hold my tongue.

“For fifteen years I had no clue where she was or if she was even alive. Her mother wasn't just my old lady, she was my fiancée.” I didn't know that, and by the look on Jett's face, I don't think he did either. “Only made it so because Apollo kept badgering me about my kids being born to unmarried parents. Neither of us wanted to get married, think that's why we put it off for so many years. Anyway, bitch took off one afternoon when I was still VP and deep in battle with those fucked up Seething Hellhounds.”

I remember those cunts. They killed a couple of our guys for no apparent reason. It caused out and out war between the clubs. Fuckers shouldn't have even been on our turf. This MC took out most of those assholes. I was just a kid when it happened but I remember my mama being terrified of what could happen to her sons.

Nothing did. My dad took out four of the motherfuckers on his own. I was proud to be his son that day.

“I came home to find her things gone. I called my momma to make sure my kids were still there. CueBall answered the phone. Tells me my momma couldn't come to the phone because she couldn't stop crying. Something had happened to Nova. Of course, I slammed the phone down before he could tell me what. I rode over there so fuckin' fast I'm surprised I didn't kill myself.” He huffs deeply, resting his ass back against the small desk on the other side of the room.

“As soon as I got there, I knew something was very wrong. My son was sittin' on the porch in a world of his own. Turns out, Celia had walked into my mother’s house, picked up Nova, told my momma she was takin' my kids and never comin' back. She dropped her ring on the table, threw her jacket on the chair, then told my mother she'd be stampin' out her ink as soon as she could.

“Apparently Jett wouldn't leave with her, tried to make her put Nova down as she screamed for Jett to help her. What was it she said to you, Son?”

“Stay then. See if I care. I always knew you'd be just like him. She didn't even say goodbye to me before she walked away with my screaming sister in her arms.”

“Fifteen years,” The Prez walks toward me again, hands in his pockets. “Fifteen, Tank. That's how long it took for my baby girl to walk back into my life. Any of those fuckers who bring war on us

could take her just because she's my daughter. If I let you do this I need your word that you'll protect her with...”

“My life, Prez. I wear these patches with pride. Nothing will ever happen to her as long as I draw breath. That I can promise you.” He looks at me for a moment before nodding slowly.

He grabs my hand, pulls me from my seat and bear hugs me, slapping me on the back. “You have my blessing. Don't let me down.”

“You have my word.”

“Best get your old lady branded.” Fuck yes I'm getting her branded, just as soon as I can. Very soon she'll be wearin' a leather with Property Of Tank written on the back so every fucker within a ten-thousand-mile radius will know she's mine.

* * *

She's asleep by the time I make it back to her apartment. Curled up on her couch with a crochet blanket over her legs and waist. I hadn't even realized I was smiling until I caught my reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall. This beautiful woman is now my old lady. All I need is for her to tell me that's what she wants and I'll have her branded with my mark before she can even blink.

I crouch down in front of her, strokin' the back of her dark hair gently. She stirs a little and mumbles something inaudible, making me smile again. I never thought I could feel like this about a woman.

Before now, before her, all I cared about was my club and getting my dick wet. And believe me, I got my dick wet more often than not. Every damn night I had one whore or another in my bed, sometimes two or three at a time. And those whores knew some tricks. Fuck did they ever.

But as I look at the sleeping beauty before me, I realize those whores were nothing in comparison. Fuck, I haven't even tasted this girl’s lips enough, but boy, am I going to taste those lips. I'm gonna taste every damn inch of this girl and I know it will never be enough.

“Tank?” Her pretty eyes flicker open, trying to focus on my face.