“Sheriff’s deputy. That douche with the fancy fucking haircut. Looks like an overgrown frat boy. Think he’s maybe late twenties. Walks like there’s a stick up his ass,” Mav said, his mouth twisting like he’d eaten something rotten.
Nodding along, Zach held up his hand. “Enough said. I hate that fucker.”
They weren’t the only ones.
“He pulled me over for going sixty-six in a fifty-five.”
“Seriously?” Zach said. “Thought Coleman had him on a tight leash?”
Copper grunted. “Always has. Can’t remember the last time one of us got written up for speeding.”
Coleman had been the town’s sheriff for a good twenty years. The club had a great relationship with the man. He looked the other way on the club’s loan sharking, gambling, and any other less than legal undertakings the Handlers might get involved with. In return, Copper kept the MC away from running drugs, guns, or girls. In fact, the club worked to keep the town free of those activities in general. And of course, they greased the old timer’s pockets.
Generously.
Everyone was a winner.
Except Schwartz who’d fought the sheriff at every step of the way, constantly wanting up the MC’s ass.
LJ cleared his throat. “I had a run-in with Dicky today, too.”
“Fuck me,” Mav muttered.
“What happened?” Copper asked, shooting Maverick a shut it glare.
LJ regaled the room with the events of earlier. With each word he spoke, Rocket coiled tighter until he was practically vibrating with anger next to LJ. He’d worked damn hard to grow his contracting business, and any threat to it couldn’t be seen as anything but personal.
“Shit.” Screw, a newer member who’d prospected alongside LJ for part of his time piped up. The two had become close during the months they’d spent taking shit from the patched brothers. “I got a speeding ticket from Schwartz last night too.” He leaned back in his chair, rubbing one hand over his clenched fist. “Looks like we may be fucked, boys. And not in the way I normally like. You all know Coleman’s got pancreatic cancer. Came on fast and furious. Town board just voted in this new guy to fill the remaining three years on Coleman’s term. Schwartz was positively fuckin’ giddy as he told me how his new boss’s first order of business was us.”
Copper frowned. “Coleman assured me his replacement wouldn’t be an issue for us,” he said as he stared Screw down.
“Don’t know anything about that, prez. Just relaying what Schwartz told me. He seemed pretty fucking certain this guy was not a friendly.”
The entire room fell eerily quiet until Copper finally said, “Fuck,” in a soft voice. He turned his piercing gaze on Screw. “He give you any more information?”
Shaking his head, Screw said, “No, just that he’s got a new boss whose number one goal is to tear us a new asshole.”
Copper let out a growl then leaned back in his chair, stroking his bearded chin. Every man in the club knew to give him a moment while he was thinking through shit. “Okay,” he said after a few minutes. “Shell was planning to head to the station in a few days. We need bodies for the charity run next month. Usually, Coleman is all about that. I’m gonna send her in there, have her make nice with the new sheriff. We’ll see what happens when she brings up the club and who her ol’ man is.”
Mav started to laugh, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. The smartass could never stay mad for long. “You’re gonna owe her a damn good fuck for sending her to the wolves, Prez.”
Copper narrowed his eyes at Mav. “First of all, I always fuck my woman right.” A few men snickered while others whistled and whooped.
Despite the initial seriousness of the meeting, LJ couldn’t keep the grin off his face. He’d been waiting to be included in this shit for so long. Felt incredible to finally be one of the brothers.
“And you forget, that woman manages Copper without even trying,” Zach said. “A hard-ass sheriff will be a piece of cake. She’ll have him eating out of her palm in no time.”
“His mouth better not get anywhere near her, not even her fucking hand,” Copper muttered. “But yeah, she’ll handle him just fine.”
Still smirking, Mav lifted his hands in surrender. “You know her better than anyone.”
“You’re fucking right, I do. Now, it’s LJ’s first church. Welcome, brother. This has been a long time coming,” Copper said with nod.
As the rest of the guys nodded and offered their welcoming words, LJ ran a finger over the bandage on his left arm. The spot where the Hell’s Handlers official brand was healing. “Thanks.”
“Whatcha got there, LJ?” Mav asked with a raised eyebrow. “Your mommy send you with some treats for your first scout meeting?”
Beside him, Rocket coughed to hide his laugh. LJ didn’t mind. He was used to their ribbing for one, and so fucking glad to be there they could roast him all night long for all he cared. “Nah,” he said. “Got a new neighbor who’s a pastry chef. Helped her out with something, so she left this at my door.”