Lord shook his head.
“You want to vote him out, then you vote me out,” Brick said.
He loved the club, but he wasn’t willing to stay with the club if they couldn’t overlook a simple, innocent mistake like a listening device. Their enemies sought out every opportunity to get the upper hand. They’d be more careful from now on.
Staring around the room, he waited. Righteous leaned forward, elbows on the table.
“Are you going to give us the plan to get rid of those fuckers? Because I, for one, need a drink.”
Brick started to laugh. Righteous was their chaplain, but he could drink anyone under the table.
For the next hour, Lord gave them all the information and the plan of attack for taking out the Skull Nation hideout.
Once it was all done, the brothers left one by one, leaving him alone with Lord. He held the picture in his hands like it was a treasure.
“You okay?” Brick asked.
“Yeah. You do know this is dangerous, don’t you? That there’s a chance we won’t make it out alive. Real death shit.”
“I get that, but I also know those guys are sloppy. They’re not going to be able to get the jump on us. They never could before. They’re not going to do it now. Just another day, Lord.” Brick slapped him on the shoulder and turned toward the door, only to stop and look back at his club president. “Would you leave?”
Lord looked up. “I’d fight for my place here, Brick. You know that. The club is my life, but I can’t give up Ally and my kid. They complete me. Everything else, it doesn’t compare. I’m sure you feel that way about Callie.”
“I can’t let her go,” he said. “I think about it all the time. A good man would let her go and let her find someone who deserves her. I’m not that guy. I can’t handle the thought of her being with anyone who isn’t me.”
“Then don’t. But you make sure you’re the one in control of her happiness. You’re the one responsible for a good life or a bad one. I know Ally deserved a better life and I vowed never to hurt her. I aim to make her life the best it has ever been.” He held up the picture frame. “If I was to tell her about this, she’d be heartbroken. Ally hasn’t got a malicious bone in her body. She would never do anything to harm me or this club. We’re her family.”
“Will you tell her?” Brick asked.
What was discussed in church would stay in that room.
“No,” Lord said. “What I will do from now on is every time she gives me a gift, it will be scanned. We’ll keep Copper busy.”
“Does she give you gifts all the time?” Brick thought about Callie. She’d given him one of the best gifts of all, herself.
“All the time. I love her so fucking much.” Lord glared at him. “Don’t think for a second I’m turning into a fucking pussy. I’m sharing this shit with you because you can relate.”
Brick laughed, holding up his hands. “I know what you mean. I thought pussy was just for the fun of it. You wet your dick and you move on. Don’t get a clinger, and you stay the fuck out of trouble.” He shrugged. “I never knew it could be like this.”
“Who would have thought it, eh, you and me, in love with two women who really don’t fit into this club.”
“Who the fuck does?” Brick asked.
****
Callie sat on the edge of the bed, a nervous energy taking control of her thoughts. She’d been here since Brick had gone into church, unable to focus on anything else. Ally had wanted to sit and chat, but she couldn’t do it. Her nerves were shot. She knew Brick was going to be organizing the take-down of the Skull Nation, and it terrified her. She’d seen those men firsthand when working at the lumber yard. They weren’t going to play games.
She loved Brick so much.
She’d never felt this way about anyone before. Callie had always kept to herself, never allowing herself to open up to others. When her own family would throw her under the bus for the simplest thing, trust didn’t come easy.
What if something were to happen to Brick? She pressed her palms together and sent up a silent prayer to whoever was listening in the hope they’d hear and be able to help Brick through this time.
The door opened, and she jerked out of her thoughts. She didn’t expect to find Brick smiling.
Getting to her feet, she threw herself at him. In the back of her mind, she knew she shouldn’t be acting like this. There was no reason for it, but she couldn’t help it. He hadn’t gone to deal with club business yet, and it was so good to see him.