“I agree with Jigsaw,” Dex says.
“No one asked you, upstate road captain,” Hustler sneers.
“I, your downstate VP, agree,” Rooster says, raising his hand.
“Big surprise,” Steer mutters. “You and Jiggy tag-team everything.”
“The fuck did you say?” Rooster jumps out of his chair and leans across the table. “Wanna repeat that?”
“All right. Enough.” Z slams his gavel against the table.
Rooster drops into his chair, still fuming.
“You can’t put this all on Tawny. Pants knows better,” Steer argues.
“What’s your fucking deal?” Teller asks Steer.
“Yeah,” Murphy chimes in. “Why are you defending that bitch so hard?”
“Great, I was waiting for the lumberjack twins to join in.” Steer throws his hands in the air. “It’s a matter of respect.”
“Except, time after time, she’s disrespected our ol’ ladies,” Wrath says in his deadly calm voice. “And she got away with it because Sway was your president. He’s not anymore. And she’s a liability.”
Z raps his gavel against the table several more times. “Do I need to crack skulls with this thing?”
“Sorry, Prez,” Steer mutters.
“Because of Sway’s shooting, the way he got booted out of this very chair I’m sittin’ in, and because Tawny seemed to have mellowed out, I wasn’t going to have a talk with Sway.” Z pauses and glances up and down the table. “But just like a snake ain’t gonna grow legs and walk, she’s never gonna grow a conscience and stop playing these petty games. Lilly’s been having issues with her.” He lifts his chin at me. “Nothing like what went on last night.”
“Give her time,” Jigsaw mutters.
“I had a very specific conversation with her last night,” I say before Steer and Jiggy get into it again. “She promised me she wasn’t going to start shit with Serena. For my sake.” I launch into a phony high-pitched imitation of Tawny’s voice. “Because she was supposedly so worried about me while I was inside.”
Rock snorts.
“That makes it even worse,” Rooster says. “She fuckin’ lied to a brother’s face.”
“All right. I can’t remember the last time we told a brother his ol’ lady wasn’t allowed in a clubhouse. How do we want to do this?” Z asks his officers. “Officer vote or bring it to the whole table?”
I raise my hand. “Uh, I realize I’m not a member of this charter, but I’d really rather not have this situation talked about more than it already has been.”
“Bro, everyone saw you pound the snot out of Pants last night,” Hustler says.
“I get what you’re concerned about, brother.” Z nods at me. “I’m going to talk to Sway first. Give him a presidential order. His wife is banned from visiting the clubhouse. If he pushes back, we’ll take it to a club vote and make him sit through it.”
“That’s fair.” Steer jerks his chin at Z. “Man-to-man conversation. We owe him that much.”
Z’s side-eye says he doesn’t feel he owes Sway a damn thing. He blows out a long, slow breath. “Good, I’m glad you feel that way, Steer. As my SAA, you’re going to join the conversation. That way he won’t feel like it’s a personal attack.”
“No problem, Prez.”
“Is this acceptable to you, Grinder?” Z asks.
Tawny’s been a fixture in the club ever since I can remember. I don’t take pleasure in her gettin’ banned but it’s what needs to happen. “Yeah, I’m okay with it. Thank you for taking it seriously, Z.”
“You got it.” His mouth turns down. “I know we all like to fuck around and get rowdy. That’s what the clubhouse is for. But I can’t stand having any of our girls treated like that. It’s not what we’re about. And I don’t want Serena thinking she’s not welcome or safe here.”
“Thank you.”
“Anyone know if they’re upstairs?” Z asks.
Hustler shakes his head. “No, they left right after everything went down last night.”
“Figures.”
“You want me to call Sway and ask him to come by?” Steer asks.
“No. I don’t want to give him a head’s up that anything’s going on. They’re supposed to be here later. We’ll do it then.” Z flicks his hand toward the door. “Everyone’s free to go.”
Jigsaw squeezes behind me and rests his hand on the back of my chair. “You need anything, brother?”
“I’m good.” I tip my head so I can see the tall fucker. “Thanks for having my back.”
“You know it.” He holds out his fist and I tap my knuckles against it.
Rooster stops by for a fist-bump as well.
Eventually everyone stops by to have a quick word and show support.
Then Rock, Z, Wrath, and I are the only ones left.
Rock squeezes Z’s shoulder. “I’m not going to say I’m proud of you, but I can’t think of another president who would’ve handled that better.”
“Thanks, brother.” Z taps the side of his head. “I can think of one. You.”
“Nah, he would’ve lost his shit.” Wrath jerks his chair toward Steer’s now-empty seat. “The way he kept running his mouth.”