She busts out laughing and releases me. “Anytime.”
Grinder
I’m almost to our room when one of the doors across the hallway opens a crack. Wrath peers out, his serious gaze landing on me and he jerks his head. “Get in here.” He opens the door wider. “Hurry.”
The fuck is up now? I just want to see my girl and get home.
I glance up and down the hallway before hustling my ass into his room. “What’s with the spy games?” I grumble after he closes the door.
I turn and find Z, Rock, Dex, Rooster, Jigsaw, Teller, and Murphy scattered around Wrath’s room. “Thanks for thinking of me, guys, but despite the rumors of what goes on in prison, I’m not interested.”
“Hilarious,” Wrath answers without a shred of humor. He jerks his chin toward an empty spot at the foot of the bed.
I run my gaze over the assembled group again. ‘Where’s Steer?”
“Keeping Priest busy,” Z says.
“I’m not an officer, so why am I here?”
“For your older perspective,” Z answers in a realistic impression of Priest’s earlier comment.
“Stop acting like I’m the fucking Crypt Keeper, would ya.”
“We don’t have a lot of time,” Rock says. “Let’s argue about this later.”
I hold up my hands to let them know I’m here to listen.
“What Priest wants to do is a big fucking problem,” Wrath says.
That’s what I figured this was about.
“I never saw the day comin’ where Priest would want his face on television,” I agree.
“I got the feeling he was more open to publicity over the summer,” Rooster says. “I didn’t think he meant filming a fucking documentary.”
“Why didn’t you warn me?” Z asks.
Rooster’s eyes widen. “I told you he implied it was fine if people knew Shelby was under Lost Kings’ protection by wearing my colors when I was on the road with her. ‘Quietly let the world know there would be consequences to fucking with my girl’ was how I think he put it.”
“Right,” Z says. “This is way past a photo in a magazine.”
“Or a magazine cover,” Jigsaw adds.
“Shut up.” Rooster leans over and shoves Jigsaw.
“My problem,” Rock says, “is that this is a network producing the documentary. We have no way to control the narrative or how it will be presented.”
“We all know it’s not going to be presented in any way that flatters us,” Teller says.
“When has this ever gone well for an MC?” Murphy asks. “Didn’t that dude who founded the Club-We-Won’t-Name try and turn himself into a celebrity? Club stripped his patch and put a hit out on him.”
“He’s still hiding in the New Mexico desert somewhere,” Dex adds.
“I know who you’re talking about,” I say. “And that’s a good point.” I glance at Rock. “If Priest does this, it might be the end of the road for him as national president. And I think you’re the best one suited to take his place.”
Good thing Rock can’t shoot fire with his eyes or I’d be burned to a crisp on the spot. “Shut your mouth, old man. I don’t want any part of that.”
“He’s right, Rock,” Z says.
“Careful, Z, he’ll draft you as his VP,” Wrath warns.
“No, no, no. I need to stay right where I am.” Z slaps the wall to punctuate his statement. “Murphy will make an excellent national VP and Teller can run upstate.”
“What now?” Teller’s eyes widen. But this can’t be the first time someone’s suggested he should lead the club.
“Let’s not tap dance on Priest’s grave, yet,” Dex says. “That motherfucker won’t go down without a fight.”
“He won’t have a choice if this documentary backfires.” Wrath paces in front of the bathroom door.
“Can you try to get a moment alone with Blink?” Rock asks Wrath. “See where his head is at?”
“He thinks what Priest tells him to think,” Z says.
Jigsaw reacts with a raised eyebrow—the one with the scar slashed through it. “I don’t know about that.”
“You tell him about Sway’s arrest?” Rock asks Z. “Because if that goes further, you know damn well it’ll end up in the documentary. Then being sleazy porn kings will seem like a compliment.”
Z’s eyes narrow. “I mentioned it. Didn’t get into a lot of details. He didn’t seem surprised.”
“Sway’s not in a position of power now, so I don’t think Priest gives a fuck what happens to him,” Rooster adds. “But Rock’s right, that info will get dug up and used to smear all of us.”
“What’s our game plan?” Murphy jumps out of his seat and swings his arms back and forth like he can’t sit still another second.
“Wrath’s gonna talk to Blink,” Rock says.
“I am?”
“Yes,” Rock growls. “I’ll talk to Ice and see where he’s at, although I think we already know.”
Rooster raises his hand. “You think Washington knows what’s up yet?”
“You feel like riding out there to give ‘em the good news?” Z asks.