Shades laughs again, clapping slowly. “Coop’s college girl is teaching him a few things.”
I flip Shades the bird. “It’s worth a shot. Delaney doesn’t want destruction or disruption at the port any more than we do.”
“You think your girl could get us a face-to-face with him?”
I shrug, unsure if Kelsey even knew the guy and even more unsure I want her involved in MC business, not after what happened. “I can ask, but with as much of the port that’s ours, we should be able to get a meeting on our own.”
“I know, but rich people work different than us, Coop. If she does it, we’ll get a meeting quicker, and he’ll be more likely to listen.”
I nod because I don’t often question Ace. He’s a good President, and he knows shit I’m still trying to learn.
“I’ll ask her as soon as we’re done here. She’s in the clubhouse with the prospects.”
“Perfect.” Ace looks around the table to see if there’s any more club business to discuss.
Shades nods. “We need more security on the girls at the whorehouses, sooner rather than later. I’m betting Hector will hit those first once his guns and meth go up in a cloud of smoke.”
Shades takes a breath, ready to argue because the man never met a topic he couldn’t argue into the ground, but Ace cuts him off with a clear and easy-to-understand order. “Take care of it.”
Wild Man clears his throat and glances up for approval, which Ace gives with a discreet nod.
“Nogales is alive. Just found him in the hospital under his mother’s maiden name, Pardo. Three gunshot wounds, non-fatal. Two in the right leg and one in the back. The one in the back is what’s keeping him there. Santos took one in the shoulder, but he didn’t go to the hospital.”
“How do you know,” I ask, anxious for information on that son of a bitch’s whereabouts.
Wild Man smiles. “The vet who takes care of Smith and Wesson had a break-in just after we rescued Kelsey. Caught him and another club member on camera.”
Shades burst out laughing. “Wild Man and his kittens save the day again.”
“They’re rescues, and I take good care of them, which is why I was the doctor’s first call. Not the cops.” Wild Man flips off Shades. “You’re just jealous I got more intel.”
Shades shrugs but doesn’t deny it.
“Enough. Any more club business?” Ace looks around the table before making sure business matters are complete. “We good on guns? Girls? Product? Business?”
With nods all around, Ace stands.
“Be careful. War is serious fucking business. Don’t get drunk in public. Fuck women you know for now, women who aren’t compromised, if possible. Anything looks suspicious, I want to know about it one second later.”
War is never good, not for either side. Many of these men know real war, flags fighting flags, nations warring with each other. But I’ve had my own share of wars back in Mayhem with the Reckless Bastards and my time on the road with nine different MCs over the years.
In government war, the only winners are the rich pricks who profit from it, not the servicemembers on either side and usually not even the flag they fight for.
For the Reckless Souls, war means inevitable death and destruction, innocent bystanders, and collateral damage. But like those rich pricks who move presidents and generals on their chess boards, we have to fight for what’s ours. To maintain our way of life, our territory, and our businesses. It’s the way the world works, and this MC is no different.
The people of Angel Harbor may not want all the shit that comes with having an MC around, but they appreciate our money, our protection, and our determination to keep this place safe.
So, that’s what the fuck we’re gonna do. Keep Hector’s grubby paws off Reckless Souls property, territory, and town.
By any means necessary. With our last dying breath, if that’s what the job requires.
“Prepare for battle. Dismissed.”
With Ace’s dismissal, I’m on my feet and heading toward Kelsey, finding her laughing with Angel, a cold beer in her hands.
From this distance, she almost looks like the carefree girl who flirted shamelessly with me that first night. But her blue eyes are sadder, her thick blonde hair sits in a knot on top of her head. I can tell the arrival of so many people—so many men—at once puts her on edge. She hides it well and quickly, but I catch it because I know her.
Because she’s mine. And when her pretty blue eyes settle on me, there it is, that excited smile. It’s happy, full of joy and heat and that’s how I know for sure, everything will be good again.
No, it’ll be better than good, because we’ll be together.