Butcher shook his head. “What a cluster-fuck.”
Ghost watched him turn away, run his hand over his beard, and then turn back to snap, his eyes on Ghost, “You believe it?”
“Which fuckin’ part?” Shades asked Butcher with a huff that showed his exasperation with the whole mess.
Butcher’s eyes swung to Shades. “Any of it. All of it.”
“She wouldn’t lie. Not to me,” Ghost bit out.
Butcher’s head came up, his brows raised. “Oh. Is that so? You sure about that?”
Ghost nodded once. “Yeah. I’m sure.”
“You trust her?” Shades asked.
Ghost nodded. “Yeah. I do.”
“With your life? With the lives of your brothers?” Butcher added, piercing him with a look.
“I do,” Ghost replied tersely, his jaw tight. The air was thick with tension until finally Shades broke it. He looked over at Butcher.
“How do you want to handle this?”
Butcher didn’t hesitate, his eyes drilling into Ghost’s, he replied, “We use her and what she knows to make a deal with the DKs.”
Ghost knew what that look meant. His loyalties were with the club, and if he had a problem with this, he’d better get ‘right’ with it, because he had no choice.
Shades cut his eyes to Ghost, and Ghost could read what that look meant. He was wondering if his brother was going to be okay with it. He wasn’t. Not really. But he would have to be. Because when it all came down to it, he and his club were the only thing standing between her and the Death Heads. That deal could be the only way to keep her safe from them. And to get his club behind helping her, she had to be of some use to them. Making that deal would do it.
“We roll out tomorrow, first light. San Jose Chapter is going to wait for their guy to get released. Now that the crowds have left, they’re gonna hole up in a motel until he’s fit to travel.”
“How long’s that gonna be?” Griz asked.
Butcher’s gaze swung to him. “Couple more days.” Then his eyes returned to Shades. “Make sure the boys are ready to roll out in the morning.”
Shades nodded. “Will do.”
Butcher stalked off with Boot and Slick at his back.
Shades looked to Griz and Hammer. “Give us a minute, boys.” After they walked off, his gaze swung to Ghost. “You gonna be good with this?”
“Gonna have to be, won’t I?”
Shades nodded, gazing out over the landscape. “She tell you everything? You got a good feeling about that?”
Ghost stared at his VP. But Shades was much more than just his VP, more than just a brother, he was also a close friend. They’d joined up about the same time and come up through the ranks together. He was closer to Shades than to any of the others.
Shades gaze swung back to his.
It was Ghost’s turn to shift his eyes to the horizon. He had to be honest with Shades. “Not sure she’s tellin’ me everything, but I believe the information she’s givin’ us is true. She wouldn’t lie about that.”
“Hope not. It won’t go well if she is,” Shades gave him the warning he didn’t need, and then took a swig of his beer. “You want to tell me about her?”
Ghost took a long pull off his own beer. “Not really.”
Shades gave him a look.
Ghost grinned. “But I guess I will.”