The trip up to visit my longtime friend wasn’t huge, three to four hours at most. I didn’t know why I hadn’t taken the time to visit more often. I kept in touch with Optimus often through phone calls. He’d even come to see us a couple of times since his father was killed, but I hadn’t been up to Athens to visit him in nearly four years.
We’d left early, knowing there would be plenty of family coming into the clubhouse to celebrate my new status. A lot of the old timers and their old ladies had known me since I was a kid. My father being a huge figure in the world of the Brothers by Blood. I was looking forward to seeing them all again, proud to show off my freshly sewed president’s patch.
My father Oz had been the national President of the Brothers by Blood in Australia until he met a pretty American girl and decided to follow her to the States. That pretty girl soon became my mother. Everyone called her Bright Eyes, due to her constant smile and strange greeny-yellow irises.
I’d bought a handful of Brothers with me including my best friend and Sergeant at Arms, Tally. We’d both grown up in the club and had tortured our parents with our antics since before we could walk. Tally’s dad, Loose was my Vice President as he had been for my dad. He was a good man, one that I respected and was honored to have stand beside me. I’d left him behind to take care of shit for the next few days. I knew things would run smoothly with him at the helm.
Optimus and his men were there to greet us as we pulled into the compound. I couldn’t help but smirk at the sight of the men, lined up behind their president. All their legs spread to shoulder width and arms folded across their chests. It was a massive show of welcome and respect. My boys and I pulled our bikes in, lining them up with our other Brothers.
I climbed off and walked straight toward Optimus. I was only six foot away from him before his scowl finally broke into a smile – a rare occurrence for my serious straight-faced Brother.
“Congratu-fucking-lations, fuck head,” he beamed, followed by resounding calls of ‘Ya-hoos’ and ‘Fuck yeahs’ from the Brothers standing behind him.
I laughed and embraced my Brother. We both gripped the other's wrist and pulled in for a few slaps on the back with the other hand. “Thanks, bro.”
The Brothers from both chapters had all greeted each other in much the same way before we headed inside. Optimus, his VP Blizzard, Tally and I, found a group of chairs and sat down to catch up.
“How’s it feel?” Blizzard asked.
I ran my fingers through my hair which was slick with sweat from my helmet. “Fucking strange,” I answered honestly.
Optimus scoffed. “What the fuck you talking about? You’ve been ordering people around since you were fucking knee-high. Only difference is now they gotta listen.”
Tally laughed. “He’s still scared none of us are gonna do what his dumb ass says.”
I reached over and smacked him around the back of the head. “Shut up, asshole.”
Tally rubbed at the back of his head, but unfortunately I hadn’t hit him hard enough to smack the stupid smile off his face.
I watched as a few of the old ladies bustled in and out, chasing children and carrying food. Some of them I recognized and others I didn’t.
“So, any of these old ladies yours?” I shot at Optimus. Optimus often kept to himself when it came to women because of shit that had happened in the past. He hated to get attached and I understood why. I knew he had a girl here somewhere, but that there were a few problems. I didn’t know much more than that, girly feeling talks made my cock want to shrivel up and hide away.
Optimus glared at me. “No.”
End of conversation!
The day was incredible. The Old Ladies fussed over their men. Most coming over to offer me their congratulations with a kiss on the cheek, much to their men’s disgust.
“Let’s make this shit interesting,” I offered as a group of us strolled toward the back section of the compound where there was a shooting range set up.
Optimus looked a little smug at the challenge, but little did he know I had a secret weapon. “My best shooter against yours. One shot each.”
I’d anticipated his suggestion knowing one of his boys, Kev, was an ex-police officer turned outlaw. Kevlar was his full-road-name, but it wasn’t given to him due to the fact a Kevlar vest was what policemen wore. He received it after he’d been shot six times in the stomach and chest during the same war in which Optimus’ father was killed. And then the mother-fucker lived to tell about it. I knew he was a good shot, but I had someone who I knew was better.
“Deal! Two grand each on the table?”
Optimus nodded, confidence oozing. Two grand wasn’t a lot of money for us to throw away. We made more than good livings through the businesses we owned and other club dealings, but it was the bragging rights between clubs that were like gold.
“Choose your man.”
“Kev, get your ass over here,” Optimus yelled back toward the clubhouse.
I looked over my shoulder and found Rifle looking at me with a smirk on his lips. Rifle had joined us last year and earned his patch faster than any other Brother. He was sharp, fiercely loyal and the guy had skills that we couldn’t afford to lose. Ex-army sniper, he knew the ins and outs of tactical work. Shit that came in handy, more often than you would’ve thought. Plus, he was a fucking crack shot with a gun.
Optimus’ man took the gun first. It was something simple, a .22 long rifle with an attached scope. He took the first shot and then sent one of the prospects down to mark it with a red marker. He fired off another shot into the woods, scaring the crap outta the kid and making us all laugh as he ran a little faster.
When he got back, Kev handed the gun over to Rifle. He looked pretty damn sure of himself, but I knew my man was the best of the best. He stood up to the mark and raised the gun to his eye. His hands were perfectly steady, not a single shake or movement as he sighted the target. I saw a small smile flicker in the corner of his mouth just before he squeezed the trigger. He knew he had this.