So, it wasn’t a big surprise when I discovered that my cousins traded one Family for another. A band of brothers of sorts, the Golden Skulls Motorcycle Club. The main Chapter in California was run by a man named Maxwell Doherty.
Now that was a man with a sketchy past.
When I investigated Mr. Doherty and the Golden Skulls, I wasn’t surprised to learn that the club dealt with the underbelly of the world. The lowest, most vile sinister creatures to roam the earth. Most motorcycle clubs did. However, the Golden Skulls were different. Instead of doing the despicable things, they were determined to stop it. I didn’t understand until I found out that Mr. Doherty himself, or Reaper as the club calls him, had survived the same depravity growing up he was trying to stop.
A quality I admired tremendously.
When my cousins received their patches, I reached out to Mr. Doherty several times to schedule a meeting to align my Family with his club and help out in any way I could, but nothing ever came of it. Over the years, I’ve been regulated to newspaper reports on the clubs’ dealings until I had one of my boys’ infiltrate the club, and now, he was a patched member.
Nothing gets by me. Ever.
My Family is my own, and I will do whatever it takes to ensure their safety, even if they don’t want anything to do with me.
“Gio, his heart won’t last much longer.”
Looking up, I said. “Has he given you a name?”
“No.”
“Then continue.”
Returning to my phone, I had just opened a new email when a call came in from a number that made me smile. I knew eventually he would call. With all the trouble mounting, I knew it wouldn’t be long, and I was right.
Standing, I motioned to the boys to cease all activity. The silence in the warehouse was deafening as I answered the call. “Youschifoso! How dare you call me? Have you finally lost all your brain cells? I ought to send my boys after you and put your poor mother out of her misery. You are nothing but a disappointment. How we are related, I will never know. Wait a minute. I do know. It’s that Irish blood that tainted you. I knew your father was nothing but a worthlessBastardo! The best thing my Aunt did was divorce his ass and come home.”
“Now, Gio, that wasn’t nice. Dad never did anything to Mom. They just had a difference of opinion. That’s all.”
“I don’t care. What do you want? A coffin? I have two in the basement with your names on them for you and your delinquent brother, who I am assuming is listening to this conversation. Tell me, Dwayne, are you still grunting, or have you learned words, yet?”
“Fucking asshole,” I heard Dwayne curse. Shaking my head, I sighed. Dwayne was never going to change.
“Gio, we need your help.”
“Oh, this is rich. Tell me, Reginald. What can the Family do for you?” I grinned as I motioned to Paolo to kill the man. I had bigger fish to fry. Whatever was going on in Northern California was about to be laid at my feet. I needed my head in the game fast.
“I need a place to lay low for a while. That’s all.”
“That’s all?” I laughed into the phone. “And pray do tell, Reggie, what will I be hiding?”
“Me, Dwayne, and one other. A woman.”
“And why would I do that?
I knew my cousin Reginald was bright. He wouldn’t just accept help from me if I offered. I had to play my part. Something I was very good at doing. I needed to pretend long enough for him to take the bait, and I just gave him the worm. I needed him to verbally say the words to me. I needed to hear it from his own lips.
“Because Dwayne and I are members of the California Chapter of the Golden Skulls M.C.”
Disconnecting the phone, I looked up and smiled. “Call Salvatore and tell him he’s needed at home. Then call Nico and have the house prepared. Angelo, get the plane ready. We have company coming.”
In the next second, I sent a text.
My plane will be waiting for you at the San Francisco Airport.
“Who’s coming?”
“The Golden Skulls.”
3