AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Smoke sat at the head of the table. Lock, Radar, Styx, and Gunny were already waiting. Straight took a seat next to Smoke, and the rest of us filed in. We went over the basic mundane topics like the chapter’s current financials and the tentative plans for Nationals.
“Next order of business is a run down to Corpus for their annual party in two weeks. I need a final count of who all is going down, then we need to decide if we’re staying the night or doing a turn and burn,” Straight announced.
“I’m gonna have to head back that night,” Smoke said. “Nova isn’t handling this pregnancy well. Her mom will be down, but I don’t want to leave her alone overnight when she’s feeling like this.”
The brothers had filled me in that first day about how his wife had gotten pregnant again when their daughter was three months old. She’d been having a rough time of it this go round.
“I’ll ride back with you,” I offered. My reasoning had a little to do with having my P’s back, and also something to do with wanting to see Luna again. Sooner, rather than later.
“Me too,” Lock added.
“I won’t be able to go, because that will be my weekend to work,” Styx explained.
Everyone else added their plans for the trip. Minus Styx, we would all be riding down. Smoke, Lock, Jax, and I would ride back that night.
“I have one more thing to discuss,” Smoke reluctantly announced.
Straight frowned and I could tell he wasn’t expecting whatever this was. The rest of us listened intently.
Smoke rapidly tapped his fingers on the tabletop. “I got a call from Morte right before we came in here, so I didn’t have time to fill you in.” He met Straight’s narrowed eyed gaze. “They’re having some trouble down by the border. One of their guys was run off the road—Thrifty. Morte believes that it was intentional.”
“Why? And is Thrifty okay?” Straight asked.
“He’s banged up and his bike is totaled, but he’s okay. Morte thinks it was intentional because whoever did it broke into Thrifty’s apartment and trashed it. Neighbors witnessed them leaving and getting into a truck that matched Thrifty’s description of the one that ran him off the road.” Smoke stroked his beard as he slowly shook his head.
“Did he owe someone money? Maybe it was personal?” Radar asked.
“He says he didn’t, and he’d never seen the truck around,” Smoke replied.
“What do they need from us?” Lock asked.
“They need some people to go down there for a week or so. They need numbers right now. Bull is sending some brothers from Louisiana, Slate is sending some from New Mexico, and Jojo will be sending a few from the new chapter up in Dallas. No one has to go, this is strictly voluntary, but I’d like to send three of you.” Smoke barely finished the last word and Gunny piped up.
“I’ll go. That’s my father-in-law’s chapter. I’m done with all my training, and I have a few weeks before I start with the city. No question,” Gunny said.
“You sure?” Smoke asked. “You haven’t seen your family much due to school.”
“They will absolutely understand,” Gunny insisted. I hoped they would because, from what I’d pieced together, he’d just finished paramedic school and it had been a challenging schedule for him.
Lock snorted. “Mom and Dad won’t.”
“They don’t need to know exactly why I’m going,” Gunny snapped back at his younger brother.
Lock held his hands up. “Hey, don’t get pissed at me. I’m only telling the truth. I won’t tell them what’s going on, but you know they were looking forward to you having a few weeks off to spend time with all of us together before they go to Aruba.”
Gunny only glared at Lock in response.
“I’ll go too,” I offered. So much for hooking up with Luna again any time soon. Brothers came first though. It’s not like she was my ol’ lady. Hell, she might be gone by the time I got back—we hadn’t discussed how long she would be around.
“Count me in,” Slice quietly added. I glanced his way and saw him staring at the table with a muscle jumping in his jaw. His hand that rested on the table was still except for his thumb that absently swept back and forth.
“You sure?” Smoke asked again, but this time he didn’t clarify that question with why he was asking. Obviously, there was something I didn’t know about. A quick glance around showed that no one else was wondering except Gunny.
I made a mental note to figure out what was up with that. If it was personal business, that was one thing, but if it affected anyone else in the chapter’s safety, I felt like I needed to know.
“That’s three, then. You leave in the morning. KSU at zero four. I want you down there by a decent time. If you decide to leave earlier, decide it amongst yourselves. Anyone else have anything?” Smoke’s gaze swept over everyone at the table.
Church wrapped up, and we all filed out of the room, gathering our phones from the basket outside. Slice grabbed his phone and stormed out of the clubhouse. Several of us watched him leave.
