“She’s got my vote…twice,” Axe says. He leans back in his chair and crosses his feet on the table, linking his hands behind his head. “We need more broads like her around here. They can take over while we play cards, drink until we’re shit-faced, fuck sack demons and go for a ride every now and again.”
“It’s a no-brainer, Si.” Cole is on board. “I’m old school and even I vote yes. Let’s step the fuck away from the weapons business…except for the ones we’re packing.”
“Sounds fucking good to me.” I turn to Tate. “Well, brother?”
Tate puts on an unreadable expression. Usually, the guy’s always wearing a psychotic smile, like he’s planning someone’s murder. I have no idea what he’s thinking now.
“Whatever I say, I’m still outnumbered, Pres. The vote can pass as it is, so why wait on me? I won’t make or break this venture.”
“You’re a part of our executive. This decision is too important to go by majority rule. We need this to be unanimous.” I hear my voice deepening on the tail end of the sentence. I hate admitting it, but we need his agreement. “Just spit it out, Tate.”
“To be brutally honest, I don’t like it, Pres. There are way too many unanswered questions, and it relies on a chick for a business partner. One with seriously powerful ties to the mafia. Loyalty and family go hand in hand, Si. But I see why everyone’s excited about taking this direction. Cole just got hitched, Axe has always been a pussy about doing time, and you…well, you’re responsible for all of us. When it comes down to it, I’m with you a hundred and ten. No matter what direction we take. I’d just like your girl to prove herself with cold hard service contracts before too long.”
“Does that mean you’re in?” I ask to confirm.
He nods. “That half a mil in cash she mentioned about the reward for Jordan would come in handy too. We should ask her back in here to walk us through how to claim that money.”
Axe gets up to call her but he doesn’t have to go very far. Sabrina’s a few tables away from the meeting room doors. Probably listening in on the voting. He motions to her with his index finger and she steps into the room again, leaning on the same spot beside the door.
“Yes?” she asks, looking at me.
I raise my eyebrows, waiting to give her a chance to explain herself.
“I was just, I figured I’d wait… Dammit, okay. I was snooping,” she admits. “Claiming the reward is pretty simple. I’ll find you his father’s contact information. Jordan will confirm your role in rescuing him. It’ll be a couple of weeks. On the other business, it’s just a matter of setting up a company, licenses for staff, indemnity insurance… it’s not as difficult as I’m making it sound. Don’t worry, I can help with the paperwork so you can start the gig with Jordan.” She backs away through the door. “And I’ll just get out of your hair right now.”
Tate gives her the thumbs up. “Sounds simple enough. I’m in too, boss.”
“Great,” I say once the doors are closed. “Okay, the final vote is unanimous. We’re moving on to greener pastures with the security business. Motion passed. Let’s ask the officers to weigh in on the vote and be done with it.”
Axe gives me a loud slap on the back that echoes through the room. “Time to celebrate going legal and shit!”
“Tate, as you were grumbling the loudest, and good with tech and websites and paperwork, consider yourself the de facto VP of business development. You can think up some options for company names while you’re at it. Meeting fucking adjourned.”
“No problem.” He gets up and heads for the door. “I’ll do us proud.”
“I’ll help, before he comes back with a bunch of fucked up names,” Axe heckles him as he follows him out of the room. “Beaver Dam Security is not an option, Tate. I don’t give a fuck that we live in this town.”
Cole waits for them to leave and stares at me as though he can read my mind. “I need a fucking drink.”
“You’re sure about this, VP?” I ask, locking onto his stare.
“I’m sure. Wouldn’t have given a ‘yes’ vote otherwise. It’s not about that. Look, we need a sit-down with the Mongols and Los Diablos. It was too fucking easy for them to fall in line with Giovanni and turn on us. We weren’t on the best terms with them, but hell, the Vasquez I used to know would have picked up the phone and warned us. The way I see it, Padrino may have run Giovanni out of town, but anyone can take his place. If we’re going legit, we need an understanding with both MCs. Call it a truce or whatever you want. The fighting has to stop.”
“I agree.”
“Your old man figured out how to keep the peace with them for years. They carved out the business lines and kept out of one another’s way. They’re bikers with a code just like us, and if anything, we should stick together, not tear each other apart for the highest bidder. I’m not saying what they did is excusable, right, or fair…but you got to admit, we’ve been at them just as much lately.”
“You make a valid point,” I tell him, picturing my mother with the gunshot through her arm. “Let’s put it at the top of the next meeting agenda. We can work on it hand in hand as we kick off the new business. And I’ll have a talk with Vasquez and Roman, but don’t expect miracles. That work for you, Cole?”
“It’s a start. Thanks for using your head.”
“I’ll make the order for our club to cease and desist all retaliation on the Los Diablos and Mongols at the meeting with the officers. The members won’t be too thrilled, so you have the job of explaining, as it was your idea.”
“Fair enough.” Cole pulls back from the table and starts toward the door but looks over his shoulder at the last second. “She’s good for you. Try not to fuck it up, all right?”
“Sure thing,” I grin.
Cole leaves to find his woman. I clear my head for a while, then exit the meeting room to look for Sabrina. I find her pouring coffee at one of the breakfast tables, making small talk with a brunette sack demon.
My world narrows on her. Sabrina fits into my world like she’s made for it.
I’m ready to do everything possible to keep her in it.
