Page 140 of Healed

“Who, Vienna?”

“Spunky.”

“Spunky?!” Rachel spluttered. “The little club whore who almost got her teeth knocked out the first day I arrived? Beth’s sister? That Spunky?”

“How many people named Spunky do you know?”

Rachel shrieked. She grabbed hold of Vienna’s beard and tried to stuff it into his mouth. “You dirty, horrible, rotten bastard!” she hissed, shoving the hair with all her might.

“Vienna, can I have you up here, please?” Dante yelled.

“Gotta go,” Vienna said, stealing another swig of my beer before ducking Rachel’s next attack and practically skipping over to his president.

“I take it you don’t like Spunky?” I asked innocently.

“Bite me, Gabriella.”

“May as well. You’ve already tasted me. Fair’s fair.”

She burst out laughing at that and then linked my arm, leading me to the front of the crowd. “Come on,” she said, pulling me along. “We’ll only get bitched at if we miss this.”

“…we usually do this in Church,” Dante was in the middle of saying. “But since we’re all here, and we already did a vote last week, I figured now was as good a time as any. Darwin, can you come to the front?”

The crowd parted to make way for the prospect, who was looking pale and as though he wanted the ground to swallow him up.

“Remove your cut,” Dante demanded.

Darwin complied without hesitation.

“How do you feel your year with us has been, Prospect?”

“I think it’s been valuable.”

“What have you brought to the club, do you think?”

Fuck me, this was a bit intense.

Everyone was silent. They were all waiting for Darwin’s next words. No one offered him so much as a small bit of encouragement. In fact, everyone looked rather stern and serious. Even Vienna.

Fucking hell.

Darwin swallowed heavily. “I’ve helped with numerous brick runs whilst I’ve been here. I’ve sat in on the road planning meetings, and learned my way around navigating routes. I assisted with the rescue of our vice, kept guard over the clubhouse whenever it was my shift or someone needed assistance, and also attended every meeting and bike run, both compulsory and optional.”

“And what weaknesses have you yet to overcome?”

“I’m sorry?”

“No one is perfect,” Dante said. “We all have our weaknesses. It’s learning to recognise them that stops our weaknesses becoming a hindrance. What are your weaknesses?”

“I err… well, I don’t always take the initiative. I wait to be told what to do a lot of the time. I should be securing my own leads. I also don’t always pull my weight in terms of cleaning up after Church or maintaining the club property. I could do more of that.”

Dante nodded. “What do you think, Vienna?”

“Is he in?” I whispered to Rachel, not listening to Vienna’s reply.

“Probably. The club voted for it, but ultimately the decision comes down to Dante. He never tends to go against club majority, that’s not his style. No point asking their opinion if he’s not going to listen to it, you know?”

“So what’s the point in all of this then?”