Page 62 of Marcus

“They’re trying to get others to ride in, I guess,” Chris said, “a bigger threat in numbers, and all that. There’s a very good chance that it’ll work, too, considering the way the chapters tend to band together with one another when business is threatened. The chapter in Quebec isn’t that big of a threat to us, Marcus, but the club as a whole … that’s a different story.”

“Or we’ll put word through for a warning against anyone coming into Ontario or Quebec with the intention to go against the Guzzis means they have signed their death warrants. Dad has had good relations with the clubs across Canada for years. That’s not going to change just because the fucks in Quebec have a problem.”

“Already planned to do that, but—”

“I’m not entertaining these people anymore, Chris. Do you know what their plan is for sure?”

“Not particularly.”

“Okay, well let me know when you do, then.”

“Marcus, this is important.”

“No, it’s inevitable, and you know what my plan B is for them. We went with plan A, and so if it didn’t work, we wait until they force me into plan B. Otherwise, there’s nothing else I care to do or say here with them. They’re playing games, and bosses don’t do that. I don’t sit down at the table to play games with someone else, not when I have better things to do.”

Marcus sighed, his brother waiting for him to finish whatever he planned to say, but otherwise staying quiet. For once in their whole conversation. He appreciated that. Turning a bit to stare over his shoulder, he just caught sight of Tiffany running across a netted, wobbly bridge while her mother chased after her.

He would much rather be there … with them.

That was the whole point of this day.

Still, he went back to his conversation, hoping Cella hadn’t noticed his distraction with his phone because she was too busy attending to her daughter. “Listen,” he told his brother, “I’m a young, new boss—they’re just seeing how far they can push, and that’s all. I bet it’ll be the same shit with anyone that rolls into town thinking they’re going to go on a row with us. Everyone has to see how far they can get with a new boss before he pushes back. If they continue with the plan to bring people into town, and they step over the lines we’ve drawn, then we go to plan B, Chris. My stance isn’t changing on that.”

“Plan B is a mess, Marcus.”

“Yeah, well …”

What could they do?

“How do you plan to get away with wiping out an entire chapter, huh?”

“Well, we’re not there yet, so let’s worry about it if we have to cross that bridge.”

“If, or when?” Chris asked quietly.

Yeah, that was a good question.

And not one he had an answer to, either.

“Marcus, come play!”

Glancing over his shoulder, he found Tiffany waving to him from the tallest tower of the indoor play gym. Behind her in the small window, Cella winked his way and smiled. To his brother, Marcus replied, “If, Chris, not when. It is always if because, despite who we are and the things we do in this business that make us bad, we are still honorable where it counts. And so that means we give people the chance to correct their wrongs before we act against them for what we assume they might do to us.”

“You sound just like Dad.”

Well, he’d learned from the best, hadn’t he?

“Call me back if you learn more,” Marcus said.

“Will do. Enjoy your weekend—although I’ll see you tomorrow at the mansion, hmm?”

“We’ll be there.”

“Her, too?”

Marcus smiled. “Yes, her too.”

Once the two said goodbye, he hung up the phone and pocketed the device even though he didn’t turn it off. He wouldn’t be ignoring anymore of his brother’s calls, but he suspected Chris wouldn’t call back unless he had no other choice, either.