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“I’ve already seen the property Slade’s purchased. There’s land out back for her to do her thing. I’ll have a greenhouse on order before I even sew on my patch. She’ll always have what she needs. And as for trouble hitting us, I should shoot you now for thinking she wouldn’t be my first priority in protecting. She’ll never be alone.”
“Leave it be, Mase,” Pope interjects, forcing Mason to take his seat as he walks around the table to stand in front of Luca.
“As far as I’m concerned, you’ve already proven yourself for Victoria. I trust you’ll keep her safe anywhere in the world. Just make sure you bring her home once in a while, ’cause I’ll miss her more than you know.”
When Luca shakes his hand, I let out a relieved sigh.
“You have my vote.”
Between my backing and Pope’s vote, I’m positive this will go the way I want it to.
Then I have to deal with his mother.
“I wasn’t going to call for a vote just yet, but fuck it. All in favour of Luca Jackson for president over the Dog City charter, say aye.”
I scan my brothers, as the following few moments are eerily silent. Luca, alongside Leo, wait quietly, and it’s not until JJ stands and shouts, “Aye,” that they both start to relax.
“Aye,” Zachery is next to say.
The twins stand, and after a moment too long, echo “Aye.”
Ricky nods. “Aye. But you’ve gotta promise me my daughter will be safe.”
“You have my word.”
I’d hate to be the unlucky bastard who tried going after Victoria. My son doesn’t hold back. He’s already killed for her, and I don’t doubt it’ll be the last time.
Slade slides off the bar stool, rubbing his chin. “I don’t know how we got old enough to have sons this grown, but I see your dad in you, and I’ve trusted him all my life. If he feels you’re ready for this, I trust his word, so aye.”
Dex murmurs his “Aye,” and I look to Sparky. “What say you, brother?”
He moves in front of Luca and mock punches him on the arm. “You’ve always been a cocky little shit, but I don’t doubt you’ll hold your own and this club up in the city. Aye.”
Luca shakes his hand, and I look to Leo. He’s already said Luca has his vote, but it still has to be said aloud.
“Aye.”
Angel is last, and I don’t doubt his vote will be anything but aye. He grins at Luca, and the fucker grins back.
“Aye.”
Fuck me. This is real now, and I still have no regrets. This is the right thing to do. This is how the club moves forward.
I slip away to the office and dig around in the cupboard for the patch I’m looking for. Finding it, I head back into the bar and stand beside my son. Clasping my hand around his, I say, “As of tonight, this very moment, let's welcome the new President over the Dog City charter, Luca Jackson!” Yanking his arm into the air, the bar descends into chaos. Cheers and hollers roar through my ears, but I’m not done.
Slapping the patch into his hand, I notice my kid is actually smiling for once.
“You’ll have to get the bottom rockers sorted, but once the ink is dry on the property, the kingdom is yours.”
He hugs me, and I hold him tight. A day I didn’t plan for, but a day I should’ve seen coming.
Clearing my throat, I call for quiet, and wait while beers are being passed around.
“I have another announcement to make. There isn’t a brother here who doesn’t know of my wish to pass the gavel down to my firstborn son. From the day he came into this world, I’ve been building a club worthy of passing down, something he can build on and make even stronger.” The brothers’ silence grows heavier as they all stare at me with various expressions of shock and wariness on their faces.
“I’ve led this club through plenty of good times, and bad. We’ve seen shit no man ever should. We’ve buried loved ones that were taken from us too early. And each time we thought we were down, we always arose stronger than ever, together. You’ve called me your president for over twenty-five years, and I’ve been proud to be so. You’ve all felt times are changing—not just with the club, but with our personal lives too. When I first patched in, I was lost. I was so fucking lost, I wouldn’t have cared if I lived or died. This club, our patch, it’s given me everything I thought I’d never have. But it’s time I give back to my wife, to my grandkids, to myself. Now that the shit with the feds is done, I’m going to step down and pass the gavel to my son.”
Slade stumbles back into the nearest chair as he looks at Sparky, who’s hanging his head.
