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“Sheisfamily, right?” Eight asked. “You’re treating her—and us—like she is, but”—he tossed a quick glance Mav’s way before he continued—“If you’re not really serious with this woman, and just playing at bein’ a hero, draw that shit to a close, son. Don’t pull somebody into this club and not mean it. Ain’t fair to anybody.”
From the moment Duncan and Simon had come with him to Petra’s father’s house, the club had been at his back, and hers, helping where help was needed, showing up when showing up was the help. He’d never felt prouder of his patch—and never felt more like he belonged in this chapel.
Now, Eight was undoing all that.
The urge to pop off was almost irresistible, but Jay resisted. He was furious and offended, and fucking sick to death of everybody always assuming he was fucking around or fucking up, but popping off right now would only reinforce that.
So he said, “I told you she’s my old lady. It’s serious. I’m serious about her. Is there something you need so you can believe that?”
“Mark her,” Eight answered at once.
He’d thought of it, of course. He was all in and didn’t want to imagine spending even one day of his life without Petra in it. But he hadn’t brought it up with her. They’d been together less than two months, and a full month of it had been dominated by her father’s suicide.
Plus—Jesus! Giving Petra his flame was basically marriage. He knew for sure that she wasn’t ready for that—and he wasn’t wholly certain he was.Mostlycertain, but most of their relationship so far had occurred after this really intense thing had happened, and her really intense emotions around it—and his own, frankly. Jay didn’t want to move so fast they didn’t have time to be together in something close to normal life. That was when they could be sure.
He understood the club’s interest in whether Petra was really family and could be trusted as such, but Eight was high on something if he thought he got to dictate a patch’s fucking love life.
Before Jay could formulate a response that asserted his stance without making things worse here in the chapel, he saw a look pass between Eight and Mav. Jay couldn’t read it, but he was sure it was about him. Actually, several of the older patches were giving him looks he couldn’t read. It was the same look, really.
What the fuck?
Maverick leaned forward. This time, he did it in such a way that he sort of put himself between Eight and Jay. He did that when he was going to soften or back off something Eight had said, and Jay thought maybe that look that had passed between president and VP hadn’t been critical of him after all.
Before Mav could say anything, it was Dex who actually put it on the table. “Due respect, Eight, but you’re out of line.”
Eight glared at him. “How you figure?”
Dex turned to Jay. “JJ had some trouble finding the fit of that chair he’s sitting in. I’m not arguing that, and I don’t think you would, either, would you, JJ?”
Warily, Jay shook his head, but he didn’t speak. He couldn’t figure out what Dex was up to.
Dex nodded and continued. “He had a rough start. But he’s been in that seat for years now, and we’re still riding him for shit that went down when his patch was new. We all see him like that kid who couldn’t get out of his own way. I’m as guilty as anybody. But—and I think everybody who was on the last run with us will back me up here—he’s found the fit. When the Shadow Bears rode up on us at that truck stop, it was Jay they saw first, him they went for. If he’d made a wrong move, that scene could’ve blown up spectacularly. But he was smart and steady. Played it exactly right, so something that could’ve fucked us hard turned out to be nothing. Impressed the hell out of me.”
“Agreed,” Fitz said. Simon nodded. Jay could feel Duncan, at his side, grinning at him.
Jay wasn’t sure what to think. Nobody but Zach had ever stood up for him in the chapel before. It felt strange and not entirely trustworthy. But good, too. He remembered wondering if he’d earned his brothers’ respect at that truck stop. Apparently he had.
“What’s your point?” Eight snapped. Obviously, he was unconvinced.
“My point is, it’s not our business when or if a patch marks a woman. We run everybody that gets close, right? Apollo ran Petra and cleared her. That and Jay’s word is all we have a right to. He’s a patch, and he’s earned our respect. He says she’s family. She’s family.”
Dex smiled at Jay—which, to be honest, looked a little weird. He wasn’t a guy who smiled much, especially in church. And that smile seemed almost paternal.
Despite his understanding—and sincere appreciation—that Dex was standing up for him, Jay really hated all this attention on him. He knew he should give Dex a smile back, but he couldn’t manage it. As glad as he was for the support, it all felt so damnweird. He nodded, and pushed the word “Thanks” out, though it came out like a mutter.
Still, Dex nodded back, satisfied with Jay’s pathetic attempt at a show of appreciation.
Also, Maverick picked up Dex’s thread. Apparently they weren’t done shining the spotlight on Jay.
“Dex is right. Give her your flame when you’re ready, JJ,” Mav said. “That’s your business and hers. If there’s any concern here, it’s just that Petra got pulled in so fast. It doesn’t usually work like that, so we’re just trying to make sure she knows how this family works.”
Like a flash of light in his head, Jay suddenly understood why this scene—something he’d wanted for years, to have his brothers’ respect—was making him so uncomfortable. He felt as bad right now as he felt good, and it wasn’t just because it was so unusual.
It was Eight. Dex and Mav were contradicting or explaining their president’s reservations. The comments and body language of the other patches showed their agreement with Dex and Mav. But theirpresidenthad reservations. Jay didn’t have the respect of everybody. The man at the head of the table still thought he was a fuckup. That was the man he still had to convince. And it sucked.
But rather than let his hurt feelings dictate his behavior, he resolved to change Eight’s mind.
When Jay replied to Maverick, he locked eyes with his president. “She knows. She’s not gonna fuck with us. I’m not gonna bring in somebody who’d hurt us, Eight.”
