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ONE
Ryker
The storm brews above us,dominating the sky like a villain with purpose. It’s one of those moments where tingles race up your spine and goosebumps erupt over your skin, but not in a good way.
No.
Nothing feels good about this.
The vote went to Church. The majority of my brothers sitting at the engraved oak table went in favor of the Prez’s—Banner’s—idea and the knock of the gavel confirmed it. I’m stuck in the middle of the madness that I fucking knew would come someday, but as the only the son of the Vice President my thoughts aren’t always considered worthy.
Fuckers.
“Pull your head out of your ass, Ryker. You were right, but that doesn’t get us out of this shit until there’s at least a mile or two between us and this fucked up mess.” Emmett slaps a hand on my shoulder and squeezes the leather of my cut.
I’m soaked to the bone, and to top it all off, I can barely see through the haze of the rain.
This might be the first time I utterI told you so, but I save it for later. First, we need to get the fuck out of the Ice Reaper’s territory, before there’s a bullet in my chest and I don’t get the opportunity.
“We can’t go anywhere until Prez and VP have finished in there,” Gray grunts, pointing over his shoulder at the warehouse. We’ve been standing watch as instructed, outside this damn warehouse in the Reaper’s territory for the past twenty-five minutes. How much more time do they need?
Annoyed, I shake my head as Axel attempts to light a cigarette beside me. No one else in the world would even fucking bother to try in this weather, but this guy is a man of his own making, so I don’t attempt to stop him.
Despite not appreciating being here, I’m grateful to be with my three closest friends. My brothers. If Prez had put me on a job with anyone else, I would be pulling my hair out by now.
I believe in the club. I believe in what we stand for. Even if it’s all I’ve ever known, I’ve never considered if the grass may be greener as a ninety-nine percenter. Cut me open and my blood will run black for my club, just as it will when I die in its honor.
These old timers refuse to adjust to the changing world. The longer they continue like this, the further they’ll hold us back. I would never speak those words out loud though. Not to anyone but the three men standing with me. If I uttered a word to anyone else, they would see it as me committing treason against the club, and it’s so far from the truth that it’s not worth the battle. Not yet anyway.
Pushing soaked strands of hair back off my face, I glance at my watch, noting the additional five minutes that have ticked by. It’s on the tip of my tongue to call time, but the buzz of my cell phone interrupts me.
“What’s up?” I ask Euro with a grunt. No pleasantries, no small talk. We don’t have time for that shit.
“I’ve got five bikes heading your way, Ryker. They need to call time right fucking now.”
I end the call without another word as Emmett, Axel, and Gray all seem to stand taller, waiting for my next orders.
“The Reapers are on their way. Get ready to roll out.” With that, I race to the side door of the warehouse.
Stealing weapons isn’t my idea of fun, nor is it my way of running this damn club. It isn’t my father’s either, but VPs can’t overrule the Prez, so that’s what we’re here to do. Euro’s positioning, however, was my doing. An extra layer of protection at a safe distance to give us more time to act if necessary. I wasn’t wrong.
My hand wraps around the steel handle of the door when the ringing of a gun goes off, making my spine stiffen.
The pounding of the rain becomes more distant as I rush inside and head toward the other side of the room where another door waits. The light shining through from the other side lures me closer, but a moment later, a glimmer of crimson seeps under the door.
Blood.
What the fuck is going on?
From the call I got from Euro, the Reapers were close, but notthisclose. Right?
Drawing my gun from my waist, I press my back against the wall beside the door as I glance through the gap. I frown in confusion when I don’t see anyone.
Until I look down.
It’s our VP. With a bullet between his eyes and a puddle of blood framing him.
My father.
