Page 1 of Brooks

1

Sweat dropped down my brow as I rode my Harley alongside Dax, my Red Devil’s brother. We were on a mission to get the debts owed to us by the local merchants, who needed us for their protection.

The weight of my responsibilities bared down on me, like the heavy leather cut I wore on my back. I had an ardent loyalty to the Red Devils and the family we’d built, and I was committed to safeguarding them regardless of the cost.

The shop owner peered out the window as we arrived. He was an older man, balding, with a permanent frown. The bell above the door jingled as we entered, the sound cheerful given the circumstances.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” the merchant said, wringing his hands together. “What can I do for you today?”

Dax stepped forward, his voice firm but not unkind. “You know why we’re here, Tony.”

Tony swallowed hard, beads of sweat forming at his temples. “Well, see...that’s the thing. The Pistons came by last week, offering their protection for half the price you guys charge.”

My blood boiled at the mention of the Pistons. Those bastards had been encroaching on our territory for months now, trying to undermine our authority and steal our business.

“Is that so?” I asked. Tony flinched at the tone, regretting bringing them up.

Dax's voice, steady and relaxed, cut through the tense silence. “Look, Tony, we’ve been protecting your business for ten years now. You haven’t had a single robbery or break-in under our watch. Can you put a price on that kind of security?”

I watched as Tony’s eyes darted between us, his mind wrestling with the decision. He wasn’t a bad guy - just another merchant trying to make ends meet. But in this world, loyalty was everything.

“Besides,” Dax continued, “you know what happens when people switch sides. The Pistons might offer you a better deal now, but when they can’t hold up their end of the bargain, it’ll cost you more than money.”

The harsh reality of Dax’s words hung heavy in the air. The scales were tipping in Tony’s mind as he weighed up the pros and cons of sticking with the Red Devils. I clenched my fists, willing him to make the right choice.

Tony let out a shaky sigh and nodded. “You’re right. I don’t want to risk my livelihood over a few bucks. The Red Devils have always kept me safe, and I don’t want to gamble with that.” He rummaged behind the counter and pulled out an envelope, handing it over to Dax.

“Good choice, Tony,” Dax said, patting the man’s shoulder before pocketing the envelope. It wasn’t a warm gesture, but it spoke volumes about the bond between the Red Devils MC and the merchants we protected.

“Thanks, fellas,” Tony murmured. “I appreciate what you do for me.” As much as I wanted to offer him some reassurance, actions spoke louder than words.

“Stay safe, Tony,” I said before turning and walking back towards the door. The bell jingled again as we stepped out into the sunlight, the tension of the situation dissipating.

“Another one down,” Dax muttered as we mounted our bikes. I nodded, revving my engine in agreement. It was a small victory, but every bit counted in the ongoing battle against the Pistons.

“Damn Pistons,” I growled, my grip tightening on the handlebars of my bike. “They’re getting bolder by the day.”

Dax glanced over at me, his brow furrowed. “You’re damn right, brother. We can’t let them keep trying to push us out like this. They think they can just waltz in and steal our territory? Not on my watch.”

A burning anger resonated deep within my gut. The Pistons were trying to undermine everything we’d built over the years... it was infuriating.

“Tony’s been with us for years, and now they want to take him away from us?” I shook my head, disbelief coursing through me. “What happened to loyalty, huh?”

“Seems like money talks louder than loyalty these days,” Dax said bitterly. “But not everyone can be bought, Brooks. Tony made the right choice in sticking with us. We’ve proven time and time again that we can protect him and his business.”

“Still, it’s not enough,” I grumbled, my jaw clenched. “We need to put an end to their little games before they cause actual problems for us.”

“Agreed.” Dax nodded. “We’ll bring it up with Hawk when we get back to the clubhouse. He needs to know what’s going on.”

The thought of facing our President with this news wasn’t comforting, but we had to do something about the Pistons’ encroachment. Our club’s reputation and livelihood were at stake.

“Let’s hit the road,” I said, eager to put some distance between us and the merchant’s shop. We needed to focus on the task at hand, and that meant making sure the rest of our merchants knew who they could truly rely on.

“Right behind you, brother,” Dax replied, his tone resolute. With a roar of our engines, we sped off down the street, our determination fueling us forward.

As we rode, a nagging feeling came over me. This would not be an easy fight. The Pistons were becoming bolder, and it was only a matter of time before they crossed a line that would lead to bloodshed. We’d have to stand strong and united if we wanted to protect what was ours—no matter the cost.

Dax and I pulled into the Red Devil’s MC clubhouse. The weight of the day’s events bore down on me, my fists clenching around the handlebars. We’d gone to collect debts from local merchants, only to find that our rival gang, the Pistons, had been encroaching on our territory.

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