Page 6 of Wizard's Spitfire

“What’s a Voodoo King?” Lucia asks.

“It’s some kind of gang,” Valentina says snidely.

“It’s not a gang,” Pops says gently. “They’re a motorcycle club. A group of men who live by a code. Only those wearing a patch that says one percent are criminals. I’ve heard of Chief; he started the Kings in Baton Rouge. Gambit, his son, is the current President of this chapter here in New Orleans.

“I know they do at least two charity runs a year, donate to a women and children’s shelter and recently opened a clinic that charges based on what you make.

“My friend Joe fell and broke his hip. His insurance sucks. The hospital had him sitting in pain in the waiting room ER for hours. This big biker comes in about the same time someone bumps into Joe and causes him to cry out.

The biker comes over immediately; turns out he’s a doctor and, get this, he’s one of those Kings. They call him Doc. He called someone from the clinic to come get Joe in an ambulance. The guy’d come to check on a patient. He left and came backnot ten minutes later. Gave Joe a shot for the pain. Followed us on his bike when the ambulance arrived. Took care of Joe immediately. Even sent a healthcare worker to take care of him while he recuperated.”

“How much was that bill?” Lucia asks.

“Nothing. Every penny Joe gets he uses to survive. Someone from the clinic went over his finances with him. Even considered his dog’s expenses into it. Most places won’t do that. Joe said they used some grant he qualified for, and they paid his bill.”

“I hope Doc is there. I’d like to meet him,” Ma says.

Chapter 2

Wizard

I’M SMILING FROM EARto ear. She said yes. She’s bringing her family to the employee bar-b-que. I know from the research I did, after hiring her, that she lives with her daughters, mother, and paternal grandfather. Better known as Pops. Good thing Chief isn’t here. It might get confusing. His kids and grandkids call Chief “Pops.” A knock on my door draws my attention.

“Enter.”

Gambit enters the room.

“Got an update for me?”

“The PI and her family are coming to the party. We officially meet Monday for information. I know she’s hit a lot of dead ends. Frankly, so have I.”

“This has to be more than one woman OD’ing.”

I nod my head. “I agree. If it was a simple case of her using drugs, there’d be an easy line to follow. So far, Charlie’s found no evidence of drug use until roughly six weeks before the twins' birthday. Why would a mother who stayed clean for nearly eight months start using hardcore?”

“Questions I hope we have answers to soon for Wrath and Millie.”

“And the twins. One day, they’ll want answers.”

Gambit nods. “You know she’ll be swarmed the minute everyone finds out Charlie is a woman, right?”

I growl. “The women are fine to get to know her. Anyone else lays a mitt on her and I’ll break it.”

Gambit smiles and shakes his head. “You’ve got it bad.”

I flip him off. He walks out the room laughing.

Fuck!I’m in trouble and my mama and Nona will be over the moon. They’ve been after me to get a girlfriend since Mia left me standing at the altar six years ago.

I was only twenty-two at the time, but we’d been together since seventh grade, fall formal. She ran off with some rich twat. He knocked her up and left her for a Saints cheerleader. Last I heard, she moved back East to live with her family.

I never looked her up. Don’t intend to either.

Honestly, I haven’t felt drawn to anyone since Mia. Not until Charlie. Only I’m not a little boy anymore and it’s different. The pull I feel towards Charlie is nothing short of magnetic. We meet once a week. I go to her as often as possible.

It’s only for an hour or two but it’s enough. Enough for me to be half in love with her already.

I can’t wait to meet her girls. She’s talked about them a few times but not overly. I don’t blame her. She doesn’t know me from Adam. I’m sure she’s leary of bikers. Many people are. They don’t understand the culture and expect us to live likeSons of Anarchy.

---