Page 22 of Big Timber

“I promise not to tease you about that if I can play with the remote control for the bed now.”

“I mean, I was thinking I’d give you a blowjob, but if you’d rather play with—” Letting out a shriek when Tarak’s face darkens with passion, his intention written across his face as he straightens and takes a step in my direction. I dart into the bedroom and around to the far side of the bed, looking back to see him stripping his clothes off.

Chapter 7

Timber

I’m honestly relieved the next morning, knowing that Talia will be safely tucked away at the fire house. There’s no telling how long we’ll be tied up in church today, and now isn’t the time to leave our loved ones without protection.

Brick is pulling into the lot at the same time and gives me a nod.

“I can’t fucking imagine what you saw, man,” his deep voice cuts to the chase and I realize it’s the first time I’ve seen him since Me’ansome’s death.

“The sight wasn’t as bad as the smell, if I’m being honest,” I reply, surprised when he grips my shoulder in greeting. “How’s Marcella and your family?”

“All good. She and Collette insisted on keeping the salon open today, so Teague is with Marcella’s parents and her brothers know to keep an eye out,” he informs me as we head around to the side entrance of the clubhouse. “Now, what’s this I hear about you hooking up with Bill Workman’s daughter?”

He laughs, pounding me on the back when I’m unable to conceal my surprise—not that he heard I hooked up with someone, but the mention of her father.

“We were on the football team together. Granted, I was a few years ahead of him, but you live your life here and it’s no different from any other small town.” He pauses for a moment, and I stand to the side with him rather than head straight into church. “In fact, Marcella’s brother is married to a niece of his.”

“Mateo or Alex?” I ask, referencing the two guys I’ve met at the Sunday get-togethers that could be related to Marcella.

“Mateo. She also has a brother named Alex, but not the one married into the Workman family,” he tells me. “Now, you and me? We’re brothers. But, in a way, so are Bill and I. That history pre-dates the Bastards, keep that in mind so we don’t have to have a more serious discussion.”

With his warning issued, he claps me on the back again and calls out to another of the old timers.

“Did he give you hisI’m on my tenth wife, and here’s what I learnedspeech?” Wolfman asks, coming up behind me and I can’t help but laugh, trying to figure out if he’s serious. With Brick, it’s entirely possible that he was married that many times. “Technically, he’s only been married a few times, but there’s also some baby-mama’s in there.”

“No, I got thelifelong friend of your Ol’ Lady’s fatherwarning,” I reply with a shrug.

“Huh. That’s a new one. No wonder it was so short.”

“Get your asses in here,” Axel calls out to the stragglers just as Wolfman and I are taking our seats.

Throttle is the last man in and closes the doors, giving Wolfman and me a nod as he leans against a wall. With him, it’s hard to tell if it was accidental or not, but I soon wish I was standing beside him, so I can better gauge everyone’s reactions to Declan’s plan.

Prez speaks for nearly an hour, calling for silence several times, before he stops to relight his cigar.

Axel continues on, summarizing the reason we’re really here. “Now you all know everything that Diesel, Declan, and I have found out about the international organization over the past few years. It’s obviously bigger than we ever imagined when we started tugging at the little strings. We have neither the manpower, money, nor reach to truly hurt the organization.Honestly, right now we only have enough hard evidence to take down the McLillians’—Joey’s mom and stepfather.

“We’re one of the original Royal Bastard chapters, but the code on the wall behind me no longer seems to matter to National. The loss of one of our allies, regardless of the family connection, didn’t mean shit to them. I want to be very clear—we are not saying that anyone from the Bastards are responsible for what happened here. If anyone here thinks that our chapter is being supported as equal members, speak up.”

“You are saying you want to bring us independent?” Brick asks, sounding incredulous as he stares down the table at Declan.

“Independent is one route,” Declan carefully responds. “Your other options are voting No Confidence in me, or I’ve also secured an offer from the Northern Grizzlies MC. They’ll patch us over immediately.”

“At leasttheysent representatives for Me’ansome’s last ride,” Throttle inserts.

“How does that even work?” Tonic asks and I can tell his leg is bouncing a mile a minute by the way he’s shaking. “I’m guessing it’s more involved than you sending National a text and we all get new cuts.”

“Vote first,” Axel says, holding his hand up for silence. “Does anyone want to challenge Declan for the gavel?”

I let out a breath when there’s a hardy round of No’s around the table.

“Before you vote on the next question,” Declan continues without hesitation. “If we elect to leave the Royal Bastards, but you want to stick with them, then you get up and walk out of here.”

Diesel gets up and starts to distribute a ballot.

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