Page 25 of Big Timber

Timber

“How pissed do you think he’s going to be?” Throttle asks from behind me.

“That depends on how badly he’s going to need us,” Diesel replies, his voice barely above a whisper.

Wolfman lets out a low hiss, sounding as aggravated as I feel at any chatter right now. He and I exchange a glance and there’s no doubt he feels like I do—we are the only two who needed to come.

After parking his bike, Declan collects a tightly wrapped black bundle from the back and makes his way to the bonfire in the center. Holding up the binoculars, I scan the crowd, watching as men he’s considered brothers for decades call out to him, then look puzzled when he merely nods at them without stopping.

Sensing blood in the water, a handful of them slowly follow him—hanging back just enough to witness what’s about to go down.

I can’t make out his words, but when he stops directly across the bonfire from the officers of the national chapter, it’s obvious that he called out to them.

A few of them exchange glances while one stands, waving him over

He slowly removes his cut. Holding it up, he studies it and I wish I could see his face. I picture an enraged warrior from days long past, but that isn’t his style. He’d stay calm no matter what.

Throwing it on the fire in front of him, he unwraps the cut he’s been carrying and puts that on. The volume rises exponentiallyas those around him take in the Northern Grizzlies insignia that matches the cuts we’re all wearing.

“Balls of fucking steel,” Diesel murmurs, and this time I grunt in agreement.

With a final volley of words between Declan and the others, he turns to head back to his bike. Throttle might be celebrating behind me, but I don’t miss the men from other Royal Bastards chapters that stand, forming a wall between him and those in the national chapter.

The message is clear. What has happened to other chapters is weighing on their minds, and the dozen men standing the line are saying that Declan walks out of there tonight.

Without a word to anyone else, he gets on his bike and rides back down the road. I signal the others to get on their bikes, then wait to make sure that he isn’t being followed, and that’s when I see a half dozen riders about to meet him at the turn off.

Scenarios are playing through my head, until the formation slightly changes, and Declan easily rides into the third spot.

“Northern Grizzlies were keeping an eye out also,” I yell to the others, and we rev up our bikes, aiming to get to the road as they approach.

Falling into place ahead of the tail, we keep going past the exit for the hotel that Declan had planned to meet us at after the rally, and for the next couple of hours we stay the course. Eventually pulling off, I’m surprised at the community around us. Even more so when we pull up to a large house.

“Rental,” one of the guys say when he notices us all looking confused. “I’m Shade, you must be Big Timber.”

“Yeah,” I say, nodding at him. I’ve definitely heard about him, but I think I pictured someone more imposing. This guy seems pretty easy-going.

“May look to get this touched up while we’re staying with y’all,” he continues, indicating a word that’s written on his right hand but it’s too dark to see what it says.

“Think I’m going to be booked pretty solid,” I say with a grin, considering I promised my brothers a couple of free hours of chair time—what with all the reworked ink ahead of them. “But I’ll get you taken care of.”

“I need a word with my men,” Declan states and that’s when I notice that Shade’s the last Northern Grizzlies still outside.

I guess that’s not entirely true though.

Now, we’re Northern Grizzlies.

“When I give a fucking order, you do not—"

“There’s not a world where I wouldn’t do it that same way, Prez,” Diesel interrupts him. “It may not have been what you wanted, but we all swore we’d watch your back.”

“Don’t worry, I’m going to rake Axel over the fucking coals when we get back,” Declan says, and Throttle lets a snort out.

“Sorry,” he immediately apologizes, throwing his hands up in surrender. “I mean, I would have gone along with these guys anyway, but it was Jenna who made us all promise we’d keep you in our sight.”

That admission draws a grunt from Declan, and I can’t tell if the sudden glint in his eyes is humor or pride.

Before he can say anything else, both of our phones start to buzz and I feel my stomach clenching up, even as I reach for mine.

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