Page 38 of Rise In Arms

Entering the doors to church, I notice everyone is already seated and waiting on me. Quill cocks an eyebrow when he sees me. “Busy were we?”

“Somethin’ like that,” I respond, smirking.

Taking a seat in my chair, I turn to face Prez, whose eyes are still on me. He slams the gavel down and announces, “Sorry it’s late boys, but Trigger just got in and needs our help. His little sis and friend are in some trouble, but I’ll let him fill you all in on the details.”

“Wait, hold up,” Gunner says, catching my attention, a surprised look on his face. “That hot piece of ass was your sister?”

What the fuck!

I grind my teeth together and lean over the table, hands flat on its surface. “Don’t you ever fucking call my sister a hot piece of ass, you motherfucker. Keep your fuckin’ eyes off her and her friend. You don’t, then you and I are gonna have words.”

Gunner smirks, and I clench my fists tightly so I don’t reach over and wipe it off his face. “Yeah, brother, I heard ya. Just makin’ an observation, that’s all.”

“Yeah, well don’t,” I snarl then drop back into my seat.

A loud bang comes from the head of the table, which grabs our attention. Prez holds the gavel in his hand, looking from me to Gunner. “Boys, reel it in. Gunner, watch your mouth, and Trigger, you bring women in here, beautiful women,” he adds, “then you gotta be able to put up with comments like what Gunner’s sayin’.

“Sorry, man. I didn’t mean no disrespect,” Gunner mumbles, sitting forward in his chair, hands linked on the table in front of him. He has his usual collection of black rubber bracelets on his wrists, and a fresh tattoo he had done by Tess on the inside of his arm catches my attention. It’s an image of a Reaper, who has a woman with her back pressed to his front. One hand holds his scythe against the naked woman’s throat, with the other hand squeezing one of her breasts. That’s some sick shit right there. Gunner’s head, which is usually shaved all over, is starting to grow out on top, but the sides are still bare, his Blood Brothers tattoos on both sides visible.

I nod at him, accepting his apology, and sigh.

“Trigger, tell the men why you brought your sister and friend here,” Prez commands, setting the gavel back down on the table now that order has been restored.

I look around the room at each man. “I was on my way out, when my sister called in a panic, telling me she and her friend Charity needed my help. Seems Charity’s man has been layin’ his hands on her, after he knocked her up and then tried to force her to get an abortion.” I stop for a moment, ensuring I have everyone’s attention. “Now, usually I wouldn’t involve myself in other people’s problems, but this is my sister’s best friend, and no woman deserves to be hit, in my books.”

“Damn straight,” Gunner growls, and all the other men seated around the table make sounds in agreement.

“So, you bring her here for protection?” Rhyder asks from my right. Rhyder’s young, just turned twenty-five, but has a good head on his shoulders. He and Torch came to us last year, proved themselves as prospects, and are now permanent members. Rhyder’s tall with dark hair and dark eyes, and he works out most days so he’s pretty buff, and always has scruff on his face. Torch is blond with blue eyes, also buff, and like Hawke, has that man-bun thing going on. I don’t get it, but chicks seem to dig it.

“Yeah, man. But they’re not stayin’ at the club. Prez has offered his home to them… but in the meantime, we have bigger problems.”

“What’s that?” Blaze asks from across the table.

I clear my throat. “Charity’s man is Blake Reynolds.”

“Wait, not the fighter, Blake Reynolds?”

I look at Blaze, stalling for a moment. “Same one,” I finally admit. Whistles and shouts echo around the room, and questions are getting thrown at me from every direction as it sinks in who I’m talking about.

Prez slams the gavel down, gaining everyone’s attention once again. “Quiet the fuck down. I know everyone has questions, but Trigger can’t answer them if you’re all yelling out like fuckin’ animals.”

“You want us to take on Blake Reynolds and his boys?”

I turn to Rhyder again. “Look, I wouldn’t ask for this if it wasn’t for my sister. Charity lives with Hazel in her dorm at college, so Blake knows where Hazel lives. He also knows Hazel well, and if anyone was gonna help Charity, he knows it would be her. Last I heard, Charity ran away after he raped her, and went straight to my sister for help. My sister called me, and that’s about it.”

“Fuck, your sister’s got involved with the wrong people,” Blaze says, eyebrows drawn together tight. “I’ve heard Blake has a temper on him. Didn’t he hit one of the refs in his last fight?”

“Yeah,” Bear answers for me, a big smile on his face. I narrow my eyes at him. “Sorry, man, he’s just a great fighter, that’s all.”

“Yeah, a fighter who likes to hit on an innocent woman.”

“Sorry, brother. Didn’t mean that.”

“Listen up, everyone!” Prez yells. “We are going to help Trigger with this.” Quill turns and looks right into my eyes. “He’s our brother—he’s family—and his family is ours. We will protect them and do what we need to. Now, I’ve offered for his sister and friend to stay at my place till we sort out what we’re going to do. Blake is looking for Charity, has threatened that he’s gonna kill her, so we need to have twenty-four-hour protection on her. We’re dealing with a champion fighter who has connections in the big world, so for those who don’t agree with us helpin’ her out, say so now.”

I swallow hard, scared as hell that my brothers won’t have my back. I hesitantly raise my eyes up to them; they’re all silent.

“You claimin’ her, brother?” Gunner asks, raising an eyebrow at me. My stomach dips at the mention of claiming her. It’s too soon for anything like that.

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