Page 35 of Eagle

“That’s what I thought, too. This is some bullshit.”

We gathered in the room and took a seat around the wooden, oval table. Pictures of past brothers, officers, and presidents lined the walls along with the tapestries that immortalized them. It was still weird to see Hawk at the head of the table, but I was glad it was him and not someone else.

But he was pissed. He stood, arms crossed as he glared at us. Red wasn’t there but Rooster, Butch, Falcon, and I sat and waited for what Hawk would say. My hands stopped shaking and my head and jaw started to sting.

Hawk’s jaw ticked as he stood. Finally he started. “We have enough problems without you having a schoolyard brawl over a fucking woman.”

I started to open my mouth but he held a hand up. “I don’t want to hear shit. And you,” he said looking at Butch. “You instigated this, and I don’t appreciate you stirring up petty shit.”

“Prez, it was a fucking joke. It’s not my fault this little fucker can’t hang onto his woman.”

I stood, my chair flying backwards, and pointed across the table. “Shut the fuck up, you little bitch.”

Butch stood and a screaming match broke out, but a chair flew across the table before Hawk yelled, “Enough! Both of you will be doing prospect work if you don’t quit your shit. Sit the fuck down and shut up!”

Falcon squeezed my shoulder. I pushed my hair out of my face then plopped back down in the chair once I righted it. Everyone else except Hawk took their seat. He leaned on the table and said, “Butch, mind your fucking business and leave her name out of your mouth. Eagle, don’t even think of speaking to my mother. If I even hear a rumor of you two getting into it again you’ll be sweeping bodies and watching the fucking exits. You understand?”

We knocked on the table but I shot Butch a look. He smirked back. One day, I’d fuck him up. I wasn’t sure how I looked, but he looked like someone rocked his shit. If I wasn’t so mad, I’d be smiling at my work. But his fucking attitude and finding out Lacy was stripping made lava move through my veins. And after all the shit I mentioned the last few days to Mama Hen, I couldn’t believe she hired her. And didn’t bother to say shit to me about where she was or that she’d seen her.

Hawk stood and said, “Everyone needs their head onstraight–now more than ever. We don’t have time for this infighting. Eagle, go speak to Keys about your lead. The rest of you go chill and rest. We need to be ready anytime new leads come. Now go.”

We all stood and I left first, heading straight to Keys’ computer lab. Before I made it, footsteps were behind me, so I whipped around. But I lost my scowl when I saw it was Hawk.

“Listen, I know Butch is a dick sometimes, but you can’t let him get to you. And seriously, if you think you can go get crazy to Ma you’re sorely mistaken. I’ll talk to her, man. But you gotta chill the fuck out.”

“She wasn’t supposed to take on any new girls. With shit like it is, it’s bad enough. You already assigned extra guards at the club but it won’t help if she adds more dancers.”

“Cut the shit, Eagle. This isn’t about the trafficking, it’s about Lacy.”

“It’s about both.” That was true. Not only was it fucked to traffick people, but they’re also the ones who organized the hit on Raven. They needed to be taken down.

“Well, losing your shit isn’t going to help with either. I need you to be clear-headed. You’re next in line but you can’t fly off the handle like this.”

“Exactly. I outrank that fucker and you didn’t say shit to him.”

Hawk crossed his arms. “I told him to keep Lacy’s name out of his mouth, which is more than I should have done. And youbothdeserve a warning for acting like fucking children.”

I put both hands to my head and ran my fingers through my hair. “I’m sorry, Prez.” There was no point in arguing. And it was childish to be fighting over a woman. But she wasn’t just anywoman. She should be mine. And she will be.

“If you want her to yourself, you have to claim her, man. But she has to agree. You know the rules. Until then…”

“Yeah, I know. That’s the problem.” I can barely get her to speak to me.

He nodded. “I’ll talk to Ma, but I won’t make her fire Lacy. In the meantime, I’ll send another prospect to the club during her shifts. And I’ll talk to Butch. He knows he was wrong and I don’t appreciate it.”

“Thanks, brother.”

He put his hand out so I grabbed it and then smacked his shoulder. “Now go speak to Keys then cool it the rest of the night.”

“Yes, sir.”

Hawk took off down the hall so I went to talk to Keys. I probably shouldn’t try to chat with Lacy tonight, so I decided to figure out my next move with her instead once I was done with Keys. But fuck if I didn’t want to just go grab her and force her to come back to the clubhouse. How did shit get so twisted in four days?

Chapter 17

Lacy

After receiving the phone from Eagle, with the message already on it, he didn’t send any other messages or try to call. To say I was confused was an understatement. But I guess at least he hadn’t blown it up. Still, why did he give me a phone if he didn’t try to contact me?

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