Page 36 of Claiming Veronica

Jolly and Russell finished their measurements, but they’d be staying at the warehouse. They had a month’s worth of work to do and only a week to do it in. I promised them access to our bank accounts and DoorDash before I left with Pike, just as Luther rolled up his sleeves. Luther might look fancy, but he wasn’t afraid to work hard.

Crates were being delivered with equipment, and it was time to start setting up, but I was on my way to do my part and meet with the other half of the security team, and that took priority over set up. I’d leave that to Luther to manage.

The desert sun began its descent, casting long shadows over the dry Arizona landscape as Pike and I rolled down the highway in the SUV, the low rumble of the engine filling the silence between us. We’d just left the warehouse, leaving Luther, Jolly, and Russell to set up the venue for the fight. Now it was time to deal with the next part of the plan: meeting with Maddox and Dimitri from the Iron Brotherhood. Hopefully, I could manage those fuckers quickly and leave Pike there and head back to see Veronica.

Luther had his side of the business to concentrate on, and I had mine. He’d order a car, and I’d probably see him back at the penthouse later. I’d given him the code, but he didn’t need a babysitter. We’d learned early on that if we couldn’t take care of ourselves, we were dead.

I tried to concentrate on the road back to Morinrock, watching the scrub and sand whip by as I drove. I always enjoyed the preparations for a big match, the anticipation.

Pike cleared his throat beside me, breaking the silence. “You handled that well back there. Luther respects you.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Reinforcement during my childhood had been negative, especially when I was with Kent. Once I was out on my own on the streets and hooked up with Victor, we certainly didn’t tell each other good job or shit like that. You either did stuff on your own, or you died. Simple.

I definitely wasn’t used to hearing praise from someone who mattered. We were still figuring each other out, trying to bridge the years that had separated us. Part of me was still waiting for him to treat me like the brother he’d lost, the kid who was gone for all those years.

I shrugged, uncomfortable. “We have a mutual understanding. We grew up together. Sink or swim, as they say.”

Pike glanced at me, the corners of his mouth turning up. “Still, I didn’t expect this level of what you’ve got going on.”

“You thought we’d meet at the back of a bar parking lot and throw cash at each other?” I snorted. That wasn’t far from how we’d started, except Victor and I fought in those matches. We didn’t start organizing them for years. He and I had worked the circuits ourselves, and Luther had managed us.

“Maybe,” he admitted. “That was close to what I thought.” He rubbed the back of his neck ruefully, shifting in his seat with discomfort. “Not that I would have given you shit about that.”

“We were fighters first like I told you before. Me and Victor.”

“That’s where the name comes from? Havoc?”

“No.” I didn’t want to explain the nickname or to swap Victor stories. “You’ve been running things with the Cobras for a while,” I said, keeping my voice even. “It’s not that different from running a fight circuit. You find the right people, ensure they stay in line, and the rest follows.”

Pike chuckled softly, his gaze back on the road. “Yeah, but there’s a difference. Looks like there are a lot of big hitters with what you’re setting up. I’m building gradually. This looks.” He hesitated, looking out the window into the distance, and then turned back to study me. “This looks like you’ve got people by the balls. Like you’re not looking away.”

Keep your eyes open.

I didn’t miss the word choice. The fact that he saw that in me now—it was strange. Like looking in a mirror I hadn’t known was there.

“I learned from the best,” I said sourly, though I wasn’t talking about Pike. I wanted to bite the words back, but he just snorted. That was the thing about gallows humor. Sometimes people didn’t get it, but when they did, it was fucking funny.

“Yeah, we did learn,” he admitted. “You know Maddox and Dimitri still aren’t sure about you,” Pike said after a while. “They were convinced you were the guy behind the killings in town, even after Victor came into the picture.”

I snorted. “Can’t blame them. I’m not exactly a poster boy for someone you could trust.”

Pike glanced at me again, his expression unreadable. “They’ll come around. They’re good guys. Loyal.”

“I wouldn’t have agreed to the security if I didn’t think that.” My brother really knew next to nothing about me, but I took my business seriously. We often contracted out for security needs at our fights, but this was a way for me to work with him and Veronica’s cousin. It tied in some relationships. Usually, I wouldn’t give a shit, but it seemed like I would be sticking around. Veronica mattered to me, and I needed her to see that I would make myself less of a ghost for her. Still, I wouldn’t take chances with the business ifI hadn’t researched Maddox and Dimitri. I’d even checked out my brother.

“They are loyal to you,” I corrected. “They don’t owe me anything.”

Pike smiled at that. “You’re my brother, Eli. That’s enough for them to give you a shot. Just don’t scare the hell out of them right away.”

“No promises.”

We both laughed, the tension breaking for a moment. It felt good — maybe this brother thing could work after all.

The Iron Brotherhood MC had their own little compound outside of Haverboro that included a bar called the Open Road. The bar came into view, the neon sign winking above the entrance. The place was nicer than I expected and bigger than I thought it would be, with a large area for parking and a building behind it for living quarters for the club. I knew the Road was built during the previous president’s tenure, but it was built to last. It looked solid, like everything the Iron Brotherhood touched. This was their domain, and it was apparent immediately. Motorcycles were stacked in the parking lot, and people were chatting as they moved back and forth to the building. A large club emblem was emblazoned proudly on the sign of the building.

We parked, and as we stepped out of the SUV, I could feel eyes on me from the moment my boots hit the gravel. Pike wore his Cobra cut, and while I knew they were allied, it was clear that he still drew attention. Attention made me itchy. The Iron Brotherhood was tight, protective of their own, and not used to outsiders—especially ones with a reputation like mine.

Pike led the way inside, and I followed, the familiar smell of beer and leather hitting me as we stepped through the door. Maddox and Dimitri were already there, seated at a corner table, their eyes narrowing as they saw me walk in. There was caution in their stares but also curiosity. They were trying to size me up and figure out who I was now that they knew I wasn’t their boogeyman.

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