Page 25 of A Christmas Surprise for the Biker

The taller of the two strangers steps forward and offers his hand. “Bane,” he introduces himself, “and this is Tacoma.” I shake both of their hands, noting the President patch on the other man’s cut.

“Legend,” I reply.

“We're looking to expand our business interests,” Viper continues. “After doing us a solid, we decided to reach out to the Kings and see if they were interested in a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

“What kind of arrangement?” I ask. After being away for over a year, there’s still a lot I’m not up to speed with. The last I remember, we were trying to cut ties with Hector, Viper’s father-in-law, who also happened to be the Godfather of the Cuban cartel.

Viper blows out a breath. “We’ve got merchandise that needs moving. They’ve got the connections.”

I get what he’s saying and at the same time I don’t. Before I was put inside, the plan was that we were getting out of the game and going legit.

I watch Viper, trying to read his expression.

“We'll need to discuss this with the rest of the club,” Viper finally says, his voice careful. “But I think we might be able to work something out.”

Tacoma and Bane nod, both of them seemingly satisfied. “Of course. We'll be in town for a few days. Let us know what you decide.”

As they leave, I turn to Viper. “Think there’s a lot I’m in the dark about.”

Viper's eyes are calculating. “I’m sure you’ve got a thousand questions, but I need you to trust me. Fuck. I need everyone to trust me. This is the start of us getting out of the game. We tried making shit work with the Cubans, but their reach isn’t big enough. With the Kings,” he nods towards the clubhouse door where Tacoma and his VP just left through, “we can finally get out of the game for good.”

My eyes widen. “Does Hector know about this? What if we get caught—” I’m fairly sure I’m not alone in the fact I don’t want to go back to jail. Or worse, have to worry about Hector and the fucking Cuban mafia gunning for us.

“He doesn’t yet, and nobody’s getting caught,” Viper cuts me off. “We'll be smart about it. With your parole and all of that shit, I’m keeping you far away from this shit for now.”

That makes sense. I’ve always been all in when it comes to club business, but now with me being on parole, I’m under a fucking microscope. Not to mention I’ve got Braelynn and Ryder to think about now.

“We’ll vote on it in church,” Viper says, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I nod, my mind already racing with the implications of this potential deal.

As we file into church, Viper takes his seat at the head of the table, his face unreadable.

“Alright,” Viper begins, his voice low and serious. “We've got an opportunity with the Kings of Anarchy.” Backs straighten and eyebrows go up around the table at the mention of the Kings. “This is a chance to finally break away from Hector's grip,” he finishes.

Murmurs ripple through the room.

We've been trying to distance ourselves from Hector for years. His influence has been a constant pain in our ass.

“What's the deal?” Sparrow asks, leaning forward.

Viper outlines the proposal. “Movin’ merchandise through the Kings' territory, utilizing their connections. It's risky, but once Hector sees how much shit they can move, he’ll be ready to cut ties with us for good.”

“Fuck yeah,” Knox says, his sentiment matched by everyone in the room.

“This could be our ticket out,” Viper says, his eyes scanning the table. “But I need everyone on board. We do this smart, we do this right, and we can finally be free to run our club the way we want.”

The room falls silent. It's a big move, one that could change everything for us.

“All in favor?” Viper asks, raising his hand.

One by one, hands go up around the table.

It's unanimous.

“Thank fuck,” Viper nods, a hint of relief in his voice.

Back at the office, I find Braelynn organizing files. She looks up when I enter, her smile faltering slightly when she sees me.

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