Page 77 of Red's Peril: Part 1

“Relax, Brother,” I tell him. “Need you to come with me.”

“VP? What’s up?”

“Just get up, Titch. I’ll explain on the way. I’ll meet you downstairs.”

Knowing he won’t disobey an instruction from his VP, nor, despite his grumpy ways, a request from any member, I go down to the bar and put on a pot of coffee. It’s brewed by the time he’s reached the bottom of the stairs. Making a to-go cup ready for him, I drain the one I’d poured for myself, grab the keys to the club truck, and lead him outside.

Once he’s seated in the passenger seat, I make my way out of the gates and start driving into Vegas.

“Prez has cancer,” I tell him, as he’ll find out soon enough. “He’s been taken to the hospital. Rosa needs someone to keep an eye on the boys while she finds out what’s happening.”

“Fuck,” Titch says quietly. Then he slaps his hand against the dashboard. “Fuck,” he repeats, this time more loudly. “You knew?”

“Only recently,” I reply, truthfully. “Brick didn’t want anyone else to know.”

“Well, hopefully they’ll be able to treat him. Brick’s as tough as a fuckin’ ox. He’ll beat this.” Titch gives a dramatic nod of his head.

I don’t disillusion him or say it’s unlikely. He’ll find out the truth soon enough, best ease him into it gradually.

Sensing he needs time to process, I drive on in silence, turning onto Brick’s road, then pulling up outside his house. The front door flies open, showing Rosa was waiting for me.

“Titch. Thank you for coming. The boys are still asleep.” Her eyes examine him worriedly, knowing he’ll have been told the secret.

“They know?” Titch asks, clearly wondering what to tell them when they awake.

Rosa’s face grows tight. “Not in so many words. They know Brick’s not been feeling himself lately. But…”They don’t know he’s on his deathbed, I think to myself. “Soon as I know what’s happening, I’ll call you, Titch, okay?”

“I got this, Rosa.” Titch’s stern face softens. “You go be with your ol’ man. Don’t you worry about anything else. And Brick’s a fighter. He’ll beat this.”

Rosa grabs for my hand, and I put my arm around her. Holding her, I help her to the truck with just a chin lift over my shoulder to Titch. Brick’s time for fighting has long passed. He’s lost the battle. Whether it’s today, tomorrow, or in a month’s time, his days on earth are almost over.

The drive is conducted in silence once again. At the hospital, Rosa immediately races off to find a doctor to speak to. When I catch up with her, I discover she’s being allowed back to sit with her old man.

Returning outside, I harden myself to what I now have to do. My first call is to Crash.

The sergeant-at-arms sounds sleepy, and not happy to be disturbed. “Fuckin’ hell, VP. You know what time it is? This better be a matter of fuckin’ life or death.”

“’Fraid it is, Brother.” I pause to take a deep breath. “Prez is in the hospital. It doesn’t look good.”

“What the fuck?”

“He’s got cancer. It’s in his lungs and spread.” They’ll know that soon enough, no point now holding anything back.

“Jesus,” he breathes. “You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m at the hospital with Rosa.”

There are sounds that suggest he’s getting out of bed. All sleep has gone from his voice now. “You want me to pass the message on?”

I do. It’s time to bring in the club. “I’ll call Twister and Fox, if you could—”

“I’ll do the rounds. Rouse everyone here, and we’ll meet you there.”

I don’t tell them to stay away. If the presence of his brothers can only bring enough positive vibes, they’ll all want to come for Brick. And if this is our last chance to say goodbye, no one will want to miss it.

I make the other calls as I promised, getting a similar reaction as I had from the sergeant-at-arms from the enforcer and secretary. Fox, surprisingly, sounded more prepared. Maybe he’s more observant and had known something was coming. Within an hour, the waiting room has filled up, and the hospital, wary of men in cuts, has found us a relatives’ room which we all crowd into.

It’s too small, but no one complains.

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