Page 10 of Seized By Solo

“I’m thinking we need Click and Override on this one, if we don’t have a name.”

“I will reach out to Ace,” Pres adds, and I nod to him in appreciation.

“We killing this fucker as well?” Kink smirks at me.

“No doubt. He touched someone who is mine. He will pay in blood, brothers,” I declare.

Bangs fill the air as they thump their fists on the oak table again.

“We have your back, Solo. You know this. Elsie is yours, I assume?” Woody edges.

“I am claiming Elsie as my ol’ lady, soon to be my wife. Ruthie and Ricky are mine also. They get full club protection as if they were blood.” My gaze finds every man sitting around the table. I know that each and every one of them will die to protect someone in the club, my woman and kids included.

“We got word from Émile that a new crew was moving in. He hasn’t got names or anything yet, but they want St Ives for the port, and easy access to the water for transport,” Pres informs us.

“Clearly they have balls to think they can take our territory from us,” I throw out.

“Many have tried over the years, and we always come out triumphant. We will fight to the end to protect what the club owns,” Tag states, looking proud from his presidential chair at the head of the table.

“Fuck yeah,” is called out.

“Okay, let’s look at the bank. Kink, how are the businesses going?”

My brother opens his laptop, turning the screen to face Pres. “Fucking good. I have been in talks with a mate of mine. He is looking at opening a tattoo shop but doesn’t have the start up. My shop has been doing well, so I thought I would look into the financials, and I think it would be good for the club,” he explains.

We were all so fucking proud when Kink decided to follow something he has always wanted. So when shit went right withhim and Adele, he opened Inked Royal, and it has been growing in popularity since. He is booked months in advance now.

“I’m on board for that. Any who oppose?” The room stays silent. “Tell your friend that the club will take a cut. He can hire and fire, but it goes through you,” Pres tells Kink, who nods. “We are looking at moving into more above board shit, what with all these fucking kids arriving at the club. Me and these fuckers,” he nods to Woody, Boost and Fritz, “are getting up there in age now. Maybe it’s time to make shit legit and lower the trouble brought to the club.”

It’s in that second that I look to my father, the man I have always seen as the leader of this club, and for the first time, I see his age. His hair is greyer, his skin more creased, and his eyes look weary. But he is still strong as an ox when needed.

“Brother, no matter what the fuck we do, we will always bring trouble to the club.” Fritz chuckles, and everyone joins in.

“Truth,” Pres laughs.

“We live for the trouble.” Dutch winks.

“We all know the trouble you like to cause yourself, brother. Look at how you and Una started,” Woody throws at him, and my brother flips him off.

“Fuck off, knobhead. She knows why I did what I did. Fighting for her behind her back was the only way to get her safe. People might not have liked the way I treated her, but I needed to keep her in the anger zone, to make sure that slut was feeding back the correct information,” he states, his voice showing his anger and his regret.

“Hey, we know, brother. It all worked out, yeah?” I slap him on the shoulder.

“Okay, fuckers, back to business. The shipment for the next run is ready to go. We are taking the prospect as a gift for Émile. Fingers crossed for Kink that he takes the bait, otherwise our little French friend will have to face off against his ol’ lady, and we all know how fucking feisty Adele can be,” Pres clarifies.

I’m looking forward to that meet, to seeing the look on Émile’s face when we offer him the prospect. Thankfully, the guy agreed to take one for the team, though I think deep down, he’s taking one for himself.

“Also, Dutch and Solo finished the new camper van, ready for the bigger transport, plus the boat that was requested. Boys, you did good,” Pres acknowledges our work.

We finish Church off, then I leave the room. I check in on the kids, finding them both asleep in two single beds with the TV still playing. I turn the volume down but keep it playing, leaving them with a faint light in case they get scared.

I check on Elsie, hearing her soft snores through the door. She is curled up in the middle of my bed. I smile, before closing the door softly and finding an empty room for the night.

CHAPTER SIX

ELSIE

My body comes awake and my eyes flutter open as sunlight breaks through the gap in the curtains. Quickly lifting my head, I see that Solo isn’t in bed with me. His side is cold under my palm.

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