Page 117 of The Heart We Guard
“Congratulations, brother,” King says. “My wife’s pregnant too. I spend half my life terrified for her and our baby. It’s a journey to balance it all, right?”
Complicated feelings roll through me. That he could manage both, and somehow, I couldn’t. “Can I offer you some advice?”
“Most people don’t ask. They just tell me shit about making sure I deliver on her cravings. And to not get mad when her emotions are out of control.”
“Sure. Do those things, but don’t put the club first. I’m not just talking about the big things. Put your phone down when you’re with her. Don’t ride out late at night and leave her alone close to the end, when she might go into labor, no matter how quickly you could be back with her if she calls. Because she shouldn’t have to call you in the first place. Don’t wait for her to need you; anticipate what she needs.”
“I’m guessing this is all because you got a second chance, and you don’t want to blow it?”
I smile at that. “Yeah. I don’t remember much about when my ex was pregnant with Ember. It’s like this is my first time as an expectant father because I don’t know half the shit I should. You need to absorb every moment, King. So, when you’re my age, and your kids are grown, you still remember it all.”
King nods slowly while I speak, as if he’s taking it all in. “And the club? Isn’t that your baby too?”
“It is. But it’s now an adult. Needs to learn how to function without me. I’ll still be around. But the club needs someone hungry to lead it. I’m recommending Grudge. The club’s written through him. He’s been my vice president. And for what it’s worth, I’m going to suggest Wraith shift to vice president and Atom steps up to sergeant at arms. Then, I’m hoping to persuade Jackal and Shade to shift from being nomads to become a pair of enforcers. If you agree.”
“Coming from a man with your experience, your advice is worth listening to. But what about you?”
“I want to go nomad and provide security for Greer. She wants to run a mobile health unit. She’s thought aboutequipment and gear and processes and legalities. But I want to ride with her and provide cover. Stop crackheads who think she might have drugs on board from stealing her shit. Be there when patients turn aggressive.”
“You can’t do that as part of the Colorado chapter?”
The thoughts I’ve had over the last week consolidated into a feeling of such rightness, I know it’s the only way forward. “Technically, yeah, I could. I could just step down, not have a core role, and keep showing up at the club. But I’ve been president for a really long fucking time. Grudge needs to put his mark on the role, and the club, without everyone looking to me to see if I approve. Once he’s established, we can revisit. But for now, the right thing for both of us is for me to be less visible.”
King nods. “That’s real respectful of you.”
“Without sounding too preachy, sometimes being a man isn’t about being the best, or toughest, or most successful. Sometimes it’s just about building a life around what’s important to you. I prospected with the Iron Outlaws from the age of fifteen. That’s thirty years of service. I’ve worked for the club as an enforcer, a sergeant at arms, a vice president, and a president. It’s been a fucking honor. And now, I need a nomad patch to be true to who I am and for the good of the club.”
King swallows deeply and then coughs to clear his throat. “You’ve got my blessing to put this in motion. When do you want to do it?”
“Soon. But there are a couple of things I want to wrestle down. The Midtown Rebels are creeping back into Denver and causing some problems for Greer.”
“Is everyone’s favorite Rebel killer under control?” I know he’s referring to Wraith, and while we’re reasonably sure we’re using safe and encrypted software, there are other ways people could be listening in.
I nod. “Yeah. He’s tight. For now. Which is why I want to run a couple of things down and need Vex’s help.”
“You got it. Just call him and tell him what you need. And, Butcher, it probably seems weird, me saying this to you, but I’m sure my father would have said the same thing. It’s not easy to do this job, and you’ve made it look easy for a long time. I respect you as a man and a brother, and I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for the club.”
The sentiment of his words touches me deeply. “Thanks, King.”
“Let me know when it’s done, so I can send out a bulletin to all the other clubs about the change in leadership.”
I hang up the phone and immediately dial Vex, who looks like he’s in the world’s tiniest office. “Butcher,” he says, drawing out the vowels. “What can I do for you, brother?”
I tell him everything I know about the Midtown Rebels, but how I’m particularly interested in a man called Gage. When I’m done, Vex reaches for his glasses and props them on his nose.
“Give me a few minutes. I’ve been building a database of people using the software my old lady built. It scrapes social media to find people who are the outliers in other people’s photographs. Like, behind the girl eating ice cream is a rival club’s drug runner popping into a store. Perfectly legal, given the data source is public. People post all kinds of shit in their profile pages. It then zooms in on outliers and grabs their cuts and details so we can trace them.”
He taps a few keys, the last one with a flourish. “There, it’s running, I’ll tell you if I can find anything.”
“Great. Thank you. If it’s gonna take?—”
“Wait,” Vex says, then leans into the computer screen, squinting, as if trying to make something out. “I got something already. Is Gage the real name, or could you mean Gauge? Because Gauge is an enforcer in the Midtown Rebels. Not surewhat chapter he’s affiliated with, but the location shows west of Denver.”
The fucking enforcer. It explains why he might have blood on his hands.
“Highly possible. The name came from a civilian who might not realize the difference as it’s spoken.”
Vex raises a finger. “I got a file somewhere.” He flips the screen on his phone so I can see his laptop screen. There’s an FBI logo and it takes a lot of focus to make out that the title of the report isOrganized Crime Motorcycle Clubs.Then, Vex returns to the screen and puts a finger over his lips for a second. “Don’t ask where that came from.”
