Page 21 of Arch
Tank nods, his massive frame taking up half the table.
“Route 17’s their hub,” Tank says. “We could scout it, plant a tracker, see where their shit’s coming from.”
“Good,” I say, but my voice is flat, my thoughts drifting to Keegan’s red ass, the way he gasped under my grip. I shake it off, but it’s like trying to shake off a fever. “Jinx, you and Razor take a crew tonight. No engagement, just eyes. We need to know who’s bankrolling them. Find the money, find the problem.”
Jinx fidgets, his tattoos shifting as he nods.
“Got it, Arch. But what about the kid? Keegan?” Jinx asks. “He pulled through, fought hard. But he he went rogue. You trust him on this?”
The question hits like a punch.
Do I trust Keegan?
He saved the shipment, no question, but he broke ranks, acted on instinct instead of orders.
That’s the problem—he’s all instinct, no discipline, and in a war with the Vipers, that could get us all killed.
But I see him, that wildfire in the boy’s eyes, and I want to shape it, not snuff it out.
“He’s not on this,” I say, harsher than I mean to. “The boy’s not ready.”
Clay’s eyes narrow, catching something in my tone.
Jace, sitting beside Caleb, leans forward, his voice low.
“You sure that’s it, Arch?” Jace questions. “You’ve been off since that kid showed up. He’s got you rattled.”
I glare at Jace, but he’s not wrong. Jace and Clay are my guys, we’ve been through thick and thin together. I’m not about to lie to his face, especially when the clubs future is at stake.
Keegan’s under my skin, and it’s throwing my game.
I’ve outsmarted feds, dodged raids, kept this club whole for years, but one twenty-two-year-old hothead has me losing focus.
But just as I’m about to open up, I realize that I’ve got the whole club around me, all listening just like they always do.
“I’m fine,” I snap. “Let’s stick to the plan.”
But as we hash out details—routes, timings, contingencies—my mind keeps slipping. I see Keegan’s smirk, hear his taunting“Daddy,”feel the heat of his body pressed against me.
I’m supposed to be the strategic king, the one who never falters, but he’s making me question everything.
What if he bolts?
What if he can’t handle the MC life?
What if I’m pushing him too hard—or not hard enough?
Clay slams his fist on the table, pulling me back.
“Alright, enough,” Clay says, his voice cutting through the chatter. “Arch, you’re not here. Me and Jace got this. Go find your boy, work this shit out before it’s too late.”
I blink, caught off guard.
“Clay, I’m?—”
“Don’t,” Clay interrupts, a grin breaking through his stern look. “You owe me a double date when this is sorted, you hear? Me, Dylan, you, and that firecracker of yours.”
Jace chuckles, nudging Caleb.
