Page 71 of Bound by Desire
My body thumps, waiting for the go-ahead to tear this man apart. No more living with him over my head. No more him giving that poison to kids and having them go through what I did. No moreofhim.
“Meeting,” Cruz calls into the room, and we make our way to the basement in the wide-open space down there that’s next to Buzz’scomputerarea.
We move into the room as one, something that doesn’t quiteregister.
“First thing’s first.” Cruz grabs something from the back of the couch and holds it up intheair.
Leather.
“Deke, come put this on,” he orders, causing my throat tocloseup.
A cut. He wants me to put on a prospect cut.Fuckme.
I stand there paralyzed for a moment, unable to think, unable to move, unable to doanything.
The one thing I desired so damn badly is now within mygrasp.
“Boy,” Dagger calls out, snapping me out of my surprise. “Get your ass upthere.”
“Want you to be in on this. You’re one of us. We don’t do shit with outsiders,” Cruz says, and I feel the eyes all around me, but it’s my father’s thatImeet.
When he lifts his chin, something inside me settles in aprofoundway.
Not only will I be part of this operation, by taking this cut, I’ll be committed to Sumner, the one place that I said I wouldn’t go back to. There’s no going back from this. The only out isdeath.
The acceptance around me, though, fills a part inside that I thought would never get filled. Never thought it would be an option. I put this leather on my back,I’min.
The weight of the material settles on your shoulders. You carry the weight of the club with those colors. The rag, the single garment that means everything: family, loyalty,freedom.
While I wanted this for so much of my time growing up, now seeing that leather, it’s more. It’s not a desire to be like my father or uncle. It’s being my own man, knowing what I want out of life, and knowing these men will take my back, no matter what, as I will doforthem.
Being angry for so long changed a part of me, and not in a good way. I know that, and I dealt with life the way I could. If I made different choices, went to someone else, I more than likely would’ve never left. Never grown into the man I am today. The one who deservesthatcut.
I nod, feeling a peace surround me and allowing it tocomein.
“Prospect, you’re in for the most grueling year of your life,” Cruz says, then chuckles are heard throughouttheroom.
I slip on the leather, the weight heavy in a way that doesn’t feel like a problem, but asolution.Damn.
Cruz slaps my shoulders. “Alright, now let’s get tobusiness.”
I move through the guys, back to my place, getting hand pats as I move. This easy? This fucking easy, and I’m in the fold? Knew working at the garage would put me in with the Ravage MC, but to actually have the cut on my back isunreal.
“Alright, we’ve got the Vipers Creed and Ruthless Rebels on their way. Luckily, they’re in the neighborhood. Okay, not quite, but they will be in the next hour, guaranteed. Buzz, we need all entry and exit points in the house. Tug and Breaker, we need eyes everywhere around the place. Jacks and Green, need weapons locked and loaded. Dagger and Rhys, get ready for retribution. No one touches the Ravage MC. No one threatens our kids. No one takes from us,” Cruz states. “You’ve got one hour, then meetbackhere.”
The guys leave, yet I stay rooted to the spot, leaving Cooper, Nox, Cruz, Ryker, and my father intheroom.
“We got a lot of shit to work out, Deke. Know this. But we’re not going to let it get in the way of what we need to do. JK needs to be extinguished,”Cruzsays.
Princess races into the room. “Have you heard from Austyn?” she asks allofus.
“Talked her about thirty minutes ago, Mom. She’s on her way,” Coopercallsout.
“She’s not answering her phone. Not here. Tried tracking her. The car and phone are still at her house. Something’swrong.”
“Fuck!” Cruz clips. “All of us, to Austyn’s house now. Deke, you drive the truck with Nox and Cooper in case we need more firepower.”
I haven’t taken orders in four years, but now, it just comes natural when it comes from Cruz. I’m not sure how I’d feel if it were my father. This, however, feelsright.
