Page 29 of Bound By Redemption
A whistle came from the brick building, and I looked over to see Buzz and Cruz there. Cruz lifted his chin, telling me to get my ass moving.
“Gotta run. Take care of yourself.”
“See you soon,” she said on a soft smile as I moved away, heading to them. It was strange as I walked away from the woman I’d thought I’d loved once. That feeling wasn’t there. In fact, I wasn’t sure that feeling was ever really there. It was more of an entitlement, if that made any sense at all.
Especially after feeling what it was like to have Ensley in my arms. That unconditional ‘she could do anything in the world, and I’d love her no matter what’ feeling. I knew I never had that with Emery. It was a very harsh slap in the face that woke me up in a different way.
Because when I had Ensley in my arms, it was completely different. It was easy, comfortable, and just damn nice having her there. It was a piece of a puzzle I didn’t know I was looking for.
But it was a revelation I’d have to ponder at another time. There was shit to do, and the brothers needed me.
“I’m not pullin’ Jacks off when he finds out about that shit,” Cruz quipped as I made my way to him and Buzz.
“That’s fine. I can hold my own.” Not that I’d want to, but if push came to shove, I wasn’t a lightweight.
Cruz looked me up and down, assessing. There was so much going on in that head of his. More than I’d ever know. “Bet you could.” He clasped his hand on my shoulder and squeezed pretty fucking hard, but I didn’t flinch or move. “We need your help,” he insisted, leading me into the underground lair.
“This place is the shit.” I told them both as we made the walk.
Entering, several of the brothers were in the space. Some looking at pictures on monitors. Some at keyboards tapping away. Some drinking a beer, waiting for orders. Some staring at me as I walked in, including my dad.
The outsider. That was me. In this world I was the outcast, and while I had some damn good tech shit, that didn’t mean they were going to accept me into their fold. It wasn’t something I’d expected either. Ravage was a closed-up network who kept their shit tight, not letting anyone in who wasn’t a member or prospecting for the club.
The fact I broke into their systems wasn’t going to be in my favor here.
Being back such a short period of time, I hadn’t earned that yet. I knew it. They knew it. That didn’t mean I wasn’t very curious to know what the hell was about to happen.
Would they let me in enough to help find these assholes who blew up two houses? Or would they tell me to get the fuck out, and I’d be heading back up to see Ensley, which in the grand scheme of things I’d love to do. She’d only been out of my sight for a few minutes, and I was already feeling twitchy to see her and make sure she and Remy were good.
My father broke from the group and came toward us, a wide smile on his face for some reason. He held his hand out, and I took it. He pulled me into a hug, slapping me on the back several times, then took a step back.
Not sure what that was for, but I rolled with it.
“Proud of you, son.” That hit me in the heart in a damn good way. Loved my dad and loved thinking I did something right in his eyes. Some men would say what the fuck, you’re a pussy for caring. I’d tell them that they didn’t grow up the way I did. They didn’t know the dynamic of this life. And they shouldn’t judge someone or think they are pussies for it. If I wanted to, I could kill someone in one move so fast they wouldn’t know it was coming. Would they call me a pussy then?
My guess would be no.
“What’s up?” I asked him when the smile didn’t leave his face.
“Got somethin’ for ya,” he said, holding his hand out. Breaker, another one of the brothers and Buzz’s twin, who by the way they looked way too much alike, handed my father a piece of leather.
My heart started thumping, and mind started spinning. This wasn’t what I thought it was. Was it? No. There was no way they’d give this to me so soon. They’d have me proving myself over and over again before handing me this.
Wouldn’t they?
Leather meant being a prospect, something my father and I hadn’t talked about, but I guessed he knew I wanted. But this couldn’t be happening right now. It was too fast. We’d just gotten over a hurdle. I still had many more to navigate before they could see me as one of them, right?
Cruz came to stand by my side. “You’ve started to prove yourself to this club.” He emphasized the word ‘started’, and damn wasn’t that true. “If you hadn’t put aside your feelings and been selfless after the explosions, we don’t know where Austyn would be. That says a lot to all of us about the man you’ve grown to become. In the next few hours you will learn things about Ravage that no outsider would know. You’re also blood. Therefore, you get your prospect leather, but know this—you have a lot of shit to prove to this club, and all members of the club have to vote you in.”
“Don’t count on it,” Jacks growled, stepping into the room. “My vote is to kick your ass out now.”
“Noted,” Cruz responded to Jacks. “He’s got the equipment to figure this shit out. We need him in the fold. Like it or not. When the time comes, your vote and every brothers’ vote will count. For now, this is Micah’s shot at redemption.”
“Get that. Doesn’t mean that I’ll be voting his ass into the club,” Jacks grumbled low. Yeah, the time I’d been gone hadn’t taken a single tick off of the anger he felt toward me. This was going to be a huge challenge, but I could do it.
If a man wanted something enough, they’d do whatever it took to get it.
“I understand, Jacks,” I told him flat out. “If I were you, I wouldn’t like me either. But this is about more than who you like. We’re not fuckin’ kids on a playground. This is about trust. I fucked that up. I own it. Just know that I have absolutely zero interest in your woman. What I did before was a shit move. I know it now and acknowledge it.”
