Page 14 of Defy
Chapter Seven
LOGAN
Prez wasn’t the only one whose nerves were on edge when Bella called to tell us something was going on here at Grace's. I'm going to tan that woman's ass for walking into a building alone knowing something could be wrong. Stepping outside, I pull my vape pen from my cut. You heard me right. A fuckin' vape pen. I decided I need to give up smokes and it hasn’t been a smooth transition. I take a long pull from it, inhaling the vapors deep into my lungs before exhaling and watching the smoke billow.
Reid stepping out of the door catches my attention.
"Prez wants to see you."
Shoving the pen back into my pocket, I head inside. "Got anything?" I question him with Reid coming to stand at my right.
"Nothin'," Jake sighs as he runs his hand down the length of his beard. "Listen. You guys go on. I'll handle this for now. There doesn’t look to be signs of forced entry or a struggle. Only signs she left on her own." He says doing his best to wear a mask of indifference as he deals with the situation.
The club knows him and Grace have had a thing for one another. For their reasons, they have been hiding it. Fighting it. "So, you don’t have any concerns? Prez, listen. We know…" I don’t get to finish my sentence as Prez cuts it short with a clipped voice and a stern look of authority.
"I said I'd take care of it."
"Alright," I throw my hands up showing him I won't push the issue any further. For now. "Riggs and a few of his men will be arriving in town in about three hours. You going to be at the clubhouse when they roll in?" I ask him.
Riggs is from the Louisiana Chapter. Our club is hosting them this weekend.
"I'm gonna need you to step up in my place, Logan. At least for the night," Prez informs me.
"You got it. I guess I'm heading out to the clubhouse," I turn to Reid, "Let everyone know I expect them all out there within the hour. And make sure the women have rooms ready for Riggs and his officers"
"On it," he quickly responds before lifting his chin at Prez and leaves.
Standing in place, I wait for the sound of Reid’s Harley firing up and it taking off down the road before letting myself be more than the V.P. for a moment. "If you need anything let me know, Jake,” I tell him. His squared off shoulders slump slightly as he shifts his weight from one foot to the other.
"I know, son. I appreciate it, but for now I'm flying this solo. It’s a good possibility she simply left."
Hurt briefly crosses his face. I want him to be happy. He deserves it. Grace brought back a fire that hasn’t been in Jake for a long time. Sometimes a man needs to be left alone with his thoughts. Jake needs that now.
"I'll catch up with you later. Don't worry about the hosting. We got it covered. You do whatever it is you gotta do. Remember your club- your brothers have your back," I tell him as I leave.
A few hourslater I'm sitting at the bar at the clubhouse throwing back a beer with Gabriel. The brothers and the women all did a great job pitching in to get things squared away for the party tonight. When I say party, I don’t mean a family get together. It will get X-rated up in here tonight. It's been awhile since we have thrown down.
Over the past few months we have taken on two new girls, Ember and Raine. So far, they haven’t caused any drama and Raine runs the bar like a pro. There's a story with both I'm sure. Hell, we all have a past, but it's not my job to sit them down and get to know them.
"You guys getting a sitter so Alba can hang tonight," I ask Gabriel as he turns his bottle of beer up and downs what’s left.
"Yeah, got it covered."
"You explain to her what to expect tonight. She and Bella haven’t been to a party like this before. Sometimes the men like to openly show what they're made of." It's part of club life; it doesn't happen every day or at every party, but it happens.
"Didn't have to. Overheard her and Bella discussing it," he tells me.
"I'd like to have been a fly on the wall during that conversation. Those two keep nothing from each other." Gabriel's lips turn up in a small smile but says no more about it. Yep, wish I could have been there. The women went back to my place to get ready and said they would ride in together. Bella, Alba, Mila, and Emerson; those women are thick as thieves these days. My thoughts stray to Grace. All the girls are friends with her too, but Grace never took anyone up on the offer to come out here to the clubhouse. She's always a little skittish and hyper-aware of her surroundings. When she did accept invites, it was to gatherings we held at someone's home. I hope Prez can find her and sort things out with the two of them.
"Logan, our brothers are rolling through the gates," Quinn walks in from outside and pulls his shades off his face.
"How many brothers?" I ask as I slide off my bar stool ready to walk out the door. I've met Riggs and a few other brothers from the chapter before, but it's been a couple of years since I've seen them.
"Six on bikes and a cage carrying three women. I guess they brought some extra entertainment," Quinn smirks.
Last I heard he was bringing about a dozen members this weekend. "Alright, let's walk outside and welcome our brothers. As we step out the doors of the clubhouse, the rumble of their Harleys gets louder as they back their bikes up next to all the others before cutting them off. The car hauling the women is directed by Blake to pull up on the side of the building because the empty space near the tree is the closest to the building and designated parking for our old ladies when they aren’t on the back of our bikes. Riggs, the Louisiana chapter's President is ex-military, specifically a Green Beret, specializing in explosives. From the stories I've heard told he's damn good. The fucker is big. Stands as tall as Gabriel and makes me feel like I need to up my game on my workouts.
"Logan, what's going on brother? Haven't seen you in almost two years," He strides over and extends his hand.
