Page 74 of Gunner
“Smokey and Bullet were arrested this morning on federal gun trafficking charges. They were caught in a sting operation involving the Diablo Disciples, and the feds have them on tape selling weapons. They used FISA warrants to arrest them outside the compound since they didn’t have enough to arrest the whole club.”
“I don’t understand. We don’t do any dealings with the Diablos,” Piper reasoned.
“I’m only telling you what the lawyer explained once he found where they were being detained.” He cut his eyes to the floor and brought them back to the women as the other brothers looked on quietly. “The lawyer said they can use the laws passed after 9/11 to keep them indefinitely.”
Both women broke down in tears, and I pulled them against my shoulders as tears streamed from my eyes. “Is there anything he can do to get them out?”
He shook his head and explained, “If he can get them to agree to a plea deal, the lawyer thinks he can get them ten to fifteen in state prison instead of federal.”
“Fifteen years?” Piper cried, and I felt my heart break for her.
There was no way I could go fifteen days, let alone fifteen years, without Kade. How were they going to survive without their husbands? Why were they dealing weapons to a club that wasn’t an enemy but wasn’t an ally either?
There were too many questions swirling in my head, but I had to ask, “Who’s going to step in while everything gets sorted out?”
The men surrounding Kade cut their eyes to him, and he leaned back from comforting Lilly and Piper to explain. “The club voted me in as temporary president until the lawyers can get this all figured out. I agreed, only as long as Smokey and Bullet are away, or the club loses faith in me.”
I was proud of my man but hated the way he got the gavel. No member of the club should rot away in prison, even if they lied to the club for years. Part of me knew this was a result of those lies and I let my gaze meet Kade’s briefly before looking away. Not wanting to show any joy in the situation, I sat while the new officers of the club explained to Lilly and Piper how they were always a part of the club and how their cabins were never going to be taken away.
The club would look after them, taking care of all their needs, just as their old men would have done, until they come home. No matter how long that was, the Death Hounds looked after family.
I excused myself and called my mom-friend, who watched Jacob during the summer when I worked, and asked if he could spend the night with her. I knew he was safe with her, and I didn’t want him around the club until things were sorted out.
Everyone was involved in different conversations and the liquor started flowing, so I went into the kitchen, pulled out some hamburger meat, and began to patty burgers for dinner. After finishing them and putting them in the fridge to rest, I got started on some simple sides, knowing that food was necessary to keep the brothers on their feet.
They were all hurting from what may be a long absence of Smokey and Bullet. I wanted to ask if this was because of what happened with Skeeter, but that wasn’t a question I would ever ask out loud. I never wanted Kade to second guess the club’s faith in him. He was a born leader, and he always used his head to solve problems, so I knew he was a great choice for president.
One of the prospects fired up the grill and took the burgers out to cook them while I finished dinner. A few of the ladies joined me, and I worried about Piper and Lilly. I walked back through the dining room into the bar and saw Gunner and Claw talking with them. They pulled the ladies into hugs before they left through the back door. I caught Kade’s eye from across the room, and he lifted his chin at me.
I smiled sadly, and he walked through the room, speaking to a few of the brothers as he made his way to me. Pecking me on the cheek, he guided me out the side door of the kitchen, and we walked to the empty picnic pavilion, away from prying ears.
“Are they going to be okay?” I asked, and he linked his hand with mine and kissed the back.
“I think with time they’ll be okay, but right now, they’re on edge.” I nodded my understanding, and he asked, “Are you okay with all this?”
He acknowledged the brothers filtering into the front yard with a chin lift, and I replied, “I’m as good as can be expected.” Lowering my voice, I asked as quietly as possible, “Is this because of what we did?”
He shook his head and responded, “Whatever trouble they got themselves into, it wasn’t because of you. They made the decision to deal with the Diablos. Now . . .” He shrugged, and I smiled sadly, understanding that while it wasn’t what he wanted, he would lead until the club asked him to stop.
As night fell and the brothers found their way into cabins and the rooms on the second floor of the clubhouse, Kade and I walked hand in hand back to his cabin. One of the brothers had hooked Kade’s sidecar to his bike and took the backroad to retrieve Bear from our house. He was patiently waiting in the middle of the king-size bed, asleep, when we walked in. The fluffy dog lifted his head and returned to his slumber with a content sigh.
I fell asleep in Kade’s arms with worry and fear coursing through me. As president, he would have a bigger target on his back from rival clubs and cops, and I feared someone would take him from me like Smokey and Bullet were taken from Piper and Lilly.
When I woke the next morning, Kade was sitting on the front porch with Bear sitting at his feet, a cup of coffee in one hand and his phone in the other. I saw he was talking with someone, so I made quick work of my morning routine and poured a cup of coffee. When he hung up, I opened the door, and he smiled at me, patting his leg and offering me a seat.
I sat sideways on his lap and rested my head on his shoulder as the sun began to peek over the horizon, offering a fresh start to a new day.
“Who was that on the phone?” I asked, sipping my coffee.
“The club’s lawyer called before five.” I sat up, eager to hear the news. “If they agree to a plea deal, they’ll drop the terrorism charges and sentence them to twelve to fifteen in state prison.”
“What did they do, exactly?” It wasn’t my business, but the curiosity was killing me.
“The Diablos were being investigated for human trafficking, and Smokey was caught on surveillance selling guns to them. Bullet was his lookout, but they weren’t wearing their cuts, so the club wasn’t implicated.”
My eyes grew wide, realizing how close we all came to losing someone. Kade pulled me into a hug and whispered, “I’ll never leave you alone, Sadie. I swear on my life.”
I met his gaze with mine and saw the sincerity in his eyes. Kissing him softly, I whispered, “I love you.”
