Page 17 of Grace's Redemption
His lips linger and he kissed me again. I wished I felt something. A tinge of excitement, some of the sexual energy I shared with Mase. I felt nothing and it hurt my heart.
“Mattie.” I rubbed his arm. “I miss him.”
“I do too.”
* * *
The club went backto normal pretty fast. The place didn’t spiral out of control in Mase’s absence. Everyone was distracted by a new alliance Papa Scott was working on.
The SouthEast Dragons had long been synonymous with bad things, but they were trying to turn things around. Mase was at the forefront of the legit business the club stood for and in his absence, that responsibility fell to Derrick.
A national club, with several local chapters, known as the Legion of Guardians warred with a nasty outfit known as the Vipers. The Dragons had been at odds with Vipers for a long as I could remember.
It’s the reason I was deathly afraid of snakes. When I use to hear story about the Vipers I pictured a band of actual snakes coming to eat us. I was almost relieved when I learned they were men like my dad and Papa Scott.
In a few days, the Guardians, the main chapter and the local chapters in and around DC were coming in for a sit-down.
I picked up on all the information by hanging around the clubhouse. Brothers tended to speak freely around me.
It was YoYo and Derrick who I overheard last night talking about the Legion of Guardians. Guardians and the Dragons weren’t exactly on the same page as far as motorcycle clubs go. From their reputation, they were legit businessmen, owned assets, and had political clout, but when necessary, they could mount up, ride hard and kick some serious ass when it was called upon.
They made them sound mythical.
I’d never seen Papa ask anyone for help, but I guess the enemy of my enemy is my friend worked when it came to eliminating the Vipers. As one percenters go, they were the worst of the worst.
“Gracie.” Papa Scott’s voice bellowed across the main room.
I hung out in the clubhouse lounge reading a book, trying to stay cool from the summer heat.
“Yes, Papa.” I stood up and leaned over to see his head popping out of his office across the way.
“Run and tell Derrick I need to speak with him. He’s in the garage.”
I nodded and put my book down.
The one truly effected by Mase’s departure, besides me was Derrick. He and Mase were tight from the beginning.
I walked across the courtyard to the garage. It was where the bikes were built, fixed, and my dad’s favorite thing, customized. He’d designed the specs of the place all on his own.
Derrick had been appointed Tail Gunner a couple of years ago. After my father died, they said Papa Scott couldn’t bear to give anyone else the title. Derrick went and asked for it, he said not having a tail gunner was dangerous and it was disrespectful to my father’s legacy.
I walked into the garage, ran my hand over the little plaque on the wall that paid tribute to my dad.
The place was quiet, a radio played in the back. I spotted Derrick underneath a midnight blue Mustang he was restoring.
“Derrick,” I yelled.
He jumped.
“Fuck, Gracie.” His voice sounded muffled from underneath the car.
“Sorry.” I squatted down. “Papa Scott wants to see you.”
He slid out from under the car and stopped a few inches from me.
He wiped his hand and stood up.
He looked at me, smirked, and turned away.
