Page 34 of A New Era

“She’s with your dad.”

I head toward my parents’ house noticing how big Gunner is getting. I missed the first year of his life. I’m glad I’m not a stranger to him any longer. Harper and Mom are sitting on the front porch and Gunner wriggles in my hold when he sees his mom.

“Hey, handsome. What are you doing with Uncle Leo?” she coos as I pass him over to her.

“Jay’s busy now, I said I’d bring him back to you.”

By the time I stroll back to the bar, the brothers are filing into the back room. I take my seat and when I slam the gavel down, the brothers quieten. Clearing my throat, I lean on the table and begin. “Luca is in with Effie. She so-calls believes he has broken away from us and we’ll do our part to make it appear real. No one at this table will contact Luca or any of our brothers in the Dog City chapter.”

Dad is unusually quiet and remains so as he leans back in his chair. It’s Jay who says, “That goes without saying.”

“We have our next run in a few days, and everything will be as normal. When she brings Luca truly into her fold, that’s when we’ll get her. The Haywards brought us into this shit show with her, but we’ll show them how we do, and we’ll make it clear we do it in our own way and in our own time.”

Hands slam against the wooden tabletop and brothers holler until the room is filled with noise.

Holding my hand up to quieten them, they shut their mouths. “Luca found out why the city is valuable. It has a pipeline running from an airfield down to the port. That’s what the Haywards want and it’s what Effie’s prepared to fight for. While Luca gets closer to her, he’s gonna dig some more and find out everything he can. Has anyone got anything to add?”

Heads shake around the table. Slamming the gavel down, I follow the brothers into the bar and grab myself a beer.

Falling onto the couch, I settle in and watch the twins rack up a game of pool. Without getting the time to catch my breath, shrieking finds its way into the bar, and searching it out, it soon becomes clear when Zara struggles out of Grim’s grip and storms toward me. The brothers quieten, all waiting to see how this shit show plays out.

“How fucking dare you!” she shrieks.

I simply stare at her, no inclination to question what the fuck she’s going on about. I wait for her to continue, and she doesn’t keep me waiting long.

“You can’t threaten to send Darryl back to Mercy just for being with me!”

So this is what this is about. I should’ve known. Tipping the beer to my lips, I take a long pull as anger reddens her chest and neck. This is ridiculous.Sheis ridiculous.

Rising to my feet, I tower above her. I’ll give her credit, she doesn’t shrink before me. But then she wouldn’t. She’s always thought she had some sort of claim on me and that I’d never go against her in any way. She’s about to learn how deluded she’s been.

“Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to? If I want him in Mercy, that’s where he’ll fucking be. You have no fuckin’ say in what I do. Anyway, I thought you told my old lady you weren’t gonna be coming around here anymore?”

The redness creeps up to her cheeks and her eyes brim with anger. Just like an annoying fly buzzing around you, I itch to swat her away.

“I’m only here because you threatened Darryl!” she seethes.

“If I had threatened him, he’d have known about it. I suggest you bounce your ass home and don’t let me see you again.” I look at Grim. “Get her out of here.”

My order and his nod ignite her outrage. “I’m standing right here, asshole!”

Brothers chuckle around us, finding her a source of entertainment. I lean into her face and lower my voice. “And if Grim does as he’s told, you won’t be.”

She’s yanked away from me, and I broaden my shoulders to full height. “You come around here again, and you’ll get more than a slap from my old lady and that is a threat.”

As I sit back down, I watch on as Grim throws her over his shoulder, and I listen to her protests as he hauls her outside.

“What the fuck was that about?” JJ asks, sitting beside me.

“Nothing.”

Over on the old timers table, Dad catches my eye, and I can’t work out what he’s thinking as he stares at me.

Pushing up from the couch, I head over to his table and pull out the chair beside him. I may as well find out.

“What?”

Tapping the table, he says, “Can’t say too much, I had enough of my own club whore trouble back in the day but if I were you, I’d keep a real close eye on her. When women bleed into the club, it clouds every decision.”

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