Page 84 of Menace

Lucky

The meet with all the presidents and their chosen officers was going as well as could be expected. No one wanted a war but it seemed like it was inevitable.

Los Rojos wanted their routes, their connections and their businesses and they were hell-bent on taking them.

He had given his report regarding Carmella Mendez and had left nothing out. He made sure to include a warning that she was dangerous.

He had been so busy he’d only been able to send Harper one text. Once they went into the meet he had to leave his phone outside. He had given it to Mouth with orders to keep it with him and if Harper needed him to let him know immediately.

They had broken the meeting for lunch and when he sat down with their visitors, their phones were still locked down. He was pissed he couldn’t check on his woman but sucked it up. They had a couple of things to work out before the meet was done, he would call her afterward.

He was sitting with Dive, Iceman, the prez of Tampa chapter, and Gunner, the prez of the Birmingham chapter, and they were just shooting the shit while waiting for the meet to restart when he saw Lure with his prez. They were having an intense but very quiet conversation. Lure left and his prez turned to talk to Byte who instantly pulled his laptop closer and started tapping away on it.

His attention was drawn back to the conversation with his brothers while the prospects came in to clear up. Once they left the atmosphere changed, everyone was back in work mode. He couldn’t wait to get shit done so he could call Harper.

Maniac tapped the gavel on the table to restart the meet. Silence fell but instead of continuing the meet his prez looked at him.

By the look in his president’s eyes he knew something was wrong, very fucking wrong.

“Lucky, brother, I need you to be calm and listen. You got me?” His prez looked pissed.

Lucky’s gut churned. What the fuck was going on? Did something happen to Harper or his family?

“What’s goin’ on, Prez? Did something happen with Harper? Or is it my family?” He was half out of his chair when his prez held up a hand.

“Harper is fine, so is your family. This is somethin’ else.” He looked at Byte who was furiously typing on his laptop.

“You got anythin’ for us yet, Byte?”

Byte shook his head, not looking up.

“I’m lookin’, Prez. I’ve reached out to a connection who is like a fuckin’ ghost and if there’s anythin’ to find she’ll find it. Give me few minutes. I’ll put some photos up as soon as she sends them to me.” He glanced at their prez. “Until we know what this is we should treat it as threat and handle it accordingly. We’re goin’ to have to stall.”

Lucky had enough.

“What the fuck is goin’ on?”

He knew serious shit had hit the fan when Dive came and sat on one side of him and Ren on the other.

Fucking hell, he was getting a really bad feeling in his gut.

“Tell me.” He growled as his hands fisted on the table.

“A bitch arrived at the gate demandin’ entrance, claimin’ she was family. The brothers on duty ordered her to present them with ID, she did.” His prez drew in a deep breath. “I’m going to give it to you straight. The woman at the gate claims to be Gloria Garcia.”

Lucky was confused because he knew Carmella was Gloria. So who the fuck was at the gate?

He frowned and shrugged then gave his prez his attention as he laid it out for them.

“Here’s the thing. She no longer looks like Carmella. It’s as if she has pulled on another fuckin’ face. Lure took her into the holdin’ room and questioned her. Her story is that years ago she was taken back to Colombia and forced into a marriage with one of her father’s associates. They threatened to kill you if she didn’t marry the guy. She’s been livin’ there for the last fifteen years and only recently escaped and made her way here, back to you. She told Lure you claimed her and made her your ol’ lady before she was forcibly taken. Is that correct? Did you claim her and is she your ol’ lady?”

Lucky was stunned. His heart galloped in his chest as he tried to take it all in.

This shit can’t be happening. It just can’t be.

“Lucky, brother, is she your ol’ lady or not?” His prez asked once again.

Closing his eyes he gritted his teeth and tried to still his racing mind.

---