Page 18 of 4 Bikers for the Doctor

I tell Bret, “Make sure she has everything she needs.” Then to Nick, I say. “Get the van ready, when she’s settled in, take her to town and do some grocery shopping. Brunch was good, let’s see if she can do better for dinner. Lara’s our new chef now.”

“Alright,” Nick smiles.

I put my hand on Lara’s back and nudge her out the door, then point to Chase and call him inside with two fingers, “You, get in here.”

He doesn’t look happy…and I know why.

I close the door after him, as he comes through he says, “Wow, from burning my bike to taking the VP’s room. Nice.”

Time for us to have a little heart to heart. “Why is it, Chase, that the more rope I give you, the more you try to hang yourself with it?”

As he turns I land a right-hook to his jaw that lands him on his ass. When his senses return, he looks up at me in confusion.

“What the fuck is your problem, Chase?”

He rubs his jaw before he stands, “You trust me so little, two minutes after I left, you followed me back?”

“No, Bret’s the one who didn’t trust you, that’s why the three of us came back. And he was right.”

“So, she burns my bike butshe’sthe one who gets your protection? She ends up in the room that was supposed to be mine?”

That’s what this is all about.This is what this has always been about.“What makes you think that VP slot was ever going to be yours?”

Now, he has nothing to say, he glares at me, straight faced and stoic.

“Well? Answer me.”

“I earned that sp—”

I grab him by the collar and slam him against the wall, “You haven’t earned shit! Every single time I try to prop you up and give you more responsibility, you let me down. Over and over again, all you do is break my heart.”

Talking isn’t going to be enough when it comes to Chase. I bury three quick right hands in his gut and make each one hurt so much, that when I step back, he falls to the floor clutching himself…immobile.

Chase’s dad was my best friend. He used to be the president of theTwisted Reapers.The apple has fallen very far from the tree. “Go find something to do that makes you a little useful to me and we’ll see if you still have a future here.”

He can consider things while he lays there on the ground.

When I get to the door, I remember to call back to him, “And leave the girl alone!”

Max Hennig had high hopes for his son. If he could see him now, he wouldn’t be impressed. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with Chase, but he’s been buried inside a bottle for a long goddamn time.

Talking shit about Luke Kairn was the last straw. I tried to hold my tongue and believe it was the booze talking…maybe he didn’t know what he was saying.

Then at brunch he made thebitchcomment. Maybe that too was an accident. I really want to believe that it was, but…

That’s two strikes in two days, if he goes for a third, I’m going to have to do something about him.

I walk down the hall to the VP’s quarters. The room is like mine, but it hasn’t been used in a long time.

I don’t feel like anyone is ready to take the spot yet. Some guys are too old, some are too young, some simply haven’t proven they have what it takes.

I never told Chase, but Luke was the one I had my eye on for the slot. He thought he’d get it because of who his old man was, but it doesn’t work that way.

No one is owed anything. You have to earn your way.

I poke my head in to check on Bret and Lara. “All good?”

“It really needs some freshening up and new bedding,” Lara has herdisgustedface on. “It’s better than the spare room but yeah, it needs work.”

---