HARD KNOX(14)

“Yeah?” I asked.

“Tell Hammer to meet up for coffee tomorrow. He’ll know where.”

Just like that, I was off the hook. I knew the Reap had the PD working alongside us but I didn’t realize it went that deep. As it would turn out, Chief was the one who asked the old man to have me take care of that car.

Small f*cking world, right?

When I left the police station, two of my boys - Slam and King - were waiting for me. We hugged and rode back to the clubhouse. I entered the clubhouse and it was quiet. Everyone was just sitting there, looking at me. Someone pointed to the chapel (the room where we would meet and discuss business). I opened the door and it was a full table.

My old man at the head of the table, standing, looking pissed off.

“What’d you tell them?” he asked me.

“Nothing. I said nothing.”

“You sure about that?” Banger - the then VP - asked. “Looks to me like you botched the job.”

“Fuck that,” I said. “Someone ratted me out. PD was waiting for me. I had no chance. Look at my f*cking leg.”

“Come here,” my old man said to me.

I walked the length of the table and faced him. The old man at home was one thing. The old man that wore the President’s patch was a much different person.

“We took a vote,” he said. “About this shit. You know it goes with the Reap, Knox. We don’t allow and can’t afford mistakes.”

So that was it? They were going to strip me of my cut? Slice my ink off my body?

The old man then started to smile. The whiskey in his eyes made him a little misty. Banger stood up and reached into his pocket. I was presented with a new patch. I was going to be part of the table now. Meaning I was able to attend church. I’d have a say. Goddammit, I was going to have a f*cking vote in everything the club did.

It was almost as good as touching my first tit.

The table exploded into cheers. When I exited the chapel, the clubhouse exploded next. Then there were drinks and women. Lots of each. I had my choice of anyone I wanted, as long as I wanted. I sat on the edge of a pool table, two women topless in front of me, and I did something insane.

I walked away.

I went outside and walked to my motorcycle.

I took my thundering beast out of the lot and knew right where I wanted to go.

When I pulled up to the front of the house, I looked at it. It was funny how those days with my grandmother living downstairs and my mother upstairs worrying about money used to seem so bad. Now the place was unused. Except for me. I crashed there when I wanted to.

But this wasn’t a f*cking homecoming thing.

My eyes then went to the house next door.

Shit, my old man got caught f*cking Ana’s mother. Ana and her mother were on the outs and Ana was basically on the loose. But that night, Ana’s bedroom light was on. To me, that was enough. Just to know she was home and she was safe.

My life was simply out of control. I was now a table member of the Reaper’s Bastards MC. There was too much violence on my hands and in my heart. I would love Ana with every last breath of mine but I knew in her eyes she wanted more.

That night she came to the window and saw me. When she disappeared I knew she was coming outside. I could have taken off, but I didn’t. I sat right there. I watched as she darted out the front door and ran toward me. She ran up to my motorcycle and jumped on the back. I gave her my helmet and we took off together.

I took her to her favorite spot in town, at the top of a ridge that overlooked the city. It was like the stars were on the ground. I put a blanket down, sat there, showed her my new patch, told her what it meant, and then we started up. The first time I f*cked her, she was looking up at the stars. The second time, I was looking up at the stars. But the truth was that I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I held her, loved her, wanted to keep the night alive forever, but then I got a call. It was from the old man. I had to get back to the clubhouse. Something was wrong.

That night, Ana cried when I dropped her off.

I told her I loved her as she walked away.

She hugged herself and walked as though shame rattled through her bones.

It was the last time I f*cked her… well, up until I got her pregnant years later…





chapter nine


(ana)



NOW



The club was finally closed for the night. It was strange being in there after closing. When the place was silent. The chairs flipped over, resting on the tables. The gentle clank of glasses as Danny, Porter, and a couple of the other guys at the bar, enjoying their last few drinks of the night.

Eddie stood at the register, closing out.

They were all over him by now.

He was stealing hand over fist and had a way to close out the register without missing what he stole. That meant when Danny or someone went to take care of the drop, it would end up short, but it would look like someone ripped off cash from the safe, not the register.

I didn't want to be there. I didn’t like the feel of it.

Porter threw back a shot and turned his glass upside down. He then gave a nod to a guy name Muddy.

I felt my heart start to race.

Danny stood and folded his arms, leaning against the back of the bar.

It looked like a scene from a mobster movie.

Muddy walked up to Eddie.

“Hey Mudd,” Eddie said.