I followed Jack into the room he called the chapel. He sat at the head of the wooden table and I took the seat to his left. His Vice President, reading his title off the badge on his leather cut, Blackie sat across from me sizing me up.
“I hope you don’t mind Blackie sitting in on our meeting.” Jack said eyeing me cautiously, which made me think he was testing me. I glanced across at Blackie who might’ve been a year or two younger than me which had me wondering how a guy so young had climbed the ranks in the MC. I’d be old and on my way out before, I was ever considered a potential underboss. I suppose that was the difference between our organizations. A guy like Blackie got promoted on his crimes, while a guy like me stayed stagnant, continuously asked to break the law and make a larger mess out of his life without gaining anything.
“It’s fine,” I said clearing my throat as my eyes diverted back and forth between Blackie and Jack. “So, either of you want to explain why your club is so eager to clean up this mess Vic has found himself in? I mean you’re aware that it is RICO charges they’re looking to nail him with, which means it’s federal.”
Jack sat back in his chair and ran the back of his hand along the scruff that lined his jaw. “You mean aside from the offer Vic placed on the table?”
“The deed to a warehouse in New Jersey doesn’t seem like much of an incentive when you’re talking about taking out a fed,” I said. “I’m sure you can understand my concern.”
“Blackie, give us a minute,” Jack said, eyeing his second in command. He didn’t look too happy about being dismissed but he didn’t put up an argument.
“I’ll be right outside,” he growled, as he rose from his seat. I wanted to laugh at him because he reminded me a lot of the guy I once was. A son of a bitch that would do anything for his higher command.
Jack waited for the door to close behind Blackie before he turned his attention back to me.
“You have any siblings Bianci?”
“A sister” I said, hesitantly wondering where he was going with this. There weren’t many people who knew about Lauren and I had done everything in my power to keep it that way. I didn’t need people using my sweet innocent sister as a ploy in this game that was my life. “What’s it to you?”
“There it is…,” he said purposely, as he slapped his palm against the wood table. “Right there. The possessiveness one has over their blood.” He cocked his head to the side. “I bet not many people know of her.”
“Where are you going with this Parrish?” I complained, feeling irritable.
“Hear me out,” he demanded, holding up a hand. “There isn’t anything you wouldn’t do to protect your sister is there?”
“No, I suppose there isn’t,” I said automatically. I’d kill for Lauren I’d lay down and die for her if it came down to it.
“What does your sister do?”
“What the fuck does my sister have to do with this?”
“Not a damn thing.” Jack bowed his head. “But my brother, that’s a different story.”
“Your brother?” I asked, not following him.
He bit the inside of his cheek for a moment before shedding light on whatever the fuck it was he was talking about. “My parents died when I was twenty years old in a car crash. They were headed south on the Garden State on route to bail my ass out of jail when one of those luxury buses, you know the kind that drive down to A.C., slammed into them.” He lifted his eyes to mine and continued. “My brother Danny was only eighteen but still considered legal and after we buried our parents I vowed to take care of him. My aunt in Detroit wanted to take him with her but I swore on our parent’s grave that I would do the right thing by him. I didn’t have much going for me then but I had a shitload of responsibilities. I tried my hardest to make ends meet until I couldn’t anymore. I had no choice but to sell my parent’s house or let the bank foreclose on it. I was packing up the house when I went into the garage and found my old man’s Harley that he was rebuilding before he died.” He shrugged his shoulders a faint grin playing on his face. “It was the last gift my old man ever gave me, and I don’t mean the bike I mean the sign.” He crossed his arms against his chest. “It all became clear after that and I suddenly knew what I had to do to get me and my brother through this.” He unfolded his arms and swept his hand around the room. “And here I am now the president of Satan’s Knights.”
“And your brother?” I asked my curiosity piqued.
Jack released a heavy sigh as he leaned over the table and peered up at me. “He became a straight A student, scored himself a fancy college degree, and followed that with a gig on the opposite side of my spectrum.” He paused for a moment. “Are the dots connecting for you Bianci?”
I squinted as I leaned in close to him trying to read between the lines he was drawing for me. “You telling me your brother is a cop?”