There was a slight pause and the chapel door opened again.
Out came Hammer, the current President of the Reap. He was Knox’s old man but that didn’t mean shit to any of us. He would do whatever it took to make sure the club survived. I swore that if it came down to it, he would kill his own son for the sake of the club.
Hammer looked right at me. I didn’t even see the leather cut in his hand until he slammed it against my chest.
“Don’t fuck this up,” he said in a rough voice.
I took the leather cut and Hammer turned and walked away.
A second later Uncle Jakey slapped my face. “Don’t take this lightly, King. This is a symbol of loyalty and honor. I vouched for this vote, pushed hard for it. I know what you’ve done for the Reap. I know the future of the Reap lies in you, Slam, and Knoxville. Don’t fuck this up, just like Hammer said. And don’t ever lie to me. Don’t ever hide shit from me or this club. You got that?”
“Of course,” I said. “I know what the Reap is about. You don’t have to worry about that, Uncle Jakey. I just want to wear the cut and do what’s right.”
“Then put that fucking thing on,” Uncle Jakey said.
He walked away and I put my official leather cut on for the first time. Knox and Slam patted my back and ordered me another beer. Being patched in like that, having a chance to get to the table and throw my vote around was a big deal. So big that any woman in or around the clubhouse would be under my command. Shit, that ran through my mind, but only for a split second.
There was only one woman in my life. One woman I wanted to show my leather cut to. And that was Linds. I could protect her now for the rest of her life.
So I had my orders in line…
Never lie to the Reap and always protect Linds.
22
(King) *NOW*
I LIT up a smoke and sat with Knox and Uncle Jakey. I hated that the rest of the table was empty, but the last thing we needed was a full table of heated outlaws thinking they were going to be taken down for good. I heard the story of how Knox one night decided to put the Reap back together. How he took out the leather cuts and passed them around, all without proper approval. Such a bad ass move, but a move that fit Knox’s personality.
“This isn’t a joke that I’m out walking,” I said.
“It’s a goddamn legal miracle,” Knox said.
“No. That’s where you’re wrong. It’s orchestrated.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Uncle Jakey asked. “You wanted this meeting and you got it. So spit it out.”
“Someone is watching the Reap,” I said.
“What?” Knox asked.
“Some guy pulled me out of prison,” I said. “He has all our files. Knows all our dirt. And he wants to come after the Reap. Hard. More than that, he wants you, Uncle Jakey.”
Uncle Jakey stiffened in his seat. “You negotiated a deal to get out?”
“What fucking choice did I have?” I asked. “I had to get out. I had to see you all. I had to warn you…”
“You wanted to see that piece of ass of yours,” Uncle Jakey growled.
“This isn’t about that shit,” I said.
“Don’t lie,” Knox said.
“Fuck off,” I said. “You hear what I’m telling you both? I was minding my own goddamn business on the inside. This guy had been watching and collecting information to do this. To make this offer. He wants me out and he wants me to give him all I can about the Reap. I’m warning you guys right now.”
“So now what?” Knox asked. “You tell us this and you go back inside?”
“If he finds out I told you, he’ll put me right back inside. I’ll be first on the list to get injected, I’m sure. Fuck, I might not even make it back inside before I’m dead.”
Knox looked at Uncle Jakey.
“Who is it?” Uncle Jakey asked.
“Some guy named Anderson,” I said.
“Fuck.”
“You know him?” Knox asked.
“Let’s just say he’s not quite a badge guy… but right there. He’s got power. He’s looking to break my balls a little bit.”
“There’s some more,” I said.
“What?” Knox asked.
“He keeps telling me there’s information about the murder of my brother, Tito. He keeps stringing me along that something is waiting there. I want to know the truth about my brother and his murder. Shit, I went out and sought revenge…”
“Which could be proved wrong,” Knox said. “You shot and took off. Your bullet might not…”
“Enough of this talk,” Uncle Jakey said. He stood up. “Enough.” He slammed his hands to the table. “So what do you want from me, King?”
“How about some fucking answers?”
Uncle Jakey looked at me. “Like what?”
“I’ll go back inside. I’ll take the death penalty. If that’s what I need to do for the Reap. But there’s truth out there waiting. And this Anderson guy is not going to back down easily.”
“So let’s string him along,” Knox said. “Feed him some bullshit about the Reap. Let him think King is on his side.”
“You okay with that?” Uncle Jakey asked me.
“Whatever the club needs,” I said. “I just want to be out and free. If my case can be presented without this guy in the picture…”