The only type of brotherhood that was worth a damn.
“A couple of months ago Pastore asked me to take care of a problem he had. A Fed was sniffing around one of Jimmy Gold’s bodies and they wanted me to make the Fed disappear. The Fed was my brother, Danny, and this guy over here…” Jack explained, pointing to Bianci who was leaning against the wall. “…was about to help me save my brother’s life but we were too late. Jimmy killed Danny and set his house on fire. Reina, the woman I’ve been seeing was Danny’s girlfriend, and she was in the house with Danny when he let the house go up in flames.” He paused, making eye contact with each of us before he sighed and continued.
“I’ve been planning my revenge for months, figuring it was personal and so no need to bring it to the club. It’s not personal anymore. It’s not even about Danny anymore. Wolf, Pipe, you two have been around since Cain’s days, you guys remember the G-Man, right?”
Pipe nodded.
“Remember going to a lot of funerals at his hand,” he said.
“Yeah, well, long story short, Jimmy has been working with him since the days of Val.”
Val was Victor’s underboss and Mike’s old man. He was murdered, and this Gold character took his place. Jack continued his story, informing us that Jimmy was involved in Val’s death and every blow the Pastore’s had taken over the last few years had been premeditated. Jimmy was working with our nemesis, the G-Man, since Jack took the gavel.
But that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Jack and Blackie cut a deal with Victor to set up Jimmy for all the shit he was responsible for. Val’s death, Jack’s brother’s death, the demise of Victor’s organization and the drugs polluting our streets. With Victor in jail and Jimmy running the show, the son of a bitch was going to run drugs through Vic’s territory. He needed a supplier, and Jack and Blackie had it set all up, they would be the ones to get him the heroin.
I wondered if Jack knew Blackie was dipping into that shit.
I pushed the thought aside and continued to listen to our president, trying to make sense of this mess and figure a way for us to get through it.
Their plan was to get Jimmy hooked on their product and when he needed more they would tell him only large quantities. Jimmy was in the market for a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of H—Jack had promised to deliver. They would set him up with the drugs and Victor Pastore would wait for him on the other side. But somewhere the plan went astray because it wasn’t even about the drugs anymore.
We had no fucking idea what he wanted or why he took Blackie and Reina.
We were riding blind.
Victor knew something, tried reaching out to Grace, and that’s why she was at the compound but we couldn’t get a hold of him either because he got his ass thrown in solitary.
Blind.
“I’m sorry this shit fell on our doorstep. I’m sorry I didn’t bring it to the table sooner. You can vote upon my poor judgement but not now, that will have to be done some other time because right now you have a choice to make. I’m going after Jimmy Gold, I will put him in the ground and I will plow through anyone who stands in my fucking way. You’re either with me or you’re not, but I got a brother to find and a woman to get back, and a cocksucking weasel to bury.” Jack said, fire in his eyes, determination in his soul.
“Ay,” Pipe said in agreement. “I’ve got you.”
“We’re brothers, that shit isn’t temporary, it’s a bond you take to your fucking grave. Now you may have forgotten that but I haven’t and I will not let you forget it ever again. Got your back.” Wolf said, pausing for a moment. “Always.”
Jack turned to me, raising an eyebrow in question.
This was what I signed up for.
This was what I was born to do.
Ride or Die.
Motherfucker, I’m going to ride.
“I’m in but I want pie when your lady friend is safe and sound,” I said, lifting my head to meet Jack’s gaze as I brought my right hand over my heart. “And I’m not sharing it either,” I warned, my words teased but my actions were my vow.
I’ve got you brother, and this club is my heart.
Bones sat beside me, slapping my back in agreement.
“Let’s bring this fucker to his knees,” Bones chimed in.
We sprang into action, doing what men like us did best, and prepared for war. Even, Anthony and Mike gave their share, contributing to our warfare. We were dispersing responsibilities to each man when Jack’s phone rang.
Every pair of eyes were on him as we waited for him to clue us in. They say Jack’s crazy. They say he’s a loose cannon. I had never seen it first hand, not until I saw his eyes flicker and the darkness take over.
Crazy.
“Son of a bitch,” he shouted, sliding his phone across the table.