Allegiance - Chiah Wilder Page 0,28
Not liking the direction the club was going in, coupled with his mother’s failing health, were the reasons he’d made the tough choice to go nomad.
A dense cloud of cigarette smoke billowed out to greet Tank when he opened the clubhouse doors. Metal music played from speakers perched on tall shelves against the back wall. Men in leather and denim hovered around the bar, while women in barely there clothing and fuck-me heels meandered around the room, showing the men a good time when asked.
“Yo, buddy, did you come to bang some sweet butts, or are you staying for the party?” Maniac cocked his head in Tank’s direction before shooting a cue ball into the corner pocket. “You wanna see me kick some pussy ass and drain this motherfucker’s bank account dry?
Tank looked over at Chainsaw, who stood against the wall, looking calm, cool, and collected, with a joint pressed between his lips and the smoke streaming up his face. The guy was unflappable, and could hold his liquor better than anyone in the clubhouse, but that didn’t mean shit, because the dude was a crappy pool player and loved to gamble big. Around the club, he was known as a sure bet. If a brother needed some extra cash, they’d hit up Chainsaw in a game of pool, because no matter how often he lost, Chainsaw would continue to play.
Tank rolled his shoulders, leaned back against the pine bar, and crossed his legs. “For now, I’m just here to watch the slaughter.”
Maniac busted out laughing and turned to Chainsaw. “Did you hear that?”
“I heard it, but it doesn’t mean jack shit,” he huffed.
Turning toward Tank, Maniac grinned. “Like taking candy from a fuckin’ baby.”
A few of the members perched on the stools around the pool table laughed along with Tank. It felt good to be back among his brothers. He hadn’t been by the club on a Saturday night in months, and he missed the place.
The clubhouse wasn’t anything fancy, just four large rooms spread out in a bunker style. Mostly pieced together furniture from yard sales and family heirlooms, and an enormous bar that Raptor’s father had built way back in the day, dominated the central room. The large centerpiece had seen its share of violence, pussy, and beer—not unlike most of his brothers.
As Tank leaned against the bar, he wondered where all the other brothers were, given the big party that was gearing up.
“Where is everyone?” he asked as he brought the beer bottle to his lips.
“They’ll be here. Are you coming to church tomorrow?”
Tank jerked. “Church on a Sunday? What the hell’s going down?”
“You didn’t get the word about church tomorrow?” Maniac asked.
“Nope. I knew nothing about it. I just stopped by to grab a few and see your ugly mug.”
Maniac held up his middle finger, and Chainsaw guffawed loudly.
“And free booze and tits,” Lynch added as he sauntered over, bumping Tank’s fist with his.
Tank narrowed his eyes and went behind the bar made of knotty pine and slabs of stone. “Free booze for sure.” Closing his fingers around his favorite bourbon, he grabbed a chipped coffee mug from under the bar and gave it a quick sniff test—it seemed clean enough.
“Where the hell have you been?” Lynch asked him.
“Nowhere. I’ve just been working my ass off, unlike you lazy sonsofbitches.”
Lynch chuckled. “I live a charmed life.”
“Yeah. I bet fucking Lilly all day isn’t half bad,” Tank retorted.
Chainsaw snubbed out his roach on the linoleum floor. “Speaking of fucking, where are you getting pussy? I haven’t seen you with the club girls in a long time.”
“You got some sexy citizen sucking your balls off?” Lynch grabbed a plastic cup and motioned for Tank to fill it up.
Tank took another drink. “Yep. I got them lining up, bro.”
“I bet you do. Chicks go for the innocent look,” Maniac snorted.
Tank laughed. “Yeah, I’m nothin’ but a regular fuckin’ choirboy.”
Maniac shook his head. “No, dude, I mean it.” He pointed at Tank. “Look at that fancy-ass shirt you’re wearing. Women like shit like that, not” —he pulled at his ripped T-shirt— “this.”
“Maybe if you wore a new one, you’d have better luck.” Tank teased.
Lynch frowned. “Why the fuck are you wearing that shirt?”
“I was on the prowl for citizens.”
Chainsaw’s eyes widened. “Damn.”
Wanting to shut down the questioning, Tank stared at the pool table. “When the fuck is the club gonna get a new one? This one’s ready for the dump.”
Maniac grinned. “Yeah. It got pretty messed up at the