B - stard (Royal Bastards MC) - Sapphire Knight Page 0,51
back, but I avoid mentioning that the arrangement includes Alice’s brief taste of freedom. The club has to be on board with the plan of action, or it’ll never work out how I want it too. I also need something significant to hang over the senator in case he ever tries to take Alice away from me.
Whiskey speaks up in agreement. “It’ll be worth it, bringing Baker home where he belongs.”
Angel scowls. “It’s a risk. We’d be in other MC and gang territory, and that could backfire.”
Powerhouse gestures to our enforcer, stating, “Angel is right. Not only that, but we’d be reaching into politics, and it could incite blowback on the other charters—not just ours. The Royal Bastards linked to a senator and murder would send the media into an uproar. It does go against code, to a degree.”
Plague glances at me with confusion. “Code?”
I nod.
He goes on, scoffing. “We may’ve said that shit in the beginning when we pledged, but you know as well as I do, it means fuck all. We do what we want. Hell, we always have…”
“I know, but this could bite us in the ass if we’re not cautious. If we go through with it, we have no room for any fuckups. No one can catch light of our hit.”
“Look, Prez, this isn’t the motherfuckin’ girl scouts. The other charters are into some twisted shit, just as we are, they gotta be.”
I keep my thoughts to myself on his statement. I agree with him, but by being the president of this charter, it would damn near be blasphemy. If I agree out loud and the wrong person were to overhear it, the repercussions could hit me hard. Take Rancid, for example. I repeat, “We move forward, we risk inciting unrest, but if we’re careful, we stay under the radar and make a lot of money.”
Blow breaks his silence, staring me down. He steeples his hands under his chin, muttering, “And you get to keep her.”
“What?” I question, taken off guard. I fucking heard him, but how does he know that part of the deal? That conversation was supposed to be between Senator Compton and me, no one else.
“I heard you on the other side of the busted ass door. I was waiting for you and your conversation was clear as day.” He’s got all the brothers attention now, as they jerk their heads back and forth between us. This is exactly what I didn’t want. Our discussion went from the job to my personal shit.
Fuck!
“Who—”
“Else heard?” he finishes for me. “No one. I made sure his suit was away from the crumbling bricks. He may’ve overheard your voices, but there’s no way he could’ve made out the words like I did. The wind along that dilapidated building masked a lot of what you were saying.”
Releasing a tense breath, I say, “All right, then.” The other brothers stare curiously, obviously not knowing what the fuck we’re talking about. They trust me completely. They always have, without question. I have to tell them everything. I owe them that much if we’re going to put this into play and possibly get popped for it. “If we do this, the senator will back off Alice and me.” I come clean to the table about the rest of the deal I orchestrated.
Whiskey rasps, “Then that’s settled.”
“What is?”
He gestures in my direction. “You put that woman on the back of your bike. If this is what we gotta do so you have your woman, then so be it.” He shrugs it off like the answer is simple.
“Brothers, you would risk this for me?” I question and they all immediately move to agree.
I’m a cold bastard, but this is enough to give me the feels. My brothers would risk the wrath of the other charters coming down on us, of the media possibly catching fire to our plans…all for my happiness with a woman I’ve known for less than a month. This is what true brotherhood is about, having each other’s backs, even when you have the option to pick another route.
Angel growls, “Fuckin’ claim her.” And it’s as simple as that. I know what I have to do.
Chapter 13
Isn’t it funny how day by day
nothing changes but when you look
back everything is different.
C.S. Lewis
“They’re doing that right here?” I can’t help but lean in and quietly ask. I’m snuggled up next to Ripper, enjoying his camaraderie with his brothers in their club’s bar. The big burly guy who I discovered is