have been a good man to have in their pockets, especially when he needed help with tracking.
Other clubs—long established empires with chapters spreading across North America—had everything they could want at their disposal. The Chains would take years to get there, if they ever did. And while Kicks wasn’t sure he wanted to be part of an empire, he needed more than a shady internet connection if he was going to be able to protect them.
“We don’t fuckin’ need that guy,” Gunner snapped. He stood up and raked a hand through his hair. “Anyway, I gotta go. Maddie’s getting out of school in a few, and I’m taking her to Logan’s studio before I head back to the shop.”
Smokey waved him off, and Hawke followed to take care of an appointment, which left Forge and Kicks waiting for orders. The door slammed behind them, and then Smokey piled on the errands, which Kicks wouldn’t have minded if he wasn’t still feeling unsettled.
“I heard you got a meeting coming up next week with Rore,” Smokey said after a beat.
Kicks rolled his eyes. “If this is some fuckin’ shovel talk, Prez…”
Smokey shook his head and sighed as he pushed to stand. He wasn’t limping anymore from his wound, but Kicks couldn’t help but notice he was moving a little more carefully these days. “I don’t trust these fuckers. I know we don’t got a choice when it comes to working with them, but none of them would return a single goddamn phone call when Rory went missing. I’m not sure there’s any fuckin’ point to meeting with them now.”
Forge shoved his hand into his pocket, his other leaning heavily on his cane. “We have to try, and you and I both know Rory can take care of himself.”
“This ain’t about him getting hurt,” Smokey snapped. “This is about whether or not they’ll throw our asses under the bus if Hydra makes them a better offer.”
“He killed one of their brothers,” Kicks reminded him. He still didn’t know much about the kid Eliah had seen shot dead in the alley, but he knew enough. “He’s not gonna have a single better offer than our alliance.”
Smokey didn’t look convinced. “I don’t like this bullshit liaison business.”
Forge cleared his throat and leaned up against the desk to balance himself better. “Your old man didn’t do you any favors before he died, boss. He was dragging your name through the mud before the Chains were even a concept.”
Smokey’s eyes closed in a long blink, and when he looked up again, his jaw was tight. “I know. I know there’s a mountain of shit I need to repair—shit I should’ve been doing years back. And it’ll take us time, but I don’t want any of us taken out before that can happen.”
“Trust me to keep an eye on him,” Kicks said. “This isn’t like before with Eliah and Jude…”
Smokey’s eyes narrowed, and Kicks’ jaw snapped shut. “No one’s blaming you for that. If Nate and I hadn’t gone running off…” He didn’t finish his sentence, but he didn’t need to. It was still a sore point for everyone in the club. Smokey had made some major fuck-ups, and as much as they were professing their continued loyalty now, Kicks couldn’t deny that the man had to live up to his promises now.
“He won’t stay away forever. I know people like him,” Forge said quietly. “I prospected for a club full of people like him. He tasted blood, and he wants more. All we really have to do is wait.”
Kicks knew he was right. Forge had never been patched into his old club—and after his accident, they’d kicked him to the curb. But he’d been doing prospect bitch-work for them for years. He’d seen enough that Kicks trusted him to take the lead in where they went next.
“I’ll meet with you before I head out to pick up Rory,” Kicks promised, and he saw a line of tension ease in Smokey’s shoulders. “Blaze said he don’t want to ride with us. Shit’s still pretty tense there, so Hawke’s gonna roll with us.”
Forge’s eyebrows furrowed. “We’re still cool with Blaze having those ties?”
Smokey shrugged. “I don’t love that he kept that shit a secret, but I guess of all people, I can understand why.”
“I think Gunner would agree,” Kicks said, and Forge nodded. “I think we can take advantage of Blaze’s connection. He don’t seem eager to trust them, even if Jax is his brother.”
Smokey grunted his agreement as