In Too Deep (The Lovers Duet) (20 page)

As soon as he’d put his shit-kickers back on with a pair of clean socks, he stalked out of the room and closed the door behind him. He made it to the meeting with less than a minute to spare and was the last member to arrive.

“Close the door, Lennon, and take your seat at the table.” Dizzy indicated a middle seat which put him smack dab in the middle of Quinn and Cricket.

The Prez sat at the head of the table, obviously, and to his direct right was Trey while to his direct left was his brother, Hardy. Cillian sat next to Trey and Ronan sat directly across from Cillian. Bookie was also there and a few other members he only knew by the names of Cricket, Brendan, Sean and Kink, named for his unusual sexual proclivities of fucking women in the ass though he swore he wasn’t gay.

They all stared at the Prez expectantly except Hardy who smoked a cigarette casually and really didn’t seem to care what the fuck was going on around him.

“I wanted to say the first order of business is that we have some changes comin’ up in the Club. They affect this one
and
the L.A. charter. It’s been a long time coming but Hardy has joined me now that he’s been forced to shut down his London charter. He would be vice-President of this charter since he was President of his own but I have decided to break with tradition. I’ve never had to get rid of a President to make room for another but that is just what is going to happen in L.A. Hardy will replace the current President and Ronan will follow him down there and become the new VP and Treasurer.”

“Hold up,” Cricket interjected. “If you’re replacing the Prez and VP of the L.A. charter then what happens to the current ones in charge?”

Ronan leaned his tattooed arms against the dark oak table. “They become nomads or they get dead real quick when we expose them to Aztecas Infierno and how they have been short-changing their VP when he picks up the money for the orders they have delivered. We all know that Lennon’s time here is temporary and he has a wife and a rock star lifestyle that needs tendin’ to. But, we can’t just send them home without protection and that’s exactly why Hardy and I are followin’ them back to the City of Angels.”

“Realize this is a permanent move that is going to cost us a brother in this charter. Quinn will stay on as Treasurer and nothing much else changes but this is a huge change in itself.” Cillian lit a cigarette and dragged on it before exhaling a stream of blue smoke.

“We all know the Prez
and
the VP of the Los Angeles charter have been fuckin’ up for a while now. Plus, there’s talk they’re both full blown cokeheads. They’re gettin’ high off what Aztecas Infierno supplies us with and that is unacceptable. We’re working on the details now but within the next few days, they’ll both be stripped of their patches. Hardy and Ronan will take over the L.A. charter. That way Kaz, Jaden and Linx have someone to go to if they need any help.”

“So, what happens to you, brother?” Quinn stared at Linx intently.

“I leave and go back to my old lifestyle. I have an album to finish up and then we have a tour planned early next year.”

“Ronan, Naomi and I will be traveling back with Linx and Trista to L.A. You gotta place for us stay until we get everything settled in Glendale, brother?” Hardy’s Cockney accent came through strong but he also made it clear it was a genuine question and not an order.

“Yeah, you guys can stay with us until everything is worked out in Glendale. After that, it’s just a matter of putting you in touch with my real estate agent so we can get you all some permanent digs in L.A.”

“Trista comin’ with you? On tour I mean. If she is pregnant, she’ll be in her second trimester and what are you going to do? Take her along when she should be restin’?” Trey dragged on his cigarette nonchalantly but it was obvious he was still pissed.

“Listen, we don’t know if Trista is pregnant and what goes on between a man and his wife is their business, you got me?” Dizzy stared down his son before his eyes shifted to Cillian.

“We have enough issues to worry about as it is and you have another on the way with your old lady. It’s even more of an incentive to make sure you get off on the charges of murderin’ an ATF agent.”

“I’m leaving tomorrow morning with Trista. She still feels bad about what went down at the compound and she blames herself. She’s gotta get outta here before she drives herself bat shit crazy.”

“She was badass that night, Linx. Pulled all the right moves and now that we have decimated the WK ranks, they shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.”

“Yeah, about that…seein’ as the Sheriff has stepped up on patrols, the lockdown ends tomorrow for everyone. No use havin’ a bunch of pent up, crazy assholes on lockdown when the WKs aren’t likely to mess with us again. Plus, I have contacted Navarro and he’s going to be providin’ protection for all the brothers at the table and their families. I had to take on another fifty kilos a month to get that but I would rather have my family safe than dead.”

“What’s the other order of business, Da?”

“Well, we have a new member to replace Ronan. Please give a warm welcome to Trey Lennon-Cox. He was a Bastard for many years but it didn’t work out and seein’ how he’s my blood, I admitted him to the Club after he was kidnapped.

“He will share the task of computer security and seein’ as he’s one of the best hackers in the country, he should serve us very well. Just know this: you gotta problem with Trey, you bring that shit to me and it gets brought to the table. He has no control over his parentage and I want no rumors, innuendo or double-talk goin’ on in
this
club. We got enough issues as it is and the last thing we need to do is start tearin’ ourselves apart at the seams. Any questions?”

“Yeah, what position does Trey get?” Quinn’s blue eyes darted around the table.

“Trey will keep his current position and still be Sergeant-at-Arms here.”

“So, basically, he’s just replacing Ronan who
was
Sergeant-at-Arms?”

“Yeah, bro, he’s replacin’ me but I would rather be in L.A. anyway and Naomi has already spoken about it to her superiors. They think it is a good move. We may just have to hand over some brothers and then blame them for this whole mess. I’m thinkin’ of instead of handin’ them over to Navarro, we can turn them in to the DEA. That way, Navarro doesn’t think the Club has any weak links and we look like we’re more than happy to help out the government and get them the fuck out of our business.”

“If no one has any questions then this meeting is finished. Trey, Ronan, Hardy, Linx—I need you fellas to stay behind. We need to iron out some shit the other guys don’t have nothin’ to do with.” Dizzy banged the gavel and everyone left except for the men asked to remain in the chapel.

This was the scary part for Linx because he didn’t know what Dizzy would ask from him since he wasn’t a full time member. He held the same status as Jaden Cox and Kasper Gillian. They basically paid their father to not be involved. If something major ever went down at the clubhouse, they had plausible deniability. They were members of a Motorcycle Club but had no dealings with the day to day operations nor were they sure what kind of business the Saints were involved in.

Linx would be willing to pay the dues. He had plenty of liquid wealth thanks to his brother—who also happened to be his attorney—and he had generous amounts of stock in Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Target and Starbucks. He was not hurting financially and the amount of money he paid Cassidy was a pittance in comparison to how much he was worth.

He stared at Dizzy with an acute expectation while trying to keep calm, cool and collective but the daggers his brother-in-law shot at him was enough to make him think everything wasn’t as copacetic as he would have liked the situation to be at this point.

“Lennon, you did good. I didn’t have much expectations from you—bein’ a rock star and all. I mean, just look at my other two sons. Kaelan—aka
Jaden
—is buried neck deep in pussy and can’t make a simple fookin’ decision on whether he should be with the mother of his child or some drug-addicted
whore
. Her havin’ money don’t mean shite. She’s no better than the skanks crawlin’ ‘round this club when the old ladies aren’t here to kick their sorry asses to the curb.

“Kaz is…well, he got lucky. He’s got a good woman he treated like shit and she’s decided to take him back and make her an honest woman. That’s a good thing because I don’t particularly care for illegitimate grandchildren. God knows I’ve made some mistakes in my life…got kids all over the place by different women. I was never a decent human being or an ordinary fookin’ criminal. Just some piece of shit who came to the new country and got lucky, tis all. I count my blessings and this man right here…of all my kids, he’s the only one I could say without a doubt who would take a bullet for me.”

Ronan opened his mouth to protest but Dizzy held his hand up. “Don’t you start, son. I love ya, you know that, but you ain’t Trey and his mam is the only woman I have ever truly been in love with. I wanted to marry her before yer mam came over but she was havin’ none of it. We both did wrong, cheatin’ on our spouses to get our son…but what’s done is done. Antoinette has moved on with her life and I’ve moved on with mine.”

“Dad, I know you were shit father but you did what you had to do to survive, to keep food in our fuckin’ bellies, to build this club up to what it is now. I’m not complaining about that.” Ronan rested his palms on the table. “I want to thank you for respectin’ my wishes and lettin’ me leave Birch Tree. I want to go to L.A. with my uncle and we will clean up the club in Glendale. It has always been an honor to call you my father.”

“Ya never disappointed me son. You fell in love with a fookin’ Fed and she wouldn’t leave your side for a minute. She’s a good woman. Do I wish she was Irish? I’d be lyin’ if I said no but that’s not the point. I can’t live my kid’s lives and you have to do what is best for you, you got that?”

Ronan nodded before his eyes wandered across the table to Hardy.

“I’m up for this, brother. London is dead as far as I’m concerned. I got no kids and no old lady…no one permanent anyway. I need a change and comin’ to the States is the best way I know how to do it. We’ll clean up Glendale and we’ll turn it into a club that rivals the fuckin’ mother charter. Ronan is fearless and he’s got a bit of a temper, yeah, but he also thinks on his feet and he’s the kind of VP I need behind me. He’s not a ‘yes’ man and I can’t stand that shit. He’ll be great and under us, that club will never be tits up again, you’ve got my word, brother.”

“I know.” Dizzy turned to Trey. “We good here? You been lookin’ at Linx like you want to kill ‘em but just know he would do anything for your sister. I’ve tested his loyalty and he manned up. He became a
member
of a
criminal
organization to save you, Trey. He’s a rock star for fook’s sake—he didn’t have to do shit and then I would have known he was a fookin’ cunt hidin’ behind your sister’s skirt.

“Stop glarin’ at him like he’s the enemy because he has gone the distance and done whatever was asked of him to protect Trista. He’s not only a good man but he’s also family and a fellow club member. I know you’re pissed Trista decided to go to the WKs that night but it was her choice and no one had to talk her into anything. Goddamn it if she doesn’t remind me of your mother and how stubborn she was when we were together.

“A triple bypass puts life into perspective and I gotta say…I’m truly humbled you accepted the offer, Trey, and I am especially proud you allowed Cillian to keep his VP status. So, what happens now? You’re gonna settle in, properly mourn your old lady and then find a new one when the time is right. There’s no rush but I want ya to allow yourself to live more. We all make mistakes, even you.”

Linx cleared his throat. “Will I have to pay a due to keep away from club activities? The less I know, the better.”

Dizzy shook his head. “Your club duties have been fulfilled. No dues and no one from the Club will call on you again unless some major shit goes down. I’m sendin’ two of my best men with ya to keep your mind at ease. They will be watchin’ you and Trista, making sure you two settle back into your old lives. That sound good to you?”