Page 9 of Ruthless Reign

“They took my brother,” Stallion said. “They took half our leadership, and the other half is in the pen. We’re sitting on our asses, letting that happen.”

“Pretty soon, we’ll have all the pieces in place to put that bitch in the ground,” KC added. “Until then, everyone needs to trust we have it under control.”

Stallion took a deep breath and let it out on a disgruntled scoff but didn’t say anything else, causing Reaper, the brother next to him, to lean in and whisper something in his ear. I didn’t miss the interaction, and I wondered how close those two had gotten in recent weeks.

I glanced at Thor, who watched them like a hawk. It was his responsibility to keep these fuckers in line. He was ex-military, and as far as I knew, he’d done some fucked-up missions for our government that forced him to leave and join a motorcycle club, so whatever it was must have been some heavy-hitting shit. If anyone in the club were plotting, he would find them out.

Then, I looked at Doc, who smoked a cigarette and eyed Stallion with a neutral glare. He had been the most vocal about not trusting this plan, and if there were Roses who were thinking of doing anything against my wishes, he’d be the one they’d go to for guidance. He had a seat at the table. He was the enforcer, the one who carried out the MC’s sentencing.

“So?” I said, directing my attention back to Stallion. “Is there a problem?”

The crowd held its collective breath, and KC tensed, preparing to handle Stallion if he moved too quickly. Phrasing it like that meant something. If there was, Stallion had two choices—he could challenge me or tear off his patch and leave. But when someone joined the Roses, they made an oath to be loyal until death. If he decided to leave, the rest of the brothers would go after him. I wouldn’t be responsible for what they’d do, but I could guess. Until I became president, I would have been a part of it.

“No problem,” Stallion eventually said, shaking his head.

“Anyone else got a problem?” I glanced at Reaper and finally to Lunchbox on the other side of Stallion. They stood in the back with a few other guys grouped around them, seemingly sectioned off from the rest of the crowd.

When no one said anything, I moved on. “You were saying, Leo?”

He nodded. “Sulli and Frankie are in the same boat as us. They’re tired of Gabriella’s bloodbath and eager for a regime change. I’ve talked to a few of my cousins, who havebeen gathering intel from the underbosses. If we can rally support from the majority, we’ll have her outnumbered and surrounded.”

“Are you certain they’ll go for an alliance with the Roses?” Hollywood asked.

“They don’t have a choice,” Leo said. “Not anymore. Julia is married to Bear. If I’m the boss, we’ll be family. I can assure you, there’s nothing we Caputis hold in higher esteem.”

I ignored the bristle building at the back of my throat and watched as the rest of Roses swallowed that information. In my family, a marriage happened at the clubhouse with the entire membership in attendance. We toasted the health of the couple and the promise of future generations of little Roses running around. The couple announced their love in front of everyone so the rest of the club knew who would come for them if anything happened to either one. None of that happened with me and Julia. So why should they believe it?

Leo had told us everything about our union needed to appear legitimate to win Caputi loyalty. I needed to do the same for my own men, as much as the thought chafed. Julia was my wife in name and image only. To throw a big party celebrating our union seemed to spit in the face of what the Roses held sacred about it. But when we agreed to this thing all those months ago, I knew it needed to be public. It needed to be loud and proud so everyone understood—the Feds, the Caputis, the other bosses and MCs in the surrounding area. This wasn’t some minor truce between two feuding nobodies. This was the end of an era, of decades worth of fighting and territory wars.

“To spill Caputi blood is a sin worse than any other,” Leo said. “Gabriella has overstepped her reach. She’ll pay for that.”

“When there’s more at play, I’ll give you all an update,” I said. “Now, what about the run in a few weeks?”

Hollywood stood and explained his plan for the upcoming trip to our allies out west in Montana. We’d recently made an agreement with the Royal Bastards MC in Helena, who were all too eager to help us with our supply shipments.

“Lore, I’m letting you take the lead on this,” Hollywood said. “Pick your team and let me know the details.”

Lore nodded and smiled before clapping a few of his buddies on the shoulder. Wheels gave the treasury update next, and the realist in me grimaced. The FBI raid and the Caputi massacre had caused us to dip into emergency funds, and now we were running low.

“I don’t wanna scare anyone,” Wheels said, rubbing a hand over his head. “But if this deal with the Bastards doesn’t go well, we’ll be up shit’s creek.”

“Work with the prospects and the old ladies on shoring up a few fundraisers,” I said.

“Once I get access to the Caputi funds, I can help,” Leo added, raising a few Rose eyebrows.

“Thank you,” I said as I shook his hand. “All right, brothers. That’s enough for tonight. Go have some fun, huh? Let’s remember why we do this shit in the first place.”

KC knocked his rings on the table to announce the end of church, and most of the brothers filed out to the front room. The sounds of music and clanking pool balls declared the start of another rowdy night.

While the club had dispersed, the officers stayed behind. Thor and KC shifted their attention to Doc, who rubbed a hand over his mouth and glanced between them.

“I know,” he said, seeming to understand his obvious dissent had fueled more among the rest of the group.

“We need to be united,” KC said. “Especially now. The old leadership is dead or locked up. With us so newly in charge, itdoesn’t look great that you’ve been bucking against our ideas. Fear spreads and spreads.”

“I know.” Doc sighed and lit another cigarette.

“Fix it,” Thor growled before pushing to his feet. “Before I have to. Understand?”

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