Page 71 of Amy's Santa

“We act as though he’s coming for us,” I tell them, decisively. “While the women are making their wedding plans, we’ll put our own in place. I want this place buttoned up so tight getting into Fort Knox would be a fuckin’ piece of cake compared to getting in here.” It’s not just my family I’m protecting, but the whole of the Satan’s Devils MC.

“Prez.” At his voice, I lift my chin toward Drummer. He’s completely in control of himself and serious as his steel-grey eyes meet mine. “Anything you need, you got it.”

I nod. I’d be stupid not to use him for advice. He’d led this club for as long as I’ve lived my life. He’s got a wealth of experience that I can tap into.

I lift the gavel, but before I bring it down, I stress one last time, “Everything we can do will be done. Hopefully the wedding two weeks tomorrow will go without incident of any kind.” I pause for a second before adding, “And no public fuckin’. Well, not from the brides and grooms. The rest of you can do what you want to.”

“Orgy!”

My eyes go to the heavens as the gavel meets the wood dismissing the meeting, but the sound is drowned out by the laughter greeting Marvel’s suggestion.

Another week passes. The girls are so tied up with getting dresses organised, necessitating complications such as some remote coordination as Jayden’s little girls are going to be bridesmaids, and her sons ringbearers. Like most men, I leave the finer details to Amy, and she seems content when I tell her to just give me a time and I’ll be there. I did put my foot down at having to wear a tuxedo, but raised it when she suggested if I did, ass play might be back in the cards.

I’m not sure what bribe Olivia offered, and if it was anything like mine, I wouldn’t want to know, but Hawk’s also agreed to dress up—just for the ceremony. Soon as rings are on fingers and vows exchanged, we’ll be back in cuts and jeans once again.

Trucks roll up to the compound almost daily as we stock up with beer and supplies for the food Martha’s cooking here. Each vehicle is checked carefully, going to the extent of doing sweeps underneath to make sure no explosives have been brought in. Supplier’s trucks are allowed no further than the gates, the prospects brought in to carry it from there.

Each day passing, I grow more tense with all the to-and-fro of strangers going on, and the bright part of my day is going back to my suite and Amy waiting for me.

“You’re having a lot of meetings. Is everything okay?” Amy looks up as I enter.

“I’m the prez,” I explain, taking advantage that she’s only lived at the compound little more than the month. “It’s my life, I’m afraid.” I step closer to her. “You look tired.”

“I’ll be glad when it’s all over.” She doesn’t need to explain.

“Thank you, Amy. I appreciate you going along with it.” I know both she and Olivia would have preferred a small affair. So would I, but it’s a good way to reconnect with all the chapters.

“It’s part of being a first lady.” She turns in my arms and snuggles into my chest. “I’d do anything for you, Drew.”

As I would for her. I squeeze my eyes shut as I cuddle her, praying to whatever deity would listen that I’ll be able to keep her safe.

The activity continues for the next week and a half. More trucks arrive, new picnic tables turn up in pieces and need to be assembled so some men are kept busy helping the prospects do just that. Others work under the direction of myself, Hawk, Mouse, Hound and Throttle to make sure our perimeter is secured.

“Wizard.” Drummer’s holding two beers as he enters my office.

I take the one he offers and nod him to a chair.

“So, it all kicks off tomorrow. You doing okay?” His eyes watch me searchingly.

He knows only too well what it’s like to sit in my seat. “I worry I’m missing something.”

“You probably are,” he replies, not very comfortingly. As my eyes widen, he continues, “All you can do is depend on the good men around you, and that they’ll react when something comes up that you haven’t planned for. It’s bound to happen, but how many vets have we got? Tens, probably dozens with the other chapters involved. They don’t forget their training, Prez.”

He’s right. “It’s a heavy load.”

“Warned you about that, Wizard. Warned what you were getting into. Gave you every bit of advice and information that I could over the years.” He places his beer bottle on the desk. “Never think that that president flash doesn’t sit well with you, Drew. You worked for it, harder than any man I know. In here,” he taps his head, “you’ve got what it takes. Saw from early on you were going to be my successor, and now I’m proud as hell working under you.”

I go to open my mouth, to admit my fears that I’ve achieved too much too early, but he raises his hand.

“You’re going to have doubts. You’re going to second guess every decision. Fuck, give every thought a third, fourth or fifth go around. Then at the end you’ll issue your instructions, and they’ll be the right ones for the club, even if they have unforeseen consequences. If they do, you’ll deal with them. If you weren’t such a man, you wouldn’t be right for the job. Don’t you think I had doubts? Worries I hadn’t thought of every last thing? If you acted like you knew everything, had it all at your fingertips, I’d be worried about you. Doubting means you never stop thinking, and can change your path fast if that’s what shit needs.”

Drummer never gave any sign of self-doubt. That he’s now admitting it makes me feel easier about my own fears.

“Just want this fuckin’ wedding over,” I tell him. “There’s such a big risk with Archangel on the loose, and no one being able to track him down.”

“But, there’s also no noise about people assembling,” he reminds me. “You and Mouse have your ears to the ground. Fuck, Cad, Token and Keys do too. And the Utah guys, of course.” He gives a quick grin and a shake of his head. “In my eyes we’ve the best fuckin’ technical experts right on it. If there was a whisper of gangs coming together of the size needed to take the compound out, then one of you would have found something by now.”

“Don’t forget it was tech that took him down. He may have learned his lesson and is doing it by word of mouth.”

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