Page 3 of Hawk's Cry

“Do you…” her voice catches. She tries again, “Do you want a divorce?”

“Fuck no,” I tell her, my brows rising. “I want you by my side. I want us to bring Junior up like a normal kid. Have citizen friends he can play with. I want to keep him well away from the club. Let him have a future only he dreams of. No, darlin’, a divorce is the last thing I want. I want you by my side in a bright new future.”

Giving voice to what I desire makes me feel lighter than I have in ages. Liv goes to speak, but I stop her.

“Liv, sweetheart. We’ll talk more later. I’m already late for church.” Which, I realise, I’ll now need to hurry to.

Chapter Two

Eli…

The minute I step into our hallowed meeting, I realise Throttle hasn’t wasted a moment before he’s opened his mouth. Some men, at least, are looking at me differently.

Wizard watches me approach and take my seat to his left, and the enforcer won’t meet my eyes as he sits beside me. Opposite, Hound, the sergeant-at-arms regards me with a stern, calculating expression on his face.

A quick glance down the table makes me pleased weapons are not allowed into church else someone would probably shoot me. As for my dad? Well, Drummer’s looking a mixture of disappointed and angry.

Most are looking puzzled, so Throttle’s not enlightened everyone yet, but there’s a definite atmosphere and everyone’s catching hold of it even if they don’t know the cause.

I hold my breath as Wizard picks up the gavel, bangs it, and after a quick shake of his head in my direction, officially starts the meeting. “Dollar. Over to you,” he says tiredly.

Either he’s letting me off the hook, or he’s making me sweat. If my disclosure to the enforcer is going to be addressed, I’d rather he just get on and get it over with. I don’t welcome the reprieve. I’d rather get my decision out in the open, but I won’t disrespect my prez right now. If that’s what he wants, we’ll follow the agenda as normal.

I bow my head and only half pay attention as the treasurer runs through our finances, and various members give their updates, having already lost interest in the day to day running of a club I no longer want to be part of.

Shooter raises his hand. “Think it’s common knowledge by now that Zane’s come on board at SD Construction. We’ve made him a full partner.”

“Great fuckin’ news.” Peg thumps the table and gives Dad a thumbs-up.

Dad, who barely seems to have taken his eyes off me the whole meeting, manages a chin lift back. Well, I suppose my brother hasn’t steered clear of the club completely, though he is working in a citizen role. Dad’s still managed to keep him close and under his eye.

Bullet leans forward. “Now Zane’s taken more responsibility, I’m stepping back a bit. Want to take a few more rides with my old lady before we’re too old to enjoy life.”

“Anything we should know, Brother?” Wizard asks quickly. “Everything okay with you and Carmen?”

Bullet shrugs. “I’ve given close to forty years to the club. Built the business up with Viper…” he pauses, and gives a moment for everyone to remember my grandfather, who died a few years back. I join in when fists briefly rise to cover hearts, while wondering whether he’d be turning in his grave at some of the thoughts in my head. Bullet continues, “I joined this club thinking all I was going to do was ride my bike.” Now everyone chuckles, that being what most people think we spend our time doing. “Instead, I spent those years working with my sleeves rolled up. Think it’s time to take it easier, brothers. Not giving up, just reducing my hours.”

“I can live with that.” Wizard nods. “You’ve done a lot for the club, Bullet. You deserve something back.”

“Carmen’s giving up her business as well.” Bullet grins. “She’s giving up her shop but you can tell your old ladies she’ll still be doing hair.”

“Thank fuck for that,” Peg murmurs. “Darcy wouldn’t have liked having to go somewhere else.” Other people agree with him, while I suppose Liv will have to find a new hairdresser in Tucson. I have no idea what our relationship with the club will be once I leave the compound. It’s something I haven’t thought about. But then, I haven’t given much thought to the future, only how to escape the present.

“With all the women here, she may as well be working a full-time business.” Throttle looks at the many brothers who have daughters, then pointedly at Wizard who’d gotten married on the same day I had. Yeah, the VP and prez had had a joint wedding much to everyone’s enjoyment. Another thing I’d gone along with to please my club.

Once Dollar has finished with our finances, Wizard moves on.

“Got news that Archangel’s reared his head. There’s been word of him being seen near Nogales.”

There’s silence for a moment as brothers stare at the prez.

“He crossing the border?” Hound asks. “That would be fuckin’ good news.”

“It would,” Peg agrees. “One less worry for us.”

“Tucson’s only sixty miles from there, Prez.” Throttle is frowning.

“Too close for comfort,” Wizard agrees. “Of course, Hound’s right. The US is too hot for him, so he might be crossing the border and starting a new life. Or, he could be starting a new drug trade.”

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