Page 38 of Red's Peril: Part 1

Finally, after I’m sure I can’t stand much more of this, Drummer crashes his hand down onto the table.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” he bellows.

My brow furrows.What is he talking about?I cast my mind back, but I’m certain I’m innocent of any wrongdoing.

“Answer me, Prospect.” The prez bangs the table again. If I didn’t know, or had seen for myself, that Drummer earned his name by banging every female in sight, I’d have thought his use of his fists against the wood had given him his moniker.

Completely unnerved, words start tumbling out of my mouth. “I’m sorry for anything I’ve done. Any disrespect,” I offer, uncertain what I’m apologising for.

“Too fuckin’ right,” Peg growls in his gruff low voice. “I should think you are fuckin’ sorry.”

“Fuckin’ prospects,” Blade murmurs, spinning his knife on the table. I don’t feel any better when it comes to a stop pointing right toward me.

Drummer’s eyes darken, and I swear a cold blue light flashes from them, like he’s some kind of demon. It makes me want to curl up and beg for forgiveness. “You’re a fuckin’ prospect. You do what you’re fuckin’ told. All these months that’s been drummed into you, and yet you still have the fuckin’ nerve to think for yourself?”

“I apologise for any wrong action I’ve taken, and for any disrespect.” I know I’m repeating myself, but it’s hard to keep the shaking out of my voice, let alone speak words which make sense. I’ve gone from fear of my future to appreciating there might be a threat of a beatdown or death. If I’ve done something that’s fucked up the club, I’ve no right to be a member.Could they think I betrayed them? That I was the reason the Hell’s Damnation chose this night to attack the compound?

Hell, I didn’t even know that’s where we were heading until this afternoon.More than enough time to place a warning. Fuck, that must be it.How can I prove my innocence?

“Too right you fuckin’ apologise.” Drummer casts a look to his left. “You disregarded what the VP said.”

What?Dragging my mind back from how to defend myself against an accusation of treachery, I have difficulty catching up.When did I disregard anything Lefty had told me?Ah, yes, I remember I had. I’d called Peg.

I could argue it had saved the club, but maybe they’d already had a plan in place. Maybe Peg had been ready and was expecting it. Maybe I’d fucked up, and while I thought I’d shown initiative, I’d shown a lack of respect for, and confidence in, the VP.

Will an apology cut it?Might as well try. I’d sell my soul at this point if I thought it would save my future patch. “I apologise, Lefty. I—”

“Shouldn’t have called the sergeant-at-arms?” Lefty cuts in and states it bluntly. “Shouldn’t have fuckin’ tried thinking for yourself?” He shakes his head, but for some reason not at me, but at the brothers sitting around the table. “Too fuckin’ right an apology is needed.”

I look down at the ground, wishing it would open and swallow me up. I’ve broken the cardinal rule for a prospect.Do what you’re told and don’t question it.

How can I word an apology that would be accepted?After the long, hard nine months, is this the thing that will have me kicked out of the club? Moisture pricks at the back of my eyes as I realise this might be it. Like my dreams of being a Ranger were brutally destroyed as a result of my dad’s accident, likewise my hopes of joining the Satan’s Devils ranks look equally set to be flushed down the toilet. And this time, there’s no one to blame, but myself.

Lefty takes a deep breath. “As I said, an apology is needed. So, I give it to you, Brothers. I misread the situation, and darn near lost us good members, and possibly our compound.”

Rock taps out another cigarette and lights it. “You called it as you saw it, Brother. Up to then, all signs were that the Damnation were all in place. I was fuckin’ there. I agreed with you.”

Slowly, I raise my face, seeing the attention is on the VP, and not on me now.

Drummer raises his chin. “I was convinced myself.” He shoots a look at his VP. “Though some element of caution could have been expected and information received, acted upon.”

While I try and interpret what he’s saying, Lefty holds up his hands. “Want my VP patch, Prez?”

Fuck.Now my fear isn’t for myself.The VP’s holding up his hands to a crime so serious it threatens his VP status?I try to appear disinterested while rapidly trying to work out what’s going on and why the attention has been removed from myself.

Drummer picks up the gavel and bangs it. “Let’s bring it to a vote. Lefty to lose his VP spot. Aye or nay.”

“I’m abstaining,” Lefty states as the prez looks to him first, then stares down at his hands on the table, as if not wanting to look.

“Nay,” Dollar says to his right.

“Nay,” Beef agrees.

“Nay,” Viper states.

“I was convinced we’d gotten them pinned down.” Bullet shakes his head and then adds, “Nay.”

One by one, the brothers give their votes. Not knowing how this works, I’m not sure if it has to be unanimous, or whether a majority vote counts. When the whole table’s spoken, it’s clearly up to Drummer to cast the final vote.

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