Page 47 of Fury
Mason shrugged. “Hand-picked successor.” He pointed a thick finger at Slate who grinned around the mouth of his bottle. “Slate suggested, and I agreed.”
“Why are you suddenly willing to step down?” This was directed at Slate, and he saw true amusement in the man’s eyes as he thudded the legs of his chair down in turn.
“Nope. Not sudden. I took over from Bingo, you know that. He and Mason lassoed me into it, kinda like he and I are doing to you right now. Bingo had too much going on, kids and everything, he couldn’t spend the time to deal with all the bullshit that comes to the president’s plate.” Slate twisted his head side to side, looking at each man in turn. “Not that I wouldn’t trust any of y’all, but Fury’s got a vested interest now.” He turned his crooked grin to Fury. “Bangin’ the boss’ little sister and all.” Mason’s face hardened, and Fury glared at Slate, who broke out in laughter. “Seriously, Fury. It’s not sudden. I’ve been talking about it for a while, and with Ruby blessing me with another pair of twins, I cannot be both the man she needs, and the president the club demands. Not now, and not for a while. Turns out being a parent isn’t a transient event.” He shrugged. “Who knew?”
“Me?” Fury locked eyes with Mason, holding their gazes until Mason nodded slowly. “I accept, of course, with the understanding that the office is not dependent on anything outside of the club.”
“More in spite of, than because of,” Mason assured him. “Lotta men gonna be hatin’ on you for this.”
Fury let the idea settle in his mind. President of the Fort Wayne chapter was a large step up from a no-voice member just over a year ago. Mason was right, of course, there would be dissent.I'd worry more if there wasn't. He glanced around the room, letting his gaze rest on each man, much as Slate had done moments ago. Support and excitement on every face except one, and Hurley looked more confused than anything.Probably about why he got invited to this little powwow. Fury shook his head. “Thing about haters? They’re a lot like noisy bugs. Chirp, flap, and crap all fuckin’ day but when you walk past ‘em, they shut the fuck up.” He shook his head. “Tell me what I need to know.”
They spent the next twelve hours going over many plans and projects already underway, and Mason unveiled a few that he’d been holding close to the vest. Timing was a bitch on this change, because of how many irons were already in the fire.
Fury yawned, and Mason laughed, leaning back in his chair, stretching his arms overhead. “My fuckin’ brain is mush.” Mason leaned back and hammered on the door, telling the prospect who opened it to bring in the lockbox. Phones and weapons were passed out and Fury checked his phone, groaning to see five missed calls from Bethy. “Can we pick back up tomorrow, brother?” He waggled his phone. “Got some explaining to do to the old lady.”
Mason stared at him for a minute, face expressionless. Slowly he shook his head, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Never for a minute thought I’d hear that applied to my sister.” Without looking up, he said, “She’s about used up her vacation. What are y’all going to do when she goes back to Nashville?”
Fury knew better than to let his amusement show, so he kept it clamped down as he said, “Business is between her and her partner. I’m no part of that.” Mason grunted and flattened his palms on the table, pushing to his feet. “As her old man, though, I’m strongly recommending she have a conversation about hiring a local manager for the Nashville part, and sticking to what she does so well, the tour management.”
Nodding, Mason looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, “She’ll still spend a lot of time away. She gonna be okay with that?”
“I doubt it, which is why the second argument I have is for her to stay home and be barefoot and pregnant with my babies.” Mason’s chin lifted, and he stared at Fury. “She won’t go for that either. Seriously, she’s got to sort it out. I can listen and tell her what I think, but it’s on her in the end.”
“Real mature attitude.” The words should have been a compliment, but they came out sounding like an insult instead. Fury knew where Mason was coming from though and didn’t take offense.
“I’m just”—he thumbed over his shoulder—“gonna go give my old lady a call.”
“You do that. I’ll do the same. We’ll circle back around tomorrow, brother. Set some timelines on things here in the Fort.”
Fury nodded, his attention already on the phone in his hand. Two rings and Bethany answered, voice breathless. “Hey, honey.”
“Baby.”
“I’m going to make myself some dinner. If you can let me know when you’ll be home”—he caught his breath, liking how the word sounded in her mouth—“I can have a plate ready for you.”
“Baby, did I tell you yet today?”
When she answered him, her voice had softened, growing warm in a way that made him smile. “Yeah, but I’d love to hear it again.”
“I love you, baby.” He heard her sigh through the phone’s speaker, knowing she liked hearing the words. “I’ll be home in twenty, so wait for me and we can eat together. Whatcha makin’?”
“Just some fried squash and skirt steak. Nothing fancy.”
“Sounds good, I’ll be there soon.”
“Can’t wait.”
It’s a little strange, he thought as he straddled his bike, waiting a moment after starting it to allow the engine to warm up,how quickly we’ve settled into this. As he pulled out of the lot, lifting a hand to the prospect who was manning the gate, he tried to shake off the feeling that it had been too easy in the end.
***
“Brother? What’s happened?” Fury wordlessly waved Pinto away, needing a minute to try and make sense of the info he’d been force fed. Mason’s voice echoed in his head, the words chasing each other around and around.
“Watcher wrecked out, brother. He’s gone.”
Followed by a guilt-ridden explanation of the scene that lay before Mason, those words, choked to life in a tear-thick voice, wouldn’t lay down and be still. They kept clawing at his chest, working their way underneath his skin until he twitched in place.He’s gone. It didn’t seem real, and he could only hope this was a nightmare, a restless night followed by a startled waking filled with relief.
“Brother? Fury?”
