Page 96 of Master's Rise
“You looked up other Clubs?” Why does he sound like that?
“Yeah. I wanted to ask about the kids’ program and didn’t see anything on the website, so I looked at where Claire came from, then all over the country. New England and Ohio have a council too. They’re different but similar to what you’re doing. The New England MC has affiliates all the way down to DC Badass. I was impressed. I found a ton of material for the kids too.”
He kisses me hard, then soft and we move to holy shit. I pull away breathing heavy. “Jesus, you’re too fucking perfect. Thank you.” With a kiss to my head, he drops me back on my stool. What the hell just happened?
Dazedly I watch him pull the skillet out, put it on a cutting board and slide the whole thing over. “Just dig in.”
I watch him do that too. Men are so damn weird.
~*~*~
Cort
Getting the perfect amount of potatoes, onion and bacon on my fork with yolk dripping down, I think life is so much fucking better than good. She looked up Badass, understands about affiliates and picked up on the councils. I’ve told her bits and pieces and she looked it up. She found shit for the kids. She ignored the Prospectsdo not disturborderfor a kiss before her class. She’s training the Brothers in Krav Maga. She gives me peace when I need it and space to figure shit out. I know what Rex means, I couldn’t love her any more than I do right now. She’s perfect.
Why am I so fucking shocked? We connected the first minute I laid eyes on her. She knows all my stupid quotes and threw me with some really good ones that I had to look up.
“If Ops went well, that means you got the killer? We’re all safe now?” Her beautiful eyes show pain.
“We are. I took care of that personally the day before. Yesterday was everyone he was using to get rid of Badass. It started with him not paying for Security and turned into seven years of his people fucking with countless Clubs, Brothers and us.”
Her head turns catching the sun making it glow, she’s so fucking pretty. “What does that have to do with my dad and Rex?”
“Rex and my dad bought a bike from a Badass auction. The bike was repossessed by Major’s Club because of non-payment. The bike was two hundred grand and the pussy wanted it back. Rex and your dad were friends and I’m told they stepped in when people needed them. I guess your dad was too close to Rex.” I bend kissing her head, hoping that takes away some of the pain I see in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Kram.”
“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide totake control of what you do have power overinstead of craving control over what you don’t.Steve Maraboli said that. I thought it would be sad to let the pain go.” She looks up at me and I see sadness but she has her flawed smile on. “I can’t take their shared friendship back and wouldn’t want to. My dad was happy to focus on teaching at the lodge and retire, fishing and telling stories with Rex. He was happy. I need to let it go and focus on the incredible changes in my life. You brought me a whole community of people that accept me just the way I am. I got this, Cort.”
“I met your dad twice and can’t say I knew him well. Once was the funerals. The other was at the bar about three years ago. We talked about Badass and people who make a difference. It wasn’t long, maybe twenty minutes but I liked him for his openness to bikers and Badass. He made you and I see how great he was as a dad and teacher. What did he teach?”
She laughs. “He wasn’t a teacher. Well, not at a school. He was a Mason and was looking forward to working at the lodge more with the younger guys. They don’t advertise, but they do what you are, Cort. The same but way quieter. I learned more about the Masons from books and the internet than my dad ever told me. His thing was working to help make better families and communities. Captain Cort is going for a better world. They’d love you.” She giggles and I’m frozen in place.
He was a Mason? “Did he mention names? People that he’d like to help?”
She gives me a weird look then looks away. “He met the McCabes and liked the guy but was worried about them, something about a cop. The guy liked fishing too and was new to the area, my dad was taking him out to show him the best fishing spots. I heard him and his friend, another Mason but a boss guy, talking about more teachings for the young. They were weird, like the bikers with their own language. Anyway, my dad was excited and said he’d be retiring and could help. The guy was going to talk to the cop and left happy too.”
Fuck! “What cop?”
She rolls her eyes then closes them. “Ramona, Romero...”
“Ramirez?”
Her eyes pop open. “Yeah. I think so. You could ask Dan. He lives two houses away from my dad’s.”
“Ramirez is a Mason?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. Dan would. They don’t post lists of people, they’re secretive about everything. I had to look shit up and my dad was a Mason. Men are so weird.”
I smile at that. “We are. I need to go.” I kiss her head and move the skillet to the sink.
“You didn’t work out.”
“It’s later.” I throw over my shoulder while I go for my gun.
Her yell makes me smile. “I’ll see you when I see you.”
“You will, Kram. Love you.”
I get it back as the door closes and laugh. Then I freeze. Her words slam into me.“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide totake control of what you do have power overinstead of craving control over what you don’t.”
