Page 100 of Benga's Rise
Chapter Fourteen
Raid
Sitting at our table in the Clubhouse, I see Freedom come in with Ranger. Oh fuck. Right behind them is Victory. I let the breath I was holding out. Ranger must be with Victory. Turning back to the table, Cort is looking at me with his eyebrows raised. Shit, Ranger isn’t with Victory.
I have to look so I do. Freedom takes Ranger’s hand and says something close to his ear. He nods and she pushes Victory toward the hall. I look back at Cort then at Hade, who is talking to Mounty about choppers.
Cort laughs. “This is shaping up to be an interesting night.”
I nod. “Who is watching Caelan?”
“Rex, Ant Irma and Ajhil. They practically live at my fucking house now. I should get Paul to build the other house for me. Between the Brothers and Rex, it’s always busy.” He’s smiling so it’s not bothering him.
“You love it.”
His politician smile shows. “Yeah. Hey, Victory took a vow of chastity, Seren said.”
The whole table of Officers is laughing, then talking shit. I don’t say a word. “Stop. She has a right to make the change.” Cort is pissed.
Everyone is quiet when Ranger sits. “Brothers.” He acknowledges with a smile.
Cort is like a ping pong ball tonight. His eyes are lit and he’s smiling at Ranger. “Saw you come in with Freedom. She’s a good woman, Brother. Step carefully.”Fucking Cort.
“What?” Hade is glaring at Ranger. “Freedom came with you?”
Ranger looks surprised, then his eyes narrow like he’s trying to gauge Hade’s interest. “Yeah.”
Jinx starts laughing. “Told you, you were fucking it up. You never listen.”
Ranger is lost, but smart enough to listen and not open his mouth. He watches Hade get shit for being an ass. Falcon watches Ranger then stands. “I’m getting a beer.” When he walks away Ranger follows him.
Hade gives me a look like I was the ass. “You couldn’t have told me?”
Cort smiles, but his eyes are intent. “We all told you, Brother. Don’t take it out on any of us. Ranger is clueless about your asinine way with women. He’s a good Brother. You can’t be pissed he picked up what you dropped. Freedom deserves to be happy and I can see her connecting to a Training Brother. They’re compatible.”
Hade looks surprised. “Compatible?”
I nod. “He’s a black belt in Ju-Jitsu. He knows other shit too, but I can’t remember the names.”
He sits back. “Now you’re best friends with Ranger. Did you set them up? Freedom said you got her head straight.”
Jesus. “What the fuck? I told her to open her studio if that’s what’s going to make her happy. I just saw them walk in tonight. Ranger’s got a bio sheet just like we do. I fucking read it, which is more than you did, apparently. You fucked up. Deal with it like a man and stop throwing your fucking drama at the rest of us.”
Cort laughs. “Good job, VP!”
He stands as Seren walks in. She goes right to the DJ in the corner and he drops in his chair. He’s unsettled because of the music. That explains the ping pong ball.
“So, we get Js next?” I throw out trying to get him away from music.
He smiles. “Yeah, three. They figured out the names. Juan, José and Jack, but I think it’s Jacques. The accent was throwing me.”
“The Indian?” His English was perfect, but he had an east coast accent.
“No, another Brother. Something in his voice struck me as emotional. They suggest a doctor seeing them right away. Doc will come with Web and me. Alta and Akai will be going too.”
Fuck. “I’ll stay here. Call and let me know what you’ll need when you get here. I’ll have it ready.”
He smiles. “Thanks. Web is nervous. I was going to take Patcher, but Doc’s seen it before. He wants to go.”
