Page 33 of Brooks (Dirty Misfits MC 1)
Not without killing him, anyway.
“We could vote him out, you know,” Archer murmured.
I slowly looked over at him. “It would have to be unanimous across the entire club. And even then, he’d have to appoint a new president in his place.”
Tanner finally spoke up after sitting wide-eyed through that entire church meeting. “Wouldn’t it just be the V.P. that stepped up?”
Finn scoffed. “He hasn’t appointed one yet, remember?”
I blinked. “Wait, there’s no standing V.P.?”
Tanner shook his head. “There’s no standing anyone right now. When Chops became president, he didn’t appoint anyone to any other positions.”
I licked my lips. “So, there’s no normal V.P.? Or Treasurer?”
Archer sighed. “We’ve been taking up our old positions that we had under Hyde, but Chops hasn’t formally appointed anyone, no.”
And I know why. “Because he knew we’d act this way and that would still give him the upper hand. We turn in our cuts and he can rebuild from scratch.”
Finn sighed. “We vote him out, he can still appoint a president we won’t stand just to spite us.”
I pointed at him. “Bingo.”
Porter stepped closely into the circle of men. “I mean, we could… well, you know…”
I lowered my voice to a whisper. “Are you really suggesting…”
Cole raked his hand through his hair. “If we can’t vote him out, we’ve got mutiny or killing him. That’s it.”
I shook my head. “What the fuck happened with this place while I was in prison? Have you guys really been wheeling and dealing?”
Archer nodded. “Yeah, and while we didn’t like it at first, it did make ends meet. The chop shop and mechanics shop isn’t what it used to be now that high-end clients are moving in with high-end cars they want to modify.”
I shook my head. “So, modify the high-end cars. How hard is that?”
Porter shrugged. “I think Chops isn’t taking that route because—”
I growled. “Because it doesn’t get him to his fucking end goal, that’s why.”
Tanner scoffed. “And as much as I hate to admit it, the money’s been great from the wheeling and dealing. I mean I can’t sleep well at night anymore, but at least I got a top-tier mattress to struggle against.”
I rolled my eyes. “This is bullshit and we all agree, right? This sex trafficking thing?”
All of the guys nodded vigorously and that gave me, at least in part, a bit of relief. So, I ventured into another line of questioning.
“Have there been any issues with the Black Flags while I’ve been away?”
The guys all looked around at one another and I knew that wasn’t good. But when none of them spoke, I knew it was bad in the worst of ways.
“What?” I asked. “Someone spit it out.”
Archer cleared his throat. “We have had some issues with them, yes.”
Porter put his hand on my shoulder. “Look, those assholes have a big hold on the drug ring in town right now. And when we ventured into their territory to sell cheaper drugs cut with all that bullshit? It made tensions even worse.”
I pulled the guys in as closely as I could. “I can’t get into the specifics right now, but my gut is telling me that the Black Flags were somehow part of the bust that put me away and got Gage killed. I’d run down the theories I’ve had a lot of time to think about, but we’ll have to save that for another time. The point is: I don’t think Gage’s death, Hyde’s death, or my incarceration was simply an accident.”
Porter furrowed his brow. “Do you think Chops had anything to do with any of that?”
I sighed. “I honestly don’t know, but we need to look into it. You guys with me on this?”
Archer nodded. “You know damn good and well I am.”
Tanner and Finn nodded in unison. “We’re in.”
Cole shrugged. “I’ve never liked the man, even when he was V.P. I’m down.”
And when I looked over at Porter, he grinned. “Dude, you know I’ve always got your back.”
I grinned. “Thanks. But we have to do this without Chops catching wind of it. If he is involved in some way—”
Archer waved his hand in the air. “We know, we know. Keep it on the D.L. Got it.”
Porter patted my back. “And if this man goes down, guess who falls in line next to be president?”
All eyes were on me as I shook my head. “None of us have formal titles, so that’ll be a different vote for a different day. But for now? Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.”
And as our whispered meeting drew to a close, I wondered if Porter was right.
I wondered if these guys would actually vote me in as their president and give me that kind of trust.
Sixteen
Raven
As I laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, I had a hard time wiping the smile off my face. I wasn’t sure if what Brooks and I had done was a good thing or a bad thing, but I knew it made me happy inside. I hadn’t felt this wonderful since before Gage had gotten killed. But the small voice at the back of my mind hounded me.
