Page 17 of Porter (Dirty Misfits MC 2)
Nevertheless, I had to stand up for my boy. “Chops, if Brooks hadn’t gone over there in the first place—even just to scout things out—something terrible would have happened to Raven and you know it.”
Cole piped up behind me. “Yeah, and we can’t let one of our own suffer like that when we know we can save them.”
Chops snickered. “One of our own? Raven hasn’t spoken to us since her husband died and Brooks went off to prison! How does that make her one of us?”
Brooks gnashed his teeth together. “She was married to one of our men for years. She’s now with me. That’s about as ‘one of us’ as it gets.”
Chops chuckled. “What? Because she likes to hop bunk beds with the guys, we’re supposed to protect her twenty-four-seven?”
Brooks lunged at the man and I had to wrap my arms around him to keep him from clawing Chops’ eyes out. And the slimy grin on our President’s face made my stomach flip over into knots. Was Chops insane? Did he really think this would somehow help his case?
But of course, Chops didn’t stop. “And do you want to know the real kicker?”
I whispered in Brooks’ ear. “Come outside. Just let it go.”
Brooks’ eye twitched. “What?”
Chops walked up to the man. “Every single one of us knows you’ve got Raven protected in ways Gage would have never wanted. Yet, you’re the one who constantly talks about honor and valor. Holding ourselves to a higher standard. I wonder how your best friend would feel about you fucking around with his widow, Mr. Upstanding Citizen.”
The second those words hit my ears, I let go of Brooks. My vision dripped with red as I pulled back my fist and connected it straight against the jawline of our bullshit, pathetic excuse for a leader. He stumbled back before someone grabbed at my leather cut, but all I did was slip my arms out of the sleeves.
Before hauling off and slamming my knuckles into Chops’ stomach.
“You’re a piece of shit, you know that?” I grunted.
Chops looked up at me through the tears in his eyes. “I’m gonna kill you for that.”
He lunged up and tried to punch me, but Archer and Tanner were quicker. Brooks picked me up and forcibly carried me to the other side of the room while Archer and Tanner held Chops’ fists back behind him. I wanted to rip his jugular out through his mouth. I wanted to pluck his teeth out with some pliers, one by one, until he begged for mercy.
“How dare you talk about her that way!” I roared.
Chops barked with laughter. “Looks like there’s another guy who wants to fuck her, yeah!?”
Brooks dropped me and I scrambled to grab his jeans. I stopped him in his tracks, taking him to the floor as Chops guffawed with laughter near the front door. I wanted to beat the man into the ground, but I knew Brooks would kill him.
Because it certainly wouldn't have been the first time my friend killed a man with his own two hands.
Chops’ voice boomed across the room. “This is your fucking mess, Brooks. So, you can get yourself out of it. I never once told you to cross town and start chucking grenades into a god damn warehouse. That was all you. You think you can lead better? Then, by all means, show us how you would lead now.”
And before any of us could respond, Chops slid his helmet back onto his head and walked out of the clubhouse.
Leaving during a meeting he called about a situation that required his attention.
“What the absolute fuck?” Finn asked.
I pushed myself up from the floor and offered my hand to Brooks. “Take it. Come on. We’ve got work to do.”
He glared up at me before his hand slapped against mine, and I hoisted him to his feet. I didn’t know what the hell we were going to do, but all eyes were on Brooks as Chops soared off into the distance on his bike. I licked my lips and turned around, searching for my leather jacket.
And after Cole tossed it to me, Brooks spoke. “I’ll go meet with the Black Flags tomorrow morning. What was the meeting time?”
Cole sighed. “Five in the morning on the outskirts of town. You know, by that old abandoned warehouse district.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, you’re sure as hell not going to Metalville alone.”
Tanner nodded. “Yeah, if you go, we go.”
Archer shrugged. “I’m just ready to put an end to whatever the hell this is.”
Cole snickered. “Guess I’m bringing the coffee, yeah?”
Brooks nodded. “I appreciate the support, guys. Thank you. And I promise that, one way or another, we’ll all figure this out. I won’t abandon you like Chops just abandoned us.”
The room fell silent as we all tried to gather our thoughts. Then, Brooks turned to Cole. “I want you to call those guys back and tell them we’re on for the meeting. I also want you to tell them that all of us are coming. I don’t want there to be any perceived secrets on our end because that means if they come with secrets, we’ve got the high road before we start picking them off.”
