Page 143 of Knox Unleashed
He raises the whiskey to his lips. I’ve never had an opinion on what another man drinks before, but I worry about Vandal and that goddam glass. It’s never out of his hand, now.
I spoke to Reaper, and he said he’d speak to Vandal about it.
But Vandal got shook that night with Alvarez. Like I did with Maren. But where we have each other to get through it together, Vandal is pulling away.
Nearly losing your life, facing the long-time impact on your sight, all the surgeries he has had and all the ones still to come, feeling mortal…that can do a number on a man.
Since he got out of the hospital, he hides in his room at the clubhouse, never coming out unless it’s to find more whiskey or because I force him to church. King insisted we use the money he sent us to pay Vandal’s medical bills, but the guy won’t call King to say thanks.
Something tells me I’m going to have to intervene, at some point, because I refuse to see the brother who has already shouldered so much in his life, collapse into this.
Once everyone is seated, I close the door. Then, I turn to my men with a smile. “Brothers. It’s a simple question. I fucking love Maren. I didn’t want a vote until Vandal could join us. So, here we are. I want a vote on Maren becoming my old lady.”
“What happens if we vote no?” Sunny asks, his face serious.
What the?—?
“Then, Maren doesn’t get this, it fucks with my future, and my standing with the club. I mean, you better have a damn good reason for saying?—”
“Chill, Prez,” Sunny says. “I’m gonna vote yes, just no one ever told me what happens if we say no.”
I flop back into my chair and put a hand over my heart that’s racing. “Motherfucker, Sunny.”
Reaper is the first to laugh. He tries his best to hide it. Head down, but his shoulders move silently. Then, Havoc.
North isn’t even subtle as he laughs.
Lock shakes his head. “You’re really not the brightest headlight on the bike, are you, Sunny?”
Sunny raises both hands in surrender. “It was just a question.”
“One that nearly killed me. Now, can we vote before I have a heart attack?” I ask.
“Yes from me,” North says, raising his hand. “I was wrong about her.”
Havoc nods. “And me. So, yeah, it’s a yes from me.”
Vandal says nothing but raises his hand with a nod.
“Guess I should definitely say yes, at this point,” Sunny says.
Lock grins. “Easy yes from me, Prez.”
“She makes you better, Prez,” Reaper says, raising his hand.
“Full set, Prez,” Ridge says. “I’m a yes.”
I swallow deep as I look each of them in the eye and then, run my fingers over her cut. “I’ll say this once, because I vowed never to interfere in any man’s choices. But find the right woman, brothers. Might just save your life. Now, can we get some whiskey and toast this vote?”
I move to the door, but as I open it, I see Maren hurrying across the bar. “One second, brothers. Just wait for me. Maren’s here.”
She looks shell-shocked, and I immediately march across the bar to meet her. “Sweetheart, what happened?”
“I need to speak to you,” Maren says when she sees me standing in the middle of the clubhouse.
I look behind her, expecting to see chaos in the yard. My heart rate spikes for the second time in ten minutes. “Are you okay?”
She catches her breath. “Yeah. I’m fine. Well, maybe…oh, God, I’m totally messing this up.”
