Page 26 of Monk

“We don’t know that,” I reasoned, speaking for the first time, and every eye in the room turned my way. “We don’t know what Vivi knew or didn’t know,” I went on, my voice flat and steady.“Until we do, we treat her with respect. She’s grieving. She’s scared. And she’s alone.”

“She’s also a liability,” Blackjack said. “If she talks to the cops, tells them what happened here.”

“She won’t,” Kansas said firmly. “Vivi’s loyal. She’s been with this club for years. She won’t betray us.”

“You sure about that?” Trigger asked. “Because I’m not.”

Kansas stood, his chair scraping back. “I’m sure. And if anyone has a problem with that, they can take it up with me.”

No one spoke.

Kansas sat back down, his jaw tight. “Vivi stays. She’s under club protection. Anyone touches her, anyone threatens her, they answer to me. Clear?”

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the room.

“Now,” Kansas said, his voice hard as steel, cutting through the tension that had settled over the room like a thick fog. “Back to the VP seat. We need a decision, and we need it tonight.”

“I nominate Monk,” Whisper said again, his tone unwavering and confident. He’d been pushing for this all evening, and he wasn’t backing down now.

“I nominate Trigger,” Ashe said, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. His jaw was set, his eyes challenging anyone to question his choice.

Kansas looked between us, his gaze sweeping across the faces gathered around the table. The fluorescent lights overhead cast harsh shadows, making everyone look older and harder. “Anyone else? Any other nominations?”

Silence settled over the room, heavy enough to ring in my ears. “Fine,” Kansas said. His fingers tapped once against the table. “We vote. All in favor of Monk as VP?”

Hands went up. Whisper’s shot up first, followed quickly by Angel, then Widow. Blackjack raised his slowly, deliberately. Bongo’s hand rose last, almost reluctantly.

Five.

“All in favor of Trigger?”

More hands. Ashe’s immediately, naturally. Then Judd, Fifty, and Lips in quick succession.

Four.

Shadow didn’t raise his hand. He sat there, perfectly still, his expression unreadable as everyone watched him. Waited for him as the room held its breath. You could’ve heard a pin drop.

“Shadow?” Kansas asked after a few minutes.

“I vote Monk.”

Trigger’s face went red. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“No,” Kansas said, his tone brooking no argument. “Monk’s VP. That’s final.”

Trigger stood, his chair clattering to the floor. “This is bullshit, Kansas. You know it is.”

“Sit down, Trigger.”

“Fuck you.”

The room exploded. Brothers were on their feet, shouting, shoving. Trigger lunged toward Kansas, and I was up, my hand on his chest, holding him back. “Don’t,” I said quietly. “Don’t do this.”

Trigger’s eyes were wild and furious. “Get the fuck off me, Monk.”

“Sit down,” I said again, my voice calm, steady. “We’re brothers. We don’t do this.” For a long moment, Trigger just stared at me. Then, slowly, he stepped back.

“Fine,” he said, his voice tight. “But this isn’t over.”