Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 69993 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69993 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Coop lets out a laugh and steps forward to embrace Dix. “Man, you haven’t missed much. Just an ongoing war with the Kings. I’ve got a baby on the way, Ace is in love, earnings are up big time. Oh and,” he turns to Shades with a sly smile. “Shades is in love with a church girl, if you can believe it.”
Dix shoots us one of his crooked grins before he sticks a cigarette in his mouth. “Holy shit. I think you need to catch me up over a beer. Or ten.” Dix is all smiles, and it’s damn good to see him again. Unreal, in fact, seeing him standing here inside The Chamber after all this time.
Ace looks back at Frank Braden, which turns all of our gazes toward the naked man still strapped to a chair, bruised and bloody and beaten. The traitor is lucky to still be alive, but it’s in God’s hands now. And Ace’s.
“To the clubhouse, then!” Ace claps Dix on the back, and everyone follows them out of The Chamber, leaving me and Shades to lock up.
“You’re not going to leave me here, are you?” Braden’s voice is full of fear and uncertainty, which is no less than what he deserves. “What if I need to use the bathroom? Or if I get thirsty?”
Shades laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “You put yourself in this position, Braden. Figure it out.”
I lock the door while Shades practically vibrates with anger beside me. “Fucking asshole thinks this is some five-star hotel? He can rot in there for all I give a shit.”
I nod. Braden deserves no sympathy from anyone after his betrayal and nearly costing Letty her life. I’d rather see him in prison, though, than six feet under. But whatever Ace decides is what I’ll do. It’s the vow I took when I joined the Reckless Souls MC.
“He’ll rot, either way, brother.”
“Did you know Dix was getting out?”
“Nope.” I shake my head, still wondering how he pulled that off. “I just visited him last month, and he didn’t say a word about it.”
“It’s a possibility the Governor let him out. I heard he was releasing nonviolent criminals, but who knows? I’m just glad he’s back.”
Shades laughs and claps me on the back. “You’re right. Let me buy you a beer in celebration.”
I grunt, “We already got the beers,” as we enter the clubhouse.
“Okay, fine, let me open one for you, so you don’t callous those praying hands.”
I put a fist up and smile. “They do more than pray, brother, and I’m happy to give you a quick reminder.”
“Nah, I’m too tired to kick your ass. Besides, I have to get back to Letty soon. She’s a mess right now with everything that’s going on.”
“Treat her right, man.”
“I plan to,” he says with a serious expression. It quickly shifts into a playful smile as we find our brothers drinking and laughing to welcome our VP home.
“Preacher, get your ass over here,” Dix calls out. He hands me a beer, and I pass it along to Joaquin, who takes a long swallow and burps.
“Thanks for visiting me so often, man. I would have gone crazy without you.” He takes my hand, and we half-hug and half-shake hands.
“You didn’t say you were getting out early.”
“Didn’t know, man. I was prepared to do the full bid, but Doherty came in tonight and unlocked the doors, gave me my clothes, and dropped me off here.”
He’s all smiles, and I can’t blame him. There’s been a noticeable hole in the club since they locked him up, and now that he’s back, he can do what he does best.
“My bunkmate gets out soon too, and he'd be a good prospect,” he says, his gaze on Ace.
Ace nods. “I’ll meet him when he’s out.”
That’s good enough for Dix. “Former SEAL, and he’s doing eighteen months for beating the fuck out of the guy who beat up his sister after he knocked her up. Only one spot of trouble, and that’s only because his judge was the dude’s uncle or something.”
Dix nods and tells Joaquin, “I hear you’re a new patch. We need to throw you a proper patching-in ceremony.” Dix takes a pull from his beer and smiles. “Damn, it’s so fucking good to be back.”
“It’s good to have you back,” I tell him and grab a soda from the fridge before taking a seat beside Dix. “We need to catch you up on everything and quick.”
Dix’s expression turns serious, and he nods.
“He’s right,” Ace says. “No time for celebrations right now, I’m afraid. Hector is up to his same old shit, and we’ve been on the defensive for too long. Time to step it up a notch, now that our resident plotter is back.”
“I’m ready to get back to work. Jail is fucking boring. One star, and I don’t recommend that shit. What do you need me to do?”