Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
I can feel the smile splitting my face, the warmth rushing through my veins at the confidence placed in me by my brothers. “Shit. Thank you all. I promise I won’t let you down.”
“No shit,” Shades replies with a crooked grin. “And by the way, can we get this fucker a road name? Joaquin is a fucking mouthful.”
I smile. “That’s what all the ladies say.”
“Pussy sounds like a good name!” someone blurts out.
“Man, don’t be like that,” I laugh. I’m still shocked that I’m officially a Reckless Soul Road Captain.
Dix says, “I don’t know, man.” He pulls some patches out of the pocket of his kutte. “Let me see what I’ve got here.” He puts a black and white patch with the words Road Captain embroidered on it onto the table.
I swallow hard against the lump in my throat.
“Oh! What’s this?” Another patch comes out of Dix’s pocket with the word “Banger” on it.
Ace comments, “Hey, man, after serious thought, we felt you needed a great road name. You’re a part of this MC now, and you earned it.”
“Hey, man, I’m trying not to tear up here.”
“See? Pussy is the right name for him!” Preacher says and walks over to me, laughing. “Now it’s time to get serious.”
The guys all nod and stand.
“What’s going on?” I ask Preacher.
“Gotta make it official,” Ace says and stands next to Preacher.
Preacher looks around the room at all the men and starts. “Good evening, Reckless Souls. I'm here today to officially appoint Joaquin, now known as Banger, as the new Road Captain of our beloved motorcycle club.
“Joaquin has been an esteemed member of the Reckless Souls for close to three years now. During that time, he's proven to be a dependable and courageous rider. He's even been known to take on some of our worst enemies.
Preacher doesn’t even take a breath as he continues. “As Road Captain, Banger is in charge of planning the rides for us and educating fellow riders about the importance of safety.”
“Yeah, yeah, safety first!” Coop shouts out.
Preacher glares at him and continues, “Banger will make sure each ride has a clear route with designated stops and rest areas. He'll also lead the pack, making sure all riders follow the rules of the road.”
I nod and take a deep breath. This is a bigger deal than I previously thought.
Preacher puts his hand on my shoulder. He can probably feel me shaking. I suck it up. I’m not used to having this kind of attention.
“We know this is a significant role, and we're confident that Banger is up to the challenge. We anoint you, Banger, with all the necessary duties of being a Road Captain for the Reckless Souls. Congratulations! Ride safe out there!”
Laughter and whoops roar around our sanctuary, echoing and bouncing off the walls as Church commences. “Hand over the leather,” Ace instructs, and I do as I’m told.
Dix takes it from Ace and staples the patches on for now, but I know later, one of the girls will sew them on properly. Two patches in less than a year. Yeah, I feel fucking good.
“Later, Kenna will getcha fixed up right,” Dix says with a gleam in his eyes that I find unsettling. “Don’t worry, bro. I’m not gonna fuck with you. Much.”
“All right, men. About the raid last night. If you were there, you know everything went according to plan. We’ve stashed the goods in one of the warehouses out of the way, and the cartel will never find it. Tomorrow, we contact the cartel and use the raid to get the Morgan girl back. But we’re not going to deal with Los Tres Colombianos tonight. No way. Tonight, we fucking party.”
A cheer goes up around the room, and Ace calls us to attention again.
“We celebrate the end of the Iron Kings, our brothers in arms, and going home safe to our families. Tomorrow, we put our game faces on and kick some ass.”
I smile. “And take some fucking names.”
We all stand, ready to leave the room and get to a night of drinking and fucking and partying. I can’t wait to tell Willow about my new road name and promotion. I know I’m supposed to be a badass and keep my emotions in check, but this is exciting to me. What I’ve worked for over the past few years.
Before I can get out the door, Ace’s phone rings, and although I’m not a gossip hound or eavesdropper, I slow my pace.
Ace waves us back, and I put a hand to Preacher’s shoulder, and he calls the rest back. “Arturo Rojas, nice to meet you. Officially.”
Who the fuck is Arturo Rojas?
Ace nods. “What can I do for you, or should I say your cartel?”
Shit. I drop down onto the nearest seat and rub my temples. The shit isn’t over, not by a long shot. In fact, it’s probably just starting.