I wanted to protest. Punch him, or argue, or even just tell him to fuck off. My president stared at me blandly, because he was right and we both knew it. She wasn’t mine. Would the club still protect Becca? Absolutely. We’d protect anyone in Callup if we had to . . . But she’d protected herself last night and there’d been no direct insult to the Bastards.
“Claim her or let her go,” Boonie added, his voice deadly serious. “This halfway shit doesn’t cut it. We all heard her at the Moose. Either what she said works for you or it doesn’t. Ball’s in your court.”
I glared at him, because he was right. I was still frustrated with her, though. She fucked with my head, something I’d had ample time to consider while savoring my scrounged cigarette last night before pulling out of the parking lot.
Yeah. That’s how pathetic things had gotten. I’d actually sat alone in the darkness lusting after a girl like some fucking Robert Pattinson wannabe.
At least I smoked instead of sparkled.
Boonie shrugged.
“It’s time for church. C’mon.”
—
I took my place around the battered old table we’d set up in the back room. Twelve of the brothers joined us, while five more hadn’t been able to come. Two were retired, although they still held their colors. Another had to work, and the final two were in Montana visiting another chapter.
I’d never actually planned to stay in Callup. I was a Montana boy, born and bred . . . But somehow I never got around to leaving after I got back from prison. Becca was part of it. The Reapers were an element, too—Painter and I were tight, usually got together at least once a week. Less lately, since shit went down with him and Melanie, but that’s the way of the world.
“So we’re here to discuss the Shane McDonogh situation,” Boonie announced. “There are new developments. Puck, you want to share?”
“So I talked to Rourke Malloy last night, outside the Moose,” I said, forcing myself to focus. “It was an eye-opening conversation. We know that McDonogh has been in some sort of power struggle with his stepdad, Jamie Callaghan. We didn’t have the details but I learned a lot last night. Seriously fucked-up shit. Malloy told me that they’re determined to keep McDonogh from claiming his inheritance—he’s supposed to take control of the Laughing Tess next year, when he turns twenty-one. Malloy says the local union supports him.”
“True,” Deep said quietly. “Although it goes against the grain to back a McDonogh. We’ve been hanging on, hoping he’ll take after his daddy, not his granddad. Kade Blackthorne insists that blood will run true. Until then, most of us are carrying our own rescue equipment. I don’t trust the shit underground. Needs replacing.”
I frowned.
“What blood?”
“Blackthorne’s,” Deep said. “Rumor is, Shane’s dad was Bull Blackthorne. He was president of the local back when Christine McDonogh decided she wanted to piss off her daddy—she ran around with him for a while. Then Bull found himself dead and Christine found herself knocked up. Suddenly she’s marrying Jamie Callaghan and moving to Vegas. Hasn’t been back since, unless she needed money.”
“It’s just a rumor,” Boonie said, frowning. “Hell, doesn’t matter who the kid’s dad was. All that matters is whether he’ll be better for the valley than his mom and her husband.”
“He’ll be better,” Deep said. “Can’t be worse.”
“We’re hoping the safety equipment will get replaced when Shane takes over,” Demon added quietly. “At least, that’s the party line down at the local. The national guys could give two fucks. I bought my own self rescuer. If there’s another fire I don’t want to die down there because the McDonogh corporation won’t pay for upgrades.”
“The national guys are controlled by the Callaghans,” Boonie said.
“Well, Malloy says that Callaghan and his bitch wife are trying to get Shane declared crazy, lock him up long term,” I continued. “I guess there’s a loophole—if that happens, his mom would be taking over.”
“They’ve got the money and lawyers to do it,” Boonie said.
“He wants an alliance,” I continued. “After I talked to Malloy, I went up to the academy. The students had some party going on back in the woods. Malloy used it as an excuse to sneak me in and I met with McDonogh himself.”
Deep perked up.
“He look as much like Bull as they say?”
I shrugged.
“Hell if I know—I’m not from around here, remember?”