Instead of replying, I ignore Tala’s smartass attitude and continue to fill my bike. While she might be my daughter, I can’t figure the woman out sometimes. She makes it a point to tell me how she doesn’t agree with my past choices and how I’ve handled situations. And here she is judging how I’m showing Gold a little kindness. Seems like I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.
Tala starts speaking to me again, “We’re only a few minutes out, right? I’m eager to meet this Joker fella and his club. Plus, I can’t wait to see how he feels about the prospects he’s getting. Him and Cowboy that is.”
“Joker just might shit himself,” I snicker, thinking how old fashioned the young man is. I’ve never asked him, but he’s probably in his late twenties to mid-thirties. If he’s older, no one would know it.
“He will after I’m done with him,” Tala mutters, cocking her hip out. I wanna shake my head, remembering her mother pulling off that signature move. Shit, Tala is so much like her mother it’s almost like I’m staring at a ghost. Tala turns and looks around the parking lot, checking the status of everyone else at the station. “Do you still think he’s gonna be the one to give me the most problems?”
I wanna lie to her, tell her I think he’ll do everything she says but I know better. Out of anyone, this is the man who will put up the biggest fight. Joker is one of the good ol’ boys, who believe it’s a mans world. It isn’t though. “I sure hope I’m wrong, kid. Don’t think I will be, though.”
She nods a couple of times slowly, running her long black acrylic nails over her chin. “Regardless, he’ll understand the hierarchy. As you know, I do things differently than anyone else does. If he resists, I won’t hesitate to do what needs to be done. Whether it means stripping him of his rank and starting him from the bottom, or sliding the sharp end of a dagger along his throat.”
In moments like these, I see my own blood running relentlessly through her veins. She may look so much like her mother, but she does have the parts of me that matter the most. She won’t put up with anyone’s shit, especially someone in her club. At the end of the day, everyone is below her. I’m happy to see she’s relentless beyond measure, and to know she isn’t as corrupt as I. If anything, this moment has solidified how making this decision saved what was left of my men. While I may have been irresponsible and stupid, it doesn’t mean I’d let them have the same fate as me.
I see Gold’s hair blowing in the wind as she exits the gas station with two coffee cups in hand and a small bag filled with something. She comes walking out with Devi next to her, both of the women cock their heads back in laughter, obviously finding enjoyment over something.
Right now, Nikki’s words are replaying in my mind. She warned me a little bit about Gold's past and explained how Gold is pretty fucked up from it. I don’t know much about the girl, but it’s only because I haven’t asked. I’m no angel, but given the information about my health . . . I want to do better. I’ve caused so much chaos in my life. Now, all I want to do is leave it a little better than I found it. I won’t be able to do much, but helping Iris and Faith was a start. Maybe being here for her is part of my redemption, or for me to enjoy the last days I have left.
My entire life, I’ve only ever been a callous bastard. Here’s to hoping I can change this late in the game. I may always be known for the awful things I’ve done, but I’d like to try to be remembered for the way I started to turn the page. After all, no one is ever too late for redemption, right?
“We’ll take a break for thirty minutes or so and then we’ll head over to the clubhouse,” Tala says, walking over to Chuckles, who has a bag filled with crap. I’m sure my daughter is hoping to bum some food off him.
15
Own who you are
~Lisa _Hillyer
Rage
It took us about thirteen hours to get here from Queens with every stop we made to cross our legs and to get across the border. Honestly, I’m shocked we got through the border as quickly as we did. Normally, it can take a couple of hours, but they let us through in a jiffy. Guess that means none of us were on any lists, so I’m all for it.
The clubhouse is located on the western side of the Lower Don Lands neighborhood in Toronto, almost in their own small city. There is a pier and a go-kart place right down the street. The club is in a predominantly nice neighborhood, which may seem a bit odd all things considered. Many people come to this part of town with their children to take them for go-kart rides or the circus.
We just pulled into the parking lot in front of the garage a couple of minutes ago and so far no one has come out to greet us. It looks like they’ve recently painted the brick from the old blood red to black and I see where the Demons logo used to be is completely covered up. They must be painting the Iron Vex MC logo on it soon. Hell, maybe even while we’re here.
Tala takes her helmet off and sets it on the back of her bike. “Does Joker not understand respect?” Irritation is laced through her voice. Normally, I’d come to his defense, but he’s been doing a damn good job at showing the two of us he’s going to be difficult.
I shrug, not sure why the fuck he hasn’t come out to greet us yet. It’s nine in the evening and I can sure as hell hear music blaring from inside. “Sure sounds like he’s got a party goin’ on if you ask me,” Chuckles adds, getting an annoyed look from my daughter.
“Well, looks like we’re about to crash the party,” Tala smirks, getting off her bike. She marches past the three garage bays and heads up the three small stairs. The door is thick and I can hear her knock, trying to slam her hand against the door so it can be heard over the music. There’s no use, though. Not a soul will hear her in there with how loud it is.
Gold hops off the back of my bike and I prop my kickstand up, get off, and walk over to Tala, standing a couple of feet behind her. She turns back to me, angered beyond belief. “If he thinks he can treat me like this, the joke’s on him. I’ve never been treated with such disrespect in my life. I thought I made myself clear on our conference call, but apparently, I wasn’t crystal clear.”
All of a sudden, the door flies open and instantly, I recognize the man to be Polock. He’s the road captain for Toronto and he’s Polish as fuck. He has so much compassion for his country that his road name basically means he’s a cool as shit Polish dude. He changed his hair, having shaved it on both sides with a thick mohawk down the middle.
“Yo, Pre—” Polock stops mid-sentence, “I mean Rage. Sorry. Still gotta get used to the fact you’re not a Prez anymore. Say, where’s this Boss fellow? He’s your son, right?”
I furrow my brows and look at Polock in confusion, speaking up before Tala can. “Who told you Boss was a man?” I ask the question, but I already know the answer. There’s only one man in this club that would do this.
I’m about to respond, but Tala acts before I do.
“What’s your name?” Her tone demands an answer, and I watch as he cocks a brow. He’s probably wondering why on God’s earth a woman would be ordering a response from him.
“I’m Polock, and you are?”
“I’m Boss. Your fuckin’ Prez. Now, I’d love to know who in the fuck told you I have a dick?”
Polock looks from me back to my daughter. His expression is a little shocked at first, but then he smirks. “Gówno, I fuckin’ love it.” I’m pretty sure that means shit in Polish, but it’s been a while since I’ve been around Polock. What I can remember of his language is pretty rusty.
“I asked you a question, now answer it,” Tala demands, tapping her high heeled boot on the metal stairs.
“Joker did, Prez. My apologies for not realizing who you were. I just had a different impression. In fact, we all did,” Polock explains, opening the door a little further.
The music blares from behind him, and from what I can see, everyone inside is having a damn good time. I told these bastards to keep a low profile and they’re up here partying. I wonder how fuckin’ long they’ve been like this. For all I know, it�
�s been weeks.
Tala cocks her head to the side, dips her hand in her pocket to pull out a piece of gum, and puts it in her mouth. “It’s not your fault, Polock. Now, tell me where I can find Joker in this joint.”
“He’s prolly sitting at the bar like he normally does. On the right side. Joker has shades on so if you see sunglasses, you’ll know it’s him.”
“Thank you,” Tala says, pushing her hand back against Polock’s chest. She walks straight inside and I follow her as she scans the room looking for Joker. After a minute, her eyes land on him and I stick closely behind as she slams her heels against the crappy wood floors, making her presence known to everyone in the club. Fuck, almost everyone turns to look at her. I highly doubt they’ve seen a woman like Tala. Not just because she’s the Prez of an MC, but her entire demeanor. She demands attention from every man in a room. Hell, she’s done that since she was a little girl.
She taps on Joker’s shoulders with her fingertips, causing him to turn around and face her. He gives her a once over and says, “Hey, darlin’. Never seen you around here before. You a friend of Kodiak’s?”
We all know damn well he can see my daughter's cut as well as her rank and name. Tala surprises me beyond belief as she whips her hand back and slaps the living daylights out of Joker. She rakes her nails into his cheek deep enough to where blood starts to pool. Tala turns around to everyone in the club, fury beaming off her like a ray of light.
“I’m sure some of you are wondering who the fuck I am. Well, I’ll bring you up to speed. I’m Boss, your National Prez. It seems Joker thought it was alright to disrespect me or maybe he wanted to try and embarrass me. I’m not really sure and I don’t fucking care. Know this, if any of you try to disrespect me and think you’ll get away with it, you won’t. I’ll have no problem stripping you of your colors.”
Just like that, the entire room takes her seriously.
16
“A villain is just a victim whose story hasn’t been told.”
~Chris Colfer
Rage
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Prez,” Monk says as he stands up from a couple of barstools away and extends his hand out to Tala. She takes and shakes it.
“Since the moment I’ve spoken with Joker, he’s been playing games. I’ll have you all know that I don’t play. I win. One thing I will never tolerate is disrespect and I believe I’ve made that abundantly clear. Have I not?”
Monk shakes his head, “Yes, perfectly clear, Prez. I can attest that no one here will dare do anything against you.”
Tala nods once. “Great,” she says as she looks at his patch and his name. “Monk, I’m naming you interim Prez until Joker can stop being such a funny boy.” Tala turns around and addresses the entire room, “Does everyone understand that? Monk is your Prez as of this moment until whenever I change my damn mind.”
I glance around the room and hear nothing. Every single person is quiet, but they know better than to speak up. “Now, if you don’t mind me interjecting, Prez,” I start off to say, waiting for a signal it’s okay. Once Tala gives me a wave of her hand, I continue, “We need someone to open up one of the garage bays so we can bring our bikes inside. I thought I heard it’s gonna snow through the night.”
Polock speaks up, “I’ll handle it.” He walks off to the right, entering through the door that connects the main part of the club to the garage. A minute later, I hear a door being raised and him speaking to the club members that are still outside.
“Can I get you a drink, Prez?” Kodiak asks, standing behind the bar. He’s a big, bulky black man who’s the enforcer for the Toronto charter.
“Sure, a beer would be great. You have Guinness?”
“Sure do.” He grabs a glass from a rack that hangs over the bar and goes to the tap, pulling the draft.
From the corner of my eye, I see the rest of the Iron Vex MC coming in. The men stop their small chatter and look at all the women who come through the door. “Did you bring us presents?” Kodiak asks, smiling. I’m no mind reader, however, I’m pretty damn positive he thinks these are clubwhores. I can’t wait to see his face when my daughter tells him exactly who these women are. Three of them will be going to Calgary with us, but the other three will be calling Toronto their home for the foreseeable future.
Tala takes a sip from the draft Kodiak just gave her and smirks, ready to rock his world. “What do you think these women are here for?”
“If I had to guess, I’d say they’re some of your clubwhores from Queens. You must’ve brought them over for our clubhouse. Right?”
“Wrong. You’re so beyond freezing cold on this one, hun. You see, three of these girls are your newest prospects for the club. Ravish is the beautiful black girl with the caramel dreads, Bane has the blue-tinted hair, and next to her with the purely white hair is Spite. These girls have been trying to get into the Queens clubhouse for the past couple of years, but I haven’t had space. Considering you’re all Iron Vex MC now, I thought it was time to start acting like it.”
“Has she lost her mind?” I hear Joker mumble under his breath. He says it so quietly that I don’t think Tala heard it. I walk away from my daughter and head over to Joker, wrap my hand around his shoulder and give it a squeeze.
“Let’s head outside for a smoke. You and I need to have a heart-to-heart.”
Joker nods, not knowing what I’m planning on doing to him. I’ll take a lot of shit, but one thing I won’t ever take is someone fucking with my daughter. I asked her to take over the club because it was the only way to save everyone. What Joker doesn’t realize is they’d all be dead if it wasn’t for the patch-over. Every single person would’ve been hunted for sport, killed, completely eradicated from existence. The union between the clubs was the only thing I could’ve done.
The two of us head out the front door of the club into the brisk Canadian weather. Even though it’s March, there’s still a chill in the air. “I can’t believe you’re letting a woman run our club, Rage. What the fuck? I thought you had some master plan or some shit, but you all came up here and brought more women with you to join us?”
I clench my jaw, knowing I won’t regret doing this. I have my hand on the back of my neck at this point like one of the good old boys would. I use the full force of my body to ram his head into the brick and watch him fall to the ground. Joker puts his hands on his head, where the roughness of the bricks must’ve scraped skin off.
He doesn’t look hurt too bad, and I don’t want him to be, but I will send a clear message to show him he can’t ever pull this shit again. “Now, I need you to listen up, boy. We can’t be a club of the past. We’ll all fuckin’ die in that old world. I know you don’t understand it, but you have to adapt, brother. We’re all in this together and I know it’s a struggle for you. I know how hard it is for you because you were under my wing for a while. You saw how I handled shit and I don’t want you to get to the point where I’m at. You understand? You’re so fuckin’ young. You have your entire life ahead of you. Don’t make the same mistakes I have. I’m gonna tell you this now ‘cause I really think it’ll help change your perspective.”
“What's goin’ on with you, Rage?” He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. To him, I probably have. I’m not the same man he saw just a couple years ago. I’m different now. Not in the sense where all my sins have been forgiven, but how I don’t want to have others going down the same path. Not when there’s a better one for them. Fuck, we only get one life and it’s useless to be wasting time.
Time is the one thing I don’t have. The only thing none of us can ever get back. Fuck me sideways, but I can’t see Joker make the same mistakes I did. He’s too much like me. Way too much like me.
I love Tala so much, even though I have a shit way of showing it. And Joker . . . well, it’s complicated.
He’s my own blood and he doesn’t even know it. I don’t know if I’ll ever tell him, but I can’t treat him differently than his older sister. She’s the Nat
ional Prez and he needs to accept it, one way or another.
17
She is strong but not in the way people think. She loves more than she’ll ever get back and she knows it. And yet, she loves anyway.
-JM Storm
Gold
“They’ll get used to this at some point,” I tell Boss, taking a seat beside her at the bar. Devi waltzed right into this clubhouse and acted like she lives at the place. When Rage left with Joker, I think that's his name, she popped right behind the bar with that guy, Kodiak. They made some cute small talk. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but it’s a little odd being the only woman here who is a clubwhore.
Truthfully, I still don’t know why I’m even here. I doubt I’ll get an answer for that, though. Tala turns on her barstool and gives me a once over. “I’d like to think you’re right, Gold, but I honestly don’t know if they will. A few of them seem pretty set in their ways. Particularly, their old Prez. I’ll have Monk be the interim until Joker can either get with the program or I strip his colors completely.”
I take in a deep breath, remaining silent. Boss has always been a good leader. It’s not my place to ever tell her how to do her job because she’s pretty great at it. Some of her methods might be a bit callous, but I’ve never seen them backfire on her. From the rumors I’ve heard about her grandfather and mother, she’s steadily following in their footsteps.
“You demand order wherever you go, whatever you’re doing. Give it time and I’m sure things will work out the way you want them to.”
Boss cocks her head back and laughs. With the movement, her jet back hair flies over her shoulder. “You know, I give you a lot of shit for being a clubwhore, but you’re not half bad.”
Enraged: Iron Vex MC Book 1 Page 7