Wrecker held my gaze.Didn’t blink.“I didn’t know if Yogi was going to take the bait.I wasn’t about to get everyone’s hopes up over a maybe.”
“So you just decided this on your own?”I shot back.
“I made a call,” he said.“That’s my job.”
Cole snorted.“Figures.”
Pipe glanced between us.“Why don’t you two just chill the fuck out and hear what Wrecker has to say.Yogi play it cool?”
“Too cool,” Wrecker replied.“Said he’s got plenty of room and the Devil’s Knights are always welcome.”
I scoffed.“Fucking prick.”
Wrecker lifted a hand.“We know.”
“Then what the hell are we doing sitting here?”I demanded.“We should be hauling ass to St.Paul and making the entire Northbound Reapers MC pay.Instead, now you’ve got the Devil’s Knights going there to make friends?”
Brinks smirked from across the table.“Looks like Joker’s back.”
I slammed my fist into the table, the crack echoing off the walls.“From where I’m sitting, you should all be losing your damn minds.That asshole lied straight to your face, Wrecker, and you let him.”
Wrecker tipped his head to the side, studying me.“I let him think he did.”
I frowned.“Explain.”
“He thinks he’s gonna get the Devil’s Knights in his pocket.Give them a place to stay and get in their good graces.Any MC worth anything knows that they are connected to the Banachi Family,” Wrecker said calmly.
“And?”
“And gives him a false sense of protection, and that makes him careless.”
“And in the meantime?”I snapped.“They get time to run?”
Dad finally spoke.“Ender, listen to what he’s saying.”
I dragged a hand through my hair.“I am listening.I just don’t like it.”
Cole leaned forward.“With all due respect, Prez, I’m with Ender.They hurt Star.They hurt Clove.That’s not something you play chess with.”
Wrecker’s jaw tightened.“And you think I don’t want blood?You think this doesn’t piss me off?But charging in blind gets people killed.”
Silence fell.
Freak hadn’t said a word, but I could feel his eyes on me.Watching.Judging.He knew.I didn’t know how, but he knew something was different.
Wrecker exhaled.“Brinks.Thorn.Nickel.You’re heading to the Devil’s Knights clubhouse this afternoon.”
They nodded.
“Tomorrow you’ll head to St.Paul with Rigid and Hero.King said he’ll have cuts for you guys,” Wrecker continued.“This puts you in the clubhouse and lets you see firsthand what the Northbound Reapers are.”
“At least it’s happening fast,” I muttered.
Wrecker’s eyes hardened.“I’ve got a good fucking idea what crawled up your ass the past week, but get yourself in check, Joker.You’re not the first one of us to want to protect what belongs to you.”
I laughed, bitter.“So I guess just tell me what I’m allowed to think and feel.”
Dad stood.“That’s enough.”