Page 31 of Tav
“Is anyone ever going to find a normal woman to lock down?” Fox asks, then dodges Wire’s fist.
“My woman is normal!” he says through clenched teeth.
“Sorry to break it to you man, but she’s not. No one is that goddamned nice,” Sniper says, shaking his head.
Marx’s lips curl up a little before banging his fist on the table. “Alright, you lot. Wire, you and your team will look into why Royal wants Niko. There has to be a reason. Anything you find might help us bring down Hammer. Remember that we still have that fucker Martin on our asses, too.”
“Speaking of, we’ve clocked him with eyes on Devil’s Big Tow,” Judge growls.
“He’s been seen at the garages, too,” Nitro adds.
“Fuck,” Marx growls, running a hand down his face. “I’ll get on to Sergeant Davies. He needs to rein that pasty fuck in.” He looks around the room, “From now on every time you see him note the date and time. I want evidence of his harassment, got it?”
“Are you sure we just can’t make him disappear? I know someone who would love to get their old ass hands on him,” Rhodie smirks.
“No murdering! Not yet, anyway.” He waits until we all nod in agreement. “I want all men keeping their ears and eyes open for any trafficking activity - women going missing or dodgy shit going on. Wire, you and your team know what to do. Look into anything and everything. We’ll use that information to fuck them all up, take Hammer out while we’re at it. Blanche will haveher revenge on the 8 council members, and collectively we shut down their entire operation.”
“Well, when you put it like that Pres, it sounds easy,” Savage says rolling his eyes.
“Bet you’re glad you’re not in that seat anymore, huh?” Dex teases his ex-pres.
“Oh, I am fucking overwhelmed with joy that I get to sit my ass right here and take all of Marx’s well barked instructions,” he grins while Marx flips the bird.
“Yeah, yeah. Get out of here fuckers,” Marx brings down the gavel, or the meat tenderizer with a bang and everyone files out.
I hang around until it’s me and Marx. “Pres, I just want to thank you for having my back. It means a lot to know that I have an MC family that can help protect Blanche and the kids,”
He stares at me for a moment. “You know that we would have had your back anyway, right? Doesn’t matter that you’re Chewy’s brother. You and your family have had our backs since your crazy little sister broke into my compound. You’ve taken bullets and lives for us. We’re family whether you wear a patch or not, Tav. Blanche and those kids are yours, which makes them ours.” He looks thoughtful for a moment, his dark brows in a frown. “Did you join my MC to keep Blanche safe?”
I shake my head at him. “I’ve always been the youngest brother. The one who hung around Mom and wanted to keep the peace. There’s a reason my face is prettier than my brothers - no broken noses, see?” I point to my perfectly straight nose as Marx snorts. “Since Gus and Chewy and Pops, to an extent, found their people and fell in love, they -” I blow out a breath, “they don’t really need me anymore.” I look at my hands spread out on the large wooden table that sits in the center of church.
“You’re a fixer, Tav, the diplomat. I’ve known it since the moment you parked your SUV in my compound asking to talk to your sister. Pops is the patriarch. The man who kept youall together when you needed it. Gus is the leader. Jules is calculating and Chewy is so fucking brilliant it’s scary. But you, you keep things ticking over, you smooth the way so your family can work at their very best. I’ve seen you do it here with the brothers. I’ve seen you do it with that prickly ass woman you claimed. You genuinely care, and that’s something that you can’t fake.” He stands to leave the room, dropping his huge hand on my shoulder and squeezing on his way out. “We’re lucky to have you, kid. Now let’s go tell Blanche and the girls what the plan is.”
I stand and follow my Pres out. “You know that you’re not that much older than me, right?”
“Shut up.”
Blanche
The men all start filing out of church heading for the bar. Tav hasn’t come out yet and I’m starting to get a little worried.
“Mommy! Mommy! Mama Debs asked if we can have a movie night with her and Jovie. Can we please? Please please please?” Cove asks, her little hands clasped under her chin. Elio stands beside Mama Debs, holding her hand.
Looking at the time, I notice it’s still reasonably early. Well, later than I would normally let them start a film, but after what happened today I’d already decided to keep them all home from school tomorrow. I will continue to do that until the threat is neutralized. Remy was nice enough to offer to sit and help themwith schoolwork if I can organize their schools to send it all through. That’s on my to do list tonight once I put them to bed.
“Yes, you can. But no sugary snacks, OK, Mama Debs?”
“Of course not!” She says, and I’m pretty certain I can’t trust her on that one because she has a glint in her eyes like she’s already assembled a whole grazing platter of pure sugar for tonight’s movie night.
“It’s OK, Cove’s mommy, we’re only allowed popcorn for night time movies,” Jovie says to me, her cute little face super serious.
“Thank you Jovie, that makes me feel a lot better.” She grins and then takes off, following Mama Debs into the kitchen, her curly hair like a halo around her head.
My eyes follow them for a moment before swinging back around to the door to church, just in time to see Tav following behind Marx, a smile on his face. He’s nowhere near as big as Marx, but Tav’s broad shoulders and lean swimmer’s build get my heart racing every time. That and the whiskey-colored eyes that search for me in the room. He finally meets my gaze and his face lights up. He’s so fucking beautiful and gentle, and again I regret pulling him into my world. I’ve killed someone and I plan on killing more people. Darkness, filth like that shouldn’t touch this man, and yet it will. I know it will.
“Wire, Remy, Chewy -”
“Sir, yes sir!” Tav’s sister yells as she jumps to her feet. Marx stares at her for a moment, then ignores the outburst.