I could fill his shoes. “I don't know if I'm ready for that, Cole.”
Cole put both hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. “You're ready. You've been ready for years. The MC needs someone who is smart and strong. Someone who can carry them through the tough times. That someone is you, Sawyer. After what happened with Isaac...I can't go through that again.”
I gulped and nodded. I couldn't believe this was happening. My whole life was about to change. Could I really lead the Rabid Dogs?
Cole brushed off my leather cut. “We can make the transition official later. Enjoy the day and I'll see you back at the clubhouse.”
I grabbed his hand and shook it firmly. “Thank you so much.” There was so much more I wanted to tell him. How he was my hero and a father to me. But I couldn't get the words out.
Slade walked up to us. “Sorry to interrupt but we have a small problem.”
Cole winked at me. “Good luck,” he said, putting his hands in his pockets and strolling away, whistling a tune. That son of a bitch.
Slade looked confused. “Where's he going?”
“What's the small problem?” I asked, ignoring his question.
Slade turned my head and pointed off to the far edge of the park at a gaunt man dressed in rags, smoking on a cigarette. A thin wispy beard went down to his chest and the hair on his head was disheveled. He didn't even have to tell me who it was—Lil' Johnny was unforgettable. He was never supposed to set foot back in Sacks County.
“Let's go take care of this,” I said.
Slade smiled and cracked his knuckles.
“But quietly,” I added.
Slade nodded and we walked a wide arc around the park until we came up behind Lil' Johnny.
“What are you doing here?” I asked in a deep voice.
Lil' Johnny spun around and almost swallowed his cigarette when he saw me. “Oh Sawyer, I've been looking all over for you.”
Slade came between us and drove his fist into Johnny's stomach. The frail man doubled over and coughed up a lung. We carried him to the men's bathroom and Slade punched him one more time while I checked that all the stalls were clear.
I grabbed Johnny's hair and pulled his head back. “What are you doing here, Johnny? We told you if you ever set foot in Sacks County again, we'd put your head on a pike.”
Lil' Johnny continued to cough, trying to catch his breath.
I pulled my black G20 Glock from behind my waistband and waved it in front of Johnny's face. “I'm not a very patient man, Johnny.” Slade nodded in agreement.
“I have some information for you,” he choked out, whimpering at the sight of the gun.
“What could you possibly know?”
Lil' Johnny's eyes darted left and right. “I heard something about The Death Merchants MC.”
My curiosity was piqued. The Death Merchants MC were the Mexicans who ran the east side of town. The Blacks owned the middle and acted like a barrier to the Mexicans. We rarely had to deal with them. “Tell us what you know or else I'll let Slade loose.”
Slade was slobbering at the mouth. There was a good chance he had rabies. He lifted Johnny to his feet and let him go. “Spill it.”
Johnny held his side and began, “I was minding my own business outside the laundromat when I heard two Mexicans talking about arming up. I followed them and listened in on their conversation. They're arming up to finally take out the Rabid Dog MC so they can rule the west.”
I kicked Lil' Johnny in the shin and he fell to the ground, groaning and holding his leg. “Why should we believe a bullshit story like that? Especially when it's coming from you.” I put the tip of my pistol against his temple. “Give me one good reason I shouldn't pull the trigger.”
Johnny pissed himself and tears streamed down his face. This happened way too often. At least we were in a bathroom already. “I'm telling the truth, Sawyer. I swear
Cole put both hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. “You're ready. You've been ready for years. The MC needs someone who is smart and strong. Someone who can carry them through the tough times. That someone is you, Sawyer. After what happened with Isaac...I can't go through that again.”
I gulped and nodded. I couldn't believe this was happening. My whole life was about to change. Could I really lead the Rabid Dogs?
Cole brushed off my leather cut. “We can make the transition official later. Enjoy the day and I'll see you back at the clubhouse.”
I grabbed his hand and shook it firmly. “Thank you so much.” There was so much more I wanted to tell him. How he was my hero and a father to me. But I couldn't get the words out.
Slade walked up to us. “Sorry to interrupt but we have a small problem.”
Cole winked at me. “Good luck,” he said, putting his hands in his pockets and strolling away, whistling a tune. That son of a bitch.
Slade looked confused. “Where's he going?”
“What's the small problem?” I asked, ignoring his question.
Slade turned my head and pointed off to the far edge of the park at a gaunt man dressed in rags, smoking on a cigarette. A thin wispy beard went down to his chest and the hair on his head was disheveled. He didn't even have to tell me who it was—Lil' Johnny was unforgettable. He was never supposed to set foot back in Sacks County.
“Let's go take care of this,” I said.
Slade smiled and cracked his knuckles.
“But quietly,” I added.
Slade nodded and we walked a wide arc around the park until we came up behind Lil' Johnny.
“What are you doing here?” I asked in a deep voice.
Lil' Johnny spun around and almost swallowed his cigarette when he saw me. “Oh Sawyer, I've been looking all over for you.”
Slade came between us and drove his fist into Johnny's stomach. The frail man doubled over and coughed up a lung. We carried him to the men's bathroom and Slade punched him one more time while I checked that all the stalls were clear.
I grabbed Johnny's hair and pulled his head back. “What are you doing here, Johnny? We told you if you ever set foot in Sacks County again, we'd put your head on a pike.”
Lil' Johnny continued to cough, trying to catch his breath.
I pulled my black G20 Glock from behind my waistband and waved it in front of Johnny's face. “I'm not a very patient man, Johnny.” Slade nodded in agreement.
“I have some information for you,” he choked out, whimpering at the sight of the gun.
“What could you possibly know?”
Lil' Johnny's eyes darted left and right. “I heard something about The Death Merchants MC.”
My curiosity was piqued. The Death Merchants MC were the Mexicans who ran the east side of town. The Blacks owned the middle and acted like a barrier to the Mexicans. We rarely had to deal with them. “Tell us what you know or else I'll let Slade loose.”
Slade was slobbering at the mouth. There was a good chance he had rabies. He lifted Johnny to his feet and let him go. “Spill it.”
Johnny held his side and began, “I was minding my own business outside the laundromat when I heard two Mexicans talking about arming up. I followed them and listened in on their conversation. They're arming up to finally take out the Rabid Dog MC so they can rule the west.”
I kicked Lil' Johnny in the shin and he fell to the ground, groaning and holding his leg. “Why should we believe a bullshit story like that? Especially when it's coming from you.” I put the tip of my pistol against his temple. “Give me one good reason I shouldn't pull the trigger.”
Johnny pissed himself and tears streamed down his face. This happened way too often. At least we were in a bathroom already. “I'm telling the truth, Sawyer. I swear
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