Romeo (Dark Knights MC/Blood Fury MC: Crossover)

Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Trip’s deep voice filled Romeo’s ear. “There’s a reason we didn’t give you a heads up, Rome.”

“And that reason is?”

“You really gotta fuckin’ ask?”

Did they actually know or only suspect? Or was the Blood Fury president just shooting blanks?

He couldn’t imagine that Maddie had told anyone about what happened.

“Stay away from her.”

Too late.

“She ain’t for you, brother.”

Should he be offended? He felt like he should be fucking offended. Time to do a clap-back. “Wouldn’t blame you if you’re savin’ that sweet, young thing for yourself.”

He knew that wasn’t true. He’d witnessed the connection the Fury president had with his ol’ lady. That man didn’t have eyes for anyone other than Stella, his wife and mother of his two sons .

Some bikers he knew might not be loyal, but Trip wasn’t one of them.

Sucker.

“Gonna end this conversation now. If we don’t, it could fuck up our clubs’ alliance.”

“How would it get fucked up?”

“When you do.”

Damn. “Why the fuck would I get fucked up?” This conversation was not going as planned.

“By tryin’ to get with our girl.”

“Your girl,” Romeo murmured into the phone.

“Wears our colors. Under our protection.”

“When I ran into her last night, she wasn’t wearin’ anyone’s colors.” Fact.

“Then, you’re fuckin’ blind.”

“Could see her just fine.” And how fine she looked.

“Pretend you can’t.”

For fuck’s sake. He was hoping Trip would tell him to look after Maddie, not stay away from her. That kind of put a kink in his plan.

“Look, was reachin’ out ‘cause our clubs are supposed to have each other’s backs. Had no fuckin’ clue she was livin’ down here. If you didn’t wanna tell me, you shoulda shared that info with Magnum, at least.”

“Magnum knew.”

Hold up…

“Told him not to tell you.”

Now Romeo’s blood pressure was spiking. “Why?”

“‘Cause you got a reputation, Romeo . No, ain’t a fuckin’ reputation, it’s reality. You stick your dick into anything. But let me clue you in… Ain’t gonna be stickin’ it in her.”

Romeo muttered, “Such goddamn disrespect.”

“Am I wrong? Think it didn’t go unnoticed when you were sniffin’ ‘round her every damn time we had a gatherin’ you were at? Think we didn’t hear those inquiries about her whereabouts when she wasn’t there?”

Shit. Had it been that obvious? He thought he’d been slick about it.

“Think we don’t know how you earned your goddamn road name?”

Romeo was batting a thousand here.

“Not hearin’ your answers,” Trip prodded.

Because Romeo didn’t have any.

He couldn’t deny it. It was all true. “Called to help a brother out and all I get is this bullshit.”

“Tell me, why do you give a shit that Maddie’s down there?”

“Like I said, was tryin’ to do our part since we’re allies. That’s it. Don’t gotta read anythin’ more into it.”

Silence filled Romeo’s ear. He didn’t take that as Trip realizing Romeo was right, but as the Fury prez trying to avoid pissing off another club’s prez even more.

Between the clubs, Trip’s hair-trigger temper was as well-known as Romeo’s quest to put so many notches in his bedpost, nothing would be left except a pile of sawdust.

He wiped his grin away with his hand as if Trip could see it. “All right… Figured I’d help a brother out but can see my efforts ain’t appreciated.”

“If I believed you had good intentions, Romeo, I would appreciate it. But like I said, Magnum got a heads up.”

He was going to have a little discussion with his enforcer. Especially after he lied and told Romeo he didn’t know. The fucker wasn’t supposed to keep secrets about shit like that. At the minimum, that info should’ve been shared in an exec committee meeting.

“Guessin’ that means if anyone from the Knights moves north, you expect me to contact Judge ‘steada you?” Judge was the Fury’s sergeant at arms.

Once again silence hit his ears.

Yeah , just like he fucking thought. Trip only bypassed him to keep Romeo in the dark about Maddie.

Finally, Trip said, “On the rare chance that happens, got no problem with you reachin’ out to Judge.”

Bullshit. “Got it.” He was so fucking done with this conversation. “Have a good one.”

“You, too, Rome. And don’t worry about Maddie. We got it covered.”

Romeo ended the call and stared at his phone.

Good thing the alliance was formed long before Romeo became president, otherwise, there wouldn’t be one.

Not after that fucking phone call.

But he still had one more fucking bone to pick. This time it was with one of his own.

“You said you didn’t fuckin’ know.”

Magnum grunted and pushed past Romeo.

“You kept shit from your goddamn president.”

Magnum didn’t even grunt this time, he ignored Romeo and kept moving. Romeo followed right on the big man’s heels.

“Had a little convo with Trip and he said he told you she was livin’ down here.”

Magnum suddenly stopped and spun to face Romeo. “Why the fuck do you care if she’s livin’ down here?” His chin pulled into his neck. “Only one reason… And it’s exactly why Trip didn’t want you to fuckin’ know. ”

“I expect respect from not only my own fuckin’ brothers, but from the other clubs, too.”

“You had a daughter, you’d understand.”

“She ain’t Trip’s daughter,” Romeo exclaimed.

“Don’t matter. What fuckin’ matters is, she’s still under his protection. He did what he thought was best for her. Like any goddamn president worth bein’ a goddamn president would do.”

“You sayin’ I shouldn’t be president?”

“You hear that shit come outta my mouth?”

“Better not hear that shit come outta your mouth,” Romeo warned him. “I was unanimously voted in and keep get voted in. That’s gotta say somethin’.”

“Says nobody else wanted that fuckin’ spot. That’s what it says.”

Damn. What crawled up his ass tonight? “Cait got you in the doghouse or somethin’?”

Magnum scowled. “What the fuck you talkin’ ‘bout?”

“If not, you gotta have problem with me to be talkin’ shit like that.”

“Again, you’re puttin’ goddamn words in my mouth. Got no problem with you bein’ president, but gonna have a fuckin’ problem if you cause trouble with the other clubs. All over a piece of ass. The Knights are so much damn stronger havin’ the Angels and the Fury at our back. You get that, right?”

He did.

Magnum wasn’t finished. “Had that alliance in place long before you became a prospect and take my word for it, we don’t wanna lose the support of those fuckin’ clubs. Shit’s so much better now. Since the alliance ain’t a secret, other clubs don’t wanna fuck with us. What d’you think stopped the Deadly Demons from movin’ more north than they did? ”

“The fact the Angels would’ve crushed them like a fuckin’ roach?”

“The Angels couldn’t’ve done it on their own.”

“They got the Shadows at their back,” Romeo reminded him. And that group of former military special operators wasn’t a crew to fuck with, despite them now leaning more toward the geriatric side.

He also considered Magnum’s age as the big man said, “They also got us. And the Fury. You don’t think that stops stupid fucks from testin’ their boundaries?”

Romeo couldn’t disagree with that fact, so he didn’t.

“Not sure why this whole thing with Maddie’s such a big fuckin’ deal to you…” Magnum shook his bald head. “No, I fuckin’ know. Don’t fuck with her, Rome. You do, you’ll be playin’ with fire. You fuckin’ with her can fuck up our alliance.”

“Or make it stronger.”

“You ain’t makin’ shit stronger. You’ll fuck her, then fuck her over. That’ll make her cry to her mommy and mommy’s gonna cry to her ol’ man. Shade’s either gonna get pissed and kill your dumb motherfuckin’ ass in your sleep or he’s gonna say somethin’ to Trip. And you know how fuckin’ short that man’s temper is. Ain’t gonna be good either way. Did my job as the goddamn enforcer of this club and made a decision to protect, not only my president and our fuckin’ club, but our alliance. You don’t like that fuckin’ decision, too fuckin’ bad.”

Damn. “I might not’ve been part of this club when you met your ol’ lady, but from what I heard, you were warned off her ‘cause she belonged to the Angels. Am I right?” When Magnum didn’t answer, Romeo continued, “Not only did you take her for yourself, but it also made the bond between the Angels and our club even stronger. You can’t fuckin’ say it didn’t. ”

“Didn’t fuck her over, Rome. Fuckin’ married her and gave her babies. That’s the goddamn difference.”

“Who says I’m gonna fuck over Maddie?”

With another grunt, Magnum shook his head again and continued through the busy Dirty Dick’s kitchen and to the back corner of the building where the steps to the basement were located. They were heading downstairs for an executive meeting.

“Got all the free fuckin’ pussy who’ll do whatever the fuck you want and here you got a hard-on over one you shouldn’t even be lookin’ at.”

Nothing wrong with wanting a taste of forbidden fruit. Even though he already had a taste. After running into her, he realized he was hungry for more. “You didn’t have a problem when I was eyein’ up Aaliyah.”

Magnum’s oldest daughter was hot as fuck, despite being a few years older than Romeo. Even better, she had plenty of scratch. The woman busted her ass and was rolling in the dough.

After yanking open the door to the basement, Magnum glanced over his broad shoulder at him with his eyes narrowed. “Truth is, knew my girl wasn’t gonna ever give you the time of fuckin’ day. She’s too good for your fuckin’ ass.”

“But not too good for a pig.”

He just brought up a sore subject since his daughter was once again married to a damn badge, just like her first husband. She also gave the newest one a kid, too.

“Think I like that shit? Only tolerate it ‘cause he makes my girl happy and takes care of her. He’s also a damn good father to my latest grandbaby and my grandsons.”

“He’s a wannabe.” Aaliyah’s pig husband was a member of what Romeo considered a “pretend” MC, the Blue Avengers .

“Pretend” because it was full of law enforcement members, and they didn’t live the life. And that was what being a true biker was… a lifestyle. The Knights’ lives revolved around their MC; the Blue Avengers’ lives revolved around their badge.

“I woulda been loyal to her.” At least he would’ve tried. Whether he was successful or not was another story.

Magnum snorted, shook his head, and began to lumber down the steps.

Romeo followed. “Ain’t gonna bring this up tonight with the other officers, ‘cause I wanted you to give it some thought first, but… think you need to step down as the club’s sergeant at arms.”

He almost slammed into Magnum when he stopped abruptly at the foot of the steps and bellowed, “For what fuckin’ reason?”

Romeo moved around him and out of reach. Just in case. He normally could hold his own but, age aside, Magnum wasn’t anyone to fuck with when he was pissed. “Gettin’ long in the tooth, brother. Time to pass that job on to someone younger.”

“Like who?”

Romeo shrugged. “Whoever wants their name thrown in the hat and can handle the job.”

“Think I can no longer handle it?” As Magnum’s temper got shorter, his voice tended to get louder.

Despite that, Romeo wasn’t backing down from this conversation. He’d been putting off having it, but Magnum keeping Maddie a secret was a good reason to finally bring it up. “Didn’t say that.”

“Sure fuckin’ sounded like it. Been doin’ this since you were just a tadpole in your daddy’s nut sack.”

“And that’s what I’m fuckin’ sayin’. You’re slowin’ down, old man. Wouldn’t you rather be home loungin’ in a recliner and bouncin’ your grandbabies on your knee?” Maybe even an arthritic knee at that.

“Right now the only grandbaby I got small enough to be bounced on my goddamn knee is Destiny.”

Destiny was Aaliyah’s latest kid with her current badge-carrying ball-and-chain.

“How ‘bout you ask the rest of the officers if I should be fuckin’ replaced? See what they say. Like you bein’ prez, I’m pretty fuckin’ sure our brothers think I’m still good enough to be this club’s enforcer. Any-fuckin’-way, it’s the membership’s fuckin’ decision, not yours.”

Magnum wasn’t wrong. He’d have to be removed from the position for a valid reason. Unless he quit. Otherwise, Romeo would have to wait until the next election and try to convince someone to run against him.

“Do we got enemies?”

Romeo answered, “No.”

“You want enemies?”

“No.”

“Then the right person’s in the fuckin’ position.”

“Just figured you’d wanna slow down and enjoy life instead. You’re also supposed to be managin’ the bar. You’re hardly ever here. I gotta step in all the fuckin’ time.”

“Wick’s got shit under control. You only step in ‘cause you’re much closer now that you’re livin’ in my old place.”

“But you’re still takin’ a cut of the profits as fuckin’ manager.”

“Why you such a fuckin’ whiny bitch tonight? You on your period or somethin’?”

Romeo’s head snapped back. “Brother, you’re talkin’ to your goddamn prez.”

Magnum leaned closer and looked him directly in the eye. “Know who I’m talkin’ to. Believe it or not, I always got your back, brother, that’s the whole reason I didn’t fuckin’ tell you about Maddie.”

Romeo got it but that didn’t mean he had to like it. “You want me to fuckin’ thank you for that?”

“Yeah. That woulda been better than all the bullshit you just shoveled. ‘Specially since I was tryin’ to keep you breathin’. But go fuck with her and see how that works out for you.”

“As long as I don’t end up married and givin’ her babies like you, I’ll be fuckin’ golden.”

Magnum snorted, shook his head, then headed over to this spot at the table. That conversation was over as soon as the rest of the committee wandered downstairs.

Romeo decided not to bring it up during the meeting.

But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t bring it up again.