“Well, that’s nice and all, but that’s not why I’m doing it.”
“All the better. Nothing sells better than sincerity.”
My mouth twisted. Leyland always and forever would be a lawyer. “Well…you’ll let me know what the board’s final decision will be, won’t you?”
“Of course I will.” Instead of turning back towards the door, he went deeper into the apartment. “Now where is that lovely bride of yours? I’d like to say hello.”
He entered the living room as I rolled my eyes, calling to Nico. Since she was waiting to hear the news, she greeted him with enthusiasm and soon they were deep in conversation. It fascinated me to watch her in animated discussion with Leyland. I realized I hadn’t really seen her in any social setting, and I soon understood that she wasn’t automatically hostile to everyone.
I felt a bit jealous if I was being honest.
I marched into the living room and settled myself against her. Her hand landed against my thigh even as she continued to listen to Leyland explain the need to hold charitable benefits no matter how tiresome they were.
“Of course, they’d also help your husband immensely. Perception is everything you know.”
“So I’m coming to understand.”
“I should connect you to my wife. She knows all the right causes to support.”
“That would be very kind of you. Thank you.”
“What did you mean about a non-profit?” Nico asked me as soon as Leyland left. I shook my head in wonder because the proposal I spoke of was the one Tank had sent me. He actually had a very good concept he wanted to implement. He just didn’t have the tools to do it. I had all the tools; the know-how, the financing, everything. It would be a way for me to give back to the club that raised me, without having to go back to that life.
It was certainly more than I’d ever expected from Tank. Maybe I’d underestimated him. The proposal he had was an education program for young probies and the children of bikers. To connect them with mentors in various fields that would enable them to diversify their skills and education. Then they could come back and pay it forward. Kind of like the Rotary club for bikers. What he was proposing was basically to bring biker culture into the 21st century and give future bikers a chance to succeed at more than gun running and drug dealing.
It was a way out.
I picked up the phone to call him. “Hey, Tank.”
“Dom. Did you have a chance to read my proposal?”
“I did. I must say, I wasn’t expecting that.”
He huffed a laugh. “I can imagine.” There was a small silence on the phone. “I should tell you that I’m not the same man you left behind, Dom. Things happened.”
“Oh yeah? Tell me.”
“I had a son.”
“What? That’s…awesome. So you finally found an ol’ lady?”
He chuckled. “Nah. It was kind of an accident.”
“Of course.” My voice was dry. I knew Tank very well. He was not a one-woman man.
“My son was great. Precocious, smart – he saw things I couldn’t. You know?”
I swallowed, my heart sinking. “Past tense?”
“It was an exchange gone bad. Stray bullet got him.”
“Oh man…Tank, I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, well…anyway, telling these guys that there’s a better way would fall on deaf ears. I have to show them. And nobody is a better example of that than you.”
“It’s a huge undertaking.”
“I know, man.”
“So many aspects to think about. It’s pretty involved.”
“Hey, man, I know it’s a lot to ask. If you can’t do it, I get it.”
I shook my head even though he couldn’t see me. “Nah, man, it’s not too much. I think we can work something out.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“Hey, you know we don’t have the know-how, but we have boots on the ground. Whatever you need. We got your back. You should know that the Satanists got your back too. They understand that they overstepped. Rooster’s been demoted. Sunny and I been talking. He wants in on this program if possible.”
“Hey, why not go nationwide while we’re at it,” I joked.
“Yeah, why not?” He sounded completely serious.
I rolled my eyes. “Actually, I’m not really sure about working with the Satanists, Tank. Whatever amends they made, the fact remains that they kidnapped my wife.”
“Nah, I get it.”
“It’s a trust thing.”
“Yeah, of course.”
“So anyway, I gotta draw up a business plan and set up some legal shit and then I’ll get back to you.”
“Thanks, man. I really appreciate your help on this.”
“Like you said, we’re family right?”
“Exactly right, brother.” I could hear the smile in Tank’s voice and allowed myself, for the first time, to relax. That old Tank that had made me feel like I literally had to run away from New Orleans to find a better life seemed to have disappeared. This new Tank was giving me a chance to build a new kind of empire. One populated by people like me.
Instead of enriching people who already had more than they could spend in three lifetimes, I’d be creating new wealth, new potential, new opportunities. Honestly, the thought excited me more than any other business venture I’d ever participated in.
“Life is weird, huh?” Nico snuggled against me as I read through the proposal once more, after I’d explained it to her.
“How so?”
“Well, we got married to achieve these goals, to get our toes into these rooms, and now both of us are like, nah.”
I turned to peer down at her. “Do you regret it?”
She grinned at me, hand burrowing under my shirt. “Does it look like I regret it?”
“Mmm.” I wiggled a bit because she was tickling me. “I’m gonna go with no.”
She laughed. “Now there’s an understatement if I ever heard one.” She looked up at me, her eyes suddenly serious. “This just might be the best thing that ever happened to me.”
I shook my head, leaning in to plant a kiss on
