Yeah, Ruger decided. He knew it.

He just didn’t care, and a man who’d stopped caring was dangerous as fuck.

“Cut the shit,” Ruger said suddenly. “What do you want?”

Hunter leaned forward and met his eyes, voice serious.

“I’m here because we’ve been losing territory and influence for years, and it’s getting worse. We got boys coming up from the south, out of L.A., and they’re looking to expand. We need to be fighting them, but we’re fighting you instead. So far as I can tell, we’re doing it out of habit like a bunch of damned monkeys who can’t figure out something better to do,” he added.

“Swattin’ flies isn’t habit, it’s housekeeping,” Deke rumbled. “Same with killin’ Jacks.”

Hunter shook his head.

“Tell me this,” he said. “Your niece, that was some bad shit. But before her, Reapers killed three of our guys in Redding. Two of those guys had kids. You remember that?”

“Assuming it happened—which for the record, I don’t acknowledge—it’s probably because they attacked our guys the night before,” Picnic said. “Preemptive self-defense.”

“Your guys were down there to steal one of our shipments,” Hunter said flatly. “And they burned down our clubhouse while they were at it. Why’d they do that?”

Picnic shrugged.

“Dunno. I wasn’t in on that decision,” Picnic admitted. “That was all Roseburg.”

“Yet we’re prepared to fight and kill each other over it,” Hunter said. “And each time we strike back, it gets worse. Sooner or later we’re gonna kill each other off completely, which is exactly what the gangs down south want. Our clubs, we got history between us, and it’s not good. But we’re the same kind—we know what it means to be brothers. Men like us, we live to ride, and ride to live. Fuck the world.”

Ruger nodded, acknowledging the point.

“Now we’re seeing boys movin’ north, boys who aren’t part of a brotherhood … and I mean boys—they got kids workin’ the streets can’t be more than ten years old,” Hunter continued. “These children are takin’ orders from generals who don’t get their hands dirty, let alone throw down for them. They don’t get to vote, they don’t get to think, and they don’t even know why they’re fighting. They’re a threat to our way of life, yours and mine. I’m tired of putting time and energy into worrying about Reapers when every time I turn around some high school dropout’s takin’ potshots at me. I just want to ride my fuckin’ bike and get laid.”

Ruger glanced at Picnic. His face was thoughtful, although his expression didn’t give away a thing. Horse grunted, polishing off his drink.

“I’m not the only one who feels that way,” Hunter said. “Lot of my brothers, we’re tired of this war. Those same brothers are moving up in their chapters, thinking maybe it’s time for us to be on the same side in this little game. It’s about values and what we stand for. We’re brothers and we ride, all the rest is details. These fuckers, though … Deep down inside, there’s nothing there. We gotta stop them before it’s too late. I can’t do that if I’m fighting a war on two fronts.”

“Enough,” Deke growled. “You’re a little fuckwad and you don’t know jack. What’s gone down between us, that shit doesn’t go away just because you and your boyfriends decide you’re scared of someone new moving in on your territory. You wanted a war with the Reapers and now you’ve got it. We’re going to kill you. All of you. Might take a while. I’m patient.”

“Deke—” Picnic said, his voice low and full of unmistakable command. “What they did to Gracie can’t be fixed, brother. But the bastards paid and now they’re gone. The more we fight, the more likely some other girl’s gonna get hurt. I got two daughters. Peace between clubs isn’t always a bad thing. Especially when the cartel’s movin’ in. I hear stories …”

“We know you got two daughters,” Hunter told Picnic, eyes narrowing. “In fact, we know a hell of a lot more than you’d like. We know because there’s guys in my club who think we should strike, think we can use the cartel to throw you off balance. They called the shots last December, but they aren’t in control right now and I’d like to keep it that way. You got two choices here … First one is nut up and work with me to control this new threat. We pull that off, everyone goes home happily ever after, shittin’ rainbows and dancin’ with unicorns. Second choice is keep fighting with each other until they take us all out. You want that? Fine. I’m not scared to bring it. But consider this … You got daughters you care about. One’s up in Bellingham, other’s in Coeur d’Alene. Pretty girls, which I know ’cause I’ve seen ’em for myself. Recently.”

“You leave my girls out of this,” Picnic said, reaching for his gun. Ruger’s hand flashed out, catching him.

“Hear him out,” he murmured.

Hunter grinned, the expression feral.

“You should worry, old man,” he continued. “Because I guarantee those cocksuckers down south won’t care how pretty those girls are when they give the order to shoot them down in the street like dogs. Now me? I don’t even own a fuckin’ goldfish. At the end of the day, who’s got more to lose here? You call me when you’re ready to talk.”

With that Hunter stood up, shoving away his chair. Deke flushed, but Picnic’s face could’ve been carved from stone. Hunter thew a handful of bills on the table and walked out the door.

“He’s fuckin’ with us,” Toke said. “Cartel’s got fuck all to do with us up here. He’s losing territory. That’s not our problem.”

“You really think they can hold out?” Ruger asked him. “Cartel’s got a thousand kids ready and waitin’ to die, every one of them so hungry for glory they’ll shoot their own mothers. Jacks are tough bastards, but they’ll be fucked if they can’t shut them down before they get a foothold. We would be, too, and you know it. Those gangs exist for one reason—to make money. We let them take over, we’ll lose our territory and our freedom. No fuckin’ point in breathing without that. Not to mention the cartel doesn’t care where they shit or who they kill. You want them here in Portland?”

“This is big,” Picnic said slowly. “Bigger than we can decide here. We’ll get the brothers together, make sure we’re all on board. Take it from there.”

“I’ll never make peace with the Jacks,” Toke muttered. “You want peace, you’ll go through me to get it.”

“That a threat?” Ruger asked. He respected the hell out of Toke, but it wasn’t his decision to make. “I hate the thought of taking on a brother, but don’t think I won’t. We’re in this together, Toke. That means we make the call as a group.”

“You think you could take me?” Toke asked, cocking a brow.

“Only one way to find out,” Ruger replied, meeting his gaze without flinching. “But I tell you one thing. We start fightin’ with each other, the cartel wins. Keep your eyes on the prize, brother. We make peace with the Jacks, they’re our buffer. That lets us put our energy into makin’ money and gettin’ laid. We give it a shot and it falls apart, least we’ll pick up some good intel along the way. Make it easier to go after ’em, the time comes.”

Toke took a deep breath, then let it out, visibly forcing himself to calm down.

“I’ll never forgive them for what they did,” he said. “Jesus, she’s still so fucked up. You got no idea.”

“You damned well shouldn’t,” Horse told him, voice serious. “What happened can’t be undone, and the assholes who did it deserved to die. Good news is, they did. Think ahead. We turn the Jacks into allies, we’ll own half the west coast with the Jacks as a line of defense between us and the cartel. That’s somethin’ we should consider.”

“I’ll settle for protecting my girls,” Picnic muttered. “Fuckin’ asshole knows where they are, maybe’s even watching them. You know what that means?”

“Means nobody’s safe,” Horse said softly. “And he’s damned right about one thing—in our world, we don’t fuck with citizens, so long as they show respect. We keep our towns safe and control what gets in. I know the Jacks did your niece, Deke, but she got as much justice as they could give. The cartel, though … They’re shootin’ women and children, and they don’t give a fuck who they kill so long as they get their money. No values. I’ll take the Jacks over them anytime.”