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“We’ll take this back with us, collect the stash from Mom’s, and then take it to the city. Luca will be able to legitimise it,” I tell him, and we pack it all into our side bags.
“Before the club, I want to stop off at the church.”
Frowning, I ask, “Why?”
“Something I’ve gotta do. It won’t take long.”
It’s still early, but the pastor is unlocking the doors to the church when we arrive. I light a cigarette and call Aspen. If she’s not awake already, she soon will be.
“Hey, where did you go? You left so early.”
“Me and Myles decided to unearth Grumps’s money he buried for Victoria. Leo’s called us in so I won’t be home for a while. I just wanted to check in and make sure you’re okay. No more pains or anything.”
“No, no pain. Just uncomfortable. I slept well last night, though, so that’s good. How are you?”
“I’m fine. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way home. How about I pick up food, and we’ll hide away from the world.”
“I’d like that.”
“Okay, I’ll see you soon. I love you.”
“Love you, too. Bye.”
Myles walks out of the church as I hang up and put my phone away.
“What’s this about?” I ask.
With a grin on his face, he winks and tells me, “Don’t say a word to anyone. I wanna tell the brothers myself. I’ve just booked the church for Em and me to marry.”
This is some good news we’ve all needed. “For when?”
His grin spreads wider. “This Saturday.”
My brows nearly hit my hairline, I raise them so high. “Emma’s not gonna appreciate having to plan a wedding in such a short time. Don’t women need months for that shit?”
“She’s not going to know a thing. I’m going to plan it… with the help of the old ladies, of course.”
For once, I’m speechless.
We set off for the club and take the cash into the bar.
“Fuckin’ Hell, brothers. Has there been a robbery we should know about?” Sparky hollers.
“Ha. No. This is what Grumps stashed away over the years. It’s all for Victoria. There’s more at ours for her.”
“Who knew he was such a saver.”
Leo walks out of his office and looks around. “Is everyone here?”
Brothers murmur, and he heads into the back room. Brothers follow and take their seats. Dad’s and Grump’s empty chairs are glaringly obvious. Silence weighs us all down until Leo slams the gavel down on the tabletop.
“I wanna start by saying whoever fills these chairs are gonna have big boots to fill. It goes without saying, Ricky and Pope, gone but never forgotten.” Brothers pound their fists on the table until Leo calls for order. “Once again, we find ourselves having to move on from suffering a great loss. Pope, the lucky bastard, got to pass naturally. But Rick, he was taken from us. One minute, he was with us, and in the blink of an eye, he was on the ground, gone.”
My chest tightens at the image my mind conjures, then distracted by Leo rising from his chair, staring me straight in the eye.
“To fully move forward, all misgivings have to be laid to rest. Mason, I gave you an order, and you disobeyed me. I get why you did it, but if you had just listened, that day could’ve been so different. Now, we’ll never know. But the fact you disobeyed me can’t stand.”
I sit forward. “I’ll accept whatever you see fit.”
