Mad Dog (Angel’s Rebellion MC: #2) (Angel's Rebellion MC), стр. 82
Viper spoke up, “I haven't been here that long. Surely you want a man who you know inside and out, someone who has been here for a while and knows all the ins and outs of the club. You have men like Hoss, Trooper, Slaughter, Blood, Karma or Ranger who would make good VP's.”
I looked at each man as he spoke their name and each one was shaking his head. They didn't want this position and I knew they didn't. While four already held positions in the club, they had never indicated that they wanted to go any higher than they already were.
Beau cleared his throat and spoke, “I'd like to say something on this matter. I had the privilege of getting to know Reb and Pred during our time in the Army together. I was drawn to them because of their integrity. They weren't just young men out for twenty minutes of fame or all the pussy they could get.
“They carried themselves with an honor and dignity that I personally was in awe of. They were constantly examining their surroundings, always aware of what was going on. Here were two young men who were younger than me, yet acted years older. It made me want to get to know them, and it made me reassess my outlook on life.”
He paused a second, took a breath and continued, “After getting to know them and learning their story, I could understand why they acted more mature, but that didn't explain to me how they were so much more situationally aware over men years older than them. I asked them about it and they both talked about their pops and the kind of man he is.
“They told me about a man who for seventeen years as VP ran interference for some of the Brothers in his club, trying with everything he was worth to keep those men out of doing things that they hadn't signed up to do when they joined their MC. He had not only his personal problems to deal with but club problems as well. Yet, he somehow managed to take on every problem and handle it with a dignity and grace that inspired his sons to want to be just like him.”
He looked at me and smiled, “I'm not knocking my old man here, because he's the best dad any kid could have wanted, and I hope I am half the man he is one day. What I guess I'm trying to say is it would have been so much easier on Viper if he had just gone to the dark side and not even worried about his family or his Brothers.
“But he didn't do that, and that stands as a testament to the type of man he is. He's a man to put his Brothers and family first, the very thing that ARMC stands for. I would personally be honored to call him my VP.”
Fuck. My son had just nailed Viper to a tee. He was all that and probably more. I smiled at my son and he smiled back at me. I was fucking proud of him. This proved to me that my son truly was a grown man now. While I was extremely proud of him, a part of me felt like I had lost something too. The little boy who had depended upon and needed his dad was no longer, but it would be a joy to become friends with the man he has become.
Viper was still sitting stunned. The man seriously had no clue that others already looked up to him that much.
Rogue cleared his throat and said, “I can attest to the type of man he is. He protected us to the best of his ability, often going out of his way to do it.”
I watched as everyone that had come to the club with Viper nodded their heads. “I never considered Devil my leader. It was always Viper. I would personally follow him to hell and back.”
“I’d like to say something as well,” Slade spoke up. “I’ve known Viper since I was little. I was six when his wife Mia started babysitting me. Viper knew through unfortunate circumstances my dad wasn’t in my life and he asked my mom if he could spend time with me each day.
“He was nineteen at the time. Nineteen. And he still thought about the needs of a young kid. Even after he had a family of his own, he still made time for me. I really never understood why he did that, not until I became grown and realized Vip has this deep capacity inside him to love.
“Don’t get me wrong, he can be a mean motherfucker, but that just makes those of us who are included inside his circle of ‘family’ privileged. He’s taught me so much in my life, from little things like mechanic work, helping me build my own bike, how to be a man of his word, but, most importantly, as I’ve watched him over the years, I’ve learned that a man needs to be there for others.
“My mom has always been my foundation, the ground I stand on. She’s raised me to be the man I am today, but Viper has been the rock under that foundation that has shown me how a real man should be. And I agree with Rogue, I’d follow him to hell and back.”
I watched as a myriad of emotions crossed Viper’s face. I believe the man truly didn’t know how he affected the people that were in his life. He nodded at Rogue, but as he turned to Slade, the love and pride he felt for Slade was shining out of his eyes.
To Viper, he was another son. I believed before his life was over with, he’d probably be a father to more ‘kids’ than any one