But standing in an alley with a whore instead of exploring the many ways he wanted to make Carissa Teodoro whimper on her couch, he now had an opinion.

And until that moment, Joker didn’t understand why Tack didn’t work out his beef with his son.

But standing in that alley the day after he made the decision he should have made years ago in a car park outside a hospital, he got it.

Because Joker was standing in an alley with a whore. What he was not doing was exploring the ways he could make Carissa whimper, something he didn’t know where it would lead, he just knew where he wanted it to go.

And Tack had led his Club away from a dark path through blood then vengeance to clean.

He’d earned his scars.

Now his newer brothers, who had not walked through fire to turn Chaos around, were the future of the Club. They needed to prove their grit and earn their scars.

Tack would someday step down.

And the Club would be at the mercy of what he left behind.

But Tack knew you couldn’t lead without knowledge. You couldn’t demand respect without earning it. You couldn’t understand without experience.

Fuck, the man had it going on.

“You alive in there?” Heidi called.

He focused on her. “Need you to grab your friend and get off our patch.”

“Same drill,” she mumbled.

He didn’t confirm because it was a waste of breath. She was right. Chaos didn’t allow whores on their patch. She’d been told more than once. So had her friend.

“Get me the name of your replacement before you disappear,” he demanded.

“Whatever.”

He studied her a beat before he advised, “Girl, you get loose, you take a desperate couple for a ride by dangling precious in their faces, you stay loose. Get the fuck outta the life.”

“Nothin’ else I know how to do,” she returned sharply.

“You got a brain. Learn,” he shot back.

She saw her shot, and as usual, she didn’t hesitate to take it.

She moved in to him, the hard shifting out of her face, something false she didn’t know rang that way shifting into it.

“You could take that ride with me. I’d share the proceeds and stay outta the life for a decent guy.”

Joker stepped back. He didn’t say anything; he let his actions do his talking.

She tipped her head to the side and whispered, “Sure you can do better?”

He’d have had to think about that question the day before.

Nine years ago, he’d known the answer down to his gut and it wasn’t a good one.