Joker did not laugh.

Then again, he never did.

But at that moment, he didn’t think fuck-all was funny.

Still chuckling, Tack said, “Jesus, Joke, you already know your path.”

“I also know hers, and it isn’t the road to bein’ a biker’s old lady. Fuck, Tack, she was a cheerleader.”

Tack again lost his hilarity and speared Joker with his eyes.

“Now, brother, if you don’t think you’re good enough, the life you lead is good enough, the family you can give her is good enough, then we got a much bigger problem.”

“Don’t read that shit into it, because you know it isn’t there. You also get me. There are women built for the life. There are women who take it on. But she deserves a white picket fence, Tack.”

“Then give her one. No law says a biker can’t live behind a white picket fence.”

Jesus.

Shit.

Shit.

He felt that burn in his throat too. So bad he had to suck back a long pull to douse the flame.

Tack lifted up from the bar and turned fully to Joker.

Then he laid it out.

“That motherfucker, he taught you to think you were garbage. You took that on. You were a kid. You had no fuckin’ choice. But he was wrong, Joke. And the only person who doesn’t get that shit is you. Get it. Get over it. Get your head outta your ass. And find what you deserve. Find some fuckin’ happy. If it isn’t this girl, it isn’t. But whatever it is, I want it for you. Your brothers want it for you. Their old ladies want it for you. The only one who isn’t lookin’ for that for you is you.”

Joker turned away, lifted his beer, and took another tug.

“Your call not to let that sink in,” Tack said, and Joker felt him move to drain his beer and slide off his stool.

But he wasn’t done, and he left his kill shot for last.

“Now, not many people on this earth I would rather sit and have a beer with. But, see, my woman is up the mountain with my sons. And you got my love, Joke, I got all the time in the world for you. But straight up, I’d rather be up the mountain watchin’ my kids tear my house apart and my woman struttin’ around thinkin’ that shit’s cute when it’s not than down here with you, watchin’ you wallow in shit that’s history. You know how I feel about my Club. Think about that.”

Kane Allen was a wise man and a strong one, so Joker thought about it.

And Joker thought about Rider and Cutter and the fact that Tack was not lying. Those boys were hoodlums and neither of them had reached double digits yet.