“Shadow’s attitude seems to have shifted awfully quick,” Rock says when we get to our bikes. “Where’s all his brotherly concern and cooperation?”

“I can’t tell if he’s embarrassed about what went down last night or what. Is it too much to hope I can contain his attitude long enough to punt it back to Sway and let it be his problem?”

Rock stops and rests his hand on my shoulder. “Be honest, Angus. You think he’s gonna be able to take the gavel again anytime soon?”

“That’s always been the plan.”

Rock swallows hard and moves in closer. “As much as I don’t want to lose you, you’re a damn fine president.”

“You seem to forget I got your son shot last night,” I whisper.

He squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head. “We both know that’s not on you.”

“Still not feeling good about it.”

“And that’s why you’re a good president. Always knew you would be.” He blows out a breath and looks away for a second. “I don’t want you to feel obligated to come back if you’d rather run your own club.”

If it wasn’t obvious how much Rock’s struggling, I’d punch him for suggesting I’d ever want to abandon my family.

“I’m not happy down here, Rock. And I don’t know how I feel about wearing the big P. How the hell have you done it for so long?”

He ignores my attempt to lighten things up. “Everything’s up in the air right now. Once you settle in—”

“You’re not hearing me, Rock. I don’t want to settle in. I’m settled in at home. Upstate.” Jesus, I’m not a wordsmith. Don’t usually have a reason to be. How do I explain without sounding like a lazy fucker? “Upstate is home. I helped build that club with you.”

“Yes, you did.”

I hold out my hands and turn them over. “You, me, Wrath, Teller, Murphy, Dex, Sparky, we all took down the old one and built up what we have now together.”

“We did.”

“This isn’t a lack of ambition talking, Rock. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished. That’s home to me.” Christ, who am I? Dorothy trying to leave Oz and get back to Kansas?

He glances around the parking lot. “You have an opportunity to do the same thing here.”

“Except for Shadow, I might be able to win them over, but it’s never gonna be the same. They’re listening to me now because they have no choice. And maybe out of respect for Sway. Besides, you think that hardass motherfucker’s ever gonna fully retire willingly?”

Rock snorts. “Probably not.”

“He’d be a thorn in my ass. Undermining me at every turn. We both know his whole reflective-I-should’ve-been-there-for-my-kids redemption bullshit has an expiration date.”

Now he full-out laughs.