Knife & Flesh (The Night Horde SoCal Book 4) (44 page)

Freedom:
Freedom and rebellion go hand in hand. In this life, we value freedom, not just the freedoms codified by law, but the freedom to be and know and live in a way that’s true to us. It’s more than the freedom the road offers, though that’s the best metaphor in the world, and it’s one we cling to. Nothing feels more free than riding an open highway with the throttle wide open. There’s a reason we call cars “cages.” But the freedom we value is bigger than that. We value the freedom to be true to ourselves, to know our own hearts and minds, to follow our own path.

Family:
There is no bond stronger than the bond between club brothers. Blood might be thicker than water, but colors are thickest of all. The loyalty among the members of a club defies explanation. It can only be fully understood through personal experience. We are men who fit best together. We are strongest together. We have each other’s backs, no matter what. For some of us, maybe most of us, that’s something we didn’t have before. In the club, we built a family. The family at that table gives us the strength and support to be good fathers and good partners, too.

Love:
In the end, this is what it comes down to. The history of motorcycle clubs, the cultural fascination, the reputation—none of that really matters. At its core, its heart, the MC life is about love. We love the ride, we love the road, we love the club. We love each other. We love our women and our children. We love our community. We love our country.

And that’s what “it means” to me.