Leland Tucker

Sometimes it was hard to imagine just how things had shifted in his life. Hell it was hard to imagine how his life ever got started at all. His dad was a wasteless use of flesh and bones and his mom was just as bad, at least while his dad had still been breathing. The years of abuse and willful neglect of Emmett Tucker had ended only a few months after Leland had returned to Charlotte from Afghanistan. While his father’s wasn’t the first life Leland had taken, it had been the first on American soil. The first life taken not out of duty, but out of revenge. He had hated the man for as long as he could remember and even in his death he had given the man no semblance of forgiveness. No one outside of the club knew what had truly happened to Emmett and as far as Leland was concerned no one ever would.   

That was part of the Reaper Code. What happened inside the club stayed inside the club. You didn’t discuss it with anyone, not even your old lady and that was sometimes a hard line. He could still see the moment so clearly in his mind. He had only been home a few months and it was Mother’s Day. Despite the fact that Lillian Tucker had stopped resembling a mother shortly after the birth of his kid sister, Sarah, Lee had learned a lot about respect and gratitude in the Army. He had gotten it into his head that somehow earning a badge of honor for his service would have earned him at least a small amount of respect from his father. He showed up with flowers and chocolates for his mom. She seemed happy to see him, something different from her usual stoney exterior, but not Emmett.  

“What the Hell are you doing darkening my doorstep, you little son of a bitch”? Lee could still see the smirk on his father’s face when Emmett had ripped the flowers from his mother’s hands and chunked them at his chest. He had made the decision then. It was going to be the last time that his father ever disrespected him, but he wasn’t going to be reckless. No, he had plenty of time to plan it out. When he mentioned it to one of his brothers in the crew it was all set in motion. Blood in, blood out. It was time for Emmett Tucker to pay for his sins and his own son was going to be the reaper. Watching the light leave his eyes had been the greatest moment of Leland’s life, but it had also been the act that unleashed the monster that had always been lurking in the shadows. Killing, no matter how righteous it may have seemed to be, always changed a man.  

Even years later the man still dreamt of the night he’d pressed that barrel against his father’s head. He could still feel the way the power of the blast rattled up his arm. Shaking him to his core. He could still smell the powder and smoke from the barrel. Taste the blood as it splattered across his face. It was a dark time and even though things lately hadn’t been ideal he had to admit that life had gotten exponentially better for everyone he loved since he had taken the law into his own hands. The club was running better than ever. Uncle Henry retiring and putting the crew in his control had just been the cherry on top. Doc had immediately been nominated as VP and Rooster had happily taken up as sergeant at arms. The Reapers had never looked better.

“Alright boys, we gotta make a pitstop at the Tattered Toad and then you’re all free to run for the night”. His fist rose, the gavel in his hand coming down against the large oak table. “Meeting’s adjourned boys”. A smirk stretching across his lips Leland rose to his feet along with the others, watching as they filed out of the war room. It was a beautiful night outside. The crisp air carries a cool breeze as his dirty boots move across the pavement towards his Harley. Tossing a leg across the beast he settles himself in the saddle before kicking it to life. The roar of the engine is like music to his ears. Nowhere on God’s green earth had he ever felt more at home than pounding down the highway at 90 miles an hour. Except maybe when he was deep inside a beautiful woman. A lazy grin paints his lips as he aims his bike in the direction of the Toad, the other boys quickly coming up to flank him. 

Pulling into the gravel lot, Lee kills the engine of the bike. Pulling a cigarette from his pack he places the butt between his lips, lighting the tip with a match before shoving both pack and book back into the pocket of his kute and climbing out of the saddle. “Y’all can stay or leave once we’ve made our presence known, but don’t start no sh*t. Rylan’s had enough trouble without y’alls shit”, he tells the others, but his eyes aim directly at Rooster who answers with a knowing laugh. “You got it boss”, the older man chuckles, tossing his arm around Lee’s shoulder as they move towards the entrance. The second he stepped over the threshold he was greeted by the familiar scent of smoke and booze and the sound of the jukebox playing old rock. Tiny immediately headed in the direction of the sound.