Chapter 28 #2
“Just imagine what we, as a club, can do with this cash.” Smitty beams, looking around the room at his club brothers. “Without it, we’re going to be scraping for fucking food. We’ll need to work twice as much to bring in money. Hell, the piss might have to be rationed.”
Grumbles fill the air, and a chill runs down my spine at what I’m witnessing.
Smitty is trying to convince the club that doing business with my grandfather is in their best interest.
Why would he do that? Is this another ruse of his? Like the day we all thought he was going to kill JD, but he was really testing JD’s loyalty to Jols.
What the hell is his angle?
“We don’t do business with predators, Smitty. Cut the shit!” Ringo yells, and shit, the venom in his tone sends a ripple up my spine.
Sometimes, I forget how scary he can be.
My monster.
“You need to shut the fuck up!” Smitty bellows at Ringo, silencing everyone. “You need to remember your fucking place! I am the President of this club. Not you!”
“I am the fucking enforcer, and I’m telling you, this goes against our fucking code!”
Slamming the wad of cash down on the table, Smitty stabs his finger in our direction.
“You and your fucking code bullshit! I’ve had enough of you thinking you can use my club for your own fucking gain.”
Ringo scoffs at that. “I’m not going over this with you again, Nate.
I haven’t used the club, and the only one to gain from this deal is you.
” Ringo points to the cash. “You won’t share your spoils with the men.
If they’re lucky, you’ll find them some extra pussy and hope it keeps them distracted while you build yourself a fucking palace and sit yourself on a fucking throne. ”
“Nonsense.” Smitty waves him off, not even bothering to fight harder to deny it. “Now, let’s finalise this deal.”
Turning his back on Ringo, Smitty faces my grandfather.
“You have yourself a deal. The money for Charity and her spawn.”
My heart stops at Nate’s words, as chaos erupts in the room.
Guns come out from all directions. Ringo’s and his team’s directed at their President, while Smitty’s lackeys jump into action, directing theirs at us, and the other club brothers scattered around, pointing guns in different directions, not sure who they should, or want to, point theirs at.
“The fuck!” Ringo roars. “It was you this whole fucking time! The fucking snitch was you!”
Smitty laughs, turning to face us like there aren’t guns pointed right at him.
“I’m running a business here. And you and your cock are fucking it all up.”
Ringo yells something else, but all I can hear is the blood rushing through my veins and my thunderous heart.
Smitty? He was the one feeding my mum information? He was the one that gave up the location of the house we were at by the sea?
“How?” I snap, storming forward and ignoring Spud’s gun pointed directly at my head, bringing it closer. Inches closer. “How did you know where we were in South Australia? Only four people knew the exact location.”
Smitty smirks, pressing his hands together in front of him like he’s going to start praying.
“I thought you’d never ask.” He laughs like a maniac. “It’s amazing the information one will give up while being raped with a mop.”
I gape at him, tears pricking the backs of my eyes, while shouts fill the room as others become enraged by his answer.
“Tell me this is just one of your stunts, Nate.” I step closer again, and the barrel of Spud’s gun is now only an inch from my forehead. “I need you to tell me this is another dramatic hoax before I…”
He scoffs. “Before you what? Cry?” He laughs again, pouting, and Ringo’s temper snaps.
Lunging for Nate, Ringo releases an animalistic growl, but JD and Murf are right there, holding him back, only making Smitty laugh harder.
“No, sweet Charity, this time, I’m not fucking around. Don’t take it personally. It’s just business.”
My lip wobbles, and I hate that he sees it, his lips spreading wider like the sight pleases him, so I fight off the tears that want to fall and suck in a steadying breath as I nod.
“Okay. This is real. You really have been playing us. Lying to the club. Working with predators,” I scoff, flickers of memory coming at me. “It all makes sense now. Insisting on helping us, feeding me that bullshit line about being willing to die for your men. What a load of crap.”
He shrugs one shoulder. “Like I said. It’s just business.”
“Right. Just business. I get it now. I finally understand how business is done under your rule.” A calmness I wasn’t expecting washes over me, and I think about my little girl, hoping she’s on her way to safety, glad she isn’t anywhere near this.
Near me and what I have to become to survive in this world.
“Exactly.” Smitty grins, pleased that we’re on the same page, and as he turns his grin to the rest of the room, I quickly assess everyone around us too.
Ringo’s hand is shaking, his gun aimed right at Smitty, and even though JD and Murf are holding him back, their guns are still aimed. One at Spud, and one at Tups.
Some club brothers are confused, their frowns matching the drop in the angle of their guns, while others have chosen their sides, pointed at Smitty, their own President, and some at my husband.
My mother is clinging to my grandfather’s arm, while Maggie is huddled on his lap like the terrified little girl she is. But Banes looks calm. As do Panda and Moore.
I don’t know how long Smitty has been working with them and against me, but I know it’s been long enough for him to tell them about Bobbi being alive, and honestly, that’s all the betrayal I need to learn to know we are never coming back from this.
So this is it. I wonder who will walk out alive.
“So you do business by double crossing your club,” I state, subtly reaching to the back of my pants, my hand wrapping around the gun. “What an admirable President you are.”
Smitty beams, clearly not picking up on my sarcasm, and in the time it takes to suck in a single breath, I flick my gaze to Spud and the barrel he has aimed at me, bring my gun up, point it at him, and pull the trigger.