Chapter Twenty-Seven
Garrett
My second apartment is dark, all the curtains are closed and most of the lights are off. No one knows I’m up here and I want to keep it that way. As much as I want to go down to the shop and speak to Calli, I can’t. Not yet.
Watching her on the camera in the back room with Sumner pissed me off. Especially when he put his hand on her arm. There was nothing untoward about it. If anything, I should thank Sumner for setting her at ease.
Not that she looked that way when she and Sin left. Everyone is rattled. With me gone, no one is around to rein Lucky and Phoenix in. Fuck knows what happened there, but I can’t worry about them either.
When I left Nero’s house, I’d got on my bike and rode. I ended up sitting outside the building where my mother lives.
Talking to her about what Nero told me won’t help her, me, and especially not Gwen. After an hour, I’d ridden away with no more thought of her. Hell, she might not even still be in that place.
I needed out of the city after Nero’s last words. If I was in Baltimore, nothing could have stopped me from finding that bastard.
Nero told me if I killed him, he would have no choice but to put me down. And he meant it. I’ve never wanted to kill someone. I’ve beaten people up, done things for the Blackhawk Disciples I’m not proud of. Can I kill someone?
Ray fucking Dutton. Weeks ago, all that time following and gathering information on him. I had no clue it was him. The man who killed Gwen.
My skin is itching. I push away from the table and the camera screens and pace back and forth. Being around Calli right now wouldn’t do me, or her, any good. I’m too volatile, too wound up, barely holding back the rage. Showing her this side of me, letting her see the darkness won't happen.
If anything, it proves I need to back off. Whatever emotions are twisting up inside me over her must be pushed aside. For her as much as me. She deserves better.
Nero told me to give him five days. That ends tomorrow. I’m not sure how I’ve made it this far without snapping.
Everyone thinks I’m doing a job for Nero. No different from all the other times I’ve disappeared for a few days. I’m going stir crazy. I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve watched Calli coming and going from her apartment. God, I wish I put a fucking camera inside.
Nero said neither Dutton nor Caleb posed any threat to her, but I’ve seen how that scum looks at her. And after Dutton stared at me like he knew me, how can I not be concerned?
Nero is convinced Dutton doesn’t know I’m related to Gwen. To drill that home, he pointed at the tattoo on my forearm. The Blackhawk Disciples patch. He’s right. If Dutton saw that, he’d know I’m with the MC. It did nothing to settle my nerves.
The shop is closed up and dark when I venture out. I’m going to Locust Point to confront Nero. I can’t wait anymore.
It’s dark in the alley, but I know my way around this place with my eyes closed. When something moves behind me as I exit the building, my guard goes up and I spin around, ready to punch whoever the fuck is laying in wait.
“Whoa, bro,” Phoenix puts his hands up. “It’s me.”
“What the fuck are you doing out here?” And why hadn’t I seen him on the cameras?
“What are you doing in there?” he asks. “Aren’t you supposed to be out doing shit for Nero?”
“I’m on my way there now.”
“You’ve been hiding up there?” he moves away and leans against the wall again. “Watching.”
“Working,” I grunt out. “I have to go.”
I’m halfway to my bike when Phoenix follows me. I have no patience for this. Especially if he is going to bring up Lucky.
“I’m coming.”
“Why do you want to go there, Phoenix? It only ends up fucking with your head.”
“Maybe I want my head fucked with,” he snaps back.
I don’t have time to worry about this. If he wants to come to the clubhouse, fine by me.
“And maybe I’m concerned.”
“About what?”
“You.”
“You don’t need to worry about me. I can deal with my shit.”
That landed in a way I didn’t want it to. I’m talking about my own issues, not his and Lucky’s. He brushes it off without saying what he’s thinking.
“We going, or what?” He moves to his bike.
“Whatever,” I mutter and pull on my helmet, ignoring any further conversation.
When I pull out of the alley, Phoenix’s bike is right behind me.
There are spaces outside the Disciples bar, so I pull in there. Phoenix follows me across the street to the clubhouse. Before we reach the building, he grabs my arm.
“What?” I whirl on him.
“Cool your shit. I don’t know what is going on, but if you go in there the way you’re feeling right now, Nero will shut you down.”
I slam my hands on my hips and turn my head to look at the rows of motorcycles outside the bar. Last thing I need is to blurt out what my issue is. I’ve kept it all locked up for days, and I’m ready to implode.
“Listen, I know the past few weeks I’ve had my own shit to deal with, but I’m not fucking blind. You’re into something with Calli.”
“This isn’t about her,” I grind out, still keeping my gaze away.
“Shit, Garrett. I know you better than anyone. Having a woman isn’t your thing.”
“It’s not…” I trail off and bring my eyes to his. He’s smirking. “Fuck off asshole.”
“You know it’s not a bad thing, right? I might not be an expert right now, but you don’t have to go through life being so closed off. I don’t know her well, but Lucky likes her. The other guys at the shop.” He inhales. “She saw Nero and Nashville the other night. This anything to do with that?”
“No.”
He stares, waiting. I give him the same stare back.
“Same fucking shit with you,” he laughs. “Okay, so what is this? Am I going to need to stop you killing my brother?”
“No. Probably not,” I amend.
“One chance to get it off your chest before we go in here. You know I’ll have your back whatever it is, even if you don’t want to share.”
He is one of the very few people I trust. We can’t stand out here gossiping like Old Lady’s.
“I’ll fill you in later, but Nero found the guy who killed my sister.”
“What?” Phoenix’s brow lifts.
“Yeah, he’s known a while, but he’s into something with the club and wanted me to hold off.”
“Garrett…” Phoenix’s troubled look darkens, touched with a hint of concern. “What do you want to do with this information?”
All I can do is shake my head in response. I know what I want to do, it’s whether I can go through with it. What fucking good is involving the police? They did fuck all when it happened. No, this has got to be dealt with by me. Or with the club behind me.
“You want to get Nero to hand him over, or stop protecting him?”
“He isn’t protecting him. Look, I need to go inside.”
“Okay,” he nods. “I got you.”
Not that I need him. But I appreciate him standing with me. Nero might flip his shit with me.
We’re about to go inside when the door bursts open and a few brothers spill out. I grab Nashville as he heads past. There is no sign of Nero.
“What’s going on?” I have to shout over the roar of bikes starting up.
“Prez needs us.”
Phoenix perks up at that and prevents him leaving. “What the fuck?”
“Where?” I ask.
Nashville looks between the two of us. Technically, I’m a member, and Nashville has always been good toward me. Phoenix isn’t, but he’s Nero’s brother. When I squeeze his arm he glares at me, but all the other brothers riding off speeds up his decision.
He says the address and my heart stops.
It’s Calli’s building. Jesus Christ.
I should have gone to her, not come here. If anything happens to her…
It’s at that moment that I know Phoenix is right. Everything I’ve been trying to push out of my head where Calli is concerned solidifies right there. I can’t articulate it, I can’t admit the real extent of it. But I care. A lot.
Nothing can happen to her. I’ll lose my mind if it does.
Why am I so damn far away from her?
Nashville grabs my arm and stops me running for my bike.
“He won’t like it.”
Phoenix sees the look of sheer panic take over. He barges into Nashville, forcing him to release my arm. His face hard as stone. “Don’t stop him.”
Nashville is in two minds, I don’t stick around to see how he figures his shit out. Taking out my phone I hurry away and pull up the cameras at Caleb's place. Flicking through each room, my frustration grows. Then I see a side table knocked over and a broken lamp. Something is definitely wrong.
Movement catches my eye and I flip to the hallway camera. Caleb is there. And so is Dutton.
"Fuck," I close out the cameras and call Calli. What am I going to tell her? It doesn’t matter, so long as I hear her voice and make sure she’s safe.
Phoenix is behind me, getting on his bike. Nashville is rubbing his chin and I glance at my friend as he shakes out his hand. That will come back on him down the road.
In all the excitement and panic, I forgot they are going after Nero. Nashville doesn’t care about whatever went down. He’s going after his Prez. He did his part in trying to stop us.
“Come on,” I mutter into the phone. “Pick up.”
After a couple more rings, I’m about to hang up when she answers.
“Garrett?”
“Calli, where are you?”
“I’m at home,” she answers, sounding confused. “Why?”
“Are you alone?”
“Yes. Why are you asking? I don’t hear from you for days and you call asking if I’m alone.”
“I’m coming over.”
“What if I don’t want you to come over,” she says shortly.
Who can blame her? I have ghosted her for four days. I’m sure as shit living up to my name. She’s still pissing me off. I love that about her.
Fuck.
Before I can say anything else, she tells me to hang on.
“Calli?” I’ve been holding off starting up the bike, but everyone has left except for Phoenix and me. “Calli!”
“Stop yelling in my ear, there’s someone at the door.”
“No,” My spine straightens, and I almost tip the bike over. “Don’t open the door.”
“Why? Hold on. Oh, hi, everything alright?”
A muffled response comes. It’s a man’s voice.
“Caleb! What—” A yelp sounds, then a thud.
“Calli? Calli!”
The sound of a door slamming is all I hear, then the phone cuts off. I shove my phone into my jacket pocket. The back tire spins across the asphalt, spitting up stones and dust everywhere as I tear out of the parking lot. I don’t care if Phoenix is behind me, although I know he will be.
If she is hurt, I swear I will tear Caleb Dexter’s head from his shoulders.
Fear and anger war inside of me as I push the bike hard. This can’t happen again. I wasn’t there for my sister, I will not do the same thing to Calli.