Chapter 12
Moon
Two weeks later
"That's the third one this week MoonShine... wanna talk about it?" Porky asks as I toss another severed body part into the pig pen, watching the hogs demolish it. I grimace at the sight.
When my Pop’s hand lands on my shoulder, his concern blatantly clear on his face I almost slip up and spill everything that's running through my mind. I don’t though, deciding instead to bring my bottom lip between my teeth, biting down to keep my feelings for Dagger buried where they belong.
"This has boy trouble written all over it, sweetheart." Porky continues when I don't say anything. I anxiously fiddle with the chain link bracelet on my wrist, wondering why I haven't heard anything from Dagger or Dad.
"I gotta get back soon, Pyro will flip his lid if he realizes I snuck out again. Lord, it feels like I'm a teenager in high school all over again." I say with an eye roll, trying to lighten the mood, but he isn't buying it. It's probably because I don't have the energy to really sell it. Usually, I'm good at the whole fake smile and pretend I'm fine song and dance, but knowing the people I care about are in danger while there isn't anything I can do just does something to me.
I really hate feeling powerless.
I walk over to where Porky is leaning against the fencing watching the pigs and give him a peck on the cheek.
"If you don't wanna talk about it yet, sweetheart that's fine, just know I'm not blind and I take notice of more than you'd realize." He says, staring into my soul in a way that tells me he knows. I still refuse to voice it.
If I tell him what's going on with Dagger then it'll be Porky and Dad wanting to kill him when the others get back.
I've been trying to figure out how I'm gonna tell Razor but nothing feels right. What if what Dagger and I have was just a fling to him? If I tell my dad he'll take it seriously and that could ruin what we have going on. I don't want what's going on with Dagger and I to end.
"I'm always here if you need me, honey," Porky says snapping me out of my thoughts with a firm shoulder squeeze.
I nod before heading towards the truck, my brain so foggy that I get to the clubhouse from muscle memory alone.
By the time I pull up the sun has gone down, but I can still see Pyro sitting on his bike with a disappointed look on his face. I hop out of the truck, walking right past him, trying not to entertain whatever it is that he’s trying to do.
"Sneaking out... Really?! Aren't you a little too grown for that!" He bellows, following me into the clubhouse. The second I'm through the door I head straight to the bar grabbing a beer and popping the top.
"I know you're worried about him," he says a little calmer this time, almost like he's approaching a wild beast.
"My father will be fine," I say in a monotone voice before knocking back half the bottle of beer.
"You know he's not who I was talking about," Pyro replies gently, swiping at my cheek. I look at his hand as he pulls it away from my face and I see crimson. Shit, I'm still covered in blood from head to toe.
"Tell me where all of this blood came from, Little Devil."
"A pig," I reply with a shrug before finishing off my beer.
"I know blood when I see it, I've seen enough of it to know that that's not from a hog."
"How about a question for a question? I'll tell you whatever you wanna know, but you've gotta answer my questions too." I say wiping my mouth with the back of my hand before grabbing another beer and popping the top. I slide one to him then grab myself one.
"Alright," Pyro says with a nod, sitting on the bar stool beside me. I down some of my beer to make this a little easier.
"Whose blood is that?" He asks.
"A pig, like I said. He molested a child. Your turn. What’s going on in Florida?" I reply giving him the same question I've been asking for two weeks to both him and Doc.
"I can't, club business-"
"I swear to God, Pyro, I will tie you up and filet you like a mother fucking fish -whether you're like family to me or not-. I better start getting some answers really soon. You're supposed to be a fucking man of your word, what happend to that?" I say slamming my beer down on the bar top, bubbles fizzing up the neck of the bottle. He takes a long swig from his drink before nodding.
"Alright, fine. You win. The Grim Riders, which is a support club to the Reapers started trafficking girls. Young girls, ages twelve to twenty. Wrecker found out and tried to put a stop to it, but things went south. That's why so many of us had to ride south. That's also why it's important to follow the fucking protocol and stay on lockdown. The Reapers know we're low on numbers right now and that's dangerous." I nod, feeling a sense of panic now that I know how serious this is. The Reapers are why I wound up in hiding last time. I refuse to hide from them again.
"What do you and Dagger think you're doing? When did it start?" Pyro asks, a disgruntled look on his face. He won't look at me now that he's asked.
"That's two questions. I'll answer them, but I get two in return." He nods, so I continue.
"It only started recently and I wanted it. You can quit making that face like you think he's some type of pervert. I'm twenty years old, I'm grown. Being with him is my decision to make. He never even looked in my direction until I came back from the safe house. As for your question of what are we doing... I don't know Pyro, that's the scary part. It's like there's a magnetic pull between us and the more we fight it the harder we fall for each other. I'm not sure if he's serious or even what we are, but I know it's deeper than a quick fuck." I chug the rest of my beer before looking over at him. He doesn't look judgmental or anything, he almost looks wistful.
"You love him." He says plainly. I haven't thought about that. That word hasn't even crossed my mind until this moment, but maybe that's a good explanation for what's going on in my head.
You worry about the people you love. You can't get them out of your head. The thought of being without them is like a bullet through the chest. Shit, maybe I am in love with him.
I chug the rest of my beer and grab the bottle of whiskey, tipping the bottle back. I take a few swigs before I ask my two questions.
"Are any of our Brothers dead or injured?"
"Swiss got stabbed, but it was just a surface wound, he's good now. And Nova got run off the road and had some road rash, but it's healing well. Nobody is majorly hurt and we haven't lost anyone from our chapter, that's what matters." He says. I try to hand him the bottle of whiskey, but he shakes his head. He’s probably trying not to get drunk so he can stay vigilant.
"Alright, my last question then I'm done. "Do you think Dagger loves me?"
Pyro shakes his head at my question. Too desperate? Maybe I shouldn't have asked that, the alcohol made me do it.
I knew not to ask when they'd return because no one knew, even though that’s the answer I would like to know the most. I know they won't leave until the threat is dealt with.
"Little Devil, if a man is willing to risk his Patch,-shit willing to risk his life- just to be with you then that man loves you. At least that's what I think, but what do I know I'm just an old man." He says patting my shoulder in a fatherly way. His words ease a bit of my worry.
I wish I could talk to my dad like this. I wish having to tell him would be as easy as telling Pyro, but I know it won't be.
"I'm gonna hit the showers," I say, getting up from the stool I was on. I grab the bottle of whiskey in one hand and make my way upstairs.
If I'm going to brainstorm ways to break the news of whatever Dagger and I are to my dad, then I'm gonna need to get hammered.