Chapter 21 #2
“What is it?” I asked, getting up and pulling a t-shirt over my head. His t-shirt, I realized when I took a deep breath, and his scent surrounded me. I grabbed my sleep shorts too as I walked over.
Hudson’s fists clenched, his jaw was tensing.
“Hudson?”
“That son of a bitch,” he stalked away from me, hurrying to the bathroom and grabbing his pants. “Stay here,” he ordered as he glanced around, looking for the top I had snagged.
I went to the window and looked outside to see.
He might have got away with bossing me around last night, but not now.
Outside, I could see several guys out in front of the clubhouse.
They were all casually posed, but there was tension in their shoulders.
They were ready to attack if necessary. War was standing in front of them all, his hands held out in a placating way.
My eyes travelled to what he was looking at.
Andrew.
I could hear what he was saying now.
“You think I don’t know this has something to do with you?” he screamed.
I hadn’t seen him looking so less put together than he was right now, his shirt untucked, tie askew and his hair looked as if he’d been running his hands through it. So he heard his workers had all walked off the job.
A slow smile spread across my lips, but then I heard huffing behind me. Hudson’s face was red as he was hopping into his boot. He wouldn’t want me out there. He’d already barked at me like a dog to stay up here. Not a chance in hell. I darted around the bed and passed him.
“Waverley. Don’t!”
I didn’t listen. I ran out of the room and, for the second time since I got back, I felt Hudson rushing behind me. I heard him curse but didn’t look back. I wasn’t dressed for this, but I didn’t want to miss the start of Andrew Reinhart’s downfall.
I grabbed a jacket from a hook by the door as I ran out, passed a few of the old ladies who had gathered on the porch to watch.
I didn’t know what time it was, but everyone seemed to be up and dressed, although I was sure a few people hadn’t been asleep yet.
I didn’t care my feet were bare as I walked across the path and grass to stand closer and listen.
“I’m not sure what you want us to do? It’s nothing to do with us what happens in your business.”
“You expect me to believe this wasn’t something to do with you? With this club?” He spat the last word out like it was something vile.
“Hey man,” War said, in his most affable voice, there was some chuckling coming from behind him. “I’m not sure what you’re trying to accuse us of. I’d say we’re the ones who should be pissed right about now. We were expecting work to be going on with our build and yet, no one showed up today.”
Andrew’s face was bright red, but he wasn’t stupid. He was out manned here.
“In fact, you could tell us how you’re going to ensure this job continues. We’re paying you. Right?”
Andrew was struggling to keep it together, but the smarmy charm he had been known for in high school was returning.
He knew War was right. He was going to lose the job without workers, just like we intended.
And he had no proof we had anything to do with this.
He took in a huge, deep breath, just as Hudson came up behind me, his chest pressed into my back.
“You’re in trouble for ignoring me.”
I shivered at the tone while bristling at the same time.
The movement drew Andrew’s eyes to us, dipping to where Hudson had put a hand on my hip, securing me to him like I was going to run over to Andrew.
If anything, Hudson was the one who would need to be restrained.
I could feel the anger vibrating through him, right through his hand where it touched me.
Andrew laughed, low and sarcastically. “Now I see what this is,” he said, aiming his glare at me. “This is because of you.”
“Why would it be because of my sister, Reinhart?” Warren stepped closer to him. “What do you mean by that?”
Andrew realized his mistake instantly, and I saw him blanch before he wiped it away, covering his slip up with a wry shake of his head. “Only that when I bumped into Wave at the party the other day I wanted to catch up, and maybe she misconstrued.”
“Don’t,” Hudson said in a low voice. I didn’t want anyone to explicitly let Andrew know what we were doing, whether everyone here understood it for what it was or not. I gripped his other hand but kept them behind my back so Andrew couldn’t see me reigning him in.
“I think my sister is more than capable of seeing that wedding ring on your finger, Reinhart.”
“Of course. And I meant nothing by that. Waverley knows that, don’t you?” his gaze came back to me.
I could see and hear the underlying threat.
He wanted me to keep my mouth shut. He’d walked into the lion’s den without thinking it through.
I wasn’t sure what brought him here today, whether he’d been contacted to say no one showed up or if the workers had walked out and he’d come over here immediately on the offence.
Either way, he’d messed up. He straightened up his tie, smoothing it down the front of his shirt.
“There has been a misunderstanding with the guys, some mix-up over what days they should be on site, I’m sure. I’ll make sure that they’re back to work soon.”
“You better,” Warren said. “We can’t have a half-completed project, Reinhart. What is that going to say about your company? We’re paying you enough.”
Now Warren was taunting him too. Fuck these idiot men.
“Of course. I’ll get this sorted out.”
Warren gave him a look, then turned to head back to the clubhouse, winking at me before realizing what I was wearing and how close Hudson was to me.
He raised his brows and Hudson’s hand clenched at my hip, but I shook my head subtly, telling Warren to keep his mouth shut.
I was sure we were going to be ribbed about this once the outsider was off the compound.
The other guys had gotten bored or thought there was no real threat and started going back inside or heading to the garage. A couple of them went to their bikes.
“So this is a thing again, huh?”
I turned back to Andrew. Only Hudson and I were close enough to hear him speak this time.
He was sneering at us and looked as if he was on the verge of saying something stupid.
Did he not know that he wasn’t out of danger?
In fact, taunting Hudson was the worst thing he could do right now.
The biggest threat to his safety, his life even, was growling low behind me.
“You should leave.” I told him, lifting my chin at Andrew. “Go sort out your business.”
He scoffed, glanced at the clubhouse to see most of the people had disappeared. “You think I don’t know you had something to do with this?”
“Prove it.” I folded my arms over my chest. Andrew’s face went redder than it had before. None of that stoicism to keep himself calm remained.
“You know I had her first.”
Oh Shit.
Hudson was out from behind me faster than I had seen anyone move.
I lunged after him, grabbing his cut, which I just realized was all he had on with his jeans, because I was wearing his t-shirt.
I was no match for him. He was too strong, and he slipped through my hands.
I looked beyond him to see Andrew squaring up to him, ready for a fight.
“Hudson, stop it,” I threw myself at his side, knocking him off balance. I got in front of him. He was glaring over my shoulder at Andrew. The veins in his neck were straining and his jaw was tight enough to break his teeth. “He wants you to do this. He’s goading you. Stop.”
“I’m going to fucking kill him,” he snarled, trying not to hurt me but still trying to get around me.
“Come on Kelley, you can’t even get around a girl.”
“Shut up,” I yelled over my shoulder, but I put my palms up on Hudson’s chest. He pushed against me, and my bare feet slid across the floor.
“You say one more damn thing about her,” Hudson snarled.
“What?” Andrew laughed. “What are you gonna do?”
I was picked up and moved aside and watched in horror as Hudson lunged for Andrew.
A sudden blur went past me, and Hudson stopped dead in his tracks.
I had never been so happy to see my father.
I took a few faltering steps towards them, but King held up his hand to me and leaned his head close to Hudson.
“He’ll have the law down here so fast, Hustle. Do you wanna end up in jail? You want heat brought down on us?”
Hudson’s fists squeezed tight, and I wanted nothing more than to go to him, but King was right. I couldn’t get in the way of this. In fact, my presence was making it worse. I should have stayed inside.
“I want to beat his ass,” Hudson grumbled.
“Stand the fuck down.”
I could see in my father’s face even he wasn’t so sure he could hold Hudson back. Warren appeared beside him, a restraining hand on his shoulder. I couldn’t hear what he said, but Hudson let his shoulders drop, his stance becoming less confrontational.
A look passed between King and Warren and my dad let him go, but Warren kept his hand on Hudson’s shoulder, grounding him.
King took a few steps towards Andrew. “I want you off my property, go sort your business. If work doesn’t start here tomorrow, consider yourself in breach of your contract.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I can and I will,” King said. His voice, though calm, was filled with authority and a veiled threat of his own, something Warren hadn’t yet mastered the art of.
But I knew pretty soon he would be on the same level as our dad.
“We may be a motorcycle club to you, but that is because you underestimate us. I know that contract inside and out and you have one chance to fulfil it before you hear from my lawyer.”