Chapter 22 #2
“Is she alright?” War came and crouched beside Medic.
“It could be a concussion.” He got up, and I moved out of the way so he could examine the wound on the back of her head. “This is bleeding pretty bad. It’s gonna need stitches.”
My blood pressure spiked. I almost felt the need to carry through on King’s threats and take Tanya to the Shed. How fucking dare she do this? It was a good thing King was kicking her out. I don’t know what I might do if she came near me again.
“Things sure have been exciting around here since you came home, kiddo,” War said, taking Waverley’s hand and helping her up. “Let’s get you back to Medic’s room.”
“I’m glad to entertain you,” Waverley gave him a little smile.
When she wobbled, I stepped in and picked her up, cradling her against my bare chest, forgetting I was half dressed.
“I’m okay,” she said. “You don’t need to carry me.”
“No you’re not,” I told her. I carried her all the way to the room at the back of the clubhouse where Medic worked whenever anyone had an injury. “Can’t leave you for a second can I?” I asked, gently putting her down on the bed.
“I can take care of myself.”
“Looks like it,” I shook my head, trying to sound light, but I was worried. Concussion was no joke and the thought of her needing stitches in her head boiled my piss again. Fucking Tanya.
“Well, if you didn’t surround yourself with crazy psycho bitches,” she mumbled trying to make it sound like a joke.
I didn’t laugh, I just held her hand and kissed her temple as Medic moved behind her, his jaw tense.
“And she waited till my back was turned,” she sat up and closed her eyes, and I shared a concerned look with Medic.
He ushered me back so he could do what he needed to do. After a few more tests Medic said it was likely she was concussed and then he put in a couple of stitches after giving her a painkiller to take away the discomfort.
He gave me the run down on how to look after her for the next twenty-four hours, which I intended on carrying out. She was too out of it to argue with me.
When Ballistic appeared in the doorway, tilting his head for me to follow him, I squeezed her hand. Medic said he’d call one of the old ladies to sit with her and make sure she doesn’t go to sleep yet.
She eyed us as we left but didn’t comment. Not sure whether that was because of the concussion, or she was getting used to the idea that I couldn’t share these things with her. I followed Ballistic out into the hallway where Casper was waiting with Felix, both looking tense.
“King isn’t convinced this is about some bullshit jealousy,” Ballistic said to us. “He’s asked me to question her and find out what she knows.”
“At the Shed?” my jaw clenched, my anger clear.
Casper put his hands on his hips and looked at the floor.
Felix was stoic, he was the kind of guy who liked to see how things played out before he gave his opinion.
I didn’t think he’d be happy about hurting a woman, especially a club girl who’d been around for years and, with the exception of Ballistic, I was certain we’d all fucked.
His old lady, Lana was pregnant too. I didn’t know what it felt like to have a kid on the way, but it could affect the way Felix thought about how to deal with Tanya.
“Sorry to say it Ballistic, I don’t want to go against the Prez, but I think he’s overreacting, I’ve seen the way she pants after you, Hustle, and she was pissed when you started sniffing around Waverley,” Casper said.
“I’m not sniffing around anyone,” I slapped the back of Casper’s head.
“You did kind of use her to make Waverley jealous.”
“Do you want to shut your fucking mouth, before I shut it for you.”
“Just sayin’,” Casper muttered.
“Heard you claimed her,” Ballistic looked over at me, not acknowledging Casper’s comments.
Jesus was this all everyone gave a shit about. “Can we move on from that? What exactly does King want us to do? I might be a cold-hearted bastard, but I’m not taking a woman to the Shed.”
“I agree on that. We need to question her and get her off the compound,” Ballistic nodded. “Hammer is sitting on her at the annex. We need someone to deal with it,” he looked at me.
“Waverley is hurt, I’m not leaving her to go talk to that bitch,” I look at Casper and Felix. I figured that was why they were here, Ballistic knew I wouldn’t leave Wave. He didn’t miss anything. “What makes you think it’s a good idea me talking to her? She’s fucking insane when she’s near me.”
“She also thinks she’s in love with you, so she’ll talk.”
I give Casper my meanest glare and he visibly swallowed.
“He’s right.”
“Fuck’s sake,” I roll my eyes at Ballistic.
His lip twitches. “Annex. Go.”
He’s a fucking officer so I have to obey his order. Wisely, Casper remains in the clubhouse, but Felix falls into step beside me. I glance at him as we make our way out. I’m tempted to ask what it’s like having an Old Lady who is also gonna be your wife.
I overheard someone saying Lana wants to have the baby before they walk down the aisle and she’s about ready to pop from the look of her. She’s an okay Old Lady, suits being with Felix. From what I have seen, he’s happy enough with her.
I stop thinking like a fucking chick and take the steps two at a time then barge into the annex.
Some of the other girls are at the doors to their rooms. Smokey and Jolene were smoking in the wide hallway and greet Felix and me as we pass, with knowing looks.
I’m not sure most of the club girls are what you would call friends despite how they unify against the Old Lady’s.
Tanya wasn’t the kind who cultivated friendships, and I hated to admit I’d given her a false sense of being better than the others.
Jolene and Smokey though, it was obvious they were friends, always together.
They couldn’t be more opposite, Jolene is on the plump side, but it suits her, and a lot of the guys spend time with her because they like something to grab a hold off.
Smokey is thin with small tits, dark hair and tan skin and super mellow.
I like both of them, though I’ve never been with either. They respect the Old Lady’s and don’t cause trouble. I appreciate them because they look after Connor when he has an episode, more caring and understanding of his needs than most of our brothers.
I’m not sure if they realize he bats for the other team or if they think his lack of sexual desire for them has to do with his injury.
We rounded a corner and found Hammer standing outside a room, smoking as he played with his phone. I wondered why he was being so damn lackadaisical until I got to the open doorway and saw Tanya tied to a chair.
Jesus Christ.
She looked like shit, her make-up running everywhere, her hair a mess. She had a tear in her stockings and only one shoe. There was a bag on the bed that had her shit haphazardly thrown into it. When her eyes met mine for a second I saw the loathing there.
Okay, so she didn’t care for me right now. I didn’t give a shit, she attacked Waverley, which wasn’t okay with me.
I left her tied up, I’d seen how she fought like a wildcat when War split up the fight with Gia.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” I snapped at her.
Felix remained outside with Hammer, and they conferred quietly, then Hammer pulled the door closed. Probably to give Tanya a false sense of security, more than privacy.
I’d always viewed Hammer cautiously and with a little revulsion.
Anyone happy destroying dead bodies had to have something missing.
But his skill set was handy for the club, and I was glad he’s there to deal with it when the need arose.
He had a reputation in the club so watching over Tanya was another power play.
She looked fucking terrified. If she hadn’t hurt Waverley, I might feel sorry for her.
“I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking. I was just… I heard you claimed her, and I lost it.”
“How many times did I tell you nothing was ever going to happen?” I asked. It’s a rhetorical question, she knew it. I’d said it from the start. But I guessed women didn’t think the same way men did. She saw something that wasn’t there and convinced herself she could get it.
“I’m sorry,” she whimpered. “But I love you.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit. Fuck’s sake, Tanya, you don’t even know what love is.”
She bit her lower lip and looked away from me.
“You wanted something from me I can’t give you. You chose this lifestyle, Tanya. You know better than anyone else that club whores are just that. They aren’t Old Lady’s and never will be.”
Her jaw tensed, I was getting through to her, or the crux of this situation. She despised Waverley, and that was showing now.
“I want you to talk to me, tell me the truth and, Tanya, I’ll know if you’re lying.
And if you are, Hammer is waiting outside to take you to Ballistic, so do yourself a favor and be honest. King is pissed, worse than I’ve seen him in a long time.
He’d throw you in a vat of acid himself because he thinks there is something more going on,” I leaned back against the wall and folded my arms over my chest.
“I’m not working for the Kingsmen,” she said, her eyes lifting to mine. “I heard King saying that but I’m not. I’m loyal to the Devil’s, I always have been. And if that bitch hadn’t come back then-”
“Watch your mouth, that shit got you into this mess.”
“I’m already out so what is the point in being nice. I hate her. I hate she came back, and I hate the way you look at her. The way I want you to look at me!” her voice had gotten louder the more she talked to the point of screeching. Fuck the whole annex heard that.
“Have the Kingsmen approached you and asked you to hurt King’s daughter?”
“No,” she snarled, the viciousness raw on her face with spittle flying from her lips. I wondered why the fuck I ever let this woman near me. “But I wish they had.”
I shook my head. “You’re out, Tanya. You can’t come back. You can’t go to another Chapter, everyone will know that you’re not welcome. We’ll give you enough money to get the fuck away from New Jersey, set yourself up somewhere, get a fucking job and some respect for yourself.”
She sneered at me as I pushed away from the wall and walked towards her.
“We will know if you pull any shit when you leave here. You go to any of our enemies and spread shit, we will find out and Ballistic will come after you. He doesn’t hurt women, often. But if he needs to do it to protect the club, he will.”
Her face grew paler. Ballistic’s reputation preceded him.
“Take the money and run. And don’t look back.”
“I hate you.”
“Good, it’s better than thinking you love me.”
She started screaming and cursing but I walked out without looking back and slammed the door. Hammer had a tilted smile at everything he overheard. I swiped a hand down my face, thoroughly tempted to punch the smile off his.
Felix was leaning against the wall a little further away, talking with another guy, who had a bag, which I presumed had the cash in to get rid of Tanya.
“We cutting her loose or am I needed?” Hammer asked, no longer smirking. He knew better.
“Dice,” I called the guy with Felix over.
He patted Felix’s shoulder and came to me.
“Give her the cash, drive her out to Newark, there’s an Amtrak running there at Penn Station.
Get her on a train out to the Midwest and make sure she stays on it.
Missouri or Wisconsin should do it. Remind her who will come after her if she gets off that damn train. ”
“Sure thing,” he said. It was about an hour’s drive to Newark, but he wasn’t fazed.
“Stay the night if you need to.”
He saluted me and headed to Tanya’s room.
“She’ll be missed,” Hammer mused.
“Yeah well, there’s always someone to step into her shoes,” I muttered. “I got somewhere to be.”
I left the annex to find Kansas. I instructed him to get a tracker in Tanya’s belongings so we could make sure she did leave.
He nodded and went to a cabinet in the security room.
King would want to know she’s as far away as possible, she had nothing to do with the Kingsmen.
Nope, this little stunt all boiled down to me.
Guilt wracked me at what might have happened to Wave if Handlebar hadn’t come out and saw what was going on.
I shook it off, the last thing Waverley needed was me wallowing in guilt. I headed back to Medic’s room and relieved Lana who was busy talking the leg off Waverley about her wedding. She gave me a nod as she said goodbye and waddled out of the room. I took her seat and stared at Waverley.
“Is she gone or…”
“Going, we’re putting her on a train to the Midwest.”
“Wow, that’s drastic.”
“Yeah well, it’s better she gets as far away from here as possible.”
“You got any other psycho women I should worry about?”
I smirked. “Only you.”
“Jack ass,” she grumbled, and I laughed.
“You doing okay?”
“Headache and tired but every time I close my eyes some asshole nudges me.”
“It’s for your own good.”
“Yeah well, if I hear about another wedding dress or cake flavor I’ll knock myself unconscious.”
I took her hand. “I promise, wedding dresses are the furthest thing from my mind.”
“Hmm,” she gave me a side eye, and I wondered if that was something she thought about.
I shook that thought out of my brain. “I’m sure Medic will give the all clear to sleep soon.”
She yawned and her jaw cracked. “Okay, so how are you going to entertain me?”
A filthy grin spread over my face.
“Not a chance,” Medic piped up behind me. “No vigorous or strenuous activities for at least a week. You don’t need your blood pressure causing a rush in your head, it’ll slow your recovery.”
“Are you fucking serious?” I almost stood up and punched Medic in the face.
“Sorry,” he said with glee. “Guess you better get familiar with your palm.”
“Son of a fucking bitch.”
The sound of Waverley laughing her ass off did not help at all.