22 Grip
Grip
“Well, Drain Pipe is dead, and it looks like the Serpent Crowns are falling apart,” Ice started Church off with.
It had been five days since we’d ended that fucker’s life, and we’d been waiting to see what would happen after that. The club stayed on lockdown, which meant that the whole Ivy thing had been kept on the back burner, and she had no choice but to stay here… with us.
I didn’t hate it. But I still didn’t know what to make of it.
Jack was still at the compound, staying in one of the rooms in the medical building. We had Prospects watching him around the clock, but I woulda bet all my money he wasn’t gonna try anything. Call it a gut feelin’.
He’d helped us match up names to faces. And we’d been picking off those assholes who helped Drain Pipe steal our shipment, snatchin’ them up when they least expected it.
One of ’em we caught takin’ a piss around back of a strip club.
I had to hold back a chuckle, remembering it.
I was so fuckin’ glad I’d been there. Pretty sure he was dead before he even finished his stream.
There wasn’t much left to the club now. With Drain Pipe and the ten others we’d taken care of, there was maybe a handful of members left.
Ice had sat down with Jack a few times, but for now, he was keepin’ those talks private. I tried not to worry, but I couldn’t help it. Something was going on. At least Ice seemed to be in front of it or on top of it or whatever the hell you wanted to call it. That made me worry less.
The Prospect who’d taken the van out to get gassed up and unknowingly came home with a tag had been reprimanded. He wouldn’t be lettin’ anything slip by him again, I’d bet. Prez was givin’ him one more chance, and if he fucked up again, he was out.
“I’m lifting lockdown,” Ice said.
Everyone seemed to either breathe a sigh of relief or cheer.
But that one sentence sat like lead in my gut.
I swallowed hard, using everything in me to hide the unease from the table.
I should have been happy. Now we could focus on Ivy and…
whatever the fuck we were gonna do with her and all of that.
We’d kept her safe and protected, so at least we hadn’t broken the vow of the club and the Prayer of Protection.
“I’ve gotta talk to the Road Warriors and see when they want to resume shipments,” Ice went on. “If I can smooth things over, I’m thinking everything will be back to normal soon.”
Fingers fuckin’ crossed. We hadn’t had any major fuck ups or issues in years. Runs had been good. Money had been flowin’. I wasn’t lookin’ for trouble, and I hoped we wouldn’t have to find another source to sell to. Trust was a hard thing to come by, and a slow thing to grow.
“As far as Jack and the girl, don’t know yet.
” I didn’t miss the way Ice’s eyes landed on Rusty Nuts, who sat there looking a little too much like stone.
He had his emotions wrapped up tight, and it was fuckin’ weird to see because the brother was usually pretty easy-going and nonchalant.
Somethin’ was going on, and I hated that I was on the outside.
“I got it handled, and when I figure it out, I’ll let you know. ”
That was all we were gonna get about it.
The table was silent for a long minute. The kind of silence that made my skin feel tight.
“Anyone else got anything to bring to the table while we’re here?” Ice asked.
“What’s up with the chick?” Target asked, sitting up in his chair and pointedly looking in my direction.
The quickness of Viking’s head turning gave away everything, and though Target wasn’t lookin’ at Viking, I knew he noticed. His flinch was visible to the whole damn table.
“It’s just that—” Target started, but stopped when a low growl tore from Vike’s chest. VP held up his hands in surrender, but that didn’t calm the beast beside me with his fuckin’ panties in a twist. Not that I was much better. “Shit, man, I didn’t know it was like that.”
“It ain’t,” Vike barked low before turning his head to look at the back wall where the giant grim reaper was lookin’ down on us.
That move was too damn telling. My gut rocked, but I couldn’t do shit to clear the air.
“We’re gonna have to deal with that soon,” Ice said, tone cold as if he was already over the Ivy situation.
He’d had a lot on his shoulders recently, so I tried not to read too much into it.
But, damn, if I wasn’t seconds away from jumping up and saying something defensive.
We owed Ivy protection, and she didn’t deserve to be treated like shit because she’d come to us for help.
I knew it was comin’. Knew we’d have to dive into her situation soon, and I’d no longer be able to use the Crowns’ shit as a distraction to keep everyone away from her.
The thing was, I didn’t know what the fuck was gonna happen next.
Vike and I really needed to talk, but he wasn’t much of a talker, and I…
I didn’t want to. Things were much simpler when he could just look at me or grunt, but the Ivy situation—and yeah, I hated callin’ it that—sat heavy under the “life-changing” category.
And life-changing shit needed words and communication, and a clear direction of what the fuck we were doing.
I nearly choked on the thought.
I wondered how long I could put it off. Hell, knowing me and Vike, we’d keep avoiding until there was no time left to avoid, then we’d make a dumb ass fuckin’ decision. This time, it would probably end up bein’ one we couldn’t get out of.
“But not tonight,” Ice said, causing me to release a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. “Now, get out of here and go party.”
Well, if that didn’t snap everyone into a good mood.
Hell yeah! Just the thing I needed. Drink and forget. Avoid. Yeah, all that shit that wasn’t fuckin’ healthy but worked for me anyway.
Nearly everyone rushed out of Church like a herd of elephants.
Viking and I took up the rear at a slower pace, both of us feeling the heaviness in the air, but neither of us sayin’ anything.
We headed to the bar, which took no time to get loud and rowdy.
Prospects were waiting behind the bar like they could feel it in the air that shit was going back to normal.
Despite the tension still lingering around me, I smiled.
Time to drink. It had been a hot fuckin’ minute since we’d partied, and fuck it, we deserved a night of not thinkin’.
By the time we all had a drink in our hand, the girls were startin’ to flow in.
It felt right. Felt like home again.
Except… it didn’t feel quite the same as it once did.
Viking and I shared a look.
Lush cut right through that look, looping her arms around my neck and latching on like a damn octopus.
“No,” I growled without even realizing it.
“Are you sure?” she asked, pressing her big tits into my chest.
I was a man, and my cock was like a fuckin’ missile when a hot pussy was near. So yeah, he was stirrin’ with a bit of interest, but it felt like it was only out of instinct.
I looked down into her eyes and tried to ignore the way my skin started to crawl. I thought maybe if I pushed past whatever was goin’ on inside, I could get over it. But that was stupid. It didn’t take me long to wise up. I didn’t see a damn thing I wanted in front of me.
“Yeah,” I grunted, reaching around and unlatching her arms from my neck. “I’m sure.”
I hissed when her pointed talons scratched the back of my neck.
I wasn’t dumb, I knew she did that shit on purpose.
And the first thing that popped into my mind was to tell Ivy.
Not hide it, or ignore it, or avoid Ivy until the scratch went away.
Just go to her and put it out there and tell the truth.
That was weird. I’d never cared enough about a chick to even think of something like that.
Lush went on her way, anger in each step, but I didn’t care. Hell, my mind barely registered her fury because I was too struck by this insane, life-altering revelation I’d just had.
Ivy was something. She was growing into more with each day I spent around her. I’d come to crave my interactions with her. I even wanted to crawl into bed beside her each night.
Target slammed his shoulder into mine and laughed. One look, and I knew shit that happened in Church had stayed locked up in that room. At least for now.
“Pretty fuckin’ good night, wouldn’t ya say?” He downed whatever shot he had in his hand. Rosie was there, handing him another and taking away his empty glass before he could even inhale.
“You good?” she asked.
“Good,” I said back with a nod. She turned, walking off without another glance back. At least I wouldn’t get drama from her.
Before I knew it, I was standing in the middle of a room, only two beers in and surrounded by the scent and sounds of sex.
Vike stood stoic beside me, taking it all in with his Enforcer eyes, makin’ sure nothing got too outta hand.
I could be fuckin’. I could have my dick deep down some club slut’s throat or pumpin’ away at her slick cunt. But I wasn’t.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t somewhat interested in the idea, but the more I thought about it, the more I lost interest.
There was only one pussy I wanted to be buried inside. Deep inside. Like, turning my balls inside out to fill her with every ounce of cum I had.
“I think I’m goin’ to bed,” I stated, feelin’ like I couldn’t fully look at Vike.
He grunted in response. The kind of grunt that said he’d be right behind me. Well shit. What if he was thinkin’ the same kind of thoughts I was?
I turned and headed for the back. I couldn’t get to our room fast enough, and I hoped no one was gonna try to stop me on the way there.
I looked over my shoulder as I turned the knob for our room. Sure enough, Vike was there, waiting to walk in right behind me.
We shared a look that was very telling.
We shoulda taken some time to talk, but we didn’t.
And now that we were seconds away from seein’ Ivy, neither of us wanted to hit pause to have a serious conversation.
We were fucked. Hopelessly and stupidly fucked.