Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
M oon sat on his bike, watching the brothers unload a delivery truck from Ohio. He could clearly see them under the bright lights Wizard had installed. Shade and Train had already gone inside the club, hoping the thief would fuck up, assuming they weren’t being watched by the older members.
“I thought you would be asleep by now,” Moon said as the silent figure came up behind him.
“I couldn’t sleep.” Train’s low voice blended into the symphony of crickets and frogs living in the long grass of the empty lot next to the club. “I’m tired of this bullshit.”
Moon gave a sarcastic snort. “Shit, I was fed up with it a month ago.”
“When they find out who’s stealing, I’m going to ...” Train gave a ragged sigh, taking a joint out of his pocket. “I’m flying back. I’ll sell my motorcycle before getting back on it for a week.”
“Brother, you are tired.”
“My ass is either numb or on fire, and I lost my left nut riding through Corbin. Jesus, how long is that fucking road construction going to go on for?”
“You could hit up Viper for me to come back. I don’t mind the ride.”
Train gave him a sarcastic glare, which he could barely see when he took a hit of his joint. “I’m ahead of you. I went past asking a month ago. Hell, even begging him hasn’t worked. I warned you ...”
“Yeah, yeah.” Forestalling the I-told-you-so crap he knew was coming, Moon took the blunt Train offered him. “I don’t see Viper stopping the escorts anytime soon. The thefts have stopped, so they’re working. Stands to reason it has to be the drivers, so why not replace them?” Moon said more to himself than Train.
“Beats me. You’ll have to ask Viper yourself.”
The vibrating of his phone drew his attention. He handed the blunt back to Train and took it out. Raising his eyebrow at the name on the screen, he put it to his ear. “Yeah?”
“Moon, this is Ginny.”
“Hi.” Drawing a blank as to why Reaper’s wife would be calling. he shrugged at Train’s curious look.
“I’m hoping you could do me a favor whenever you have a spare hour.”
“Sure. What you need?”
“I want to give Gavin a new watch for his birthday. Nickel told me you used to date a woman who works at the jewelry store in town. There’s a watch I want to buy him. but she says it’s on hold for another buyer. She told me if he didn’t come to buy the watch last Friday, she’d sell it to me. When I went in Saturday, she said he called and would be able to purchase it in a couple weeks.”
“Ah ... you want me to get that watch for you?”
“I would appreciate it. I feel bad taking it from that man, but I really want Gavin to have it. I’m even willing to buy the other customer another watch of his choice with the same value.”
“You must really want to give that watch to Reaper.”
“I do. I’ll even throw in a watch for you,” she offered.
“Consider the watch yours. I’ll be in touch.” Ending the call, Moon tucked the phone back in his pocket.
“What was that about?”
Moon gave Train a smug grin. “Brother, that was my ticket home.”
H olding the jewelry bag as he left the store, Moon didn’t remember the last time he had been in such a good frame of mind.
Hungry, he thought about eating at the diner, but the owner was a dick from hell, and as much as he loved the burgers, it wasn’t worth the grief.
When he arrived back at the clubhouse, he went to the kitchen to make himself a sandwich. Shade and Train came in just as he was about to put the ingredients back.
“Either of you want a sandwich?” he offered. “I don’t mind making them.”
Train and Shade looked at each other as they were about to pour themselves coffee then turned to glance at him.
“Who are you asking?”
Moon frown. “You two.”
“Are you sick or something?” Train asked. “You’ve never offered to make shit for us before.”
“Jeez. You’re killing my vibe. You want one or not?”
Shade gave him a critical stare. “Viper have anything to do with this change of attitude?”
“Never mind.” Moon started putting the ingredients back in the refrigerator. “Make your own fucking sandwiches.”
Train started laughing as Shade and he took a seat at the kitchen table. “That’s more like it. My world is back to normal.”
Balefully staring at the two men, he sat down at the table with them. “Fuck you.”
Shade’s chiseled brow showed his curiosity. “How did you manage to talk Viper into letting you come back?”
“My winning personality, of course.” Moon gave them a smug grin.
Train pretended to gag on his coffee.
Moon picked up his sandwich and decided to ignore the fuckers.
Grabbing his cell phone, which he had laid on the table next to his plate, he checked the time. He wasn’t really listening to the conservation Shade and Train had started, his mind elsewhere as he waited for time to click away.
“Moon?”
Shade calling his name dragged him back to awareness.
“What?”
The two brothers gave him weird glances.
“I asked what you thought of the thefts stopping so suddenly,” Shade said.
Moon shrugged. “I think the thieving bastard knew he was about to get caught.”
“I don’t know ...” Rubbing his thumb against his jawline, Shade seemed to be thinking. “I think they would have slowed down, become more careful, not just stopped cold turkey.”
Moon looked questioningly toward Train, silently asking if he felt the same way.
“I may have to go with Moon on this one, Shade. The escorts probably put the fear of God into them.”
“Could be.” Shade still didn’t seem convinced.
“You don’t think so?” Moon asked, taking the last bite of his sandwich.
“No, I don’t.”
The kitchen door swinging open had all three men looking to see who entered. Moon stood up when he saw it was Ginny.
“Hey.”
When she gave them a smile, Moon could understand how she had been able to drag Reaper from the depths of hell that his soul had survived.
“Hi, Ginny, how are you doing?”
“Fantastic, thanks.” Her hand went to the growing mound around her waist. “The baby is being good today.”
“I wish Killyama could say the same thing. She hasn’t been able to keep anything down. Her doula’s going to come by after she finishes with another patient.”
Moon had picked up the bag he had left on the counter as Ginny was talking to Train. Moving toward the door, he waited for her.
“Let me know if there is anything I can do.”
“I will.”
Moon opened the door for Ginny as she walked toward him, then let her go first before following to close it.
“You got it?” She beamed at him when he swung the bag in front of her.
“I did.”
“You don’t know how much I appreciate your help...”
When she reached out to take it, he lowered it back to his side. “Enough to give me a piece of information I need?”
Ginny frowned at him, her excitement dimming. “What information?”
“Do you remember the night you girls got in a fight at Mick’s bar?”
“Yes. So?”
“Do you remember coming back to the club afterward?”
Moon had to give Ginny credit. If he hadn’t seen the troubled glint in her eyes, her expression would have fooled him.
“I mean, it’s not etched into my memory, but I remember hanging out here for a couple of hours.”
“Let’s see if you remember this part. Who went upstairs while you were here?”
When Ginny opened her mouth to speak, Moon held up his hand.
“Before you say anything, I want to warn you not to lie to me. I can easily sell this watch to someone else.”
Ginny folded her arms over her chest. “One thing I do remember is you’re the person who suggested giving Gavin a watch for his birthday.”
“I want to know who it was,” he said firmly.
“Why?”
Expecting her to be angry at his manipulation, he was puzzled why she wasn’t.
“That’s a private matter.”
“It’s not private if you’re involving me.”
“Who was it? Lily? Killyama? You?”
“I’ve changed my mind about the watch. I’ll bake him a cake.”
Realizing he wasn’t going to get an answer from her, he lifted his hand with the bag to give her the watch just as a sharp, needle-like pain sank into his calf.
“What the fuck!”
Ginny, who had started for the door, swung back, and the unexpectedness of her action caused the bag to hit her face.
Moon looked downward to see what was attacking him then jerked his gaze back up when he felt the bag connect with Ginny.
“Fuck! Did I hit you?” Moon yelled sharply, seeing the evil cat who had caused the mishap scatter away at his raised voice.
The back door slammed open as Reaper, Shade, and Train came barreling outside.
“Did you hit my wife?”
Moon froze.
Ginny, who had been holding her cheek, reached for Gavin, unwittingly exposing her cheek. Moon was sickened at the red welt that was already appearing.
“Gavin, it was an acc—”
“The cat jumped on my leg. I didn—”
His explanation was cut short as an oomph of air whooshed out of him when Reaper threw himself at him. Moon found himself fighting for his life at the barrage of fists Reaper threw at him.
Stunned at first, Moon started fighting back. There was no reasoning with Reaper in a rage. It was either defend himself or die.
“Stop him, Shade!” Ginny screamed.
“I thought you went to see Lily and Beth.” Moon heard Shade asking Ginny as he was momentarily rolled away from Reaper.
“We were talking.”
“About what?”
“He was asking whether Lily and Killyama went upstairs—”
Finding himself jerked to his feet by Shade, Moon was able to take a quick breath.
“Let me answer any questions concerning Lily.”
Shade’s fist struck out, hitting him square in the stomach. Already having the air knocked out of him from Reaper, Moon stumbled to the side. He managed to keep standing by sheer force of will. He had taken their hits while holding back his full strength, but when he realized they were out for blood, Moon decided, unless he gave as good as he got, he was going to be using handicapped parking for the rest of his short life.
Rushing toward Shade, he tried to gut punch him, only to miss his target when Train stepped in between them.
“Brother, it’s three against one.” Shade told him when it became clear Train had blocked the punch so he could take his own shot at Moon.
Train stonily glared at him. “I’m good with that.”
“Then bring it on!” Moon shouted angrily.
Before Train could react, Moon rushed him, shoving him into Shade. Then, about to punch Train, Moon found himself swung around to face Reaper.
Moon blocked the blow Reaper aimed at his jaw, then clenched his hand into a fist to kidney punch Reaper. The fucker didn’t seem to feel it, throwing a punch to his jaw and connecting. Moon saw stars exploding behind his eyes.
“Gavin, stop!”
A hard left coming from Train caused Moon to taste blood. He used his elbow to Reaper’s face, then raised his foot to prevent him from hitting him again. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ginny take off down the side path to the parking lot.
Taking advantage of him being open, Shade came after him next, giving him his full attention. Sticking out his feet, Moon tried to swipe Shade’s legs out from under him. When he smashed, his fist into Reaper’s chin, he felt a spurt of satisfaction when the fucker stood there, blinking at him as if stunned.
“That rock your world, motherfucker!” Moon shouted. He tried the same move on Shade but only managed to clip him before he had to parry his move with one of his own.
Spitting blood, Moon flipped Train over his shoulder when the bastard tried to put him in a head lock. Shade barely managed to escape being Train’s landing pad. Pity. Putting that mean fucker out like a light would have been nice.
As the men circled him, Moon swiped blood away from his mouth, getting ready to knock two heads together and pounce on the other one.
When Viper found out about him getting in a fight the first day back, he was going to be thrown out of the club, anyway. If he had to leave the club, Moon decided he was going to fuck these fuckers up one last time. He wasn’t going to be the only one applying for handicap parking.