Chapter 8 #2
“I bet,” Bootneck bit back as we hit the courtyard and headed toward the clubhouse. “You never wanna talk about it when your PTSD hits. When are you gonna learn, bro? That’s when you should talk about it. When was the last time you slept?”
I glanced at him, noting the pissed-off look on his face. This wasn’t a conversation I needed to have, but I knew Bootneck would stay on my ass until I gave him what he wanted. “Snatched an hour here and there, but I haven’t slept properly since the night before Ash left me.”
“Thought not,” he shot back. “Did you dream?”
I let out a quiet snort. “What do you think?”
“Want me to get a shrink in from the VA?”
“I’m good, brother,” I assured him. “It’s not the old shit screwin’ with my head. It’s the new shit.”
“Jesus Christ,” Boot muttered. “Bitches are more trouble than they’re worth.”
I nodded along with him, even though I knew it was me who’d fucked up with Aislynn.
I’d overreacted, but I was angry because it took me a long time and a lot of persuasion to talk Hank into letting the Kings deal with Deputy Huntley.
I had a plan for our resident fuckhead, but I wouldn’t be able to carry it out if Gracie made a complaint and got him incarcerated.
Huntley Junior had become a liability to my club, and I couldn’t afford to keep him around. I made a promise to Hank Young that the sick fuck would pay the ultimate price for what he did to Gracie, but Aislynn’s interference hindered that.
Huntley was law enforcement and had friends in high places.
If Gracie made a complaint, the chances were that Junior would be investigated, but in the end, it would come down to his word against hers.
A conviction wasn’t guaranteed, especially since his daddy would pull strings.
My solution would take longer, but the end result would be the safest option for her.
After I threw Aislynn out, the boys reminded me that she wasn’t used to club life. We dealt with our punishments in-house and in line with our own moral code. In Aislynn’s world, they dealt with the cops, and in my rage, I forgot that, and admittedly, I overreacted.
We’d been seeing each other for a matter of days, and already she had my head spinning.
I needed an ol’ lady who kept me on my toes and didn’t let me get away with my shit, though a tiny part of me couldn’t help wishing she was a little more pliable.
But then, I couldn’t deny, the way she stood up to me kept me intrigued.
We headed to the bar and took a stool each. It took seconds for one of our club girls, Zara, to mosey on over.
“Hey, guys!” she greeted enthusiastically. “You want coffee?”
“Thanks, sweetheart,” Boot replied. “Make a pot. Prez is runnin’ on fumes, so we’ll need all the caffeine we can get.”
She smiled at me. “You want the strong stuff?”
My stare flicked over her pretty face, and I nodded.
She beamed a smile at Boot before turning for the kitchen.
Intrigued, I observed him duck his head, his cheeks flushing slightly as his eyes tracked her every move.
“What the fuck’s goin’ on with you?” I demanded.
Boot’s stare lowered, and he stared at the floor.
“Nothin’. Just think it may be time to get myself a nice girl, is all.
Castle’s thinkin’ about goin’ for it with Gracie.
Nox will get his head out of his ass and wife Roxie up sooner or later.
You’ve got your woman—well, at least when you’re not fuckin’ it up with your hellish temper.
Everyone’s startin’ to settle down, and I feel like I’m gettin’ left behind. ”
One side of my mouth curved. “And you like Zara?”
His eyes narrowed on me. “What if I do? She’s a nice girl.”
“She’s a great girl. I shouldn’t play favorites, but she’s special, and I don’t mean in the sack; I mean, she’s cute and kind. Thing is, she’s a club whore, so if you want her, you need to make a move if you want your brothers to leave her ass alone.”
He ran a hand over his head, ruffling his dark hair. “Dunno if I’m ready for that.”
I heaved out a hard breath, shaking my head at him.
“Boot, either shit, or get off the pot. You can’t get serious with a girl if she’s off fuckin’ the men you work with every night.
It’s not exactly conducive to a long-lastin’, healthy relationship.
While you keep her a whore you can’t make her a wife.
Trust me, brother, I’m starting to understand that club girls and ol’ ladies are two very different things. ”
“Mate, a hole’s a hole,” Boot argued.
“Fuck me,” I muttered dryly. “And who said romance was dead?”
“You can talk,” he retorted indignantly. “Callin’ your girlfriend a bitch and gettin’ in her face because she tried to help out a young girl who’d been assaulted doesn’t exactly scream knight in shining leather.”
I pressed my lips together.
“Should’ve chucked her over your shoulder, took her to your room, and fucked her big mouth so hard she couldn’t speak for a week,” he muttered. “At least she would’ve enjoyed it.”
“She’s a virgin,” I blurted out without thinking. “Gotta go easy on her—for now at least.”
Bootneck’s mouth fell open with shock just as a familiar voice asked from behind me, “Who’s a fuckin’ virgin? And can I have her number?”
I was off my chair in a flash, grabbing hold of Thug by the scruff of his shirt. I got nose to nose with him and snarled, “Shut your fuckin’ mouth.”
He looked me straight in the eye, chewing his gum on one side of his mouth, and gave me a wide grin. “Mornin’, boss. Castle said you had somethin’ to ask me.”
Most men would’ve soiled their shorts if I got in their face, but Thug was the only man alive who was probably crazier than me. He wasn’t scared of anything, even death, and that made him dangerous because when you didn’t care if you lived or died, you really had nothing to lose.
I released his tee and stepped back. “Don’t fuckin’ talk about my girl like that.”
“Someone’s testy today,” he shot back, his smile widening. “Anyone would think you had a guilty conscience or somethin’.” He tapped his mouth with his finger. “Oh, wait.”
My chest rumbled with a growl.
Bootneck let out an amused snort.
I threw my SAA a glare before focusing back on Thug and nodding to the empty stool beside me. “Step into my office.”
He slid onto the chair, leaned his elbow on the bar, and stared at me expectantly.
“Need you to step up, brother. Rodeo’s benched, so I need someone to take over as enforcer for a few weeks.”
“What happened to Rode?” Thug inquired.
“He sparred with Prez,” Bootneck declared.
Thug started laughing. “How did you beat him up so bad that you put him outta commission? Rodeo’s a fuckin’ animal.”
“Wrong time of the month,” I muttered.
“More like Pagan here had a spat with his girl who’s now gone AWOL on his ass, and he’s all up in his feelings,” Boot corrected.
Thug cackled.
I tipped my head back and counted to ten.
It wouldn’t do the club any good to beat the shit out of all my brothers.
One officer down was already gonna be a pain in my ass; I couldn’t deal with replacing Bootneck, too.
Plus, if I punched Thug, he’d probably James Bond his ass into my room later and stab me in my sleep.
I waited until their laughter died down and took a breath before I tipped my face back down to address Thug.
“It’ll just be for a few weeks. Mostly protection and collection duties.
I don’t want you goin’ John Wick on anyone.
If you feel you need to kick some ass, you come to me first. We gotta watch our backs right now, especially after what Huntley Junior did.
I’ve tried to smooth things over with the girl and her pop, but I don’t want any more controversy. ”
Thug’s face hardened. “Heard about that. Amber, who works in the diner, is BFFs with Gracie. She told me that Hank and Peggy Young were impressed with your woman.”
My ears pricked up. “She did?”
“Yeah. Hank knew you were tryin’ to influence him to not go to the cops.
At first, he thought it was ’cause you were a selfish fuck, which is understandable.
I mean, he’s not wrong, and it’s not exactly a secret that we work with Junior and his pig daddy.
Hank was on the verge of sayin’ fuck it all to hell and takin’ Gracie to report the sick fuck over at the next town until your woman offered to ask Abe Decker to help out.
It made him think he’d got you wrong and that you may have Gracie’s best interests at heart.
They talked, and Gracie said she trusted your woman, so they decided they’d go with what you wanted, initially, as long as Junior stays the fuck away from her.
If he tries his bullshit again, they’ll take action. ”
My gut, which had been in knots since the moment Aislynn got in her car and sped away from me, suddenly loosened. Then something hit me—
I’d pushed her away for nothing.
Slowly, I closed my eyes, my stomach roiling with the knowledge that I’d fucked up even more than I realized.
I’d gone nuclear on Aislynn just for being who she was. She was naturally warm with Peggy and Gracie, and I’d punished her for being exactly the type of ol’ lady I’d always wanted for my boys. Now she was ghosting my ass.
Still, it was only a matter of time before I’d track her down.
Aislynn couldn’t hide from me forever.
“Right,” I rasped quietly, the word feeling like sandpaper in my throat.
Zara reappeared with a tray filled with cups, creamer, and a filled coffee pot. She placed it on the bar and gave Bootneck a shy smile.
Pink filled his cheeks, and he ducked his head, throwing her a little grin.
“Jesus fuck,” Thug muttered under his breath.
I concentrated on pouring myself a cup of java, my lips twitching.
“Prez,” Zara began. “I’m getting short of meds. Could I get permission for a prospect to drive me to Rock Springs so I can pick up my prescription?”
“I’ll take ya, sweetheart,” Boot offered.