Chapter 13
Country
“Iwent out to check in with Jagger yesterday.”
Menace had been oddly quiet as we got things loaded up for the run. The second he mentioned Jagger’s name, I figured out why. “How’s he doing?”
“He’s making it.” Menace stopped, then looked over his shoulder, making sure no one was within earshot before saying, “He said something that’s been bugging me.”
“Okay. What exactly did Jagger say?”
“Well, we were talking about Rossi and all the bullshit he put Parker through. I was going on a rant about how he should’ve never gotten off, and he shouldn’t have. The motherfucker killed her entire fucking family and Lynch’s grandparents. He should’ve gotten the fucking chair.”
“I can’t disagree with you there.”
Parker is Menace’s ol’ lady. They met when she came to the strip club for a job.
One thing led to another, and Menace discovered she was on the run from Rossi- the Italian mafia asshole who’d killed her folks.
In hopes of derailing Rossi, Menace took Parker to Billy’s, and Billy being Billy, he gave them both the help they needed.
But Rossi was still an issue. The club wasn’t in the position to go toe to toe with the mafia, so we left it up to the court system.
Unfortunately, that didn’t turn out as we’d hoped.
Rossi got off, but just as he was making his way down the court house steps, he was killed.
Everyone, including Viper, thought Menace had a hand in his death, but we were wrong.
I was curious to hear what Jagger had told him, so I pushed, “So, what did he say that’s bugging you?”
“Something like, ‘I’m glad it all worked out, and the guy got what was coming to him.’”
“Sorry, brother, but I’m not gettin’ why that would bug ya. We’re all glad the guy got what was coming to him.”
“No, brother. It’s not what he said. It’s the way he said it. It’s hard to explain, but I got the feeling he had something to do with it.”
“Did you ask him about it?”
“Yeah, of course, I asked him about it, but he just blew me off. Made it sound like the whole idea was crazy, but I just don’t know.” Menace’s brows were furrowed as he asked, “Do you think it’s even remotely possible that he could’ve had a hand in taking Rossi down?”
Menace wasn’t one to confide in me or anyone for that matter.
He typically sorted shit out on his own, so even though I’d normally joke around about anything and everything, I didn’t want to make light of my brother’s concerns, especially over something like this.
I closed the SUV door, then turned to face him as I said, “Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past him.
There’s no telling the kind of connections he’s made.
He could’ve struck some kind of deal with another inmate, and the rest is history. ”
“Yeah, but to go and do something like that without running it by Viper... or even me. I mean, damn. He’s still a Sinner. You don’t do that kind of shit without talking to somebody.”
“I get what you’re saying, but you gotta remember.
He’s living in a completely different world there.
They have their own rules, their own code, and he’s doing what he’s gotta do to survive.
No matter how many times you go and see him, you’ve got no idea the hell he goes through in that place.
So, if he did happen to have something to do with Rossi’s death, you can bet your life he did it for you. ”
“So, what should I do?”
“Not a damn thing. You let this dog lie, brother. It’s the only thing you can do.”
“And if there’s blowback to the club?”
“Jagger wouldn’t have done anything that could cause the club harm. You know that.” I motioned my hand to Rafe and Axel as they started walking towards us. “Now, pipe down Frances and let it be. We’ve gotta get going.”
“You’re right.” He started walking over to the others as he said, “Thanks, brother.”
“Don’t mention it.”
After we made sure everything was loaded and secured, Menace and I got into the SUV with Rafe and Axel.
With Axel behind the wheel, we pulled through the main gate and were on our way to Knoxville—a halfway point between our clubhouse and the North Carolina Sinner chapter.
Viper and Dax, the president of the NC chapter, decided it would be easier to meet there once a month to make our exchange.
The three and half hours versus the six and a half suited me just fine.
I figured the sooner we got there and back, the sooner I could get back home and over to the Manor to see about Kiersten.
While she didn’t say anything specific, I got the feeling that something was weighing on her mind, and I wanted to make sure she was okay.
We were about an hour into our drive when Axel turned back to me and asked, “What’s up with you?”
“Huh?”
“You sick or something?”
“What the hell are you talking about, brother?”
“You haven’t said two words since we got in the truck,” Axel explained. “We usually can’t get you to shut your trap, so I figure there’s gotta be something wrong.”
“Ah, he’s alright. Just pinning over his latest honey hole,” Rafe snickered.
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. I was too fucking angry with Rafe for referring to Kiersten as a goddamn honey hole, so I simply sat there and glared at him.
When he realized he’d overstepped, he quickly apologized.
“Oh, come on, brother. You know I didn’t mean nothin’ by it. I was just messin’ around.”
Again, I didn’t respond. If I had, it would’ve just given the guys fuel for the fire, and I simply wasn’t in the mood.
I should’ve expected it. I’d given both Rafe and Menace all kinds of hell when they met their ol’ ladies—especially Rafe.
Then again, the asshole had it coming. Marlowe worked at Crockett’s, and like all men who crossed paths were her, I found her attractive and even asked her out.
I wasn’t into her like I have been with Kiersten.
I was just looking to get laid, and I’m pretty sure she knew it.
That’s why Marlowe made me think she was a lesbian.
She had me thinking it for months—right up until the day she and Rafe hooked up.
I didn’t hold any ill-will towards either of them.
Hell, they were meant for each other. In all the years I’d known him, I’d never seen my brother so happy.
That thought had me thinking about Kiersten, and once my mind was on her, everything around me turned into a blur. So much so, I hadn’t even realized that we’d pulled up to our destination until Rafe gave me a nudge and said, “Hey, pull your head out of your ass, brother. We’re here.”
Not believing that I’d been so out of sorts, I took a quick glance out the window, and just like Rafe said, we were parked behind the old football stadium where we’d agreed to meet up with the NC chapter.
It had been closed down for years and was clear from any watchful eyes.
I knew the others were waiting, so I ran my hand over my face and tried to clear the fog as I grumbled, “I’ll be damn.
“You alright?”
“Yeah, I’m good.” As I opened my door, I said, “Let’s do this.”
By the time Rafe and I got out of the truck, Axel and Menace were already out and reacquainting themselves with the brothers from the NC chapter.
While we’d all met before, it was with all the other chapters, and with all the booze and crowds of people, it was often hard to keep track of who was who.
I happened to recognize Bates, their club’s sergeant at arms. At six-four and two hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle, the man was hard to forget.
He had jet-black hair and tattoos covering most of his exposed body, including his throat and hands.
Even though the guy was a bit menacing, he’d always seemed too cool whenever we were together, so I went over and gave him a brotherly hug.
“Hey, brother. How’s it going? It’s been a while. ”
“Yes, it has. It’s been going good. You been making it alright?”
“Can’t complain. And you?”
“The same.” He motioned his hand towards the others as he said, “I’m sure you remember Fallon, our enforcer.”
Fallon wasn’t as tall as Bates, but he was just as built and had his own fair share of tattoos. His hair was long like mine and pulled back into a long braid. I gave him a side hug as I replied, “I do. It’s good to see ya again, brother.”
He nodded, then turned to introduce us all to the two younger guys standing beside him. “And this Hugo and Reed. I’m not sure if you had a chance to meet at the last gathering.”
“Not sure if we did. Anyway, it’s always good to meet a fellow brother.” Menace turned to Bates as he said, “We gotta do better about gettin’ the clubs together.”
“Yeah, we do. It’s been too long.”
Getting right down to business, Axel motioned his head towards the truck as he said, “We’ve got the product. Twenty pounds like we discussed.”
“This shit really as good as Viper says?”
“Wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t.” Axel was our VP for a reason.
He was level-headed and forthright, but at the same time, he didn’t take shit off anyone.
He told it like it is, and he expected everyone else to do the same.
While these were our fellow brothers, we were there to do business, and he treated it as such.
“You shouldn’t have any trouble moving it, but if you do, just let us know, and we’ll sort things from there. ”
“We shouldn’t have any problem with unloading it.” Bates turned to Hugo and Reed as he told them, “Get the goods and load it in the truck.”
Rafe and I followed him to the back of the truck, then helped them move the bags over to their truck. Once we had Kiersten’s smell-proof bags secured under the back compartment, we closed the door and said, “Bring the bags back on the next exchange.”
“Will do.”
We made our way back to the others just in time to hear Fallon ask, “You boys wanna grab a bite to eat before you head back?”
“Appreciate the offer, brother, but like you, we got a long drive home.”
“That we do.”