Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
Alejandro
Joey grimaced as he eased into his seat at the head of the table. I shot him a scowl, which he pointedly ignored. I’d told him to let me help him sit down, but he’d been stubborn, arguing he could do it on his own. I knew he could, but receiving help would’ve lessened his discomfort.
Stubborn man.
He had better be glad I was damn near out of my mind in love with him because I didn’t tolerate this shit from anyone else.
“So, what the fuck exactly happened two nights ago?” River demanded, narrowing his eyes at Joey. “No one else knows. And quite frankly, I’ve been patient enough waiting for answers. You could’ve fucking died.”
Joey made a heart with his hands in front of his chest and fluttered his lashes at River. I bit back a smirk. Joey was a dick, a huge asshole, and he was also a bit sassy. I was obsessed with him.
“Awe, worried about me, brother?”
River scowled, not amused in the slightest. “Don’t fuck around, Joey.
I spent hours consoling Adelaide after I stitched your side up.
I barely even got to get your blood off my hands before she fell apart in my arms. So open your fucking mouth and tell me why the fuck you acted alone and almost got killed. ”
Joey sighed and leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “Jesus Christ, it’s not that serious—”
“It is that serious,” I growled, agitated with him now. How the fuck didn’t he think it was that serious? Elaina and I could have lost him. “So start fucking talking, Joey.”
He turned his head, meeting my gaze, and after a moment, his eyes softened, and he nodded once. River glanced at me, seemingly a little grateful that I was able to settle Joey and make him comply. Fuck knew the man would’ve kept pushing River’s buttons if I hadn’t.
Blowing out a harsh breath, Joey said, “I was getting the women and kids out of the shipping container. Ink already had the boys. Whiler already had his hands full with Giddons. So, I handled it on my own. Didn’t think it would be a problem.
But we missed a couple of guys, and they spotted me.
One of them managed to shoot me in my side. ”
“Kids weren’t supposed to be there yet,” I said.
Obviously, I’d found out since Miguel had transported them back into Mexico that they’d been there much earlier than planned, but having kids in the equation had complicated things.
If it’d just been the women, Joey might have let someone come back and help.
Kids? I knew he would’ve seen no other option other than getting everyone to safety right then and there, regardless of if he lived or died.
“No, they weren’t,” Joey sighed. “And I wasn’t stopping until I got them to safety. I knew once I got to the rendezvous point, River, Ink, and Sam would make sure I got back here.”
“You almost crashed the fucking truck,” Ink growled at Joey.
He wasn’t one to get angry easily, but it was clear he harbored some bad feelings about what Joey had done.
“You should have let us know you were injured. Put in a call to River. You should’ve called for back-up, Joey.
Not told me you were fucking fine. Because you weren’t. ”
“And if more showed up?” Joey snapped back at him. “They would’ve killed me and taken them, and we probably would’ve never found them again. Wasn’t taking that chance.” He patted his cut. “This piece of leather? When we put this on, it means our own lives no longer matter, brother. You know that.”
“Your life does matter,” I snapped at him, getting pissed off, which was pretty rare for me.
Joey swung his eyes to me. “You have me and Elaina now, at the very fucking least, to think about when you go off and do shit like this. This was why I didn’t want you infiltrating Giddons trafficking ring.
This was why I was so against this from the beginning.
Because I could’ve fucking lost you, Joey.
” I stalked toward him and leaned in, my hands braced on the arms of his chair.
His breathing quickened the tiniest bit, and his lips parted a smidge, his minty breath fanning across my face.
“Do not do something stupid like this again, you fucking hear me?”
“Or what?” he breathed.
My hand snapped up, latching around his throat.
His pulse fluttered beneath my thumb, and he swallowed thickly, his Adam’s apple bobbing beneath my palm.
“Don’t fucking test me in a room full of men who respect you, Joey.
” Leaning in, I kissed him hard and quick, then released him and stood.
“I’m going to check on Elaina. Miguel will let you know the status of those you rescued. ”
With that, I left the room, heading outside to get a quick smoke in before I checked on Elaina. I was feeling volatile, and I was furious with Joey for talking about his life as if it meant so little. And I would not bring my rage around the one person in this world who did not deserve it.
“Alejandro…” Joey quietly called.
I grunted as I lit my cigarette. “What?”
He sighed and gripped my arm, turning me to face him.
“I didn’t mean that my life doesn’t mean shit.
” I arched a brow at him as I slowly blew smoke from between my lips.
Because how the fuck else had he meant that?
“I just meant that I took an oath when I not only created this club, but when I became president. I might get involved in a lot of shady shit—running guns being one of those. But I vowed to always protect and help those who couldn’t do it themselves.
I failed Adelaide. I failed my sister. But I swore I’d never fail anyone else, even if it means my own life. ”
Sighing, I tossed the cigarette down, barely having even smoked it, then wrapped an arm around his neck to pull him to me. I rested my chin on his shoulder. “I cannot lose you, Joey,” I rasped. “I need you to understand that. You and Elaina mean everything to me.”
He nodded. “I’m sorry. I don’t say those words often, but I am. I’m sorry I scared you.”
I pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “Just be more cautious next time.”
He grunted and wound his arms around my waist, sinking into me. “I’ll try.”