Wrath Chapter 12 #3
“They sent me texts saying sorry and that they love me. Cougar told me to stand my ground. He agrees that I made a good choice. He likes you.”
“He and I had a great chat. I like him too. Okay, let me see if Panther can talk. Do you want to listen in? You have to stay quiet, though.” I wouldn’t normally do that to someone, but these circumstances were unusual.
“Sure, why not? I’d hoped that between him, Scooter, and Cougar, they could talk Dad off this crazy train he’s on, but no such luck.”
I had to smirk at the crazy train remark. I found Panther’s number in my phone and placed the call. It rang three times before he answered. He sounded a bit out of breath.
“Wrath, I’m here,” he said almost anxiously.
“Hello, Panther. It sounds like you ran to the phone. There’s no need,” I told him.
“I did. I left it upstairs. I’ve been wanting to speak to you.
I planned to touch base tomorrow if you didn’t call first. Again, I can’t tell you how sorry I am about what Psycho did.
I had another talk with him, and Scooter did, too.
I hope we’re getting through to him. I know you don’t want us to help with the car show, but I still want to.
No matter what, Jae is a part of this club.
I have no problem with you or your club.
Once Psycho wakes the fuck up, he’ll see how wrong he is,” he grumbled.
“Thanks for saying that and all, but I hate to tell you that the talks aren’t helping.
Not even two minutes ago, Jalisa got another text from him.
Since she doesn’t like his list of members in your chapter willing to claim her, he’s been asking other Fiend chapters who would.
I say that because he has given her names of willing members from the other chapters. ”
“Are you fucking kidding me? Son of a bitch, what’s gotten into him? I swear, I’m about to beat him. I can’t believe this shit,” Panther snarled. There was more muttering under his breath that I didn’t understand. Once he stopped, I spoke again.
“I’m not trying to interfere in your club.
And I appreciate your offering to help with the car show, but with this many guys weighing in and saying they’re okay to claim my old lady, I’m worried that Psycho isn’t alone in his mindset.
I can’t do it, Panther. I can’t. I know I can count on you, Scooter, and Cougar, but that’s it.
I won’t put her at risk. If our attention is divided due to worrying if the men at our backs have them, I won’t do it. ”
“Wrath, I do understand, I do. But I don’t want the whole club painted with the same brush. Do you have the names of the guys he’s given her?”
“I don’t, but I can get them. Or should I ask Jalisa to join us? She’s close by.”
“If she’s close, yeah, see if she will. I know she’s answered texts from me, Cougar, and Scoot, but that’s not the same as talking directly to us.”
“Hold on a minute.” I placed him on mute.
“Babe, are you okay with talking to him? It sounds like he has no idea what’s going on under the surface with the club.”
“It does sound that way. I know he’s been letting Scooter and Dad handle more club business in the past few months. He and Tonda have been doing more things away from the compound. Dad’s filled in before, but maybe it’s gone to his head or something,” she revealed.
“Alright, show time. Have those names ready.” I winked before taking us off mute.
“Hi, Panther, I’m here. How are you?” she asked kindly.
“I’m doing fine, honey. It’s you I’m worried about. Your old man says your dad hasn’t given up his insane idea that you leave Wrath and choose a Fiend. And that not only did Psycho send you a list of guys in this chapter, but other Fiend chapter members who say they would claim you.”
“That’s right. I didn’t want to know which of the guys there might see me as more than a sister. I can avoid the ones in the other chapters. This makes me feel dirty.”
“Honey, I’m sorry. I have no clue what’s gotten into him.
We’ve tried talking. I thought his stopping the rants meant he was coming around, but I see I was wrong.
Tonda has been threatening to smack him around.
If I tell her what he’s been doing, she will.
She said if he runs you off and we never get to see you again, she’ll never forgive Psycho.
She swore she’d ask to be patched over.”
The patched-over remark made both of us chuckle. “I don’t blame you. Dad can be hardheaded. I won’t shut everyone out. Tonda doesn’t need to turn in her property cut.”
“Good. Your man tells me you have text messages with the names of the men here and in other Fiend chapters who Psycho has suggested. I need those.”
“They sound like more than suggestions. Dad claims they agreed. If he’s pimping me out to the chapters, I’ll die.
I feel like a heifer he’s trying to sell.
The ones there are Zeke, Chewy, and Shotgun.
I’ll send you the text with the names from the other chapters.
He stayed close to Georgia because he didn’t want me far away.
I don’t know what to do, Uncle Panther. I love my dad, but he’s driving a wedge between us.
I can’t have him hating my old man and causing dissension or worse.
We should concentrate on Killer and the Black Outlaws, not fight among each other. ”
“I totally agree. I will find a way to stop this,” Panther assured her.
“Speaking of Black Outlaws, has the national president called you back?” I chimed in to ask.
“No, the bastard keeps ducking my calls. The official answer is he’s on a retreat and has left orders not to be disturbed. I can’t gauge if it’s just his typical attitude, which it could be, or if he’s backing Killer and his chapter and wants to buy time. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” she said.
“I’ve got the plans in place for the car show.
We have plenty of help. If you can find a way to get an answer from the national president, that would be good.
The bigger thing is to convince Psycho to stop.
I’m holding back because he’s Jalisa’s dad, but he will push too far, and when he does, I’ll have to have a come-to-Jesus talk with him.
If that happens, she’ll be upset, and you won’t be happy.
But I won’t allow him to make her miserable or drive a wedge between her and me,” I warned.
“I wouldn’t blame you. And short of killing his ass, I say go for it if it comes to it. He’s my best friend, but in this instance, he’s way off base. I love Jae like she’s mine, but I wouldn’t mess up her chance of happiness.”
“Thank you, and I love you,” she told him.
We exchanged a few more words, and then we ended the call. As soon as we did, she burst into tears.
“Hey, hey, there’s no need for that,” I told her as I maneuvered her out of her chair and onto my lap.
“What if he never comes around? I don’t want to lose my dad, but I don’t want to lose you, either,” she sobbed.
“You won’t lose him. He’s stubborn, not stupid. Psycho will eventually straighten up. And you’re not getting rid of me. You’re stuck with me.”
Her crying slowly stopped. I placed a gentle kiss on her lips.
Wanting to take her mind off it, I told her about the interview with Chas.
She thought it was weird that anyone would tell him the club required those things.
I agreed. When I explained Jaz, she wanted her address to smack some sense into her.
The last one held her attention. She was incensed that Clark would do that to his customers, but more so, what he did to his family.
It had the desired effect, and she calmed.
“I told you about my day. How was yours on the work front? Did you accomplish what you wanted?”
She leaned over to grab her laptop. A huge smile was on her face.
“I got so much done, and I want your opinion. I need to know if you think it will make my customer and theirs happy, and if you have any feedback.”
“I’ll try, but I don’t have an ounce of artistic ability, babe. I fuck up stick figures.”
She snorted, then shook her head. “Well, then our kids better hope they take after me when it comes to drawing or anything of that kind.”
I grinned. When she showed it to me, I was stunned. I knew she did graphic art and other designs for various businesses, but I was thinking of simple logos. I couldn’t believe what she was showing me.
“Jalisa, what kind of business is this for?” I asked hoarsely. It was a man and a woman in a passionate embrace in bed, and they were naked. The anatomy was realistic, and all the details were there.
She laughed. “Not what you thought I did, is it? That’s alright.
I don’t always do these. I don’t show these around to people, either.
I’ve started to work with a few independent authors who request character art for their books.
They tell me about their characters, give me physical descriptions, and maybe describe a scene from the book, and then I recreate it in visual art form.
They can then take them and have art prints made to sell and give to their readers.
Their readers love their specialness and the fact that they have something so different than many others.
This is a first for this author. She was referred by one of my other authors, and I hope it means repeat requests if she likes it. ”
“Babe, this is incredible and, dare I say, a turn-on. It’s giving me ideas,” I softly growled in her ear. She sighed and wiggled her ass on my growing erection. She smirked over her shoulder. I saw desire burning in her gaze.
“I was hoping you’d say that. Why don’t we go upstairs and see if we can do anything to put out the fire that I feel and hope you feel?”
“I’m all for that, Lil’ Lunatic. I’ve been thinking of that all day. I couldn’t wait to get home to you. And it was for more than sex. I enjoy being with you, Jalisa, so much.”
“I’m the same. Let’s go, Lucian.”
She slipped off my lap. We stood. Holding hands, we hurried to our bedroom. My urgency was building.