Seven
Seven
GUNNER
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Watching Savvy the other night setting those bitches straight had me hard as fuck. At first, it shocked me that my Princess, my baby girl, would be that petty and vindictive to turn on Bellamy and Savvy. Using the club girls to do her dirty work was not a level I ever thought she would stoop to. I love my daughters and don’t want them to feel like I’m choosing sides. But right now, it’s hard not to.
Admittedly, adjusting to having all my children together took me longer than it should have. In the beginning, and when things with Beverly first came to light, I put my foot in my mouth and said some fucked up shit to Bell without thinking. Since then, I’ve apologized and tried to make up for my mistakes and shit attitude. I’ve been building my relationship with my daughter Bellamy, even though she can be a pain in my ass, but in getting to know her, I understand that most of the time, she means well.
I don”t agree with or consider the issues between Bell and Princess worth all of this discord. I understand how things went down was... life-altering. And then, when Taz chose Bell over Princess, that further added to the demise of my daughter”s relationship. Even though Taz should have been a nonfactor. He made that clear to Princess more than once. That hasn’t stopped her, though. The thing is, rationally, Princess has to know that Bellamy has never felt any ill intentions toward her. Bellamy never starts shit, but she damn well finishes it. Princess”s hate toward Bellamy and Savvy only seems to drive a wedge even further between her and her brothers. And I don’t know what the fuck to do about it.
Savvy thinks I indulge her, and I can’t say it’s not entirely true, but Princess truly feels like no one is on her side. And I never want my kids to feel like that. With how Vex, her twin, has been lately and what he said the other night. I can understand why she is lashing out in anger. In her mind, she believes Savvy, Bellamy, and Blaze coming here is why her family has turned on her. Which is the furthest from the truth as it can get. They brought shit to light that saved her, but somewhere in all the shit her mother was feeding her, that reality got lost, and instead, she was angry that they were right. That, I think, is what has her fucked up. That the people she’s convinced were the bad guys weren’t. Instead of accepting it, she rebels and refuses to see that she’s wrong.
When Savvy said what she did to Princess, it took everything in me not to go over and grab my daughter, shake her, and make her see that no one here wishes her anything but happiness. All we wanted, all I wanted, was to protect her from her toxic mother and the fucked up deal she made.
I don’t expect my kids to like each other, but respect has been hard-earned, and Princess has repeatedly shown that she has no respect for her siblings or my woman. And that shit is something I need to get squared away once and for all. My trying to be understanding because of what she’s gone through isn’t getting me anywhere with Princess. Knowing that, a decision has to be made–and soon.
A knock sounds at my office door, and before I can answer, it bursts open.
“It’s a fucking chick, Prez.” Spider comes barreling into my office with his laptop open.
He slams the thing on my desk. Turning the screen toward me. Spider’s face is set in a furious mask as he clicks on the keyboard with more force than necessary. When the screen flickers and plays, I lean in closer.
“Well, shit.”
I can only tell it’s a female by the softness of her eyes, even though half her face is covered up. There is also no way to hide her curves with what she’s wearing. We watch as she slinks into the office and goes directly to the safe. She doesn’t hesitate as she steps up to the safe. I notice her pulling something out of her pocket. It looks like a penlight. She shines it on the keypad and puts in the code. Which has my eyes widening at how quickly she put it in.
“What the fuck?” I say, my eyes leaving the screen to look at Spider, who looks even more pissed.
“Fuck if I know, Prez. After church, I went to both locations and changed the fucking codes myself.” He growls.
I take out my phone and send a text, setting it on my desk next to the laptop as I watch the girl take money out of the safe. Then she enters the store, pulls out a bag, and slowly fills it up. She doesn’t take so much that it would go noticed immediately, but eventually, when Miko did inventory, he would catch on. The thing that catches my attention is that she doesn’t take junk; she checks the back of shit she puts in her bag, reading labels and shit. Juices, milk, healthy snacks, and fruit. She sticks a few candy bars in the bag, but not much. Interesting.
“How much this time?” I say as I continue to watch the screen.
“With the safe and the shit from the store, about two g’s which...”
My door burst open again as Bull and Taz entered the room, looking furious. Spider growls. The fucker really does hate being interrupted.
“…is more than she has taken during her previous… visits.”
Leaning back in my chair. Taz and Bull take a seat in the uncomfortable ass chairs across from my desk. Spider turns his laptop toward them and starts the video over. Bull growls as he watches, and Taz glares at the screen, watching intently. When it gets to the part where she walks into the store, Taz’s brows furrow, realizing what I have. This isn’t someone who is fucking with us. This is someone desperate, smart, but desperate. His eyes leave the laptop and come to mine with understanding.
“What are we going to do about this? We thought it was some punk ass fucking with the club, but with the way, she’s moving around the store. There has to be something more to the story; look how she”s looking at the back of shit before shoving it in her bag,” Taz says, pointing to the screen that holds all our attention.
“Pops, who fucking cares about her damn story? Whoever the fuck she is, she’s stealing from us and needs to be handled.” Bull huffs out, sitting back and crossing his arms.
I chuckle, knowing my son all too well. He doesn’t give a shit that it’s a chick. In Bull”s eyes, a thief is a thief. And after his mother, he is less likely to give anyone grace, especially to a stranger.
“I get what you are saying, son, but I agree with Taz. There is something to this.” I say, raising my hand and cutting him off.
Sitting back in my chair, I run my hand over my head.
“Here is what I want to happen. Dave will let us use his store because he’s not a prick like the rest of those yuppies. So he won’t have a problem with us using his place to keep eyes on our own. Since we don’t know when she will be back, I want one of the newer members or a prospect put on rotation to watch that location. Have them dropped off. I don’t want bikes or cars left behind. That shit would be suspicious as fuck to our little thief and will spook her. Keep the cameras in place at the other location. There is no need to have anyone there; there would be nowhere for anyone to stake the place out from, anyway, since it’s in the middle of nowhere. When you have the prospects or brothers go over, tell them that if they catch sight of our health-conscious little thief, I want them to call Bull and not engage. Then I want her brought to me. She has a lot to answer for, and I have fucking questions.” I say, giving my son a pointed look.
“Was the other station hit last night as well?” I look at Spider, who looks at me calmer than he had been.
“Naw, Prez. I saw nothing when I reviewed the tapes this morning. It’s safe to assume she only hits one at a time.” Spider says.
“Good, keep an eye on that shit. Maybe we can get this shit handled sooner than later.” Letting out a low growl. “Cause I need a fucking break. This last year has been some shit. And all I want to do is reacquaint myself with my woman, spend time with my grandbabies and Taz’s stupid ass mutt…” and like he knows I’m talking about him, the little shit sits up from his bed I have for him in my office and give me a fuck you look causing everyone to chuckle. He huffs and goes back to licking his balls. With a shake of my head. “…not deal with this shit.”
Spider, Bull, and Vex chuckle at the look on my face. I rock back in my chair, running my hand over my head and face.
“Alright fuckers, go do what you gotta do,” I say, signaling the fuckers to get out of my office.
With a long look, my VP gives me a nod and runs out of my office like his ass is on fire, with his little dick licker following behind him. He can’t be far from his wife and kids these days. The fucker is pussy whipped. I nearly gag at the thought, knowing who has him acting like a bitch in heat. Spider wordlessly walks out, laptop in hand and determination in his eyes. I look at my son, who looks deep in thought, something I’ve noticed a lot lately. Something is bothering him, but I know not to push. Bull will tell me what’s going on when he’s ready. When he doesn’t move to leave, I sit up, leaning over my desk and interlocking my fingers as I take him in.
With a sigh. “Did you talk to your sister recently?” I wince at the annoyance I hear in my voice.
Bull’s eyes snap up to mine. The look he gives me lets me know whatever is on his mind is all-consuming. With a shake of his head, he lets out a harsh breath and sits back in his seat, which makes a groaning sound, and he winces.
“Fuck, Pops, can’t you get some real fucking chairs in here? This shit is ridiculous.” He says, shifting in his seat, frustrated. He stands and walks over to the couch and sits, resting his elbows on his knees.
Not waiting for an answer. “Naw, Princess has been ducking and diving me and Vex since the other night. Something has to give with her. I get she’s fucked up by the shit Beverly did, but she fucked up by believing that shit the mafia fuck sold her. All the shit she’s doing is out of spite. I know my sister. She’s hurting, and instead of talking this shit out, she’s pulling away and throwing a tantrum, wanting everyone else to hurt as much as she is.” He lets out a humorless laugh. “After shit went down, I tried to get her to talk to someone, but she’s stubborn as fuck.” He says, the pain of watching his sister struggle all over his face.
I’m not shocked hearing his words or the fact that he tried to get Princess to talk to someone. It’s also not shocking that he no longer acknowledges Beverly as his mother; none of my kids do, not even Princess.
“That’s the thing, Bull. She has had every opportunity to talk to us or someone else to work shit out. You ain’t the only one that tried to get her to see someone.” Shifting in my chair, I turn toward my son. “I don’t know what to do about her. She’s an adult, and if she were anyone else in the club, she’d be out bad for half the shit she’s pulled. She’s my kid, and I feel a responsibility for the way she’s lashing out, the shit she’s been through...” Bull goes to cut me off. I raise my hand to stop him. “I know it ain’t on me, I know that. As her father, I still feel like I should have done more, been a little harder on her, made her work for her shit, and not make excuses for her. Maybe then she wouldn’t be so selfish and entitled. She’s always been my baby girl.” I pause, letting out a breath. “And to see her like this…” I cut myself off. The emotion threatening to break free has my chest aching. Fuck.
Looking at my eldest, I see I’m not alone in my feelings. Bull shoots up from where he’s seated. And runs his hand through his hair, something we both do when we are thinking or getting emotional about shit.
“There ain’t much we can do but be there for her and let her know we won’t let shit slide. Ma Savvy isn’t wrong. We’ve got to let her fall and clean up her shit on her own. She’s twenty-two years old, and all she has ever known is the club. The club has protected her and cleaned up after her. Maybe it’s time you let her go. Let her go to college like Beverly, and that fuck promised her. Maybe that will give her what she’s looking for. Fuck if I know, but we gotta do something because shit can’t keep on the way it has been.” He says, emotion clogging his words.
I’m grateful for the man he has become, not for the first time. Pride swells in my chest as I look up at him.
“When the fuck did you get so damn smart? Fuck kid. You”re going to be one hell of a Prez with that head of yours.” I say with a smirk.
A slight flicker in his eyes, and he lowers his head, not allowing me to see his emotions when hearing my words. With a shake of his head, the returning smirk lets me know he appreciates my praise, and his eyes glisten. Clearing his throat, he nods.
“Well, at least you know you aren’t a complete shit father.” He chuckles at walks to the door. “Later Pop.” He says without looking back and walks out of my office, leaving me to my thoughts.
I chuckle as the door clicks closed behind him. He isn’t one to show emotion, not even to me. So talking about this shit was definitely bringing shit up along with whatever else he has going on. He isn’t wrong. With Princess, I have been feeling like I failed as a father. She needs something other than terrorizing everyone to focus on. Pulling out my phone, I send a text, hoping that what I’m doing will give her what she needs.