Chapter 6
FOOL
“You want me to do what again?” There’s no way I heard Twister’s request correctly. It has to be a mistake.
I look over at Cannon to see if he’s experiencing the same issue, and when he asks, “What school does she go to?” it seems he isn’t.
Twister looks between those at the table before his gaze lands on me once more. He leans forward, elbows on the table, and clasps his fingers together. “April attends Willow Creek University, thirty minutes from your clubhouse.”
I know the school he’s talking about, and it’s not an easy one to get into. It’s mostly about prestige. She’d have had to have the perfect GPA and all the other bullshit even to get accepted there. Not to mention the cost of the place. Were the guys paying for it? Did she get scholarships?
“But she’s here. Why do you need me to go watch over her? Isn’t she on spring break or something?” I ask.
“April left to head back to school just a bit ago,” Horse remarks. “Said she needed to get some schoolwork done.”
“You don’t believe her?” Cannon asks, glancing between the two men.
Twister shakes his head, eyes on my Prez.
“April isn’t just my daughter’s best friend.
She might not have my blood, but she’s one of mine, all the same.
We’ve all pretty much raised her. We know her just like I know my Mercy.
She’s hiding something. Doesn’t want to share it.
Hasn’t shared it with anyone, not even Mercy or Kayla. ”
Horse leans forward, mimicking Twister. “You want this alliance with our club? We want our girl protected. Do this for us, and the alliance will be permanent between our clubs. You won’t have any issues with us.
Stoney will also back this play, seeing as she’s his family.
Same goes for Blow, over at our Tennessee Charter. ”
“And you want Fool to protect her?” Cannon asks for confirmation.
“Exactly.” Twister nods.
“Hold up, I just saw her.” She couldn’t have left already. Then again, that was before I met with Cannon and before Twister asked to meet with the two of us.
“She took off right after bumping into you and saying goodbye to Kayla and Mercy,” Horse grunts. “One thing about April, she’s quick to run away.”
“What else am I missing?” I ask, watching both men closely. “If I’m gonna do this, I want to know everything you’re not telling me. Leave nothing out.”
“Fool was a SEAL until recently, as you know from our phone conversations,” Cannon states. “He’ll do what it takes to make sure she’s safe, but given his training and skills, he needs to know everything to do what you’re asking. He doesn’t need to go in blind.”
“Respect that about you, Fool,” Twister says, nodding. Something in his eyes shifts in a way I don’t know how to read.
“We’ve got several brothers who were in the service,” Horse remarks. “They saw their share of shit. If you need someone to talk to, they’ll listen. Hell, any of us would. I might not have served, nor did Twister, but we’ll still listen.”
“Appreciate that. Twister offered the same thing yesterday,” I tell both of them.
“It’s unnecessary. I’ve got my brothers if I need to talk.
” I motion to Cannon. He’s the one I’ll talk to most because he also served in the military.
“They’re there for me when I need them.” Cannon nods and slaps my shoulder as I continue.
“If you’ll give me what I need to know, I’ll see to April. ”
“You’ll have it, but I’m telling you now that if you hurt her, we’ll have problems.”
“A girl like April,” I trail off for a moment, holding Twister’s gaze to finish his statement. “Anyone who hurts her would deserve it.”
“Right then,” Twister says, nodding. “Here’s what you need to know.”
He gives me a rundown of some of April’s past. He doesn’t go into detail, which I respect.
It shows he cares about April’s privacy and wants to keep her safe.
She’s got a shit mom. A dad who loves her but not enough to stick around.
She got a full-ride scholarship for school, and the club also helps pay for anything else she might need.
Lastly, she’s finishing school and getting ready to graduate.
What he doesn’t tell me are the potential issues for her at school.
I’m sure that’s because he doesn’t know, as he said she’s keeping things from them.
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t have any trouble.” April needs someone looking out for her, and I can do that. Looking to Cannon, I say, “I’ll head out in ten and get back to the clubhouse. Tomorrow, I’ll head over to the school and check in. If anything seems strange, I’ll let ya know.”
“Take Hazard and Rimfire with you. The rest of us will head back tomorrow.” Cannon nods, rapping his knuckles on the table.
“Will do.” I get to my feet and head out in search of Hazard and Rimfire. They won’t mind heading out early, not because they want to miss out on any fun they could get into, but because they’ll know we’ve got a job to do.
I quickly find Hazard and inwardly groan. Images of his body being put in the ground pop into my head. If he doesn’t get out of here soon, that’s exactly what’s gonna happen. Seeing him, arm braced against the wall, body close to Mercy, he’s asking for his ass to be kicked.
I clear my throat to get attention and say, “Hey, Haz, we need to leave in ten minutes.”
“Where are we goin’?” Hazard asks, dropping his arm and turning to face me, blocking my view of Mercy.
“Home,” I tell him, then go to pass them. I stop long enough to look at Mercy and say, “Good job on the prank on him last night. I heard him shouting through the walls for a while. Mice traps under the bottom sheet. Good one.”
Mercy giggles, shaking her head. “That was April’s idea. You should thank her.”
“I’ll be sure to do so the next time I see her.” I nod.
“Be sure to do just that,” Mercy says, her smile fading. “My dad asked you to check on her, didn’t he? That’s why you’re leaving.”
“You have a problem if that’s what he asked me to do?”
“Nope.” Mercy gets a concerned look in her eyes. “Just make sure she’s okay. Something’s going on at her school, and she’s not talking about it. She’s been like this for a while. She’s been different lately. Not as bright as she usually is.”
“You know what it is?” Hazard asks.
“No.” She sighs. “Trust me when I say Kayla and I have asked her. More than once. She’s worked her ass off and is struggling. One thing I know for certain is that someone is fucking with her. Last night, she kept checking her phone and looked about ready to burst into tears.”
“Right,” I tell her, then look to my brother. “I’m heading out as soon as I grab my bag. You grab Rimfire.”
“Meet you at the bikes,” Hazard mutters.
Nodding, I make my way to the room where I stayed, grab my pack, and head for my bike.
Given what both Twister and Mercy said, it seems April needs someone to have her back, even if she doesn’t want it. Reading between the lines of what Twister said, I’m gonna be the man who does just that.
But I’m not sure that’s going to be the only thing I can do. April captivates me in a way I can’t quite figure out. I’m not even sure I want to. What I do know is I won’t let her go at things alone when I can do something about it.