Chapter Two.
Harlequin
Shattered, as I’d been on guard duty at the gate all night, all I wanted to do was hit the sack. But that wasn’t going to happen; I’d walked into Runner, shoving Jinx around.
“What the fuck’s going on?” I demanded as I shut the kitchen door leading to the rec room.
“Bitch boy won’t make breakfast,” Runner snarled.
“Jinx isn’t your slave.”
Jinx’s fists were clenched, and I realised he was barely restraining himself from punching Runner.
“He’s a snitch, and snitches are bitches until they get stitches,” Runner sneered.
“Wasn’t Jinx who snitched. That was me. Come on, you mouthy fuck, what now?” I demanded getting into Runner’s face.
Runner looked at me dubiously. “Why are you covering for this freak? The asshole’s a walking disaster. Jinx shouldn’t be here, everyone knows he’s a dirty, snitching rat.”
“Number one. Jinx has as much right as anybody to prospect. Second, I told you, it was me, not Jinx. He was being blamed for Olivia getting into the paint that we all heard Bear order you to put away. Third, if you wanna threaten someone, try me on for size,” I said, stepping even further into Runner’s face. We were almost nose to nose.
“Jesus, you bumming him or something? Jinx your little pet?” Runner sneered, and I ground my teeth.
“You and me, the ring, right now,” I snarled, and Runner stepped backwards and laughed.
“Don’t wanna hurt you. Pretty boy here might have to take on a new protector if I fuck you up,” he retorted.
Before I could react, Jinx did. Jinx’s fist flew at Runner and knocked him back several steps. Impressed, I nodded at the power that Jinx had put into the blow.
“Asshole, I don’t like your insinuations,” Jinx said emotionally.
Runner touched his jaw and wriggled it. “Bet you hate hearing the truth? Fuckin’ faggot.”
Jinx launched before I could restrain him.
He barrelled into Runner and tackled him to the ground.
Runner clearly hadn’t expected Jinx’s reaction because he went down far too easily.
Jinx got the upper hand and began laying into Runner.
Runner held his arms above his face in an attempt to stop Jinx before trying to fight back.
He sucker-punched Jinx, who took it on the chin like a man.
Damn, I guessed Runner realised he wasn’t going to win as I glimpsed metal, and I yelled, “Blade!”
Jinx just rolled out of the way as I launched forward and kicked Runner’s hand. The knife flew from it, and Jinx gasped as he reeled back.
“What the hell’s happening?” an angry voice demanded. Crap, I peered up and saw Diesel glowering.
“Shit,” Jinx muttered as he paled and held his shoulder. Blood seeped through his fingers, and a horrified realisation came over me.
“Runner stabbed you!” I drew a breath as I kicked Runner in the head, knocking him unconscious, and hurried across to Jinx.
“Someone wanna tell me what the fuck is going on?” Diesel snapped as he moved over to Jinx. He removed Jinx’s hand and tore Jinx’s tee. “That needs stitches, prospect.”
“Guessed that.” Jinx managed a rueful chuckle, although it was clear he was in pain.
“Go get Tati; she’s stitched a few of us up. She’ll be at home right now,” Diesel ordered as he yanked his phone and tapped on the screen.
I nodded and rushed out and headed towards Big Al’s house. The big guy was on his porch drinking coffee as I raced up minutes later.
“Harlequin?” he growled out, not looking happy to see me.
“We need Tati. Runner stabbed Jinx, and Diesel said she can stitch him up.”
“Tati! Bring the first-aid kit!” Big Al roared. I turned to head back, but Big Al stopped me. “What took place, prospect?”
“Sorry, I have to—”
“Explain to me, and that’s an order,” Big Al replied and cut me off.
As much as I wanted to return to Jinx, I couldn’t disobey a direct command from the club’s founder and chaplain.
Quickly, I explained what had happened and what I’d walked into as Tati rushed past and headed for her car.
While they lived in the residential area Hellfire MC was building, near the clubhouse, it would still take ten minutes to walk there.
Big Al rose to his feet and chucked the remains of his coffee over the railings of the porch before striding into the house.
“Come on, lad,” he ordered when he reappeared. “Hellfire don’t hold with prospects attacking other prospects.”
I followed Big Al back to the clubhouse and discovered Jinx on a couch and Tati in front of him, sewing up a four-inch gash on his shoulder.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Yeah. Tati’s being gentle,” Jinx said with a smile.
The kid was lying; we all knew it, but typical Jinx—he wanted to put Tati at ease.
“Wanna tell me what the fuck happened with prospects knifing prospects?” Chance demanded, and I finally realised that most of the inner circle was here. The door flew open, and Fanatic stormed in.
“Jinx?” he called as his eyes scanned the space. Fanatic saw Jinx and crossed the room.
“Bro, I’m okay,” Jinx replied.
“Nah. This shit is done. I’ve not liked Runner for a while and thought he was a bad apple. Tell you now, that fuck will never get my vote, so you might as well kick him,” Fanatic said, turning to Chance.
Chance’s eyebrows rose at Fanatic’s tone. “That’s a harsh stance for a newly minted brother.”
“Those are my feelings. They aren’t gonna change, Unc—Prez.” Fanatic folded his arms and held Chance’s gaze.
“Fanatic doesn’t stand alone. There’s something wrong with Runner.
I’ve been seeing things that I’m not happy about,” Rooster said.
“That motherfucker judges those who are not one hundred per cent healthy. He sneers at Fanatic and has called him a cripple or gimp on multiple occasions. Asshole also disrespects me, around my leg. Pretends he’s showing concern, but underneath is ridicule and disgust. Runner has no tolerance for anyone disabled. ”
Chance directed a thoughtful gaze at Rooster. “And you stood for that shit?”
“Fuck no, I put the motherfucker on his ass several times and now Runner avoids me. He’ll never receive my vote, just as he won’t get Fanatic’s. Club might as well cut him loose,” Rooster stated.
“Still, I wanna know what happened to Jinx,” Chance declared and fixed a gimlet eye on Jinx. Jinx paled as Tati checked his stitches. Poor kid.
“Prez, I walked in on Runner pushing Jinx around,” I explained everything quickly. When I finished, Chance turned to Jinx.
“Why was Runner shoving you?”
Jinx ducked his head, and I could sense he felt awkward.
“This won’t label you a tattletale,” Fanatic said, guessing what was bothering Jinx. “If we don’t have harmony among the brothers, then the club can implode. Tell Chance.”
“Runner was accusing me of being a snitch over Olivia and the paint incident. Told him I wasn’t the right person, and Runner demanded to know who squealed. I refused to say, and Runner got angry,” Jinx finally admitted.
“Who threw the first punch?” Chance asked.
“I did,” Jinx stated.
“Why?”
“Because Runner threatened Harlequin, which was out of line,” Jinx replied, and I laughed.
“No, it wasn’t. Prez, you know I was the one who tattled, so no way should Jinx have taken Runner’s punishment for his laziness,” I said.
“Agreed. Jinx, I get you don’t wish to be labelled, but shit like this escalates, as we’ve just seen.
You shouldn’t run and tittle-tattle, but you gotta start learning when to speak up and when not to.
This isn’t the first instance of bullying from Runner, but it’ll be the last time he does it here,” Chance said firmly.
“Prez, I don’t want—”
“What you want, prospect, doesn’t come into the decision.
At the end of the day, Runner pulled a weapon on a member of this club and injured them.
That’s an instant beatdown and boot from the club.
Runner’s lucky; in the old days, each brother would have stabbed him.
If he survived, he’d have learned a harsh lesson,” Chance stated.
Inwardly, I winced. All of us knew the story of how Hellfire had become corrupt under Zeus, who stole the presidency.
Chance and some of those present had fought for years to get Hellfire legit again, and Chance refused to let anything tarnish his beloved club once more.
Runner was lucky he hadn’t been here back then.
“Tati, how’s the boy’s wound?”
“It was a clean slash and not too deep. It will be sore for a while. Jinx needs to take it easy. No heavy lifting for a week,” Tati ordered, climbing to her feet.
“Thanks, babe,” Chance said. “Harlequin, help Jinx to his room and hit the sack. You’re not required anymore.”
“Okay,” I replied and helped Jinx up. I needed sleep.
◆◆◆
Runner was gone when I woke up. Chance had declared while I’d been asleep that Runner had crossed all boundaries and there was no coming back.
Runner had been banned from all Hellfire properties and businesses.
I wasn’t surprised. Jinx looked uncomfortable as he sat in an armchair, as a couple of the brothers talked to him.
“What you did today, Harlequin, has the makings of a good brother,” Bear stated. I turned and faced our VP.
“Thanks. Although Jinx took care of business on his own,” I replied.
“Eventually. Actually, I was surprised Jinx lashed out. He’s known to be calm.”
“Everyone has a limit. Something Runner said set Jinx off.”
“Think he’s hiding shit?”
“Haven’t we all?” I asked, and Bear shot me a curious look.
“Anything we need to know about?”
“Nope, I’m an open book,” I replied sarcastically, and Bear laughed.
“Prospect, I call bullshit on that, but time outs all secrets sooner or later.”
“Isn’t that true? Veep, I’m on duty in half an hour. I’m gonna grab some food and get my flask filled.”
“How’s that working for you guys?” Bear asked.