2. Pez
Pez
It’s funny how having your pride and heart ripped to shreds gives you laser focus.
I’m loading up the last of my shit in the truck.
My bike is on the trailer in the back. Everything I want is in my truck.
For all I care, anything I left behind I either sold or given away.
I just want out of here. I’m currently parked in front of the clubhouse.
King is here with his family and Skull and Beth—His old lady’s parents.
Skull brought his truck down to help them get moved.
He was the former president of the Devil’s Blaze—which will be my new club.
He’s a good guy, though something about him screams broken.
It did make me feel more secure in my decision.
Although, after last night, I don’t care where the fuck I go as long as it’s away from here.
“You’re sure about this?” Diesel asks, and it does feel good to see the regret on his face. Anyone wants to know they’ll be missed.
“I’m sure. You don’t need me?—”
“That’s where you’re wrong. This club does need you, Pez.”
“Not really, and honestly there’s no way I can stay here now.”
Diesel grimaces. “Yeah, King told us what happened with Nora.” My gaze moves straight to King. He slightly shakes his head no.
“What happened?” that little shit LD asks as he walks up to the group that is gathered here.
Fuck. I was hoping I could get out without facing him or Nora.
I’m trying to resist the urge to kill the motherfucker, because I actually respect his father, Devil.
I’m holding onto a thin, frayed rope and the last thing I need is to face this shit bag.
I turn to look at him. “I don’t think you want to ask me that, asshole,” I growl unable to stop myself.
I turn back to look at King, needing nothing more than to just escape.
“I’m leaving. Call me when you get on the road, brother,” I call out.
He nods his head. King’s been in my shoes, he understands how I’m feeling.
Although, I doubt he’d show restraint when it came to killing LD—and I do want to kill the motherfucker.
“You’re leaving?” LD asks.
“He’s moving to Kentucky,” Diesel answers.
“What about Nora?” LD asks. “Are you just planning on leaving her?”
That’s it. That’s what severs the control I had.
I turn back to face him and before he can do much more than blink, I draw my fist back and slam it into his face.
The crunch of bone against bone is fucking satisfying—almost as much as the way the blood spurts from his broken nose.
I probably would have laid a few more on the asshole if that one hadn’t knocked him on his ass. “I warned you,” I snap.
“LD are you okay?” Diesel’s girl Avery asks, clearly distressed. I heard they’d been seen out together by some of the brothers. I doubt Diesel knows. I wonder if Avery knows that LD’s still nailing every woman that he sees. Maybe I should make sure.
“I’m fine,” he says, wiping the blood away from his mouth. “What the fuck, Pez? Brother, listen, I don’t know what that bitch told you, but?—”
I haul back and kick him. “She didn’t have to tell me shit, motherfucker. I walked into the house I’ve paid for, went into the bedroom I provided for me and my old lady, and saw you balls deep inside her, while slapping her ass and promising to fill her cunt with your load.”
The hands that had latched onto me to hold me back, dropped at once.
“LD? Is that true?” Avery asks.
“Ave,” he whines. She gets up and gives him one last look and then runs away. A couple of the girls around us follow her.
“Did you do that, LD?” Devil asks, who stands on one side of me and the other side Diesel is there. I didn’t want this shit. Still don’t. I’m done here. Maybe I saved Avery some heartache though, so I’m good with that. She’s too good for this piece of shit.
“Dad, Nora’s one of the club girls. She called. You know how it is.”
“Wrong, asshole. She was a club girl. The minute she became Pez’s old lady, that ended,” Diesel says.
“She called me. It’s not like I went looking for her,” he explains like that’s a fucking defense. He knew she was mine. It’s my patch she wears when she comes to club parties.
“Then you call your fucking brother,” Devil growls. “What you don’t do is touch an old lady without her man giving the all clear or being there. I taught you better than this shit.”
“We all have,” Diesel says. “I’m tempted to ask for your cut, but because you’re Devil’s son, I won’t.”
“I’ve earned my?—”
Before he can keep talking, Devil pulls him up—using a rough hold on LD’s arm. “Shut the fuck up,” he growls at him.
“So, you can keep your prospect status, but you’re on probation.
One more fuck-up, and it’s gone. For now, you can forget becoming a full member and until me and the rest of the boys are convinced you know what brotherhood means, you won’t be moving up.
Get him out of my face Ryan,” Diesel says, telling his son—and LD’s best friend—to get him out of there.
“You can take a piece out of him if you want, Pez. It’s your right,” Diesel says, looking at me, before they leave.
“I’m good. If he hadn’t been Devil’s son, I would have killed him, but it’s just another sign that I need a new beginning. I don’t belong here.”
“Take him away, Ryan,” Diesel instructs again, before turning his gaze on LD. “And if I ever see you around Avery, I won’t take it easy on you like Pez did. You won’t have a club and it’s a toss-up as to if I’ll leave you breathing,” he snarls.
Devil slaps my shoulder. We share a look. He knows I spared his son’s life. Some things words just can’t encompass. So, I gave him a nod. Devil slaps hand grasping it and pulling me in or a hug. “I owe you, Pez. I owe you,” he says, then walks away without another word.
I watch him go and suddenly just feel exhaustion. I say the rest of my goodbyes in a haze. When I jump in my truck, I only have one thought and that’s to leave Tennessee in my rearview mirror.
I’m good if I never step foot back in this damn place again.