Wrath Chapter 12 #2
Clark dropped the folder, scattering papers everywhere. He was sickly pale, and sweat was now pouring off him. His mouth opened and closed several times before anything came out, and when it did, he was hoarse.
“You, how? That’s impossible,” he half-whispered.
“No, it’s not when you have the right person in your club who can find out anything someone tries to hide. You fucked with the wrong people, Clark. You should’ve done your job and stayed honest,” I growled.
“God, Wrath, please, don’t tell anyone! I’ll stop it right now.
I won’t take a dime from anyone. I’ll remove the ten percent hike for those who agreed.
You’re right. It’s a lie. It was for me.
I can’t lose my job or my family. If you expose this, it tarnishes them, the company, and anyone associated with it.
I’ll lose everything. Please, tell me what I can do to have you forget you found that information,” he pleaded.
“You can’t just erase it, Clark. That’s not how it works.
As we speak, the information has been forwarded to your employers, along with proof of what we know you embezzled and the additional amount we suspect you embezzled.
In addition, the wife is receiving copies of your hidden assets and pictures of you coming and going from that fancy house.
You tell her you have to go away for work or work late so you can spend time with your second wife.
There are pictures of the two of you together, and it’s clear you’re not just friends.
I figured your first wife deserved help when she filed for divorce to get what she’s entitled to.
And lastly, the second wife got the same information in case she doesn’t know that she’s not your only wife,” I informed him with a smirk.
By the time I was done, he was on his knees, sobbing.
He moaned and continued to pray to God, asking why. I gave him a few minutes to wallow and absorb it, and then I tilted my head to Chains. He came over and hauled Clark’s ass back into his chair. He remained standing behind him.
“I can overlook a lot of things, Clark. And in your case, even if I could disregard what you’ve stolen from my club, I can’t do it for all the other businesses and innocent people you’re hurting.
There are the business owners, their families, your wife and kids, and your company to consider.
We’re not pressing charges. However, when your company and others do, we’ll gladly testify and provide proof of what you did to us.
“You’re going to jail. I’d embrace it. Be a man, admit what you did, and maybe it’ll help your sentencing.
Ensure your wife and kids are cared for while you’re behind bars.
Don’t make them suffer for your bad judgment.
This concludes our meeting. Chains will escort you out—one final thing.
Don’t come near me, my club, or my businesses again.
If you do, you’ll find out personally why I’m called Wrath.
You won’t like or possibly survive it,” I warned.
I let him see the savage lurking inside of me.
Clark didn’t say a word as he shakily rose to his feet.
Chains grabbed his arm and tugged him out the door.
Clark stumbled and then righted himself.
Watching him leave left a foul taste in my mouth.
Why did he have to do that? He’d left me no choice.
I wondered how long he could’ve hidden it if I hadn’t asked the other owners if they’d had issues, heard their experiences, and asked Crusher and Shadow to investigate.
I was exhausted. I didn’t know why, but I knew I wanted to go home and finish my day there. But first, I had to be sure Chains was good for me to leave. I didn’t have long to wait for him to rejoin me. He shut the door, shaking his head.
“Christ, he blubbered the whole way to his car. I hope he’s able to drive without killing anyone. I asked him if I could call someone to pick him up. He said no. I tried to feel sorry for him, but I couldn’t. Can you imagine what his real wife will feel like once she knows?” Chains muttered.
“No, I can’t, and I feel for her, their kids, and the other woman if she’s unaware.
For him, he’s getting what he deserves. I was hoping to head home and finish the day there.
Do you need me here? There’s no need to worry about calling the company.
We’ll give it a couple of days for the news to circulate.
Then we’ll call and say we heard and want to discuss continuing with them and what they’ll do to guarantee it won’t happen again.
I don’t want to penalize his employer because he was slick about it.
We didn’t catch on at first. I’m amazed he had the skills to do it. ”
“I don’t think he did, Pres. He’s got the avarice, sure, but to be able to hide accounts and do what he did. He had help, and I wonder who it is,” Chains observed.
“Hmm, let’s see if Shadow can find more. If someone is helping people to do shit like this, they need to be stopped.”
“Agree. I can’t think of anything I need you to do here. I know we’re not hiring Jaz, but what about Chas? That’s the only thing I want to ask before you go. He has the experience, and I think we calmed his worry about forcing him to party with and be one of us.” He chuckled.
I grinned. “Overall, I do like him, and he did unwind at the end. Go ahead and offer it to him, and we’ll see. Find out if we have any more applicants for the bartender spot. We will definitely not be hiring Jaz. Thanks, brother. If you need me, call. I’m heading out,” I told him, standing up.
We shook hands, and after locking up the office, he walked me to my bike. I rode off feeling okay about the day. Seeing Jalisa would help lift my mood. I wondered how her work went while I was gone.
???
As I entered the house, I was greeted by Jalisa yelling, “Leave me the fuck alone!”
I raced toward where her voice was coming from.
I was ready to do battle with whoever was causing her to yell.
Who could it be? Everyone else should be at work, and they wouldn’t bother her.
I came to a halt on the threshold of the kitchen door.
She was sitting at the small breakfast table I had in there, her laptop open.
She scowled and glared at her phone, which was in her hand. No one was with her.
“Lunatic, why are you yelling? I thought someone was in here bothering or hurting you,” I said.
Her head whipped to face me. She bounced out of her chair and raced to me.
I opened my arms so she could jump into them.
I found that she loved having me hold her with her arms and legs around me.
I had no objections, so this was becoming a standard greeting, along with the kiss she gave me. I enthusiastically returned it.
She sighed when I chose to end it. “Tell me what was happening. I came in here thinking I was about to defend you,” I told her.
She giggled. “Lucian, I can defend myself. Surely, you know that. Think how we met.”
“I know, but it’s still my natural reaction. As your man, I want to be the one who protects you.”
“Ahh, that’s so sweet. Thank you, baby. And if it’s ever necessary, come charging to the rescue. However, today, there’s no one for you to beat. Unless you want to go to Athens and whip my dad’s ass.”
When she wiggled, I put her on her feet. She then traipsed back to her chair, and I followed her. I sat beside her, picked up her hand, and kissed it.
“Tell me why I should go do that. Has something new happened?”
“Not really, but sorta. He keeps messaging me and calling. I don’t answer, but he leaves voice messages. I finally texted to tell him I wasn’t ready to speak to him. He’s not listening, as evidenced by his last voicemail.” She gave a weary sigh.
“Okay, let me hear it,” I said.
She tapped around on her phone and then held it up.
“Jalisa Marie, you’re acting like a child!
I’m your father. I insist you speak to me.
I gave you a few days to cool off. We need to clear the air.
I did nothing wrong. I was protecting you.
You know nothing of Wrath or his club. You say you can’t choose a Fiend.
Fine, I’ll do it. And if you absolutely can’t accept one in this chapter, we’ll get you one from another, but it can’t be too far away.
I didn’t raise you to go against your family.
Whatever Wrath did or said to get you to do this, don’t trust him.
What I had Pebbles do didn’t show what it should’ve.
He behaved because you were there. I should’ve done it when you weren’t, but I don’t want you to get in further with him. Come home.” His call ended there.
I’d be lying if I said his words didn’t affect me. Although the message upset me, I tried to look at it from a funny angle.
“Sounds like Psycho is the child. You did nothing wrong and have every right to take however much time you need. As for what I did to you, I’d like to know that myself.
How did I convince such an incredible woman to be mine?
And I wouldn’t have said yes to Pebbles or any other woman even if you weren’t there. ”
“I agree he’s the child, and he has sent me before this message the names of guys in the chapter who will claim me. I didn’t need to know that. Now, will I ever be able to look at them the same, knowing they’d do it?”
She barely paused when a chime on her phone alerted her that she had another text. She opened it, and her face grew thunderous.
“What now?”
“He sent me the names of other Fiends in a couple of chapters who are willing to have me. It sounds like he’s going around offering me like a prized heifer. I swear to God, if he doesn’t stop, I’ll go there and choke him.”
“Okay, this has gone far enough. I’ve stayed out of it, and I will for now with him directly, but Panther needs to be updated anyway on the car show. I’ll see if I can find out if he knows what Psycho is doing. Have you heard from him or Scooter?”