Wrath Chapter 18 #2
He sighed. “You asked why I’ve been so adamant and demanding.
Would I like it if you were claimed by one of the Fiends in Athens?
Yes, because you’d be near me, and I’d always know you were safe and happy.
Barring that, I thought if you were with one in another chapter, I’d still be able to see you.
By tying yourself to him and this club, I’ll lose you.
There’s no way he’ll allow you to have a one-percenter club visiting.
It’s fine for a prospect to have that connection, but it’s different when it’s an old lady.
Dylan, as hard as it is to say, I can live without him if I have to. ”
“Is that the only reason?” Storm asked.
Psycho hesitated before shaking his head. “No, it’s not. You wondered what you did to make Killer say you were his after a few dates. Ones where you never even had sex or indicated you wanted to be claimed. It wasn’t what you did, Jalisa. It’s what I did.”
“What do you mean? You did what?” she asked.
“Yes, what I did. See, a few months back, Panther asked Scooter and me to handle more and more of the running of the club. He had to rely on us more than he ever had. I was happy to do it, and so was Scoot. However, as time went by, I got to thinking about how we could make more money. We were in a good place, but what if we could do better? I thought if I could show Panther that I made the club a bunch of money, he’d consider me. ”
“Consider you for what?” Panther asked. I thought I knew where this was headed.
“Consider me to take over as president.”
“Cougar is taking my spot when the time comes. We talked about that. Plus, you and Scooter said you’re happy in your current roles and didn’t want it,” Panther protested.
“I lied! I’m getting fucking old, Panther.
We all are. I can’t be the enforcer forever.
It’s physically taxing, and my body hurts.
I’m not ready to retire or to take a member-only role.
President wouldn’t wear out my body. I’ve got a good ten years left in me, maybe more.
I’m sixty. Scooter is fifty-five, and you’re fifty-eight.
There’s plenty of time for Cougar to take over after me. He’s only thirty.”
It was kinda heartbreaking to hear him talk this way. He was the same age as Dad, but in Rage’s case, he’d stepped down at forty-eight, which was young. I couldn’t see myself doing it then unless I couldn’t effectively lead my club, or they didn’t want me.
“Alright, so you lied. What does that have to do with Killer and Jalisa?” Cougar asked.
“The extra money would come from helping the Black Outlaws transport cargo. They wanted to go through Athens. There’s no way we’d allow another club to do that.
But if we were partners and got a cut of the profits, then we’d retain control of our territory.
Killer approached me about it. He asked if the club would be open to it.
I told him to let us give it a trial and see. He agreed.”
“What was the cargo?” I asked.
“It was to be electronics and car parts that they steal off trucks or come out of their chop shops and then sell to distributors. It makes a lot of money, and those who don’t care if they’re hot will pay.
The deal was that the trucks would be met right outside our territory and driven through.
Then, they would be picked up and moved along on the opposite side. It was easy money.”
I asked, “So what went wrong, and how does it relate to Jalisa?” I was impatient to hear the answers.
“And who did you get to help do it in our club?” Panther snapped.
“I didn’t get anyone. I did the hauls myself, and in the first month, I made a great profit. I was waiting to get three months’ worth and then show you what we made and how it could benefit us. Only in the middle of the second month, it went horribly wrong.” Psycho looked sick.
“Wrong, how?” Cougar asked.
“The rule was that the truck would remain locked until it reached its final destination. It was to prevent theft of the products. I had no issue with it. I stopped to take a piss one night, and I swore I heard something. It was coming from inside the trailer. Thinking someone had stowed away before I got it, I unlocked it. I had to cut the padlock off the big-ass chain they had on it. I opened the back, and that’s when I found their products.
” He paused to take a deep breath and shuddered.
“They were transporting people,” I said.
“Yeah, there were six young women inside. I didn’t sign up for that shit.
I want nothing to do with that or anything close to it.
I calmed them down and took them to where I could let them go so they’d find help.
I put an identical lock on the chain and proceeded like nothing was wrong.
I passed it off to the next person, and that was it.
I was trying to figure out how to get out of it when two days later, I got a call from Killer asking what the fuck had happened to his cargo.
I told him I’d delivered it as planned. He accused me of stealing it.
I told him he was nuts. We argued, and I kept denying it. Eventually, he said he believed me.
“I used his accusations as the reason we wouldn’t continue to do it.
He apologized and tried to convince me to continue.
I said no. He let it go. Or so I thought.
It wasn’t until Jalisa came to me a month later that it all came out about who she was dating.
Killer had gone after her to get to me. I knew I had to protect her, so I got her out of town and sent her to stay with Dylan. You know what happened after that.”
I was trying not to yell at him and call him an idiot. It was hard.
“Dad, why change your tune and want me back in Athens so badly?” Jalisa asked.
“Once they found you here, I knew they’d be able to find you anywhere.
Killer told me if I wanted you safe, I had to convince you to accept him and for the Fiends to resume working with his chapter.
I kept saying no. After you said you were with Wrath, I freaked out. What if Wrath couldn’t keep you safe?
“Surely, if all the Fiends banded together, they could defeat the Outlaws. They might be hesitant to all back our chapter if you were only a princess, but if you were an old lady, they’d do it for sure.
I never meant to hurt you or anyone. I wanted to do right by my club, find a way to continue to do what I love, and make even more money to leave for you one day.
Killer has given me until the thirty-first to deliver you to him.
He’ll come for you if you’re not. However, you won’t be forced to be his old lady.
Killer told me you’ll be sold for my betrayal, but only after he is done with you. I can’t let that happen.”
He burst into tears. As he sobbed, I was torn. I wanted to beat Psycho’s ass for not telling us from the start, I wanted to comfort my woman, who had her image of her dad tarnished, and I felt grief for Panther. He appeared as if he’d aged ten years in half an hour.
“Dad, I think that while we’re here and confessing, you should tell Jalisa why you’ve had Psycho and Scooter covering for you for the past few months,” Cougar said quietly.
“I thought it was so you and Tonda could do things together and have fun. You’ve never been able to do that,” Jalisa said.
“No, honey, that was a lie. Your dad and Scoot have been helping me keep it a secret from you and the club that I’m sick.
Cougar only found out the truth a couple of weeks back.
I have colon cancer, and I’ve been having treatments.
The treatments aren’t working. I’ll be going in to have surgery and then radiation and chemo in two weeks.
I wanted this resolved before I told anyone else.
If I don’t beat this or can’t carry out my duties, Cougar will be taking over as president.
That’s what Psycho was referring to,” Panther said tiredly.
Jalisa burst into tears and ran around the table to hug Panther.
He held her and rocked her from side to side as they whispered in each other’s ears.
I had to wipe a tear or two away myself.
I hoped Panther was cured and could continue as president for years.
It would devastate so many if they lost him completely.
Cougar wasn’t in a hurry to become president, especially if it meant losing his dad to get it.
It took them several drawn-out minutes to finish up. When Jalisa returned to her seat, she gave me an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that. Please, let’s continue.”
“No need to apologize, baby. I know how hard this news is for you. I just found out a few days ago, and Cougar wasn’t long before me.
I hate to say we have to postpone more of the processing time, but we’ve still got things to resolve.
” I glanced back at Psycho. He wore a forlorn look, and his eyes appeared dead.
“Psycho, is that all you have to tell us? Is there anything else you know from associating with Killer and his chapter? Is everyone in the Greensboro chapter participating in the trafficking business, or only some? Where do they do the hand-offs? What’s the schedule?
Who else is helping them with this?” I fired off question after question to see if I could bait him into slipping up and tell if he was hiding anything.
“Wrath, I’ll tell you everything I know.
But first, we need to get Jalisa out of here and somewhere safe.
Killer and his guys were at the car show.
You saw and heard them. I don’t know why they ran instead of trying to nab Jalisa, but he’ll try again soon.
We’re almost out of time. The thirty-first is only a few days away,” Psycho begged.