Chapter Five
Gunner and Tink enter the room and take seats at our church table, where Hanger, Demon, and I are already waiting.
“You two ready to do this?” Hanger questions with worry etched in his expression.
“As ready as we’re gonna get.” Gunner taps his knuckles on the table, responding straight-faced.
“Alright. Tink, you are goin’ in to get close to The Four Kings and Deuce. All information you receive you bring to Gunner so he can relay it all back to us. If, at any point, Gunner wants to pull out of the mission, thinks it’s getting too dangerous, or even a bad feeling from either of you, you pull the fuck out. Got it?”
“Got it, Prez.”
“I’m not bullshittin’ on this, Tink. This will decide your fate as a patch-holder or if we throw you out on your ass quicker than flies on shit.”
“I got it!” The prospect’s voice starts to rise as the men stare at one another, neither backin’ down. The kid has heart, but he’s not showin’ a whole lotta brains right now, standin’ up to Hanger like he is. Kid needs to learn you can stand up for yourself but still keep the respect.
Cutting in, I start, “Here’s your fake IDs.” I slide them across the table, and Gunner picks his up first.
“Edward?” Gunner cocks his brow, amusement playing on his face.
“Yeah, Mr. Businessman. You’ll be drivin’ a Prius, too.” Looking towards Tink, I address him. “You’re the younger brother of Edward Johnson. Your name is Alex, and y’all just transferred here because of a promotion Edward took from Washburn University. You are born and raised in Ohio. The Prius has the fake tags already on it—and watch yourselves on the ride there. Thanks to Hacker, Gunner, you’re in the system at Washburn University as the new Physics professor, and Hacker’s already made what is going on known. If someone tries to call and get information on you, they know what to do. Here’s your burner phones. I programmed mine and Hanger’s numbers in, so call with the updates.” Passing the phones over, I let Demon take over.
“Here’s 10 Gs to get you started.” Demon slaps the stack of money into Gunner’s palm before continuing, “You’ll be living outside of Topeka. It’s a suburb called Montera; you have a house set up and someone will be by in the morning for the money due. Here’s the address.” Tink takes the paper with a picture of the house, all of the information about it, and the location. “The utilities are already turned on in Edward’s name. Gunner, there should be no reason for you to even step foot inside the city limits of Topeka. Tink, do not bring anyone home—it could risk the undercover job. You wanna get your dick wet, do it somewhere else.”
“Any questions?” Hanger asks as we look at the two of them.
“Nope, looks like everything’s covered. Let’s do this.” Gunner slams his hands on the table then stands, ready to leave. We all follow suit and head to the bar, where all of our brothers and prospects are standin’, waiting to say their goodbyes.
After Gunner and Tink grab their bags and put their cuts away, we head outside, with Chatty following behind, lookin’ sad. I think it’s time I had a talk with her. “Take care of yourself, prospect,” I say, slappin’ Tink on the back. He nods, then I move to the other side of the car to Gunner. “Lay low, brother.” Throwing my arm ‘round his shoulders, I reassure him, “I’ll watch out for her.”
We both eye Chatty. Her head’s turned and her arms are wrapped around herself. “I know you will. Thanks, Bear.”
“Don’t thank me, just make it back here in one piece when this shit’s done.”
“You got it.” Gunner chuckles, then his attention moves to Chatty. “C’mere, Chat.”
Wanting to give them some time alone, I head inside and wait for her to come back inside. Grabbing a beer from the bar, I sit and take a long pull, swallowing the ice cold liquid.
I think it’s time Chatty knows I made a promise to Ripper before he died. He was my brother—not only inside this club, but out of it too. Even though it wasn’t by blood, he was the closest I had to a family until the Satan’s Sinners. He’s the one that brought me in at sixteen years old. I became the Sergeant at Arms and not for nothin’. It’s true that I’m the muscle of this club, but I also watch everyone and everything that goes on around me. Not too much gets by without me noticing, and I know what’s goin’ on with Gunner and Chatty. They don’t need to tell me, but I see why she’s keeping a distance.
She pushes the door open with more force than needed, keeping her face void of emotion, and goes back to work behind the bar.
“I know what’s goin’ on between you two.” Takin’ a drink from the beer, my eyes stay on Chatty.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” She opens a couple of bottles, handing them off to a couple prospects.
“Do I look fuckin’ stupid? I’m not the eyes of this club for nothin’ and you know it.” My brow cocks and a grin forms.
“It’s nothin’.”
“Damn it, Chatty, it’s not nothin’. And you fuckin’ know that, too.”
“Bear... What do you want me to say?” Chatty stops with one hand on her hip and the other holding tightly to the bar.
“The truth. That you’re fallin’ in love with Gunner.” It’s a simple fuckin’ thing—she just needs to admit it to herself. Truth be told, as much as I loved my dad, I would have wanted my mom to find someone to love again, rather than her self-destruction and ultimately killing herself.
“I’m not.” Tears prickle in her eyes, but Chatty blinks them away before they have a chance to fall.
“You can’t help who you fall for, Chatty. Christ, look at me and Lil’ Mama. I shoulda been done with her ass when she put me through all the fuckin’ shit she did, but I held on and look at us now.” Shaking my head, I think back to every time she fought against us, but smile at the fact she could never say no to my cock. Returning my attention back to the situation, I take a drink, then tell her, “It’s okay for you to move on.”
“No, it’s not! Not when I should have died right along with Ripper!” Her emotions are evident in the way her shoulders are tense, and her eyes bore into mine with a mix of sadness and anger, her tone growing harsh as she spews her truth.
I don’t know how she didn’t get hit that day as I watched her run out to get to Ripper. Bullets were flying everywhere and she didn’t care, not one bit. I yelled for her to come back inside, but it did no good, and when she made it to Ripper she held him until we had to pull her away.
I stand from the bar stool and lean in close. “But you didn’t. You get a second chance to live your life, but you are too fuckin’ scared to live it.”
“I’m not scared!” Chatty’s fist hits the top of the bar and she moves in closer, so we’re just inches apart. I’m sure if I was on the other side of the bar she would no doubt be standing toe-to-toe with me. “I don’t know how, damn it!”
“You let Ripper go.” I lower my voice—I know it hurts for her to hear those words, just as much as it hurts me to say it. It’s time, though, and she knows it; she just needs a little push in the right direction.
“I can’t!”
“He’s never coming back.”
“You think I don’t fucking know that, Bear?” Chatty questions, furrowing her brows; she then pokes herself in the chest before continuing, “I’m the one who sleeps alone every night. I wake up with nightmares from watching my husband die.”
Walking around the bar, I wrap my arms around Chatty tightly. “It’s gonna be okay. It’s time I told you somethin’, so come with me.” Taking Chatty’s hand in mine, we walk outside and over to the same picnic table I had my last talk with Ripper at. The same talk where I made the promise to him. I take the same seat I did and she sits opposite me—exactly where Ripper sat. I begin telling her what she needs to hear more than anything. She just doesn’t know it yet.