Chapter Twenty-Seven
Knife
What in the Christ did I have to do? Put a note on Maddox stating he was my property? Seeing him standin’ there talkin’ to two guys I knew, I motherfuckin’ knew wanted a piece of him, pissed me the hell off.
“Yo, Knife,” Billy called with a smirk on his face. “Who’re those guys?”
Who were they?
Arseholes, that was who they were.
After sending Billy the finger, to which he laughed, I thought my idea of a note could be a good way to go. I stalked into the office to find Low sitting behind the desk and Dodge leaning his butt against it lookin’ down at his woman, until I entered.
“Yo, brother. What’s up?”
All I managed was a grunt in reply as I grabbed a piece of paper outta the printer and wrote on it. My handwriting was hard and quick as anger burned low in my gut.
Low leaned over to see what I was writing, then giggled. “Knife, not sure that’s a good idea. Why don’t you just kiss him in front of them?”
My hand stilled. I turned my head towards her to meet her amused gaze. Then flicked my eyes up to Dodge’s to see him smirking.
“Brother, you honestly didn’t think we wouldn’t notice you two have got something goin’ on? You started back just the other day, and I reckon’ just about everyone’s noticed the smiles and looks you two send each other. Fuck, it’s like back in school days and first crushes. The amount of heat you two send off could even get me hard.”
“Just grab the fucker and kiss him,” Low added again with a nod.
I clenched my jaw. Was I ready for everyone to know? From what Dodge was sayin’, they already did, so could I walk out there and kiss Maddox?
Low stood, only I didn’t watch where she went. My eyes went back to the paper as my mind rolled around the thought of staking my claim for the man I loved in front of everyone.
Dodge scooted closer. “You worried what the brothers will think?”
I wasn’t really. I was goddamn happy, and if they had a problem with it, fuck ’em.
What was holding me back?
Maybe the fact that Maddox had kept his preference for men to himself for so fuckin’ long. What would happen if I did walk out there, kiss him, only to have him shove me away if he didn’t want anyone to know?
When I didn’t say anything, Dodge continued in a quieter voice, “Who cares what the others think? Fuck, brother, we’re all searching for what’s ours. I found mine in my little bird. Dive found his in Mena and so on. Have you found yours? If so, don’t let anything stop you from keepin’ it.”
Hell, he was right.
I’d found mine, and it was Maddox.
“Hoo-boy, they’re getting pretty chummy out there,” Low said. I glanced to see her lookin’ out the office window. “From what I can read, they’re asking him to lunch.”
That was fuckin’ it.
I threw the pen down and stalked to the door. Low jumped outta the way as I threw it open. Each step I took ate up the concrete in seconds. I caught Maddox looking at me, his brows dipped in confusion, but I also caught his lips twitching.
As I reached them, I shouldered fuckface Ben outta the way, tagged the back of Maddox’s neck and pulled him into me, finally slanting my mouth over his.
I waited for the shove.
For Maddox to push me away.
Only he didn’t. He smiled against my lips before he opened his mouth and took my kiss, turning it into a hard, possessive one.
Cat calls and cheering broke out around us. I pulled back, turned, and signed while saying. “Got it?”
Ben was already smiling and then gave me a chin lift. Mitch looked a bit put out but nodded.
Yeah, they fuckin’ got it.
Maddox was mine.
I shifted to where Maddox could see me. “Right, I’m goin’ back to work. Have fun at lunch, but lay one hand on him, I’ll slit your throats. They don’t call me Knife for no reason.”
Maddox threw his head back and laughed. I glared at the two dicks and then walked back over to the bike I was workin’ on.
Maddox left soon after. At first I didn’t think he would. But then I remembered it was Mitch’s job to check up on everything, and Maddox still wanted to be friends with fuckface. Didn’t mean I had to be happy about it.
I was bent over tightening the last bolt when I heard behind me, “Sick fuck.”
Straightening, I spun around to glare at the little fucker in front of me. “What’d you say?”
He rolled his eyes and started to walk off. I grabbed his arm and yanked him back to face me. “What. Did. You. Say?”
“He called you a sick fuck, Knife,” Muff offered from not far away.
“Who the fuck are you, boy?” I asked, crossin’ my arms over my chest.
“Prospect.”
With a menacing chuckle, I shook my head and said, “Didn’t ask what you are, but who.”
“I’m only called prospect, like the others.” He glared. Yeah, he was right there. New recruits didn’t have a name until they were through their trial run. They didn’t matter until they’d proved themselves.
Steppin’ closer so I was in his face, I clipped, “I’ve been away, so you don’t know me, but you think you can come near me and say shit like that… boy?”
“Guys like you shouldn’t be allowed in the club.” Wasn’t sure where he got his balls from, but he was about to eat them.
“Oh fuck,” someone muttered near us.
Yeah, the boy heard it and I saw his eyes flash with fear.
Glancing over his shoulder, I caught Dodge standin’ there with his arms crossed. “Prez?”
“Back room.”
The grin that lit my face had the boy gulpin’. With a quick move, my hand was around his throat, and I was draggin’ him backwards. He struggled, gurgled, and tried to pry my hand away. Nothin’ worked to stop me.
Muff, already ahead of me, had thrown the door open. Entering, I threw the boy to the floor. “Get up,” I ordered.
Some brothers filed into the room behind me. I didn’t look, only scowled down at the teen on the floor. Pullin’ back my leg, I kicked him in his arse. “Get the fuck up.”
He stumbled to his feet, his chest rising and fallin’ rapidly.
“Get the other prospects in here,” Dodge called. “Wait a sec, brother.”
The boy sneered at Dodge. “How can you call him brother when he’s—”
“What?” I asked. “Gay, bi?”
His hands balled at his sides. “A sick fuck.”
“Who you belong to?” Dodge demanded on a growl.
“No one.”
“Who brought you in?”
“Fang.” Jeremiah, also known as Fang, was only a year outta bein’ a prospect himself. He shouldn’ta been able to bring anyone into the club. He’d also come from the Venom MC, not that it mattered. He’d had Hawks blood running through his veins when he went behind Venom’s back to keep tabs for us. Still, what was he thinkin’ bringin’ in a bigot like the little shit in front of me?
Dodge called to another brother, “Get him here as well.”
“What you gonna do? You can’t do shit for sayin’ something.”
Brothers around the room chuckled.
“You all for that shit to happen in front of you? Two guys goin’ at it?” the idiot asked.
“’Fars I could see they had their dicks in their pants, so they weren’t goin’ at it,” Billy said.
“They were kissin’,” he yelled it in a way as if it was a sin. “You all are fuckin’ sick for lettin’ that shit happen. Heard the Hawks was weak. Didn’t know how much until I saw that goin’ on.” He shrugged outta his prospect cut. “Don’t want no part of Hawks. Just let me leave.”
Brothers chuckled. Vicious stepped forward. “You’re leavin’, after we teach you a lesson.”
“You can’t do shit. I’ll go to the cops.”
“Detective here.” I glanced at the left wall to see Parker leanin’ there with his hand up in the air. Snortin’, I fought the smile wanting to rise. Christ, it was good to see who had my back.
“What’s goin’ on?” Fang asked as he entered the room.
“This boy here said some shit to Knife,” Vicious explained.
“He was kissin’ another dude, in front of everyone. Faggots, the lot—”
“Shut the fuck up,” Fang snarled.
“You still vouchin’ for him?” Dodge asked.
“Nope,” Fang answered.
Glancin’ over my shoulder, I asked, “You think he’ll piss himself?”
Fang snorted. “Could. Not that I care. I only brought him in as a favour to his father.”
“You let them touch me, you won’t see my sister again.”
Fang rushed him, gripped his tee, and pulled him up to his face. “You touch Poppy, I’ll fuckin’ kill you.”
The idiot snorted. “I don’t have to touch her. Haven’t you noticed she ain’t been around? It’s ’cause dearest daddy has already had a taste, and he’s willin’ to share when I’m older.”
The room went silent.
That news was fucked up, and Fang didn’t take it lightly. Like none of us would.
The boy knew he was in trouble. He paled before Fang roared in his face and then threw him into the wall. Fang’s fist smashed into his cheek first, then nose, gut, and face again. The boy fell to the floor. Fang glanced over his shoulder, his eyes cold. “He’s all yours,” he stated before making his way to the door.
“Fang, don’t go in it alone.”
Fang paused at Dodge’s words. His hand tightened around the handle. “Don’t know what you’re talkin’ about,” he said before he threw the door open and stalked out.
“Fuck. Vicious, Muff, Pick, after him. Take his back.”
The brothers quickly left the room.
Shit was about to go down, and it wasn’t gonna be pretty.
“What you want done with him, Knife?” Billy asked.
Shit. I had better things to do than deal with the piece of crap lyin’ on the floor bleedin’ from his mouth and nose while groanin’.
“Think he’s already got the message. Still…” I tapped my chin in thought. “No one calls me or anyone in Hawks faggots. He needs to bleed some more.”
“No. Stop, fuck, it’s the drugs. They mess with me,” he said as he scooted to his arse, wincing while he rested his back against the wall.
“Boy, Hawks don’t take kindly to words like that. We ain’t weak. We take care of our own, and you’d best remember it and spread the word. After I’m done with you that is.”
The door burst open and in it stood Maddox. “Now, I would have gone gentle to some extent, but now Beast is back, you’re fucked.” I grinned down at the boy and saw a wet patch soak through his jeans as he took in Maddox’s huge-arse form and the deadly look in his eyes.
“Close the door, babe. We got work to do.”
Maddox grinned, and it wasn’t a nice one.