Nate
Three times I’ve called. Three times he hasn’t answered the goddamn phone. I pace back and forth outside the clubhouse, pressing the phone between my ear and shoulder. I dig in my pocket, pulling out my smokes.
“Fucking answer, goddamnit,” I mumble to myself. I need answers and this cocksucker is the one to give it to me.
“Hey.” He finally picks up.
“Finally,” I growl. “Looks like you’ve been avoiding me and I think we both know why. In fact, you’re lucky I haven’t come down to the club and fucked you all up.”
“Listen, brother. I swear I knew nothing about what my father had planned.”
The confirmation I needed to hear. Of course I had my suspicions, but no proof. Until now.
“The old man is dead because of your fucking father. How many lives will he take before he’s stopped?”
He sighs down the receiver.
“And here’s the really sad part. Tara’s mother revealed that Brewer is her biological father. Which means she is your sister.”
“What?”
“I need you to keep it on the downlow. But she wants to meet with you. She did want to meet with Brewer, but I think I managed to talk her out of that.”
“Shit, man, seriously? I can’t wrap my head around this.”
“Come on. It can’t come as a huge surprise that your dad dipped his dick in any willing pussy he could find. I know mine did and I expect to have siblings that I don’t know about.”
“But my dad doesn’t know about her, right? Because he would have made her part of his life if he knew. He likes to control what’s his.”
“He doesn’t, and it needs to stay that way. For now.”
“Of course.”
I step until my back is resting against the wall. “Listen, man. I gotta get straight with you. I trust you and have a lot of faith in you, but I can’t help but wonder where your loyalties lie. I know I pressed to get you on my side with the whole Precious thing. But how do I know I can truly trust that you won’t turn on me at any given point?”
“One thing you made me realize is that I don’t have respect for my father. I hate the way he does business. I hate the way he treats me; the things he’s done.”
I draw my brows together, wondering what he means, but not wanting to press.
“You need to keep Tara away from him, Nate. I’m being serious.” His voice is low and I sense the concern in his tone.
“Has he done something to you? Has he hurt you?”
He pauses, the only sound I can hear is his breathing.
“Hunter?”
“He made me do things with women I didn’t know… things no thirteen-year-old should do.”
“Jesus Christ.” I exhale, grabbing the phone from its propped position, holding it in my hand. It doesn’t surprise me that fucked-up shit like this happens. It happened in our club too, only, I wasn’t pushed into anything until I was old enough to want it.
“I was so fucking scared of him that I did whatever he told me. For so long I’ve been brainwashed into believing and going along with his every demand. But I’m not a fucking kid anymore, Nate. Samantha taught me to fight back, so that’s what I’m doing. I’m fucking fighting.”
Pressing the pads of my fingers against my forehead, I scrape them back and forth. He has his own reasons for wanting revenge. Just like I did. But it doesn’t mean that it will be easy for him to let go of all he’s ever known.
“I gotta do what I gotta do. The best I can do is make sure you’re not caught in the middle. Because you will not win the support of your men if they know you had anything to do with Brewer’s downfall.”
“You’re right.” He exhales loudly. “I hate my father. Despise him for the shit he put me through. But I could never be responsible for his death. I’m not that guy, Nate. I’m not you.”
My heart starts thudding so loudly that it’s the only sound I can hear. I zone out until memories are all that I can see. That night I killed my father. That night he died at my hands.
Shaking my head, I clamp my eyes shut as I try to concentrate on what Hunter is saying.
“Nate… you still there, man?”
“Yes.” My voice is tight.
“Shit, I can’t believe I have a sister. I can’t believe she’s your old lady.” He chuckles nervously down the receiver.
“Fucking shock for everyone. But if there’s anyone you want in your life it’s Tara. Just don’t fuck this up, brother. Because she’s my girl, and I won’t see her hurt.”
“Nah, man,” he rushes out. “I’m actually pumped to meet with her.”
“Well, I’ll let her know. Contact you to arrange a time and date.”
“And the club, what about the grand reopening?”
“What’s wrong, man? Missing your usual visits?”
He laughs a deep, rumbling laugh. “Something like that. And a fucking excuse to get out of the clubhouse for a few hours.”
“Gotcha.”
With my smokes still in my hand, I pluck one out, press it between my lips and reach in my back pocket for my lighter. I retrieve it, flicking my finger over the wheel until the flame lights. Pressing the tip to the flame, I draw on the cigarette until the warmth hits my lungs. Flicking the cap closed, I push it back in my pocket.
“Meet us there tomorrow evening. Six o’clock. Private invite.”
“Fuck yes. I’ll be there, man.”
Blowing out a cloud of smoke, I nod. “I’ll be in touch about the meet.”
“Sure,” he quickly replies before I end the call. Squinting, I lift my head toward the scorching sun that beams down on me, working out my tight neck muscles. I’m so fucking tense, but feeling positive after my call with Hunter. Pushing the cell phone inside my pocket, I slowly walk over to the bench outside the front of the clubhouse.
“Hey, boss. How’d things go with Hunter?”
“As expected.” I tilt my head, looking up at Zane who stands beside me, sheltering me from the direct sunlight.
“We gonna call the bastard out? Hunter confirmed what we already know, right?”
“He knew nothing about the heist. That was all Brewer.”
“He said that, huh?” His voice is full of disbelief.
“I believe him, Zane. He even admitted he has his own fucked-up reasons for not wanting his dad around anymore.”
“So, we go fuck him up. Today.”
“Nah. I don’t think that’s for the best. We act like we don’t know anything. Play dumb.”
Zane steps around me, sitting beside me on the bench. “You have got to be kidding me, right?”
“Making him think that he has one over on us will give us the advantage. He’ll become complacent. He’ll doubt my leadership, all giving him a false sense of power. Then we set up the meeting with Brax and act normal. Rushing into taking him out will lead to us being backed into a corner. We arrange their first deal and that's when we strike. When he least expects it. With Brax backing us.”
“This is MC business, not his. He doesn’t need to be involved.”
“I agree, but keeping my men alive is my main priority. Having his backing means less risk.”
He lifts his brows, widening his eyes as he nods subtly. “And Hunter? Are you willing to take him out if he stands in the way?”
“He won’t…”
“We don’t know that,” he shoots back.
“I guess nothing is certain in life. But we have to make the best decisions for the club and hope for the best. If he stands in the way then he has to be taken out. It’s that simple.”
Glancing toward the old garage that is now my tattoo studio, I lift my brows, realizing how I miss it. “How’s Johnny getting on?”
“Busy. That guy has been putting in some serious hours.”
“Good to hear. Glad that someone is getting use out of the studio.”
Leaning forward on my knees, I drop what’s left of the cigarette to the ground and press against it with the tip of my boot.
“Don’t worry, man. You’ll get back in there, when all of this shit has settled.” He slaps my back with force. I jerk forward, tipping my head until his face is within sight.
“Thanks, brother,” I say with a chuckle and a smile.
God, I hope he’s right. I feel like a part of me is missing since I stepped away from the studio. My fingers are twitching to feel the familiar buzz of the tattoo gun in my hand. The sound drowns out everything when I’m in that moment.
“Sure,” I say, not letting on how much I miss the satisfaction and pleasure that tattooing someone gives me. “Hey, so I need you to let Melody know that we’re reopening the club tomorrow. I need her to make all the arrangements and have the girls ready to impress.”
“Shit, so we get our one chance to play tomorrow?”
“Business first, then the girls are all yours.”
“Fuck,” he says slapping his hands together and rubbing them excitedly. “This is going to be the best night ever.”
“Oh, and I also need someone to make a delivery for me.” I reach inside my pocket which has Mrs. Mellano’s address written on it and an envelope with the cash I promised her. Handing him the small package and address, I say, “Make sure she gets this. Today.”
He takes the package and address, pushing it inside his cut.
The sound of an engine in the distance causes me to glance over to the gates.
“Braxton Harris,” Zane says as he stands, turning and heading inside to open the huge electric gates.
Stepping up from the bench, I slowly make my way over as the gates open and Brax makes his way inside.
“Hey,” he shouts from his open window. I nod my head as he smiles wildly at me, pulling the SUV to a gradual stop. I lean inside the car, holding my hand out for him to shake.
“Good to see you, man,” he says, shaking my hand and patting me on the shoulder with his free one.
“You too, brother. Why don’t you come inside and I can bring you up to speed.”
Opening the door, we head inside where I fill him in on the events from last night and my plans for Brewer.
“You know you can count on me. I need this deal to work out with Hunter more than ever. I just hope your judgement on the kid is on point.”
“He’s put his trust in me. He’s told me shit he’d get killed for if Brewer ever found out.”
“Knowledge is power. If you know something that could get him killed, you’re in a position of power.”
“Exactly why I know he won’t fuck up.”