Chapter 8
Girth
I tried my best to avoid looking at Lila, as she walked ahead of me and towards the doors of T-Bone. I could still feel her arms around my torso when she was sitting behind me on my bike. It was driving me nuts. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that we had nearly fucked. That I had come inside the mouth of my new boss’ daughter. Was I even fit for this job anymore?
Lila walked into the bar, and I noticed the way everyone’s eyes lit up. Rodeo and Abe rushed towards her, wrapping their arms around her as they led her towards her father. I followed but kept my distance. The guilt was creeping up on me. She was like a sister to these guys, she was like a daughter to Fred…everyone in this MC adored her and treated Lila like a princess. She was spoilt by their attention and their love.
Why would a guy like me, ever be good enough for her? Besides the fact that it was against the rules to be with the boss’ daughter, I knew that I wasn’t the best candidate for Lila. I came from nothing, I was appointed as her bodyguard and even though I was a good shot, I was eager and strong and rising up the ranks at the Rogue Rebels—I was nowhere close to being good enough for her.
I watched as Lila hugged Lewis and he hugged her back tightly.
“You’re here!” he exclaimed and even though she rolled her eyes at that, she seemed pleased that she was able to make her dad happy.
“It doesn’t mean I forgive you, or any of you!” she remarked and Fred thumped her back affectionately.
“We’re just glad you came out, Lila. We were worried,” Fred said and she shrugged her shoulders at him.
“Is there anything you can’t do?” Lewis directed the question at me and had caught me off guard. I was too awash in guilt to be able to answer the question.
“Get the man a fucking drink. I don’t even want to ask what my daughter’s put you through already,” Lewis said with a laugh, and some of the others laughed too.
The guy behind the bar, who I remembered being introduced to earlier as Gus, poured me a shot of whisky and I walked up to the counter to collect it. Lewis was right, I definitely needed a drink.
Lila was still wrapped up in her dad’s arms, just a few feet away from me when I approached the bar. I was still trying my very best to not meet her eyes.
“So, you’re accepting help then, mouse? You’re happy with Girth?” her father asked her. It was the first time I was hearing his nickname for her, which was further proof of how precious she was to him.
“Yes, dad, I’m very happy,” I heard her reply and I could sense her eyes on me as I knocked back the shot of whisky and slammed the glass down on the counter. Gus immediately started pouring me another one.
“Good, sweetheart. Girth has come highly recommended by your Godfather, and you know Elwood knows best,” Lewis said.
“He clearly knows better than you!” Lila said and I turned to see that she was staring right at me. It was obvious that it was only his daughter, who Lewis allowed to speak to him that way. She was the apple of his eye, and he had no idea that I had my cock down his precious daughter’s throat just an hour ago.
I gulped, just as Lila wriggled free from her father’s grasp and began walking away.
“I’m going to return some calls, I’ll use your office phone, dad,” she said, and I followed her with my eyes for a few moments, watching the way her ass moved in her tight black lycra skirt. I looked away just as Lewis spoke to me.
“I can’t thank you enough, Girth, I know she’s a handful,” Lewis reached over and thumped his hand on my back. I grinned at him and nodded, feeling that pang of guilt in my soul again.
“Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?” I asked and Lewis drew in a deep breath. Rodeo, Abe and Fred had gathered around us as well, while the rest of the handful of members went back to talking amongst themselves and drinking.
“They’re the Dark Legion, maybe you’ve heard of them?” Lewis began and I nodded.
“Yeah, in passing. I know they run the weapons and drug trade around here, don’t they?” I asked, as I emptied the second shot of whisky down my throat. Lewis was nodding his head, and he stared wildly at a spot on the wall across the room.
“Those fucking assholes. They almost got my daughter. They nearly killed Lila!” he growled and I watched as Fred placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder to settle him.
“But she’s safe now and this guy here is going to keep it that way,” Fred said and looked at me expectantly.
“I am,” I replied and Lewis drew in another ragged breath.
“They think we’re encroaching,” he said and I crossed my brows.
“On their territory? But you guys only deal in automobiles don’t you?” I asked and I watched Rodeo exchange looks with Lewis and I knew that there was something that I didn’t already know.
“Yeah, well, that’s what we’ve been doing for the past seven years, since the MC has been in operation, since my old lady died,” Lewis admitted and I was hanging on to his every word.
“But?” I prodded him and Lewis looked at Fred again before he spoke.
“But we might have dabbled in weapons, just one shipment, there was big money in it and we couldn’t say no,” Lewis informed me and I clenched my jaws.
“It was supposed to be a one time thing, and it went smoothly. We made our money, distributed the shipment and went on our way,” Rodeo continued and I looked at Lewis again.
“So what’s their problem?” I asked and he breathed in deeply.
“Our contacts are sending another consignment. They were happy with how smoothly the distribution was made the first time. They want us to keep doing it,” Lewis said and I looked over at Fred who shrugged his shoulders.
“And the Dark Legion isn’t happy about that,” I stated and Lewis nodded his head.
“They’ve been passing threats along to us for the past weeks, since news of the new deal broke out. We haven’t responded. We just don’t have the manpower to take on a big MC like Dark Legion,” Lewis said and another shot of whisky was handed to me by Gus.
“No, you don’t,” I said and Lewis sighed.
“There’s good money in it man, it’s hard to just give it up,” he added and I knocked the third shot back. The whisky finally had its effect on me, I felt a sudden lightheadedness, but I was able to keep it under control.
“So they take a shot at Lila to send a message?” I asked and Lewis stroked his long grey beard.
“Those motherfuckers think they can scare us into submission. They think they can get to my daughter and stop us from doing the trade. If anything happens to Lila, if they touch a hair on her head. I’ll…” Lewis was growling, crushing the can of beer in his hand.
“Nothing will happen to her. I’m going to make sure of that. You need to figure out if you want to risk the lives of your men and the survival of your MC against the Dark Legion,” I growled back and Lewis and I were glaring at each other.
“Fuck!” he growled again and Fred thumped his shoulders.
“We need to think about this calmly. You need to talk to Elwood and see if he can send over reinforcements,” Fred said and Lewis shook his head.
“I know he’s doing me a big favor by sparing Girth. I know he has his own shit to deal with. I can’t ask him for more. Also, what kind of a captain does that make me if I can’t decide by myself what is good for my men?” Lewis was grumbling as he thought and I raised my hand to Gus for another shot. Now that I’d started, I had to keep going. Besides, when had whisky ever stopped me from getting the job done?
“No, we need to figure this shit out by ourselves,” Lewis continued, while shaking his head in thought.
Just then, the doors of the bar burst open and a young guy in a cop’s uniform barged in. I jumped up from my stool and in an instant I had my gun pointed directly at him.
“Whoa!” the guy yelled, raising his hands up in the air in defense.
“Steady on there, tiger. It’s only Hugh,” I heard Lewis’ voice behind me. I was confused. What was a cop doing in a MC bar? I was taking steps towards him, with my gun still pointed in his direction.
“Who’s this jerk?” the cop said, looking around the bar.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I barked at him, just as I felt a hand thump my back.
“You can put your gun down, Girth, we know this guy. He’s one of us,” it was Fred. I blinked rapidly as I glared at the cop. He was grinning at me now and I had to do everything I could to not punch him in the face to wipe that grin off.
“Who the fuck is he?” I growled, as I lowered my gun.
“It’s Hugh. He’s our guy on the inside, relax, Girth,” Fred said, as I stuffed my gun in my belt. Hugh was still grinning.
“Girth, good name, suits you man,” he commented and came over to me to thump my shoulder. I yanked myself away from him and nearly spat on his fucking self sufficient face.
“He’s the new guy, here as protection for Lila,” Lewis informed Hugh, who walked over to the counter where Gus had a bottle of beer opened and ready for him. I followed his every movement with my eyes suspiciously, there was something about this guy I didn’t like.
“Is that right? Well, that’s exactly why I’m here,” Hugh said, turning to Lewis and then he dropped his voice. “How is she?” he asked.
Lewis shrugged his shoulders.
“She’s mad at me, mad at everyone. You know what she’s like. Girth finally managed to get her out of the house and come over here. She was refusing to step out, refusing to talk to us,” Lewis explained and Hugh sipped his beer slowly and nodded his head.
“Where is she? I should go check on her,” Hugh said and Fred tipped his head in the direction of the back office where Lila was making her phone calls.
I watched with clenched jaws as Hugh walked towards it and then knocked on the door. What the fuck was going on? Was he her boyfriend? Did Lila have a boyfriend? She was dating a cop?
I didn’t know if it was the whisky that was making me see red, or if it was just pure smoldering uncontrollable jealousy.
Lewis was smiling as he drank his beer.
“He’s a good guy that one,” he said and Fred nodded in agreement.
“He likes her too, maybe he’s too afraid to ask your permission to ask her out,” Fred said with a laugh and Lewis laughed as well.
“He fucking well should be,” Lewis replied and I clenched my fists in rage.