I wanted to know what that statement entailed, but given that Cole had said it was a story of many stories, I figured me, drunk, and him, furious, was not the right combination for a story to be told.
“All right, let’s just get to it then. How willing are you and your friends to fight? Is it just you? Or are all of you interested?”
“Real talk, I told everyone about our conversation last time. And it did not go well.”
Perhaps someone with more tact and sobriety would have phrased it better. A night like tonight took whatever filter there was and ripped it open, making the gush of information even stronger than normal.
If I couldn’t be polite, though, I could be optimistic.
“But that was before tonight. I think some of the boys will at least want to retaliate, if not make an entire club out of it.”
“That’s fine, we’re not here to make legal contracts, just to get shit started,” Cole said. “Hey, hold on a second.”
In the background, I could hear him talking to Lilly and saying something to Roger. It was a brief moment, not exactly a momentous one, but it took me back to the woman I had left at the bar. Perhaps I had acted too rashly. I was sure Lilly knew what Cole’s past looked like, or at least had an idea. I didn’t have the faintest idea about Lilly’s story—she seemed like a nice girl, one who stayed above fighting and violence—but if she’d had a child with him…
Perhaps ugly pasts and bright futures could merge more seamlessly and gently than I had first assumed.
“Sorry about that, listen, Brock. I want you to get everyone together tomorrow night. I want to speak to them directly.”
“Well, that’s great, but they’re all in jail right now.”
“Where? In Albuquerque?”
“Yes, they all got arrested at Reapers.”
A pause came on the other end of the line.
“Goddamnit. Fine. I’ll get that taken care of. Give me their names. First and last.”
I rattled off everyone’s information, confirming it when Cole read it back.
“I’ll get them bailed out by tomorrow morning,” he said. “Hopefully, the cops just wanted them in the tank to learn a lesson, but if not, I’ll get them out. Get them together for tomorrow. Send me your address by text. Let’s say eight o’clock. And Brock, like I said, this is personal now. It’s one thing for me to see it from afar. But if these guys are coming to fuck up my bar, I will not bend over like I did in Springsville.”
What does that mean?
“I will do whatever it takes to see this stomped out before these guys become the next Fallen Saints. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
“OK, sounds—”
But Cole had hung up before I could say a word more. I placed the phone on the kitchen counter, looked to the open bottle of vodka, and headed to my couch.
Well…the good news was, maybe we could finally fight back, eradicate the Bandits. Maybe there would be no more incidents like with Rachel. Maybe Tara…
No.
I could not do anything with Tara.
It was for the best this shit had happened tonight. I was playing with a fire I couldn’t control. Even if Tara and I could stay mute on anything we did, I couldn’t be in two places at once. People would get suspicious when I spent less time at the house. Her family would wonder why she wasn’t home as much.
My wish for the girl I’d had an eye on for over two years was squashed. I couldn’t trust myself enough, even with the backup of Cole and my friends, to protect her like I should have Rachel. Someone in a safer part of town, someone who lived away from violence, could treat her better.
My purpose in life was not to find love and to live happily ever after. It was to burn down hatred and evil so that others in this town could consider happily ever after.
If I could do that, then maybe I would reach some measure of atonement for that horrible, haunting incident eight years ago.
Tara
The worst part about Brock storming out wasn’t that he’d left me alone. There weren’t a ton of people there anyway, and the bartender was nice enough to keep an eye out for me while I sobered up.
