“But…” Snapper adds carefully, walking closer to us and keeping his voice low. “We need to consider what this means if he is no longer part of the IR. If those who left are now doing their own thing, that’s dangerous for a whole other reason.” He looks between us. “We need to think of all the angles here.”
I growl, digging my hands through my hair. “Fuck. What the fuck!”
Someone’s hand is on my shoulder, and I’m surprised when I see it’s Snapper’s. He isn’t a touchy-feely guy, definitely not the consoling type. “We will not let anything happen to her. Tommy is there, right?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Maybe one of us should be there too. Just in case.”
“I don’t want her to know about this. She’s finally in a good place. She doesn’t seem to worry about shit the way she used to. I can’t tell her this and see her scared again.”
“Then you do it,” Shark says. “We have a lot of planning that needs to be done with all these new businesses and runs and shit. Snapper and Rhino were going to handle it all, but I’m sure they won’t mind you helping out from home until we can figure this out.”
“Or I can go find the prick and kill him. Then we won’t have to worry at all,” I say.
“Yeah, we could,” Snapper adds, which has Shark groaning.
“As much as I appreciate both of you wanting to murder that scumbag, we need to be realistic.”
“I am being realistic, Shark. Did you think I was just going to let this guy keep walking around this earth like nothing is wrong?” I try to keep my voice down, but it’s not really working. “This isn’t the first time I’ve thought about it. I’d planned to do it anyway. This just lit the fuse.”
“That much is clear,” Shark says.
I can tell he isn’t arguing with me, and I know he’s just trying to do his job as the VP of the club. There’s a reason he’s the VP. He’s more levelheaded than most of us, even the Prez. Though, if he were in my position, I’m not sure he’d be the voice of reason.
“What would you do if Cora stayed up at night, terrified to sleep because of what some prick did to her?”
He gives me a sympathetic look. “I’d do the same thing you are, but I hope that someone with a clear head would talk me outof it.” He steps closer to me, looking me in the eyes. “If you do this messy, and you get caught, she’ll be alone. You are all she has, and you can’t go to jail for this—or worse. You have to think clearly.”
“I’ll make sure that happens,” Snapper says. “I’ll figure it out. If anyone can get away with murder around here, it’s me.”
Shark mutters something under his breath that I don’t make out.
“I don’t doubt that for a second,” I say.
“You both know, officially, I can’t condone this.” He looks between us, and both of us just hold his stare. “But as your brother, not just in the club, but outside too, I don’t disagree with what you’re saying. But I have a duty to this club.”
I put my hand on his shoulder. “You are a good man, Shark, and one day, I’ll pay you back for this.”
Snapper’s gaze is still on me when I drop my hand from Shark’s shoulder. I have no idea what I should do but I know what I want to do. And I’m pretty sure I know what’s going to happen. I thought of this when I was clearheaded, before he came onto my property. I’m not the one who started this. He is.
“Okay. I’m gonna head home then. But I’m telling you right now, if I see that asshole on my property, he won’t be leaving alive.” I step toward the door, then look at them over my shoulder. “Maybe one of you should go warn the sheriff.”
“Fuck,” he hisses. “Yeah okay.” As I’m pulling the door open, he says, “Someone will be by with a security system. Just tell her we’re all getting them.”
“I hate lying to her.” I shake my head. “I already had to lie to her about all this.”
“Then I guess we’re all getting new security systems.” He grins, then comes over to me and gives me a hug. “Don’t worry, bro. We’re going to get this figured out. We all have your back.”
“Thank you,” I say, letting out a shaky breath.
For the first time in my life, I am fucking terrified.
Shark gives me a good pat on the back then leaves the room.
“Before you go,” Snapper says, gesturing to the hallway. We walk out together to the main space. “Lucian wanted me to tell you that he got in touch with his doctor friend. Some lady in New Hampshire.” He unlocks the cabinet he leaves his shit in, since he doesn’t get his own office—much to his dismay—and pulls out a folded piece of paper that he hands to me. “She agreed to see Anastacia, and maybe taking a trip to New Hampshire right now won’t be a bad idea.”
“Thank you,” I say sincerely, then I’m out the door and heading home.
