I turn, glaring at Smitty, Spud and Tups, three of the longest serving members who know damn well what the bylaws say.
Even so, every man needs to be reminded.
“We will not raise a hand, harm or violate women, children, the elderly, or the defenceless!” I bellow. “This piece of shit deserves to be punished, and he will meet his end when the time is right, but we don’t VIOLATE ANYONE! No matter what!”
Abbey’s tear-filled caramel eyes meet mine then, and I can see her love for me, even as she still holds the gun pointed at my President.
“I am not the one who has broken our code!” I hiss, jabbing a finger towards Nate. “You are!”
“Are you challenging me for my role?” Smitty snarls through gritted teeth, and I shake my head.
“No fucking way if this is what our club stands for.” I point to the mop pole.
Low murmurs travel through the crowd, floating to those gathered outside. I can’t tell if they are for or against what I just said, but right now, all that matters is getting my wife out of here before things escalate.
“Put him in the back of my car and load him up on painkillers,” I tell Vender and Mex, who lift Daniel by each arm, and help him stumble out on shaky legs.
Abbey’s chest is rising and falling rapidly as her gaze darts from Daniel, to me, and back to Smitty.
“You gonna shoot me, Charity?” Smitty asks with a shit-eating smirk.
“Maybe.” Abbey shrugs. “You definitely deserve a bullet.”
He throws his head back, laughing. “I can’t fucking tell if you’re serious.”
“She’s dead fucking serious,” I snap, and Nate’s smirk falls into another glare directed at me.
“You’d better fucking leave before I decide to gut you like a fish.”
“Don’t worry. I’m leaving here. Butnotthe club. Anyone who comes with me is still a club brother,” I say, making sure the other men know we are still loyal to the club, despite what’s just happened. “We’ll be back, and then we can settle this dispute the Southern Sadist way. In fucking church like civilised club brothers.”
Nate’s nostrils flare as he growls, looking like he’s about ready to leap across this shitty men’s room and strangle me. I’ve defied him. Belittled him. Made him look weak.
I have no idea how I’ll be received when we return, but that’s a fucking problem for another day.
“Angel,” I rasp to my wife while keeping my eyes trained on Smitty.
Glancing over her shoulder at me, she walks backwards, keeping the gun trained on Smitty and his men. The moment she’s close enough, I take the gun from her grip and urge her towards JD.
My best mate takes her hand and quickly hustles her through the crowd, the men parting easily for her, making me wonder if they might be on her side after what just happened.
The moment I follow, Smitty starts forward, trailing us, and I keep him in my peripheral as I hurry back to the Landy where JD is removing the car seat so Abbey can get in the front.
“Put it in the van,” I bark, and he nods, rushing to the van where Murf and Stocky are already getting ready to leave with us.
Moving to the back of my car, I find Daniel curled in a ball, crying silently on the bed Abbey and I just fucked in not even ten minutes ago.
Shit. How can things change so fucking quickly?
“You take the drugs they gave you?” I ask him, and he nods, clutching onto a bottle of water. “That shouldn’t have happened,” I snap, hating that it sounds like an apology when part of me has always wanted him to have a taste of his own medicine.
It’s one thing to think it. It’s another thing entirely to do it.
Daniel sobs, curling up tighter, and my eyes meet Abbey’s where she’s peering over from the front seat.
As chatter from the club brothers draws closer, I close the back door and get into the driver’s seat, starting up the Landy.
The van with Stocky and Murf pulls out when I do, along with JD, Vender, Mex, and Trunk, following on their hogs.
