I watch Docdisappear through the heavy wood clubhouse doors as they slam shut behind him with a dull thud. For a second, I just stand there, chest heaving, knuckles still throbbing from everything that’s happened tonight.
Then I turn my attention back to him. Hank. He’s standing a few feet away, arms hanging stiff at his sides, jaw tight like he’s been grinding his teeth.
Rage boils within me so fast it nearly blinds me.
“What do you want?” I ask sharply.
His eyes flick past me to the clubhouse door. “How is she?” he asks roughly. “Did they—”
I see the concern in his face. The sight of it only makes the anger worse. Because this is his fault. She’d still be in the club if it weren’t for him fucking around with that bitch. If he hadn’t been pushing Vee away every chance he got instead of trying to see if a relationship with all of us could work, she'd still be at work. She wouldn’t have left the building alone.
None of this would’ve ever happened.
“Why do you care?” I snap. “She’s not your woman. You’ve made that pretty fuckin’ clear.”
I can see the muscles in his jaw tensing.
“Fuck you, Luke,” he growls, as he steps closer to me. “It doesn’t mean I don’t care about her.”
“Her men will take care of her,” I growl.
He tries to shove past me toward the clubhouse door, but I move just as quickly to stop him. My fists are clenched and moving before my brain even has a chance to react to what I’m doing. I rear my arm back and slam it hard into his jaw. The crack of bone on bone rings through the yard.
His head snaps sideways, but he recovers fast—faster than I expected. His fist drives into my ribs hard enough to knock the breath out of me.
“Son of a bitch,” I grumble as I swing again.
This time he blocks me, grabbing my shirt and slamming his forehead into mine. Stars explode across my vision but I don’t back down. I shift my body and drive my elbow into his side. He stumbles backward but regains his footing. He rushes toward me as he swings again but I duck, driving my shoulder into his gut and sending us both stumbling sideways.
We’re both breathing hard now, rage burning through us.
“You should’ve been there!” I snarl, charging him, and shoving him so hard he has to step to catch his balance.
“You think I don’t fucking know that?!” he roars, swinging again. His fist connects with my cheek and my fist slams into his ribs.
We continue swinging at each other. Punch after punch, no one interferes as we settle this issue between us with violence. We crash into the gravel, fists flying. Each of us punching the other and grunting in pain from the other's attack. Pain erupts across my cheek as his knuckles connect. I taste blood where my lip splits open.
“What the fuck are the two of you doing?,” a thunderous voice cuts through the chaos.
Both of us freeze as strong hands grab our shoulders and haul us apart. Our brothers have finally intervened as Earl moves between us, eyes blazing with fury.
His gaze cuts from me to Hank, and the disappointment in it is worse than any punch.
“Hank, you can help Luca take our prisoners to the dungeon.”
I watch as Hank wipes blood from the corner of his mouth and shakes his head. “Pres, I want—”
“I don’t give a fuck what you want,” Earl growls.
The air goes cold.
“You have an order. Now do it.”
Then he shifts his gaze to me.
“Luke,” he barks, pointing toward the clubhouse. “Go and check on Vee.”
Silence hangs heavy between us.
