All it will take is one trigger happy finger to accidently let off a shot.
“Harper, baby. Please, put the gun down. I promised you, didn’t I, that I’d find them and make them pay,” JJ soothes.
“I think it’s one of these assholes that are pointing their guns at me,” she retaliates.
JJ spins and glares at the brothers, but it’s Leo who speaks up. “For those of you with a gun in your hand aiming it at my sister, you have three seconds to put them away or I’ll take mine out and bodies will drop.”
His voice booms around the bar, demanding submission. Guns slowly drop and are stowed away.
Harper's tears come heavy and fast. “Just tell me!”
She's not listening to JJ. Stepping away from Leo, he goes to grab me as I pass him, but I move faster.
I cut through the brothers and smile sadly when she sees me.
“Harps, darling, what are you doing?” I ask gently.
“Someone here got my uncle killed, they need to pay.”
“And they will, Leo and Jay will find out who they are, you know they will, but you don’t need to be here to see it go down.” I take another step closer. “Come home with me, and we can open a bottle of wine.”
She shakes her head and I take another step closer to her. “You trust Jay and Leo, if they told you they won’t stop until they find out who, you know they will. Come with me, let them get on with it, and they’ll come find you when they’ve got him.”
She wavers and lowers the gun a little. I close the distance and place my hands over hers. Keeping my voice low, only for her to hear, I say, “Our men are going to find whoever it is, and they’re going to hurt them so bad, they’ll beg to die.”
“They will, won’t they,” she sobs.
I nod and finally prize the gun from her hands. Keeping eye contact with her, I pass back the gun, and someone takes it from me. Once my hand is free, I cup both her cheeks, sweeping mygloved thumbs over her tears, and say, “Let’s let the guys do what they’ve gotta do, yeah?”
She nods and I drop my hands and wrap my arm around her. Brothers move out of our way and JJ watches on, frowning.
I catch Leo’s eye, his mouth opens to say something when we hear, “You should learn how to handle your old lady.” Then chaos erupts and I get us out of the bar before we’re caught in the violence.
7
Leo
Iwatch on as brother after brother jump into the fight. The bar falls into madness, and I stand by and light a cigarette. Jay pummels his fist into the brother’s face who disrespected him and Harper. Blood coats his knuckles, each punch landing harder than the one before. The guy’s nose is fucked, and his eye has begun to swell immediately. Mason and Myles fight as one, the gleam in their eyes burning with violence. I inhale on the cigarette as a chair is lifted into the air and then brought down over Ashton’s head. Grim throws punches as if he is punching for both him and Shane. I doubt anyone’s seeing who they’re fighting. It's carnal and very much needed. Furniture is broken, glasses are smashed, and I take another drag on my cigarette.
“Never in the history of our club have we been this broken.”
Glancing to my side, Dad stands with his arms crossed over his chest and disdain on his face. Sparky is still sat at the bar, I'm not sure he’s aware of the carnage going on behind him.
“This ain’t broken.”
“What the fuck would you call it?”
I think on it before answering, “Healing.”
Dad shakes his head. “I put too much trust in you, too much, too soon.” He sighs.
No matter the carnage going on around me, I close my eyes. I never wanted to hear those words from my dad.
Opening my eyes, I put my cigarette between my lips and take out my gun. I point it at the ceiling and let off three shots. Brothers stop fighting, quickly going for their guns. Blood drips from noses and bust lips, eyes are blackening, some swelling.
“Did you all get that out of your systems?” I bellow. “You think fightin’ each other is the answer? You think we ain’t got more important shit to deal with?”
I walk around, stopping beside JJ. “Our brotherhood is at risk and instead of coming together and eliminating the threat to our patch, you’d rather doubt me and fight one another!”
