GAUGE
The club fell silent as the three of us glared at one another. Laney was the one to break the silence as she made her way toward the bar, her steps slow and deliberate. When she reached Shooter, she plucked the lit cigarette from between his fingers and no one missed the huff of irritation he let out when she did.
Stubbing the cigarette out on the bar in front of him, she held his stare, daring him to say something to her. It was almost like she wanted him to end things between them. Bitch had been like that for weeks, and Shooter was at breaking point. There was so much going on with the club and there just weren’tenough hours in the day to deal with everything. Right then she shoulda been by his side, helping her man the best she could, not causing him more problems. He’dfucked up, but how long was she intending on making him pay for that?
“Laney,” Ibegan, but she held up ahand to silence me. Iraised an eyebrow at Casa when he chuckled.
“You,” Laney said to Shooter, afinger jabbing his chest, “are an asshole.”
“Iknow,” he agreed automatically, his gruff voice accepting the insult with ease.
“Any other things you’ve been keeping from me?” she asked as he reached into his cut pocket and pulled his smokes out.
Shooter let out another huff of annoyance and put acigarette between his lips and lit it. “No,” he replied.
“Is that apromise?”
She’dclosed the gap between them but had kept some distance, standing by his knees instead of filling the gap between his open legs.
“Yes,” he gritted out, his jaw twitching as he exhaled amouthful of smoke.
It was her turn now to huff out her annoyance, like she was considering something and hadn’tliked the conclusion she’dcome to.
“Do you know where I’ve just come from?” she asked him, and he shook his head no.
“Never know where the fuck you are these days, babe,” he replied casually. “Always somewhere but nowhere near me, that’sfor damn certain.”
“Have you ever stopped and wondered why?” she asked, her eyes accusatory.
Shooter took another swig of his beer. “Probably something that’sgoing to make me want to kill someone. Because I’mguessing you’ve found yourself anew man, right?”
She narrowed her eyes and Iwondered whether Ishould step between them. Laney was my kid, but Shooter was my president; Ihad every right and no right to get involved in this all at the same time.
“You know nothing, Jesse fucking James—”
“Listen,” he cut her off, “there’sclub shit going on. Can we do this later?”
“What?” she spat, alook of hatred etched so deeply on her face that Icringed.
He sighed and blew out another mouthful of smoke. “You gimme the guy’sname that you’ve been fucking and later I’ll go blow his fuckin’ brains out for daring to put his hands on my property, but for right now I’ve got important shit to do. You feel me, babe?”
He turned his face away from her, clearly done with the conversation, but she grabbed his chin and turned him back to face her—something he clearly wasn’thappy with, given the way his shoulders stiffened.
“Don’tyou dare look away from me, Jesse, or Iswear to God you’ll regret it,” she snapped.
Shooter’sentire demeaning hardened and Iknew the moment was coming when I’dhave to choose between my prez and my daughter. She might have been anasty little bitch when she wanted, but she was still my blood. The choice, as much as Ihated it, was simple.
“Ask me?” she said, her tone cold.
“Like Isaid, Idon’thave time for this shit, Laney,” Shooter said, his voice growing louder.
“Ask me,” she said again, this time her tone matching his.
“Idon’tfuckin’ have time for your cold-hearted bullshit, Laney. Abrother'ssister is missing! Your fuckin’ dad just nearly died! Idon’thave the fuckin’ time for any of your bullshit right now,” he yelled furiously. He stood up and started to push past her, but she wouldn’tmove out of his way, instead grabbing his arm even as he tried to shrug her off. “Move, Laney, now, or so help you God!”
“Ask me!” she yelled, dragging him back to face her.
“No!” he roared, and both Casa and Istood up, readying ourselves to drag her out of his way before he did something he’dregret. Because there was no way to deny that Shooter was abomb set to detonate if she didn’tlet him go. And yet none of us wanted to get in the middle of their shit. This would either break them or make them, and we’dall be glad of the resolution no matter the outcome.
