GAUGE
“What’sthe latest?” Iasked Shooter as Imoved to stand away from the prospects. Thomas had finally taken off on his bike, tears and snot and blood trailing down his cheeks hard enough that Ialmost felt apang of guilt. Almost. But Iknew that in the long run Iwas doing him afavor. This life wasn’tfor him.
“Got some stuff out of the guys in the basement. Gave it up once Fighter ran out of fingers to take and was looking at other appendages.” Shooter gave adry laugh.
“They only lasted the fingers?” Iasked. “Pussies!”
“Right,” he agreed. “Think Fighter and Battle were disappointed, to be honest.”
It was my turn to laugh. “Ijust bet they were.”
“That reminds me: Fighter said do you want your cutter back anytime soon?” He chuckled as he said it.
“Fuck no!”
Shooter laughed again and then Iheard him light acigarette. His deep inhale and exhale of smoke spread loudly down the phone and made me crave one.
“This ain’tacourtesy call though, is it, Prez?” Iasked, growing wary by his brooding quietness. The man was always fuckin’ broodin’ over something.
“Unfortunately not,” he relented.
It was my turn to light acigarette as Iprepared myself for whatever Shooter was about to tell me. Because Ihad afeeling that Iwasn’tgoing to like it.
“We’re going to need alittle longer,” he finally said.
“Okay.”
“They’re proving difficult to locate. They’ve covered their tracks better than we expected—probably why shit’sbeen going on right under our noses and we haven’tknown about it. Looks like they had different splinters of their club, and after the incident at the boat, they’ve scattered.”
Ifrowned. “Like the cockroaches they are, huh?”
“Exactly,” Shooter agreed. “Listen, you remember the safe house up in—”
“Iremember,” Iinterrupted, really not liking where the conversation was going. “Prez, Ihope you ain’tabout to say what Ithink you’re about to say, because you know that there are better men for this job than me.”
Shooter sighed and Iheard his footsteps echoing through the clubhouse before the sound of the clubhouse door opened and closed.
“Listen, if Ithought that anyone else was an option, I’dput them on it. But this is Dom’ssister and he doesn'ttrust her with anyone.”
Ibarked out adark laugh. “But he trusts her with me?”
Shooter joined in with my laughter. “His reasoning is fucked up, granted, brother.”
The memory of Jolie dry riding me flashed through my mind, her hard nipples in my mouth as she groaned into the air. Her olive skin, soft as silk, her lips tasting like coffee and strawberries…
“But Dom trusts you enough to leave her well alone, despite what he says. Iconsidered sending Fighter up with her, but he’safucking psycho and the chances of him losing the plot if she gives him any shit are fucking high, brother. Can you imagine them trapped in ahouse together?” He said seriously. “That place would self-combust.”
Iwas only half listening, my thoughts still on the memory of Jolie’shand rubbing my crotch. Only now it wasn’tme she was touching, it was Fighter. The thought made me angry.
“I’macting VP, Shooter. Ishould be there in the thick of this.” Acting VP instead of sergeant-at-arms because Rider was nose-deep in whatever he could sniff or swallow. Ireally hoped Charlie had gotten him somewhere to clean up, because Ineeded to get back to what Iwas good at, and it sure as shit wasn’tbabysitting. It was being balls-deep in the middle of war.
“You are in the thick of it, brother, and the important thing now is keeping her alive. We found some files on the boat; they’ve been watching her for some time. Taking her wasn’tby chance, brother, it was amove. Looks like Dom, the club, Jolie…we’ve all been on their radar.” He let that thought settle before continuing. “We’re looking for them, but know this, brother. If they’re coming for anyone, it will be her. They have abone to pick now that she got away from them. And that’swhy Ineed you with her. You’re the best man to protect her. Hardest bastard this side of Georgia.”
“All right, all right, motherfucker. No need to keep strokin’ my cock, Iget it,” Ibit out.
Iwasn’taman to sit back and wait; Iwas adive right in man. And all Iwanted to do was dive right in and kill someone for what had gone down. But if Shooter was right, and he usually was, then if the Highwaymen didn’tfind them first, the Vipers would likely come right to me. It was that thought that made me agree.
“I’ll make sure there’splenty for you to do when you get back. There’ll be plenty for all of us to do when this shit is over.”
