“You better,” Ireplied, my voice thick with annoyance. “After what they did, they deserve to die…slowly, and by my hand.”
“Goes without saying, Gauge.”
Itook adeep breath and stomped down on my cigarette. “What about Dom’smom and his little shit of abrother?”
“Dom’sspeaking to them and sending them out of town. They were specifically after Jolie though, so Idon’tthink there’smuch chance of anything happening there. It’sJolie we need to keep hidden…or at least on solid ground where we can protect her.”
Iheard engines starting in the background and voices growing louder.
“Listen, you get her up to the safe house and I’ll send someone for you both when it’sokay,” Shooter said.
“No, you’ll send someone when there’ssomeone for me to kill.”
He laughed. “Yeah, that too. Has the other brother turned up yet?”
“No. He’dtaken off by the time we got here. No one has seen him since.”
“All right, well, we’ve got eyes out looking for him too. We’ve been scouring the usual hideouts, but no luck so far. We’ll bring him to the clubhouse once we find him. And let Jolie know that wewillfind him; make sure she knows that or she’ll never go with you. When this is all over, Dom’ssending him to get clean too.”
Inodded despite Shooter not being able to see the action. “Listen, you should know that Ihad to cut Thomas.” Ilooked over the way Thomas had ridden, wondering briefly where he was going to go.
Shooter sighed before replying. “All right. That’syour domain, and if you cut him then you had good reason to. Not the best timing though. You get that, right?”
“Iknow, but it was time all the same,” Iexplained.
“Fine, Itrust you, but any fallout is on you, brother. We’re just heading out with Beefcake. He got word of some men in suits going into Hazy Nights, so we’re going to check it out. Get her to the safe house, keep her safe, and I’ll be in touch real soon.”
“You owe me,” Icomplained. Ilooked up at her house, already mentally preparing myself for the argument Iwas going to have with her to get her to leave and come with me. After what happened between us that morning, I’djust made my job awhole lot harder. “She’sapain in my ass, Shooter.”
“Yeah, yeah, the crazy ones always are. But you keep her safe, no matter what,” he replied. “I’ve gotta go. Dom just got off the phone and he’slooking pissed off. He’sbeen arranging with Louie to take their mom on an impromptu vacay, courtesy of the Highwaymen.”
“The cost of war an’ all that,” Isighed.
“Iprefer to think of it as the cost of family, but you’re not wrong. Get the prospects back here and I’ll check in with you tomorrow, but if anything happens you call, okay?”
“I’ll handle it,” Iagreed unhappily.
“Think of it as avacay for you too,” Shooter said, his tone lighter.
“Fuck off, Shooter,” Igrumbled.
Shooter laughed again. “I’mjust saying maybe some time to relax and unwind is just what you need.”
“That the old man?” Casa’svoice sounded out in the background, coming closer. “He fucked her yet?”
“Shut up, asshole,” Shooter said.
“What did he just say?” Dom yelled.
“He was sayin’ that Jolie was needing some reassurance from him last night,” Casa said, still laughing. “Needed some of Gauge’sspecial TLC treatment, if you know what I’msayin’.”
There was ascuffle and then Dom’svoice yelled down the phone loud enough to make me wince. “Keep your hands to yourself, Gauge!”
Idisconnected the call without replying, knowing that would piss him off more, but also because Ididn’twant to have to lie to him.
Iturned back to the prospects and gave them their orders before heading back inside, dreading the conversation with Jolie, not to mention having to spend more time with her. Because after the way Ihad just treated her, there was no doubt in my mind that she was going to make my life amisery for the foreseeable future.
Inside, Iheaded up the stairs to her room. Iconsidered knocking on the door but decided against it. She was already pissed at me, and Icouldn’timagine her hating me anymore than she already did.
