Page 50 of Not Your Romeo
I took a deep breath.
“Wyatt,” She began, and the use of my first name jarred me a bit. “I apologize, I did investigate a little while they were settling her at first. You’re Wyatt Nash, president of the Dirty Savages motorcycle club, aren’t you?”
I gave a dry, half-hearted, grunt and stared at her.
“I don’t–” Her eyes widened, and she shook her head, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to suggest anything by that statement, I was only explaining where I’d heard your name before. Do you have reason to believe there is anyone who would hurt your wife due to her own experiences, or those that might include you or your club?”
I cleared my throat and decided to let a few things roll off my back like water, rather than verbally spar with the woman. “I don’t know the man, but I was called to pick her up at the university today after she was assaulted.”
I could tell by the momentary shift in her expression, before she began to frantically scribble, this was news to her. I inwardly cursed myself and watched her write. I should have just kept my mouth shut and handled the Deuces.
“This happened today, you said?”
“Yuh.” I grunted.
I rubbed the back of my neck and abruptly asked, “Is it okay if I smoke in the parking lot while you check with campus PD about that little prick?”
“Uh– Yeah. Yes, thank you, Mr. Nash.” She snapped her notepad shut and stuffed it in the breast pocket of her uniform, only to pull a cell phone from another pocket.
I left her to it and hauled ass for the exit. I didn’t smoke, I just wanted some air, and to get the fuck away from the badges. The doors slid open as I approached and I closed my eyes, drawing in a deep breath as I made my way through them.
“Zig!” Henny barked.
I opened my eyes to find all of them rushing toward me. Griz hauled me into a side hug and Henny flanked me on the right. Everyone spoke at once after we’d put some distance between us and the door.
“How you wanna do this, Zig?” Cane excitedly asked. His vibrant, blue-green eyes glistened with adrenaline. That boy wasn’t right. He had a thirst in him that went beyond savage. He didn’t need a reason; he just needed directions. It was deeper than personal when Cane unleashed, making people suffer was cathartic to that motherfucker. He’d made a craft out of extracting hope and inducing fear long ago, it was his favorite pastime.
“Do we even know what happened yet? Like– What do you mean, how? What are we even doing?” Sauce piped up.
His eyes had dark circles around them. His cheeks were getting gaunt. The sight of him shocked me to silence. Why had no one told me my son was spiraling again?
My life was a series of dumpster fires. Every time I put one out, ten more popped up. Each one burned brighter than the last. It started with Ruby, and it hadn’t stopped since. In fact, the shit was getting more rapid-fire as I got older! First Menace ran off with Sammy. Then there was the brewing mob war, that I wasn’t sure if we were even clear of yet. Now I had a wife with a smashed face, and a son rolling around in the mud like a fuckin’ pig.
I wanted to spit. I wanted to smack him.
He knew it, too! His beady, little gaze snapped away from mine and just when I was about to call him out for the open disregard for our club’s laws, and his own wellbeing, Cane fired up again.
“The motherfucker beat the brakes off a woman with our President’s property patch inked on her throat like crowned jewels. There ain’t no question of what we’re about to do. I just need to know how he wants me, or us to go about it.”
Cane leaned into Sauce as he educated him. Henny was standing on the other side of Sauce and didn’t bother offering them any space, effectively pinning him there for the fireworks.
“We’re goin’ to war, Sauce,” Henny rasped.
“Fuckin’ right we are,” I agreed. “I’m gonna knock twenty-second street, and South Roxana off the goddamn map.”
“Church tomorrow, then?” Talon asked.
I grunted, my head tipping in a slow nod.
There was nothing else to say, they slowly disbursed.
Cane lingered, walking with me as I headed back toward the glass doors.
“You sure you don’t want me to lay down a little shock and awe, boss man?”
I watched as Sauce struggled to start his bike and slowly shook my head, “If you want to do me any favor at all, man, watch him for me.”
His head whipped around, until he realized what I was staring at, and he nudged my arm, saluting me with his chin.
