“Not my reins to hand over, but I reckon you’ve got the balls to handle it.”
“Best I can do, brother,” Doc said, interrupting our conversation. “It ain’t pretty, but you ain’t dead. I'd call that a win.” He gathered his belongings up from the bed and cleared away the blood-soaked sheets Vienna had ripped up.
“Thanks, Doc,” Shark said, a sheepish grin on his lips.
“Thanks?” Vienna gasped. “You told him you were going to play skipping rope with his intestines. That deserves more than a ‘thanks’, wouldn't you say, Doc?”
“Stop stirring the pot, you little shite,” Doc said, waving Vienna away.
“Right, that's it. I'm officially hurt,” he gasped, clutching at his chest. “None of you appreciate me.”
“Cry harder, Vienna,” I said.
He rounded on me, a shocked look on his face as he clutched at his heart. “I just handed the club over to you. How could you betray me like this?”
“Because you're a pot stirring little shite,” I laughed.
“And from Rachel, too! You've all corrupted her into hating me. My best mate’s old lady. For shame.”
“Are you going to declare a plague upon all our houses next? Get back to Wisteria Lane, you major drama queen.” Irolled my eyes at him, and then squealed as he slowly bent down, bringing his face up close to mine.
“Tut, tut, my little hair buddy,” he clicked his tongue at me, and then grabbed his beard and hit me in the face with it, making me burst into more laughter.
“I'm telling Dante,” Jenna said.
“Snitches get stitches,” he threw over his shoulder, and then his eyes went wide. “Hey, now that’s an idea! You can be little patchwork sheets together. Wouldn't that be cute?”
“Idiots,” Doc huffed, heaving the bag off the bed and barged his way between Vienna and me as he walked out of the room.
“A pleasure as always, Doccy,” Vienna waved, before turning the wave into giving him the middle finger when his back was turned. “Right, ladies, gents, and patchwork sheets, fun’s over,” he declared when Doc walked out of earshot. The light atmosphere was sucked out of the room as Vienna dropped the pretence and became the biker the rest of the community feared.
His entire posture changed, seeming taller than ever. His eyes were dark and ferocious, his chin set in a fierce grit.
“Someone here knows something. I don't know who, and quite frankly, at this moment, I don't care. Whatever is said in this room does not get repeated,” He paused as his eyes fell on the woman at Shark’s side, “Jenna, my darling—”
“I know, Ven, I know,” she said sadly. “I was just here to make sure Shark was alright. Now that he’s been taken care of, I'm leaving.” She gave Shark a kiss on the cheek and squeezed his hand tightly. “Keep an eye on him for me, Vienna. Rachel, keep an eye on him, keeping an eye on Shark. Don't let him play with the stitches for the love of God.”
“Rachel can't control me.” Vienna rolled his eyes and gave me a playful shove.
I grabbed the edge of the bed to stop myself from falling over, refusing to retaliate, even though my hands literally stung with the need to shove him out of the fucking window. “Ignore him, Jenna. I'll keep him in line,” I promised. She gave me a big hug, kissed Vienna's cheek, and promised to send Hacksaw up here on her way to church.
“Rachel—”
“I'm not going anywhere, so don't even fucking ask, Vienna.”
“I wasn't going to,” he said, immediately holding his hands up in surrender. “I know you well enough to know you're going to want to hear every detail. It's not protocol, but I'm not about to argue with an angry old lady.”
“That better be old lady, as in club and not age.”
“Take it whatever way you want it.”
“Bit forward. I’m spoken for, I’m afraid.”
“When the cat’s away…”
“Vienna, you’re asking to get shot,” Shark breathed, holding his stomach as he laughed at the two of us.
“So what's the plan?” I asked, moving over the bed and sitting down next to Shark, my back resting against the headboard.
