Chapter 25—Gator
“You ask her yet?” Bulldog says by way of greeting as he pulls a chair up and turns it around before sitting across from me and my girl.
I pull my burger away from my mouth and fight to not glare at my VP. But I’ve got no problem glaring at Bass, who steals a fry and joins the table too. Domino just ignores all of us as he continues to eat.
“No. Just sat down.” I take a large bite of my food, already knowing that I probably won’t be able to eat after with how this conversation is about to go. I inhale several more bites rather than enjoying my food.
“Give the guy a break. He just got hitched.” This from Domino, and I would have laughed if it weren’t for my mouth being full. I might look like a pig eating this way, but even I know not to talk with food in my mouth.
Bailey just squeaks as Bass grins. “Congrats, man. Glad to see Troublemaker is willing to take a chance on you for more than just your dick.”
I can’t clear my throat fast enough, which Bass knows, as he keeps grinning and poking fun at this. At least Bulldog puts an end to his jibber-jabber.
“Congrats. Welcome to the family. So, you going to ask, or should I?” Nothing says patience like our VP. Not! The guy has a one-track mind, freaking dog with a bone. And I’m sure half of his ire is because my dad and his mom are still hooking up. Much to our displeasure. Sure, we want them to be happy, but couldn’t they find happiness away from the club?
“Ask me what?”
I don’t know what I’m pissed at more, that I can’t eat with my girl in peace or the fact that I can hear the anger rising in her voice. No one makes her mad—well, no one but me. Only I get to enjoy the fire in her eyes when she gets pissed and irritated.
“It can wait,” I say to keep the peace a bit. And also because I really don’t want to ask this with an audience. I just claimed my woman. Can’t a guy get a fifteen-minute reprieve before he announces to his girl that she’s attaching herself to something that could be the difference between staying alive or not?
“It can’t.” Bulldog’s voice goes low, the pitch he uses when he needs to be VP.
And I get it, I really do. Intel is stacking up, but we keep coming up with nothing. I kept her out of this as long as possible. Maybe that’s why Bulldog is pushing it so much. His Lady is already in neck deep. If we get this done, no matter how many we bring in, she gets out of it sooner. We all do.
I sigh in resignation and turn so she can see I’m fully focused on her. That no one else matters when I talk to her. In truth, no one ever does, but I want her to see that I’m making a point of turning my back on my brothers for her. Bailey’s a smart girl. She sees things and what they mean before half the club does.
“Babe, you remember when Jules’s building caught fire?” She nods slowly, her eyes searching mine to figure out where I’m going with this. “And you remember a few months back at practice when Flint took Jules away and….” Not really sure how to say he killed a man who was aiming to kidnap Jules and sell her to anyone willing without freaking Bailey out too much.
“Interrupted,” Bass supplies at my back.
I nod at him, both in appreciation for the assist and to continue to keep my attention on the one in front of me.
“Interrupted you all?” She nods quicker this time.
“The guy who blew up the building was also the same one behind that. And the one who was behind Ruby’s head injury, as well as the reason you see a few more brothers tailing Jules lately.”
“Is Jules in trouble?”
“No, baby, she’s fine. She’s just collateral, like the rest, for being an old lady.” I let the last two words sink in. I don’t want to rush this, but I feel the heat at my back from my brothers watching. Not that Bailey seems to notice, as her eyes are locked with mine.
I grab her hand, squeezing her fingers tight to show her I’m here with her.
“Are they, um… I mean, is he going to come after me too?”
I sigh heavily as I nod. “Yeah, babe, probably. I tried to keep you as far away from this as possible, but now that you’re mine, I don’t want to hide you. I don’t want to hide this.” I point with my other hand between us. “I would scream it from the rooftops if I didn’t think my brothers would whip me for being such a pussy about it.”
“And we would. Got to keep these Hounds looking tough, even if they’re all marshmallows around you lot.” Bass chuckles, and I hear the VP grunt, pulling my woman’s eyes. Yeah, even the big bad second-in-command is whipped by his woman. When a Hound falls, we fall hard and don’t regret a second of it.
“But why? Why is this happening?”
I couldn’t hide my smile if I even want to. Told my guys she’s smart. She gets that there’s a reason and not just ’cause we’re Hounds.
“Club deals with a lot of things. We’re on the up-and-up, if that’s what you’re asking. We’ve got money rolling in with the properties the club owns, as well as selling Bulldog’s beer. We also do some work on the side to keep everyone safe. And it’s that part that’s the issue.”
I know the rules. We don’t talk about this with civilians, and we don’t pillow talk with chicks. Old ladies know a bit more, but we still keep things inside the club only.
“So….” She licks her lips as she wiggles a bit in her chair, and I fight the urge to pull her onto my lap and suck on her tongue. Obviously now is not that time, but maybe later if she lets me. “You pissed someone off when trying to keep someone else safe, and now they’re after you all? For like revenge or something?”
