Blizzard (The Brotherhood Journals #1) (28 page)

“How’s Har doing?”

I looked at Wrench out of the corner of my eye before turning back to my bike, using the rag in my hand to polish the tank. The tell-tale flick of a lighter filled the quiet space as he lit a smoke.

“Not good,” I answered blandly.

He sighed and walked around in front of me, obviously understanding that I was going to continue to give him my back. Wrench was my brother, I would protect him with my life no matter what happened, but I couldn’t protect him from his own shitty judgment.

“Sugar’s going downhill fast and I don’t know what to do to help her,” he spoke quietly, his head hanging slightly, the bill of his cap shielding his eyes from me. Wrench was usually a quiet guy. He kept to himself a lot of the time, was serious and stern, and with the amount of tats that covered his body he was intimidating as hell. But when he spoke, he spoke with sincerity and purpose.

Straightening and tossing my rag onto my bike, I folded my arms across my chest. “And what makes you think it’s up to you to rescue her?”

He inhaled deeply, releasing a plume of smoke that swirled in the air. “You telling me you wouldn’t do whatever it took to keep her safe? She means something to this club—to all of us.”

“The difference being that I don’t have an ulterior motive,” I snapped under my breath. “Yeah, I hate to fucking see her like this, and I hate what it’s doing to Harlyn, but I ain’t looking to get in her fucking pants.”

He lifted his head, pushing his chin up in defiance. “That’s not what this is fucking about, Blizzard. I give a shit about that woman, yeah, probably more than I should given she is Op’s ex and his kid’s mom. But I’m not just out to fuck her, damn it.”

“You want her?”

He didn’t miss a beat. “Yeah, I fucking want her. I want all of her.”

“Then be a fucking man and own it. Stop God damn running around behind your president’s back.” I glowered at him. “We are brothers. We’re honest and fucking loyal to each other and that’s the reason our club is so damn strong. You keep up this charade of crap and you’re going to end up causing every man here to re-think who they can trust, because if they can’t trust their brothers, we fall to fucking pieces.”

He lifted his cap and scrubbed at his short hair before placing it back onto his head. “I wanted to tell him. Fuck, I didn’t care if he beat the shit out of me. I thought I was worth it—she was worth it.” He shook his head as if to say he’d been wrong. “Doesn’t matter now anyway. She’s made it clear that I’m to stay away.”

I laughed, causing Wrench to hit me with an unamused glare. “Obviously, you don’t give that much of a shit about her if you’re gonna let her tell you to get fucked and just walk away.”

We stared at each other for a long minute before he finally took a breath, tossing his smoke on the ground and not even bothering to stomp it out as he headed for his Harley.

I shook my head as I watched him peel out of the compound, the tail of his bike flicking out as he hit the asphalt.

“What was that about?” Chelsea asked as she rounded the building, Macy hooked onto her hip.

“Nothing, princess,” I muttered. “How you feeling?”

She smiled softly, shifting Macy to the other side of her body and tickling her under the chin. “I’m okay. Been sick more this morning than I have ever in my life. My head hurts. My body aches… but it’s so worth it all.”

Grinning, I walked over and pressed my lips to her forehead. “You’re gonna be an amazing mama.”

Happiness twinkled in her eyes. “And you’re gonna be an amazing dad.”

I stepped back, my eyes wide.

She choked on a laugh and Macy joined her, even though she didn’t know what was so funny. The kid just loved to laugh. “I meant Jayla. Geez Blizzard, calm down.”

My heart rate began to slow and I blew out a slow breath. “Don’t do that ever again, princess. Fuck me.”

She raised her eyebrow even with the smug smirk still present on her face. “Would it really be so bad if Rose was pregnant?”

Yes, it would be. With the drugs that had gone through her system and how sick they had made her… I shuddered, thinking about how that could affect a child growing inside her.

“No,” I answered honestly. “But now is not the right time.”

Seeing an understanding in Chelsea’s eyes, I smiled.

“Blizzard,” Op’s loud voice came around the building followed by his face stern. “Let’s go.”

I rolled my eyes. “Where? You wanna have a heart to heart, too? Because it seems like it’s the day for it.”

He passed Chelsea with a kiss on her temple and a whisper in her ear.

She nodded. “Be safe.”

Watching Optimus stomp past me and throw his leg over his bike caused me to frown suspiciously. “Where are we going, Op?”

A chorus of footsteps caused me to look around. Leo, Slider, Kev, and Camo all walked by and mounted their bikes, clipping their helmets on their heads and looking to our president.

“Just got a phone call. We have a meeting in town. Prepare yourself and keep your head straight.” Op’s cryptic words sunk my stomach and he started his ride before I had the chance to question him.

I snatched my helmet off the handle bars and tossed it on. Following Op out of the compound, with my brothers at my back and our bikes rumbling together like a symphony.

The ride to town seemed like it dragged for hours, anticipation flooding my body. If Optimus was scared I was going to lose my shit, I knew that this was going to be about Rose. The weight of my gun tucked under my cut in its holster gave me comfort. I would use it without a second thought if I felt that whoever we were meeting were any kind of threat to Rose. No one was about to take away our opportunity at a future after we’d fought through hell at just the chance to see where things may lead.

I was surprised when we pulled into the small alleyway that led to X-Rated’s parking lot. What I didn’t like were the two black SUV’s with darkly tinted windows and men in suits surrounding them.

We backed our bikes in against the building near the front doors to the strip club. Connor stood against the doors, his arms folded and a stony look on his face as he glared at the unknown men. It was when I saw someone I recognized step out of one of the vehicles that I pulled my gun.

Rico DePalma.

I held it at my side and Op gave me a stern look, one that said
‘calm your motherfucking ass down,’
as he stepped forward.

“We're here. Now, what do you want?” Optimus addressed the men. I expected Rico to speak, since I didn't recognize any of the others, but instead another stepped forward.

“My name is Angelo.” His accent was subtle but strong enough to tell you where he was from. “I apologize for having to come to your place of business in order to reach you. I wanted to keep this as discreet as possible.”

Connor snorted but didn't move from his place or speak. He knew this wasn't his fight and was smart enough to stay out of it.

“You work for Anthony?” I stated. Angelo nodded. I knew who he was. He was the man that called to check up on Rose. “He know you're here?”

“He does not.”

“What can we do for you?” Op interrupted.

The man was tall and seriously built. His shoulders were wide but the suit he was wearing fit him perfectly, it accentuated his muscles while still keeping the professional look I'm sure he was going for. The only one of them that didn't wear a suit was Rico, who leaned against the car in a pair of jeans and a leather jacket.

Angelo cleared his throat. “It seems that you are involved in some trouble. Trouble that has directly impacted on someone who I care very dearly about. Therefore, I’ve made it my business to step in.”

My blood boiled. He was talking to us like we were children.

Optimus scoffed. “I can assure you, any trouble we have, we are quite capable of handling ourselves. But please, enlighten me on what it is you've heard.”

“Rico here intercepted a phone message that was meant for Anthony. It was from a man that claimed that Rosalie was not only
stripping,
but also working with and spying for the club who had killed his son.” He said it like it was matter-of-fact. “How am I doing so far?”

“She worked that pole like a pro,” Slider hooted from behind me causing my other brothers to chuckle. Angelo was unimpressed, and I had no time for joking when it came to
my woman.

“It's none of your damn business,” I growled deeply, gripping my fingers tighter around the cold metal in my hand.

His eyes flicked from Optimus to me. There was a darkness there, I could see it even through his casual attitude. “It became my business when he threatened her life.”

I tried not to act surprised. “Who was he?”

“Called himself Edge. Although I don't care much for these things you call road names.” A smirk crossed his mouth. The guy was all about the subtle hits. He wouldn't tell you he was going to kill you straight out. He would word it in a way that would make you feel like it would be a pleasure to die.

“He's alive,” Leo muttered from behind me.

“Yeah,” I growled. “And apparently he's a big Ol tattle tale.”

“This surprises you?” Angelo asked curiously.

“What? That he went to Anthony and told on us like a five-year-old, or that he's not dead or arrested?” I shot at him.

“We thought the problem was solved, but now we know it isn't, we can fix it. So thanks for that, but your trip here was wasted,” Optimus told him simply.

Angelo shook his head and opened his mouth to speak but Rico cut him off. “You're going to get her fucking killed!” he yelled, his eyes on me, glittering with anger. “She's been through enough, she doesn't deserve this shit.”

“Rico,” Angelo admonished quietly.

“No. Fuck them. They killed my brother and now they’re going to get her killed too.”

I took a step forward. “Like I told you once before, kid. Your brother was a sexist fucking pig. I would give my damn life before I let anything happen to Rose.”

“You don't care about her—”

“I fucking
love
her!” I roared at him, slamming my hand against my chest.

Everyone stood quietly for a minute. My breathing was heavy and I was ready to fight all these assholes.

Slider humming the tune to ‘
another one bites the dust’
killed the eerie silence.

“Shut the fuck up, Slider,” Optimus said, turning to him with a sharp glare. Slider zipped his lips but grinned back, unfazed by his president’s scowl.

Angelo stood staring at me, studying me for a long time before he spoke, “It seems you aren't going to let her go without a fight.”

“I'd die first.”

He smirked. “That could be arranged.”

“Your boys tried that already. I'm still here, asshole,” I spat.

His smirk grew. “I can assure you, I'm a better shot.”

I moved my body forward, but Optimus swung an arm across my chest, holding me back. “Are we done here?”

“I need to know that she’s safe.”

I opened my mouth to let him have it again, my heart pounding and my anger still on the rise. But Optimus cut in first.

“We will do anything to make sure that she is.”