Page 78 of Rest In Pieces
“Like you’re one to talk?” I tell Mac sarcastically. He was the one who ended up on his ass, after all.
He sighs. “I know.”
I chuckle and slap his shoulder before standing when I notice everyone else starting to file into the room we use for church.
“Good. I’m not sure your pride can handle my girl kicking your ass again.”
“Your girl? Fucking hell, why is it that every time we go to Carnage for a few days, we miss shit here? And when we’re here, nothing ever fucking happens?” Inigo complains, making Toot laugh.
I grin as I walk into church, my smile dropping when I see Blade’s pissed-off expression. I take my seat at the head of the table next to him as everyone else files in and takes their seats.
I don’t say shit as we wait for them all to settle down, and then Blade starts talking. He goes over everything that needs dealing with and asks about any ongoing and new issues before bringing up the subject of Havoc.
“As most of you know by now, I’m interested in making Havoc the new president. G and I are heading out early tomorrow to see him. I’ve already spoken to him, so he knows what it’s about.”
I clench my fists under the table but keep my expression neutral.
“You got any issues with that?” He turns to me, daring me to say something. He knows he’s being a dick by dropping this on me last minute, but I refuse to give him the reaction he’s after.
“No, Prez.” His eyes narrow because I rarely call him that. He’s always been Blade to me. But right now, he’s not acting like my friend. He’s the one who drew the line, so I’m just following his lead. “I have a client scheduled for tomorrow morning, so I’ll have to let them know I won’t be available and need to reschedule.”
I see something flicker in his eyes that looks a lot like guilt. Whether it’s for fucking up my workday or him thinking I’dturn him down, I don’t know—and I don’t care. In all the years I’ve known him, he’s been many things—stubborn, pigheaded, reckless, and dumb as hell. But he’s never been a dick just for the sake of it. There’s always a method to his madness, but this whole thing with Amity is really pissing me off.
Once church is over, I take off on my bike, needing the ride to clear my head. I try to figure out Blade’s attitude. Am I missing something because of how badly I want her? No matter how I look at it, I don’t get what Blade gains from keeping me away from her.
Yeah, she might leave, and I might not be able to do anything about it, but I’m a big boy. I’m not about to drink myself into a coma over it. He’s not my father. I sure as hell don’t need him to protect me. That’s the only thing that makes sense. But if it’s not that, then he must be doubting my ability to do my job. And if that’s the case, then everything I thought about the man was one big fucking lie.
I feel naked not wearing my colors, but wearing your cut to prison is a not an option. At least riding in meant I didn’t have to have to make small talk, which suits me just fine. I’m not in the mood for Blade and his brand of bullshit today.
We park our bikes in the prison parking lot and head inside, where I get frisked by a man that looks like he’s enjoying himself a little too much.
“Fucking asshole could’ve at least bought me a drink first,” I mutter, making Blade snort.
The handsy guard tells us to follow him and leads us to the visiting room next door. He shows us to a table in the cornerthat’s bolted to the floor, along with each of the stools. We sit and wait for Havoc and the other prisoners to be brought in.
I look around the room and see a mix of people. There’s a woman with a baby asleep on her shoulder, and it looks like she could really use a few more hours of sleep herself. She’s at the table next to us, with an elderly couple beside her. A few tables over, a guy sits with a teenage boy who looks like his younger, moodier version of him. The rest of the visitors are women. Some of them are old, some of them younger.
When the door opens, I’m distracted from what I’m doing as the residents file in, and a mammoth of a man walks our way.
“Long time no see,” Havoc says as he reaches the table.
“Jesus Christ, man. You’ve turned into a beast.” Havoc was always big, but now the man is fucking huge.
“Not much else to do in here but work out.”
Blade jumps right in. “Have you thought about my offer?”
“I figured I’d be going back home.”
“A lot has happened since you’ve been in here.”
He leans forward, staring coldly at Blade. “Considering I haven’t been told anything, I don’t doubt that. But what I want to know is why, all of a sudden, you want me to be president of the mother chapter? Somehow, I doubt it’s because of my sparkling personality.”
I look at Blade, who sighs with resignation. This is about to turn into a shitshow of epic proportions.
20
AMITY