Page 39 of Hook

"Bullshit. You're selling on our turf. That's against our deal. You stay over here, and we stay over there. That is, unless you want all that bloodshed like before."

"I'm not sure what bloodshed Brick is talking about. This drama goes back to before I became a member of BCMC."

"Brick, I'm not going to tell you again. Ain't no one over here been selling on your turf. Now you can take your empty threats somewhere else." Dutch tries to dismiss him, but Brick won't be ignored. He walks straight through the crowd of Seven Oh Sevens. There's no fear in my president's heart. That's what makes him so fucking dangerous. I watch the sides and see a few of the young gangsters reaching for their weapons, but they all hesitate. They're skittish. That's how I know we'll be able to take most of them out before anyone even has the time to aim and shoot.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Semi snarls at one of the younger kids. He towers over the kid, who looks to be at most eighteen years old. Dutch may have more bodies, but we've got the experience.

"Dutch, you know better than anyone that I never issue empty threats. Your people were caught on our turf. Had the cops raiding houses. I don't want that shit anywhere near my club. Either you keep your people in line, or you and I are going tohave a problem." Brick's voice is low and menacing. If I wasn't on his side, I'd be scared.

Dutch swallows hard, and one bead of sweat rolls down his face. "Who fucking did it?" Dutch calls out, but he's not talking to any of us.

No one in his crew answers, but everyone starts shifting around. "I'm going to ask once again, and then I'm going to start fucking everyone up. Who's the dumbass who's been on that side of town?" Dutch turns, giving Brick his back. The tension among his crew is palpable, and my eyes hone in on one kid who seems ready to shit his pants. His face is pale, and he's breathing hard.

Guilty.

"I'd go with that one." I point in the direction of the kid I'm staring at, and Dutch focuses on him.

"Tyson? You got something you want to say?"

Tyson looks from me to Dutch and then to Brick before swinging his gaze back to Dutch one final time. "They don't do shit over there. I thought—" Before he can finish, Dutch whistles once loudly, and everyone around Tyson begins to beat on him.

"You have my apologies. We fucked up. We don't want no problems with your club," Dutch says over his shoulder.

"What the fuck?"

I turn in Light's direction and see him staring off in the distance at someone walking up toward us. It's a woman, but she looks familiar.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Light says. I look at the girl again, trying to place her, but I'm having a hard time. When shelooks up, her wide eyes look at me and then to Brick before she looks at Dutch. She scratches at the side of her face before she walks in between all of us.

Like a lightbulb going on in my head, I realize why I'm having such a hard time placing her. It's Wendy, the fucking girl that overdosed in Brick's warehouse.

"You've got to be shitting me," Brick whispers just as Wendy walks up to Dutch and asks for a twenty.

"Fuck no." Brick grabs hold of Wendy and pulls her back.

"What the hell are you doing? This ain't your turf," Dutch steps forward, clearly pissed that Brick is getting in between him and a sale.

"I don't give a fuck whose turf this is. This one is off-limits. No one better be selling her shit." Brick steps further into Dutch's face, and I stand back to wait for someone to throw the first blow. I'm ready to fight, ready for whatever is about to go down, but I'm with Brick. The girl already almost died on our property once. We're not about to sit back and let her throw her life away.

Dutch stares Brick down, but my president doesn't even flinch as he keeps a hold on Wendy to prevent her from taking another step in his direction.

"Fuck it, she's not worth it," Dutch finally waves his hand, and Brick nods. "Good choice."

"Brutal Chains, we're gone," Brick shouts, and the group of us hops back on our bikes, but Brick is still holding onto Wendy.

"What the hell are you doing? Get off of me! I need to talk to Dutch!" she squeals, trying to break Brick's hold.

"It's not going to happen," Brick says as he lifts her onto his bike and gets on behind her.

"Let go of me!" she screams, and I start to worry that she's going to be more than he can handle.

"Prez, you good?"

"Yeah, I'm going to take care of her. The rest of you get back to the clubhouse," he orders as he kicks his bike into gear and drives off in the opposite direction.

I give one final look in Dutch's direction, and he smirks at me. He's baiting me, and I know it. I could get off the bike and ask him what the hell is so funny, but that would mean a fight, and we've worked too long to ensure we weren't fighting unless absolutely necessary. Now that Brick has the treaty back in place, I'm not going to be the one to break it. Especially not when I've got more important things waiting for me at home.

I ignore his shit-eating grin and throw my helmet on before I take off back in the direction of the clubhouse, the rest of the guys following me as we roll into the garage at the compound.