Page 46 of Hook

“No, not now. Please not now.” I grab hold of him desperate to keep him close.

Hook holds me close until I feel some of the tension leave his body. “Before my time is done, I’m going to make sure he pays for this.”

Pipe clears his throat, “Well, it doesn’t look like you’re going to have to wait very long.”

I sit up and look in the direction Pipe is looking. In the other room is the feed from survellaince cameras. My heart sinks into my stomach as I watch Lance’s truck along with the car I was shoved into drive into the tow yard.

Pipe was right. Hook isn’t going to have to go looking for them.

They’re already here.

Nineteen

Hook

It’stime to end this.

I’ve been around people like Lance all my life and I know he’s not going to stop until one of us is dead. He thinks Bea belongs to him but I know she’s mine. There’s nothing he can say that will ever change my mind.

“Let’s just call the cops. Please. They’ll believe me now.” Bea tries to stop me from getting up. As much as I don’t want her to cry there’s no way I can let this slide.

“We’ve got your back.” Torch says but Brick stands in front of him.

“You know what’ll happened next right?”

I nod at my president. I did. I’ll have to kill Lance and then I’ll go back to prison where I’ll no longer be a member of the BCMC. I accept that. “Thank you for everything you’ve given me. Youhelped me break the chains.” I raise my hand to slap the patch on his chest.

That’s exactly what BCMC is for us. A way for us to break the chains that kept us down. I’m sad to have to let it go but I know it’s worth it.

“Don’t make me burn this motherfucker down. Send her out!” Lance screams and we all hear it through the surveillance. That’s new. Brick must have updated the system to include audio as well.

“Brick…” I turn but I know longer see my president. Maybe he’s already given up on me.

My brothers hold Bea back as I get up and go out to meet Lance. I’m already beat to shit but I’ll still take me against him in my worst state.

I step out into the tow yard, my boots crunching on the gravel. The night air is cool against my skin, a stark contrast to the heat of anger burning inside me. Suddenly, every light in the yard blazes to life, flooding the area with harsh illumination. I squint, momentarily blinded by the unexpected brightness.

Why would Brick turn on all the lights? It doesn't make sense, but I roll with it. Maybe he's got a plan I don't know about. The sudden light reveals Lance standing about twenty yards away, his face twisted with rage and something else—desperation, maybe.

"Hook," he calls out, his voice carrying across the yard. "I ain't got no beef with you, man. Just send Bea out here. That's all I want."

I laugh, a harsh sound that echoes off the junked cars surrounding us. "That'll never happen, Lance. You know that."

As my eyes adjust to the light, I notice the glint of metal in Lance's right hand. A gun. Of course, the coward brought a gun to a fistfight.

"What's the matter, Lance?" I taunt, taking a step closer. "You such a pussy you can't fight me man to man? Gotta hide behind that piece?"

Lance's grip on the gun tightens, his knuckles turning white. "Don't push me, Hook. I'll use this if I have to."

I spread my arms wide, presenting an easy target. "Go ahead, then. Prove to everyone what a big man you are. Shoot an unarmed guy."

The tension in the air is thick enough to cut with a knife. I can hear my heart pounding in my ears, but I don't back down. I've faced worse than Lance in prison, and I'll be damned if I let him intimidate me now.

"Last chance," Lance growls, raising the gun. "Send Bea out, or I swear to God, I'll put a bullet in you."

I take another step forward, my eyes locked on Lance's. "You want her? You'll have to go through me first."

“Fine, if that’s how you want it so be it. I’m going to take Bea away from you, I’m going to slut her out and then I’m going to watch as my business partners put a bullet in her skull.”