Part 8 (1/2)

”Don't be blinded by her charm. She's a viper underneath.” I laughed.

Everyone thought my mother was a sweet, innocent lady, but she'd kick any of our a.s.ses if we got out of line. Even my father was scared of the woman, though he would never admit it.

”I'm sure Izzy learned her skills from somewhere.” He snorted.

I blanched, still letting the thought of him being with my sister sink in and trying to not picture them f.u.c.king. ”What about Anthony?”

”He's not with anyone. Just playing some gigs and working at the shop. He's a ball buster, that one.”

”We're all ball busters,” I replied, cracking my neck. I was so f.u.c.king tense. Between the s.h.i.+t with the club and dealing with James and Izzy now, everything in body was wound tight. ”It's in the genes.”

”I'm leaving tonight to spend some more time with Izzy. Just so you know.”

I closed my eyes, thinking about how badly I wanted to go home. It had been ages since I'd hugged my mother or laughed with my dad about how s.h.i.+tty the Cubs were doing. There would be nothing better than to sit around the table and sink my teeth into anything my mother whipped up.

I wanted to go home.

”Give everyone my love, James. I'm jealous as f.u.c.k right now. I want this s.h.i.+t to end. I want to be there too.”

”You'll be home soon, man. I won't tell everyone that because I don't want them to get too excited, but it's going to happen before you know it.” He smiled, patting my hand to placate me.

”Yeah, sure,” I responded before pus.h.i.+ng the chair back and climbing to my feet. ”I better get out of here and get back to the club.”

”Are you okay, man? You aren't looking so good,” James said, concern etched on his face.

”I'm just done with this s.h.i.+t. It weighs on me.”

I didn't know if I'd ever feel like myself again. The only way for that to happen was to be around the people who knew me best. If anyone could bring me back to center, it would be my family.

I walked toward the door, a feeling of dread filling my belly. I didn't want to go back, but I knew there wasn't another option.

”Want to hit me? Maybe you'll feel better,” he said behind me as he followed me to the door.

I turned, a smile on my face at the thought, but I just couldn't. ”Nah. I don't want to hurt you, man.”

He pointed to his chin. ”Free shot. Sure you don't want it?”

I held out my hand to him, sick of fighting in general. ”I'm good. All I ask is that you say h.e.l.lo to everyone for me.”

He placed his hand in mine, squeezing hard and shaking it. ”Will do, Thomas. Call me if anything goes down. I'll have my phone by my side all weekend.” He released me, holding the door open for me to go.

”Yeah. Always.” I pulled down my shades, placed them over my eyes, and descended the steps to my bike.

Climbing on, I cursed myself for the time wasted. Don't get me f.u.c.king wrong. I knew I was doing good work, but the time lost with my family could never be recovered. The end was near.

Chapter 8.

Forty-eight hours after talking with James, word came down through the channels that the bust was about to go down. My world, along with all the members of the club, would forever be changed. Everything I'd worked so hard for was finally coming to fruition.

Flash texted me as I walked around the club, taking in the people who were sitting around. It would be the last time they'd be together without being behind bars.

Flash: Three hours and it's happening.

Walking into my room, I typed a reply to him.

Me: Gotcha. I'll be ready. Get your s.h.i.+t together.

I dialed Bobby immediately. He was the king s.h.i.+t in the operation. James and I both reported to him, and he called the shots. Often, we left him out of some decisions, but in general, we followed his direction and kept him in the loop.

The call connected as I heard static coming through the earpiece. ”Talk to me.” Bobby wasn't into small talk and he never said h.e.l.lo.

”I just got word that s.h.i.+t's going down tonight. Is it true?” Silently, I was praying to G.o.d that it wasn't a cruel joke.

”Yeah. Be ready. James is on his way back and will be with the group during the raid.”

”What's my exit strategy?” I asked, pus.h.i.+ng the thought of James being with my family when word came down out of my mind.

How would we explain away that I wasn't going to be in the clink with the rest of the guys? It wouldn't be hard for them to figure out that I was either a rat or an undercover cop. The worry and frustration I had put out of my mind came flooding back. f.u.c.k. This could be only the beginning of watching over my f.u.c.king shoulder.

”I worked that s.h.i.+t out with the FBI.”

The man didn't have many words. Great. We were finally communicating, but a little information would be nice. It was like pulling f.u.c.king teeth when it was my G.o.dd.a.m.n a.s.s on the line.

”And?”

”Since it's a federal case, everyone will be split up while awaiting trial. We have men being s.h.i.+pped all around the country. They won't be able to track who is where, and that should ensure your safety-and Samuel's too, of course.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe their plan could work. I didn't see any other option but to pray to Christ that splitting up the group would make it almost impossible to track each member's whereabouts.

”So that's it?”

”That's it. You'll be booked to keep your cover, but once everyone is split up, you'll be released.”

Thank f.u.c.k for small miracles. I'd have to spend some time in the very place I'd been working to send every member of the MC. Thankfully, it wouldn't be for long.

”How long?” I asked, checking the clock on the wall. This s.h.i.+t would be like watching water boil. Time would tick by slower than ever.

”Three hours maximum. Be on your toes. Are all the members there?” The sound of paperwork being shuffled around on the other end of the line broke my trance with the clock.

”Yeah, they're here. We're having a party tonight.”

”Good. Talk to you soon.”

When the call disconnected, I turned the phone over in my hand, trying to decide what to do next. As I looked around the room, taking in the place I'd called home for more months than I cared to remember, it hit me. I'd never see Roxy again. I couldn't touch her again and say goodbye. I'd vanish like the rest of the guys. She'd a.s.sume I was in jail, hopefully forget about me, and move on.

As soon as I thought the words, I knew it was bulls.h.i.+t. I didn't want her to move on. I didn't want to be forgotten. I was a selfish p.r.i.c.k, because I hadn't put much thought into how my presence in her life would impact her when I left.