Page 18 of Sniper

Right?

5

Sniper – One Month Later

I check my watch for the fifth time as Doc goes over the finances for the club.

“Money is good, real good. The club’s funds are increasing nicely; each brother has been given a five percent raise. Things keep going the way they are, then we’ll be able to move Sniper’s garage on club property, and build something bigger for him by the end of the year.”

I snap my head up in shock. I watch Doc look over the paperwork in front of him as what he said hits me— Fuck, I never agreed to it….

Snake grins, oblivious to my dilemma. “I like the sound of that, having my woman and blood brother closer during the day and not halfway across town….”

Shit, shit, shit….

Doc nods. “We’ll just have to see what dumbass there would like to do with the building he’s currently in, because he did buy it himself; the club just invested in the equipment.”

That’s why I profit more than the club; it’s my business. I wanted to do it independently and not rely on the club, but my dad and brother wanted to invest somehow and didn’t give me a choice. I was willing to start from scratch.

I wanted to make my parents proud.

Snake nods. “That’s something we can discuss nearer the time, and we’ll figure out the funds and the profits then.”

I chew the inside of my lip. I’m grateful they want to do this. I just…fuck…I can’t have my garage on club property.

Besides, I worked my fucking ass off to get to where I am today.

I clear my throat, getting everyone’s attention in church, and rasp, “I was thinking about not closing my garage….” The room tenses and Snake furrows his brows. I continue, “If you want to continue a garage here and Sarah wants to run it, that’s perfectly fine; I won’t hold any grudges, but I won’t be working there. I like my garage and being my own boss.”

Smokey chimes in, “You’ll still be your own boss, Sniper. Your earnings won’t go down. The garage will still be yours….”

Crap, they think it’s about money.

I give him a smile. “It’s not about the money. I, uh, don’t like change is all; you all know this.”

I feel my big brother’s eyes burning into the side of my skull, but I ignore him and give everyone another tight smile, hoping they get the message to continue with church, but my big brother has other ideas.

He bangs his gavel. “Church is dismissed. Sniper stay behind.”

I groan at the tension in his voice, leaning back in my chair, really wishing my father was in church today. A couple of brothers snort at my dramatics while Breaker pats my shoulder as he strides by, like a physical “good luck.”

I’m going to fucking need it.

As soon as the door to church closes, I look at Snake.

He’s leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest, a brow raised. He states, “You’ve not touched one clubwhore in a month.”

Okay, that's not where I thought this would go, but it doesn’t surprise me that he picked up on that.

He continues, “This isn’t about not liking change. It’s about being close to a woman….” He tilts his head. “Has my baby brother finally fallen?”

Ah fuck. I sigh. “Hunter….”

He insists, “No. If you’ve found someone, then great, and if you’re not ready to talk about it, then fine, I understand, but for fuck’s sake, don’t let your dick override your future and the continuous growth of your business, a business you have worked your ass off for.”

I snort. “Brother, if my dick was overriding my future, then I wouldn’t have started dating a single mom.” His eyes widen, and I shrug. “I don’t want anyone to know right now, not Momma, not dad, nor the brothers. It’s new, and she’s fucking skittish. We’re just trying to get to know each other without others around.”

He nods, and asks, “So why keep the old garage?” He leans forward, leaning his arms on the oak table, his fingers linked over the carved devil. “You’ve brought in a fuck load of customers, brother, way before Sarah started working there. Even she knows moving the garage here won’t change the ownership, she respects that and never even questions her position, knowing the garage is your baby. You’re the owner; the club is an investor only. None of that is changing, so why in the fuck do you want to keep your old garage when you and this single mom are just getting to know each other? Surely she can come here….”

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