Page 25 of Wrath

“She’s Raze’s sister, not a whore,” I remind him, doing my best not to bite.

“Ya see Raze anywhere?” He grins, making me wanna smash his teeth into the back of his skull. I’m as certain as I can be, without evidence, that the fact Raze ain’t here right now has something to do with my father. Him getting arrested when he made that run across the border by himself all seemed a little bit too convenient. Especially now that my fathers knocked up Raze’s old lady. What bugs me the most is that everyone in this damn club is too scared to speak up about it.

“Raze is a club brother, and–”

“Calm down, kid.” My father kneads my shoulders. “Just focus on gettin’ these guns packed away.”

“Why we doin’ this here anyway? We’d have these packed and already be on our way if the others were helping.” I don’t like the shifty look that passes between Mac and Rex.

“The others ain’t in on this one, it’s a private job.” Dad lights himself a smoke and settles on a kitchen chair beside Mac.

“I thought–”

“Ya thought wrong. There are two sides to our club, Aaron. Jimmer Carson has his agenda, and I got mine. Your life ain’t ever gonna change when you're splittin’ earnings twelve ways. You gotta take the opportunities when they come,” he interrupts me again, and it’s really starting to piss me off.

“So, the others know about these private jobs?” I ask, knowing damn well that if they did we wouldn’t be packing this shit up in my dad’s kitchen. Before Raze got put away he had his suspicions, and ever since he’s been gone my dad seems to be reeling me in closer. It’s strange behavior for a man who, up to now, has always made me feel as if I don’t exist.

“Son, don’t mind yourself with the others, be grateful that I’m bringin’ you in on this.” He stares back at me as if I’m acting ungrateful. “There comes a time in man's life when he has to show his colors, and your time is comin’. Now, you can spend ya time dancin’ around the pool pit, showin’ off what Raze taught ya, and daydreamin’ over that cock-teasin’ little sister of his, or you can become somebody. Somebody who earns big, like we do.”

“The only thing I wanna earn is my cut.” I take the opportunity to remind him. He knows that any other prospect would have been patched in by now. I’ve been on my prospect probation for three years, and I know that the fact I asked Raze to mentor me is the reason my father’s held me back.

I don’t know what I ever did to make this man so determined to see me fail, but I sense there's some kinda power play behind it all.

With him it always comes down to power.

“I don’t like the idea of cuttin’ others out.” I show him my colors and stand up for what I believe in.

“Ya hear that Rex? Our boy here is ridin’ high on the moral high ground, and wonderin’ why he ain’t wearin’ the cut.” My father laughs.

“I’m not an idiot. I know what the Souls do is far from legal, we make our own rules, but if we ain’t stickin’ by them ru?—”

‘Shhhh, Idohear somethin’, sounds like Raze talkin’ to me. But it can’t be, I hear he’s locked up in Boise” Mac laughs.

“You say that like I should be ashamed.” I narrow my eyes at him. Nothing would please me more than this fucker throwing the first punch. If he did, maybe, I could show him a little of what Raze has taught me.

“You’re pathetic.” Dad's head shakes as he laughs at me. “Go home, boy, run on back to your little girlfriend.” He snatches the rifle from my hand and as I head out the door, he shouts after me.

“Remember, you saw nothin’ here.”

“What’s the matter with you tonight, you're so tense.” Eden tries to loosen me up by tickling my ribs but it doesn’t work. I’m too focused on staring down Rex. He’s sitting on the other side of the room acting as if he ain’t deceiving everyone here and I don’t like the way he’s fuckin’ looking at her.

“I’m fine,” I lie, scowling at the club member who, like my dad, thinks that any unclaimed female that hangs out is fairgame. It’s why I hate Eden being here. I’ve told her so many times that it's not safe and yet she keeps on showing her pretty, little face.

Her being Raze’s sister ain’t the only reason I can’t lay a claim on her, prospects don’t get those kinds of privileges.

“You are soooo not fine.” She laughs, looping her arms around mine and resting her head on my shoulder. I’m letting her get far too close to me, considering we can never be more than just friends but I can’t help liking how it feels.

“Come on, I’m takin’ ya home.” I stand up and take her hand in mine.

“Home? Aaron, I just got here.” She looks up at me as if I’m talking crazy.

“Why don’t you just have another drink and we can shoot some pool.”

She stands up and moves toward the pool table, hitching her ass up on its edge. “I might even let you win.” She winks.

“Come on, I’m not kiddin’. I don’t want ya here tonight.” I drag my hand through my hair in frustration and when the playful smile drops from her lips and she jumps back down, I see the disappointment building in her eyes as she steps toward me.

“I’m starting to think you don’t want me here at all,” she tells me, before barging her shoulder into mine and heading out the door. I look across the room toward Ruckus and he shakes his head. He knows how I feel about Eden, and he also likes to remind me how dangerous it is. The last thing I need from him right now is the ‘I told ya so’ speech.

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