Page 33 of Protector

“The fact that you think I keep up with David’s friends in between runnin’ a business and helpin’ the club is a fuckin’ laugh,” Slim stated flatly.

“Don’t you?” Comedian pushed off the truck. “Thought that was the requirements of bein’ Daddy of the Year, or whatever the fuck it is you seem to think you are.”

I continued staring at the kid’s body while they snarled at each other like rabid dogs. Comedian caught Slim’s shoulder and began shoving him back toward the tree line.

Deciding I didn’t want the hassle of dealing with three bodies, I stepped in between them with a terse, “We need to focus on cleanin’ this shit up.”

“I’d hate to think you knew somethin’ about this, Pres.”

I lowered my chin and glanced down at him. “You really think that I was concerned with where your kid was while I was in the middle of a goddamn war? Now, Slim and I are out here cleanin’ up the mess he made. If you’ve got it under control, we’ll leave you to it.”

His shoulders relaxed, and he nodded. “No, you’re right. Just seems like they were right under my nose the entire time… maybe I just didn’t look hard enough. Sorry, Pres.” He turned back to Slim. “And you too, I guess.”

Slim’s nostrils flared as he panted, murder written all over his face. “Yeah, thanks for that, fucker.”

“I’m only goin’ to ask this once, but what the fuck happened here?” I sighed, trying to distract the two of them from thoughts of killing each other.

I knew what it looked like, but a small part of me still refused to accept it.

The grin returned to Comedian’s face. “Asshole tried to jump my boy. Solid uppercut and the kid went down. One and done… I taught him that.”

As if on autopilot, I climbed up onto the tailgate. A trail of dried blood ran from the kid’s ears, nose, and mouth. I doubted they could’ve saved him even if they’d tried.

The countless times I’d lost sleep worrying about keeping Mikey safe had been for nothing. He could’ve been raised in a fucking convent.

It wouldn’t have changed a damn thing.

Comedian might’ve been the monster in front of him, but I’d always been the threat. The evil that lived in me had been passed onto my son, settling into his soul and taking root.

I took one last look at the kid’s face before hopping down onto the asphalt with clenched teeth. “Where’d it happen? We need to take care of the vehicle… check for security cameras—anything that could lead the cops back to Mikey, or David for that matter.”

Slim agreed. “They’ve got their whole lives ahead of ‘em. Comedian?”

He slammed the tailgate shut, still grinning. “Yeah, yeah. We’ll fix this right up for our boys. Kid’s car is at Captain’s Quarters, the old strip club just back that way.” He pointed behind us.

“You know what’s funny? Betsy was always spouting off nature and nurture bullshit when Mikey was a kid. Said that genetics were stronger than environment. I taught him how to defend himself though… me; not his mother’s weak genes. I made him a man.”

There was so much pride in his voice that it was easy to overlook the fact that everything he was saying was complete horse shit.

Slim watched me closely as we climbed back onto our bikes, no doubt seeing me for what I really was; what I’d always been.

A fuck up.

The bright yellow Jeep abandoned in the deserted parking lot of a boarded-up strip club might as well have had a flashing neon sign above it with as much attention as it was going to get come morning. The three prospects we’d brought with us sat with their bikes idling around it, like guard dogs.

Knowing what was at stake, I pushed my grief down and slipped into my more familiar role as Pres. “Slim, call Chop and make that vehicle disappear. Tell him I’ll pay double if it’s broken down before daylight.”

“Grey,” he began. “Are you—”

“In a fuckin’ hurry?” I snapped. “Little bit, yeah. Call Bear. I need every man here right now. These prospects ain’t gonna cut it.”

When he made no attempt to move, I added, “Or call Lou and tell her she’ll be makin’ weekend trips to Gatesville to talk to David through plexiglass. Your choice.”

He yanked the cell phone from his pocket with a curse and stomped back toward his bike.

Comedian scanned the empty lot before pointing up toward the single light pole. “Camera. If they got one there, there’s bound to be more.”

I nodded. “Slim’s callin’ everyone in. We’re gonna need a boat and a place to break down the body.”

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