Page 35 of Thunder

Andy sent up a silent thank you as the ground shaking rumble announced the cavalry had arrived.

There was a flurry of activity when Granite and Whiskey took her place as Pound pulled her back. She saw Priest and Trip sprint down the alley the way the shadows had earlier. Priest was out of sight while Trip had a flashlight and bent twice to pick something up.

“Here, sweetheart,” Pound whispered as he pulled an oversized Harley hoodie over her head and spun her around to look at him. “You did amazing, Andy. You listened, you stayed calm, and took care of Thunder. I can never thank you enough for that. The Phantoms are lucky to have you. Thunder was a smart man to claim you.”

Before she could ask what he meant, Lexi was there. “I thought we told you to stay put.”

“Yeah, and I thought you were smart enough to know my best friend takes precedence over what you want.” Lexi pulled her into her arms. “Come on, I have some leggings in the car you can wear.”

“But I don’t want to leave Thunder.” She turned to see them carry him into the garage and put him in an SUV.

“We’ll go straight to the clubhouse and you can see him there.”

Her attention stayed on the SUV. Lexi shook her, hard.

“Andy. Listen. The first thing old ladies need to know is when to listen and when to fight. This is the former. The guys need to get this mess cleaned up and get Thunder back to the clubhouse where Whiskey and Granite can do what needs to be done. They can’t do that if they’re worried about you.”

“She’s right, Andy. We’ll be there in no time. I won’t let anything happen to Thunder.”

Once in the car, she slipped the leggings on and stared straight ahead. Andy knew vaguely that Lexi had started the car and was chatting at her, but she remembered nothing from the drive.

Barely anything from the time they parked and Lexi leading her up to the bar to wait, registered in her brain.

She couldn’t keep her gaze off the door, watching. Hoping to catch a glimpse of Thunder. She wasn’t convinced that not calling 911 and bringing him here was the best idea. But she understood it, at least from their perspective. ERs weren’t a fighter’s friend, especially when taking hits and dishing out pain on an underground circuit that people bet on. Underground fighting was bad enough, but gambling… in Vegas. Well, the gaming industry frowned on that.

Unsure how much time had passed or how much alcohol she’d downed, Andy was going stir crazy. “Where the fuck are they? Thunder’s bleeding needs to be stopped, yet where the hell are they? Did they take him to the ER after all?” She headed to the door. “We should go.”

Lexi downed a shot and bit a lime. After making a face, she swore. “Damn, chica, you are high-strung. He’s not at the ER, he’s downstairs and as soon as they know something, so will you. Now that Thunder claimed you, they won’t leave you out of the loop, just let them do their thing.”

Andy stopped and turned back to the bar. “What does everyone mean claimed me? Is that derogatory? I doubt dragging me out of a strip club with my tits out can be anything but.” She reclaimed her seat. Folding her arms on the bar top, she let her head drop onto them and release a frustrated scream. “So I guess I’m a club girl now. I refuse to wear one of those property of the Phantoms things.”

Lexi lifted her up by her hair and stared at her, hard. “Oh shit, you don’t… what did the two of you talk about before the shooting?”

“We didn’t exactly talk, just kind of. . .got busy. We came to an understanding, but I must’ve misunderstood. If he intended for me to be his whore, he didn’t tell me, but as soon as he’s healed, I’ll tell him where he can get off.”

Something else Lexi said finally sunk into her addled mind. “Wait, he’s downstairs. What in the actual fuck? I didn’t see them and, how? I need to go see—”

Granite’s appearance stole her words. He sauntered up to the bar and squeezed her shoulder, and Lexi poured him a shot. “Your old man is going to be just fine. He won’t be throwing any punches for a while, but you can go down soon. Whiskey is just cleaning him up right now.” He slammed his shot and another before he finished what he was going to say. “You did good, Andy. Thunder is a lucky man and so are we. I want to officially wel—”

Lexi interrupted, “Granite, no need to get all, uh,sentimental. Save it forafterThunder and Andy here have time to decompress… andtalk. Here, have another. You too, hooker.”

Andy stood and got in the man’s face. “I don’t give a shit that you’re Thunder’s president, you’re not mine and I won’t be ordered around and told when I can see him. I going to go see him now, and if you have a problem with that, well, try to stop me. I have body slammed bigger men than you for fun.”

She downed a shot and looked around at the gaping jaws in the room.

Lexi was acting weird, and everyone was staring.What in the actual fuck?

Granite was doing his shot when he choked on it. Andy realized she’d just threatened the president of the MC. Lexi patted him on the back, as a look passed between them. One she recognized as ‘I know, right?’

Something was up, but honestly, Andy didn’t give a shit. Her only concern was Thunder.

When his coughing slowed, Granite laughed and grated out, “No shit?”

“No shit,” Lexi replied.

“Well, hell. I like you, Andy. You stand up for yourself and your man, respect.” His face took a more serious mean. “But, don’t threaten me again.” As quickly as he’d turned serious, his tone morphed back to playful. She was getting whiplash at how quickly he shifted gears.

“Maybe the gunshot isn’t what we needed to be concerned with.” Granite chuckled. “I can’t wait to see how he, I mean, how this plays out. Cheers, ladies.” More shots were poured.

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