Page 63 of Riding the Edge

Pipe was never in the position to have a family of his own and until he met Layla, I don’t think it bothered him. However, soon after he fell in love with Layla’s children, he began to regret not having a kid of his own.

Looking at him, I recognize the fear in his eyes. It’s funny how a man isn’t afraid of the consequences of his choices until he realizes they may affect his children.

“Congratulations,” I say hoarsely. “I mean it, Pipe. I’m happy for you.”

“Thank you,” he says, pulling out a pack of smokes. Shoving the cigarette between his lips, he lights the end and takes a long drag. “Lived half my life thinking I had it all and now, I got this kid coming and I realize I had nothing.”

Now, that’s something I can relate to.

The peace and positivity shit—not so much.

“But with that realization comes another one,” he mutters, taking another drag of his cigarette. “I got everything now, everything I never knew I wanted or needed, I got.”

“Which means you got everything to lose,” I say, crossing my arms against my chest.

“Yeah,” he agrees, flicking the ashes. “Scary as fuck, Wolf.”

“You’re gonna be a good father,” I assure him.

“Gotta remain alive to do that,” he says, tossing the cigarette to the ground. Crushing it with the toe of his boot, he lifts his gaze to me. “He’s got the paramedic, Wolf. He’s got her upstate in some fucking bungalow with a few of Rocco’s guys keeping an eye out.”

A memory of the woman who worked on Nico until the second ambulance arrived, flashes before me. I remember staring at her trembling hands as she tried to stop the bleeding. I can also recall her voice as she begged us not to kill her. I was too concerned with Nico to wonder what happened to her after we left for the hospital. Even after the cops left, and I warned Jack, I never thought about where she was or what had happened to her. Jack said he would take care of it and that was enough for me. It wasn’t my business to ask questions but apparently, Pipe had a different opinion.

“How?”

“Bianci and the Chicago guy took her to Vic’s safe house. They weren’t sure how Jack wanted to handle things. After we returned from Purchase, the cops were all over this place because of the dead paramedic. Jack told them the story about Yankovich shooting him and taking the ambulance. On our way to you, Bianci called and told us they had the girl.”

“That’s why Jack said he’d handle her,” I mutter.

“Yeah,” he replies. “The only way to do that is by killing her.”

Flinching, I look away.

“She’s a kid,” I growl.

“I don’t like it either, Wolf.,” he mutters, leaning against the Charger. “But you know what happens if she lives.”

Yeah, I do.

Cain and Yankovich win and Jack finally loses.

“The cops will get to her, she’ll squeal like a pig and Jack will be done. He’ll plead insanity, get a shorter sentence and a ticket to a padded room.”

Turning my head, I meet his solemn gaze.

“Why hasn’t he done it yet?”

“My guess is because he’s waiting on you.”

“Me?”

“C’mon Wolf, you gotta know Jack is banking on you to keep this shit alive. He’s biding his time, hoping you work out whatever you got going on in here,” he says, bringing his hand to his chest. “But the second you ask for your patch, that girl is gone.”

“We can’t let him kill her, Pipe,” I argue. “He isn’t thinking clearly. The new meds are fucking with him.”

“You got another solution you want to bring to the table?”

“No,” I growl. “I will figure something out. I just need a little time to do that which means, this shit stays between us. As far as Jack knows, I’m not interested in the club.”

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