Page 74 of Whizz

“Dad, stop it.”

“No, I won’t stop.I’m sick andtired of having to listen to the shit that goes down.I’m doingwhat that fuck-face should do to take care of you,” Ned said,growling each word out.

Alex took a deep breath and rounded thecorner to enter the club house.Eva clocked him first, and sheshook her head.This is what he’d been doing his whole life,talking with Tiny.He was the one who’d brought Ned into his lifethrough the drug runs.All of them knew other people that knewother people that kept them in contact with others.It was aninsane scheme of things but one that worked.

“What’s going on?”Alexasked.

Eva shook her head, turning to walkaway.

“You’re not going anywhere,Eva.I want to see those grandbabies that have been kept fromme.”

“For fuck’s sake, Dad, you’re notbeing fair.Shit went down, but that’s no need to leave men here totake care of me.”

“No one hurts my girl, Eva.You’ve got to understand that.I for one am not happy with whatwent down with this fucker, Gonzalez.”

The three fighters were standing there,not making a sound.Alex stared at each one, recognizing them.Theywere fierce bastards, hard as rock.He’d put money on them winningand earned a killing back for it.One was known as Jimmy, who couldtake a man down with one punch.The other, Pat, no one gave himshit about his name as he was a mean motherfucker who wasn’t afraidto use his teeth.The last one was Black.No one knew his realname.His eyes were that dark they appeared almost black.He didn’tspeak to anyone.Just glancing over at him gave Alex thechills.

“What’s with the fighters?”Alex moved behind the bar pouring himself a generous shot ofwhiskey.After the meeting with Cheryl, he needed somethingstrong.

“They’re here to protect mygirl.”

“You think a bunch offighters would have stopped Gonzalez?”

“It would have stopped mygirl getting hurt.”

Alex pointed across the room towardBaker.“He’s the one who stopped Eva getting hurt.We’ve got theprotection covered.”

“You need to step down,Tiny.You’ve not got what it takes to take on theworld.”

“Dad!”

“What about you, old man?You’ve got a few years on me.Are you going to be stepping downfrom your fighters?”

“My boys don’t get intotrouble.You, however, can’t keep anyone in fuckingcheck.”

Tiny stepped closer, about to raise hisfist.

“Stop!”Eva screamed theword.The high pitch made Alex cover his ears.“Daddy, I thoughtthis visit was to see me and the kids.Not to bring men here toleave.This is not how it works.You know this.I don’t want men Idon’t know hanging around my house.It’s bad enough getting a lifeas it is.I don’t want your men here.”She circled her arm throughTiny’s.“He takes care of me.He loves me, Dad.”

“No, he almost got youkilled.”

“I’m still here.I’m stillalive to tell all kinds of tales.Please, don’t dothis.”

Alex didn’t know why he botheredcoming.The only person who could talk Ned down was his littlegirl.

“This isn’t over,” Nedsaid, pointing a finger at Tiny.

“Stop with your fuckingthreats.They get old real fucking fast.”

Alex watched as Eva rolled her eyes.“Youcan’t do it, can you?”She released Tiny’s arm.“You’re my husband,and you’re my dad.I love you both.For once can you just try andget along?”

She turned and walked away, leavingtwo men looking a little sheepish.

“That was yourfault.”

“We need to talk about Butch,”Alex said, interrupting their talk.He wasn’t interested inlistening to them bicker about whose fault it was or not.Therewere far more interesting things going on in the world than that.He couldn’t let anything happen to his son.If supporting Butchback into the club was what kept his son close to him, he’d doit.

“What?”Tiny asked, turningback to face him.

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