Page 89 of Bits and Pieces

“Where is my son?” Jakob demands from Armor.

“How the fuck would I know?”

“Which one of you dirty bikers is fucking Neal’s wife?”

“That would be me,” I announce and step closer to really emphasize my size and ability to turn these men into ground beef under my boot. “When you talk to your asshole son, tell him she wants a divorce.”

“Feeling smug, huh? How many of those ugly kids are yours?”

With any other man, I’d sense he was baiting me to hit him to gain legal leverage. With Jakob, I get the feeling the motherfucker has spent so many years being an asshole that he can’t remember how to talk to people any other way.

I shove him against the wall and whisper, “If your son shows his face around the Valley, I’ll put him in the ground.”

“You did something to him.”

“You wish,” I say, backing off when Ruin and Eagle tug me off the asshole. “Must be easier for you to assume Neal’s dead than to know he ran off to get away from your shithole family.”

I instantly see I’ve hit a nerve when the old fucker nearly jumps out of his skin and yells, “That bitch drove him away!”

“Well, that bitch and her ugly kids aren’t Neal’s problems anymore,” I mutter and crack my knuckles. “Bet he stays gone to get free from your idiot family.”

“I gave that boy everything,” Jakob growls at me as if he’s lost the narrative. “That house he didn’t take care of? Well, who do you think gave it to him?”

“Save your whining for your therapist, asshole.”

Running a hand through his shaggy blond hair, Ruin sighs. “I can’t even remember what the fuck is happening anymore?”

“They’re leaving,” Armor says helpfully. “And they aren’t coming back.”

Smirking, I tell the beet-faced grandpa, “If you have any questions for Mayor Macready, feel free to leave a message.”

“I want to see my grandkids,” Jakob demands, changing tactics again as his worm-infested brain latches onto another reason to complain.

“No.”

“You have no right.”

Ruin steps between us and frowns at Jakob. “You said Landry cheated and those kids don’t belong to your son, meaning they’renotyour grandkids. Now, fuck off and don’t come to my office again.”

“Do you see this shit?” Jakob asks Missus Hogan. “These thugs think an office in a fancy building means they aren’t scum.”

When Ruin glances at me, I smirk at his exasperation. The Copper family festers with stupidity. There’s no arguing with them. If you use facts, they’ll change the point of the argument. If you agree with them, they’ll change sides so you’re back to arguing. They likely can’t even remember why they showed up in the first place.

My guess is the old man was bitching at home, got himself riled up, and decided he had a right to be heard. No more thought was put into it than that, which explains why he’s now trying to hurt our feelings by calling us criminals.

Except if he thinks we’re dangerous thugs, painting a target on his family wouldn’t be wise. Looking into Jakob Copper’s eyes, I realize he has zero thoughts past the current one puking out of his mouth. Consequences don’t come into the equation.

Having spent time in Beehive Ridge, I can see why so many people give in to the Coppers despite the family being about as poor and pointless as everyone else. These assholes won’t let up. They attack until someone fights back. Then, they whine and play the victim. When someone acts as a peacemaker, the Coppers declare a conspiracy against them and claim no one can be trusted. Eventually, people just give up and agree to whatever nonsense will make the Coppers go away.

Landry stood no chance with such people. She’s still a kid inside, craving safety over strength. These assholes would have run roughshod over her on day one.

“I want to see my grandchildren!” Jakob demands, flipping the script again. “Have the bitch bring them to my house this Saturday.”

“No.”

“I’ll call the cops.”

“Go ahead.”

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