Page 54 of Lost Soul

So, I tell him everything. Even the parts I swore I would take with me to my grave. I tell him because, weird as it sounds, I trust him. And if by some miracle my mom is still alive, I believe there might be a chance that Jessie can save us both.

So kissing her was a bad idea. A real fucked up bad idea. But I’d held back too long with her, as soon as I saw that truth in her pretty blue eyes and I’d felt that gut instinct to trust that she was telling the truth... The hurt in her voice and guilt on her face forced me to try and take all that pain away for her. Ironic, as I’m usually the one trying to inflict it.

It’s a perfect example of the kinda of shit Maddy Summers does to me, she makes my world spin in a completely opposite direction.

She tells me everything, and it makes me want to find Clunk and take him the fuck out. Before any retaliation to this whole mess can be plotted, I have to talk Prez into letting Maddy live. It isn’t gonna be easy, but I’m prepared to die tryin’. There ain’t no way she’s gonna be taken away from me too, she’s my final light in a world of darkness, and I’ll do anything I can to keep it shining.

I head down to the bar and find Grimm. He’s filthy, covered head to foot in dirt and god only fucking knows what else. He hoovers up a long, thick line off the bar with his nostril, widens his eyes and breathes a sigh of relief when a rush accelerates. I ask him where Prez is, and he tip his head towards the door that leads into the lounge bar.

“Thanks. You get it done?” I ask, slapping his back and he nods. Clean up was a big job on this one. Grimm would have had help, but he would have only used them as body shifters, maybe diggers judging by the state of his clothes. What I do know for sure is with Grimm taking care of shit, wherever the evil riddled bodies of the Bastards are, they wouldn’t be being found anytime soon. He lifts his thumb and brushes over his nostril to check for any residue. Then offers to cut me a line. I refuse, ignoring the fact that after all the shit today I could really do with one; a clear head is needed for what I’m about to do.

I walk back through the foyer towards the lounge, a hand stops me before I can enter, curling around my bicep with a gentle squeeze, for a split second my heart leaps back to life.

Hayley.

Then it dies all over again when I turn around and see Carly.

“She talk?” she asks sounding hopeful.

“Yep. It ain’t great, but I’m gonna talk to Prez, she could be of use,” I say. I’m grateful for all Carly has done, it was her idea to use a different interrogation technique with Maddy. She had seen how on edge I’d been after I had damn nearly forced myself on the only girl, beside Hayley, that I’ve ever bothered to care about.

“I’ll take her something up to eat and drink. Do your best, Jessie. He’s bound to be hurting, we all are,” she says, her eyes glassy with tears.

“No one's gonna hurt her,” I promise Carly, meaning every fucking word. I never thought I’d ever consider going against my Prez, but that was before I got a taste of Maddy Summers sweet little mouth, among other things… Now that I have, hell as my judge I would protect her from anything, even my own club. Though I really hope I’m not gonna have to.

I find Prez sitting in darkness, the small bar room so full of smoke it even has me choking.

“She rat?” his voice croaks. I step closer, and he holds up the nearly empty bottle of Jack. “Grab another, son,” he says tipping it up and drinking the dregs. Then he smashes it to pieces when he hurtles it against the wall. I lean over the small but well-stocked bar, and grab him a fresh one because he’s gonna need it.

“She’s been the one helping them. Fucking up our deals,” I cut to the chase. There’s no easy way of saying it, and Prez looks back at me like I’m making some kind of joke. “She’s clever Prez, can’t only track cells but she can fuckin’ intercept them too. They saw all our messages to the Russians, knew what we were offering, that’s how they guaranteed they went in with better.” Prez doesn’t react, just stares and waits to hear more.

“She traced regular cell phone signals to find out where our warehouse was. Took money from big corporate business accounts, and fed it straight into the Bastards’ funds so they could sell for less and take us out of the industry.” Prez roars with laughter, and I’m confused at what he finds so funny, guess it must be the effects of the alcohol.

“So what you’re telling me, is that sweet lookin’ little bitch could have been the end of this club?” He snatches the bottle out of my hand, screws off the lid and pours it straight into his mouth.

“That’s what I’m tellin’ ya,” I confirm.

“Well, at least now we know what the problem is, we can eliminate it… Kill her,” he tells me, without a single shred of emotion, and I’m pretty sure it would be less painful if he sliced open my back and ripped out my spine.

“She didn’t know who she was working for. Clunk was blackmailing her, told her he was gonna kill her mom if she didn’t do what he asked.” I know how ashamed Maddy had been when she told me this next part.

“Her mom works for Clunk, Maddy’s pretty sheltered she doesn’t know exactly what it is she does for him, but I’m sure you can figure it out. My guess is her mom had been bragging around the club about how proud she was of her daughter, boasting about the things she could do with a computer and the Bastards saw an opportunity. Maddy said Clunk had called in on her one day when her mom was out, he told her he’d hurt them both if she didn't do everything he asked her to,” I retell what Maddy just told me.

“You know, Jessie, that’s a real touching story. Maybe you could tell it at the bitch’s funeral,” Prez slurs knocking back another mouthful of Jack. He’s boiling my blood hotter by the second, but I have to stay cool if I want to get him on board.

“She didn’t know it was us she was screwing, she was just given cell numbers to trace. She only figured something was off when she recognized Chop. She was the one who got all his old warrants reissued,” I explain, still shocked myself at all she’s been capable of.

“Which is making me wonder why you ain't already slit her pretty little throat yet Jessie.” Prez stares at me blankly and I’m starting to lose my patience.

“And you think that’s what Hayley would want?” I ask. My blood burning now, spreading like wildfire beneath my skin and disturbing all the nerves that settle in the pit of my stomach.

“Hayley just died Jimmer,” I remind him. “She died fuckin’ saving that girl’s life, and now you want me to put all that to waste and end her anyway?” I shock myself at the tone I speak to him in, and his hard face doesn’t falter as he stares back at me.

“Come on, Prez, she’s scared as fuck right now, she got the two biggest MC’s in the state as her enemy. She ain’t gonna rat on us. Hayley trusted her and… I trust her too.” I watch anxiously for his reaction and he takes a while to think, too long.

“Fine, offer her life in return for her silence, but you let her know that if she ever fucks with us again, or thinks about going to the cops, we will find her, and the Bastards will be the least of her worries.” I nod coolly, hoping he doesn’t pick up on how relieved I am.

“Get her the fuck out of here, Jessie, before I change my mind,” he orders, his voice bitter as he flicks me away with his hands.

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