Page 21 of Shank's Tricky Situation

“Thank you for watching Zane. I’ll see you later on,” I tell her, moving out of the way so she can get around me.

“Calla . . .,” she begins to say.

“Not right now,” I say softly as more tears start to fall. “You could have warned me better. But, I get it. I’m not part of the club. I’m Billy’s wife, but not an ol’ lady. My son will be more of a person in the club then I ever will be. Like I said, thank you for coming over and watching him for me. I need to get him around for bed and stuff now.”

Jaelyn gives me a sad nod before leaving. Locking the door behind her, I make my way through the house and check every single window and door to make sure no one can get inside. Zane follows me as he senses I’m upset. When I’m done, I run a bath for him and sit out in the hall across from the open door to watch him. I’ve heard too many stories about children being left unattended and getting hurt. So, I sit in the hall where I’m not actually in the room with him, but I’m still close enough if something happens and can get to my son. Plus, he wants to start doing everything himself. This way allows me to guide him on washing his hair and body when he's done playing.

Once he’s done with his bath, I take Zane into his room so he can get dressed in his pajamas. He calls out when he’s ready and in bed so I can read him a story and hang out with him for a while. Forcing all thoughts of Billy, the club, and everything else from my mind, I focus on Zane and nothing else. There’s time for me to break down in a little while. When I’m alone in my room I can let myself break again. Tomorrow, I’ll pick myself up and start putting the pieces of my heart back together again. I’ve done it before and I can do it again. This time I’ll just have to make sure I build the walls up higher and reinforce them with steel and everything else so no one can get close to me again. The only person I need in this world is Zane.

Chapter Sixteen

WATCHING CALLA WALK out the door of the clubhouse while sobbing fucking kills me. I turn a glare on Lash as he turns his attention toward me. This shit is on him and his orders. Getting out of my seat, I brush this bitch off and head toward my room. I need some time and I want to check on Calla. I need to check on my wife. To give her some sort of clue that this isn’t what it looks like. I’m playing a fucking part I want nothing to do with. Precious only has eyes for me and won’t give anyone else her attention. I’d have been able to walk away and tell Calla before now if she did. So, I’m stuck playing a part I fucking hate and my mind never fucking leaves my family for a second.

While Precious has been doing her best to talk her way into my bed, I’ve prevented it from happening so far. The closest she gets is rubbing my arm while sitting next to me. The few times she’s tried to sit on my lap or get even closer to me, I put a stop to it really quick. Hartley and Lash have been watching every single interaction between the two of us. Hartley being here is my stipulation. I want proof for Calla that while the bitch touched my arm, that’s all she did. Lash will also be explaining his role in why this is fucking happening. This shit is on him and Calla will know that.

Over the last few days, we’ve found out more information on this Precious bitch. She’s been seen around town with a man and an older woman. The woman always has her face covered and wears these obnoxious hats that cover most of her face so no one can actually see her good enough to tell who she is. One of the Prospects just happened to catch the three of them in town and followed them for a while before coming back and reporting to Lash what he saw. The only reason he didn’t stay with them longer is because the man managed to lose him on the outskirts of town. Instead of wasting time looking for them, the Prospect made the right call.

As I get to my room, I hear steps coming up behind me. They’re heavy and the sound of boots so I know it’s not Precious trying to once again push her way into my bed. Turning my head, I find Lash. He’s got a pain filled look on his face and I couldn’t give a fuck about how he’s feeling right now. His entire fucking world didn’t just come crashing down around him. Mine did.

“Go the fuck away, Lash,” I growl out, unlocking my door and opening it before making my way inside.

Before I can close it on Lash’s face, he forces it open and shuts it behind him.

“You might be the President of this club, but that doesn’t give you the right to force yourself in my room, Lash. I don’t want to fuckin’ see you or talk to you. And you should fuckin’ know, I plan on callin’ Judge to see about a transfer to his club at the very least. I don’t even know if that’s far enough away from you right now,” I tell him, letting all of my anger and rage pour out and not giving a shit about how he feels or what he does to me for it.

“Shank . . .,” he starts as I whirl to face him.

“No!” I yell out, my entire body shaking with rage. “You don’t get to come in here and try to get me to see where the fuck you’re comin’ from. I just lost my fuckin’ wife and son because of your fuckin’ orders. Orders you wouldn’t have made, or followed, if you were in my shoes and Hartley was in Calla’s. My wife just left here sobbin’ because she thinks I’m cheatin’ on her and still comin’ home every fuckin’ night. Now, I don’t even get to go home tonight. All because of you. There is no fixin’ this shit, Lash. You fuckin’ destroyed my marriage and got my son taken away from me.

“I don’t know what the fuck is goin’ on with you lately, but you don’t give a fuck about any of us here. You started to prove it when shit was goin’ down with Boxer and Makena. I thought you learned your fuckin’ lesson then. Now, I know you didn’t. You don’t give a fuck about the brotherhood or what this club used to stand for. This used to be a place where family came before everythin’ else. Now, the first impression my girl gets is that no one wants her here. Then, she gets treated like shit by someone not even supposed to be here. The Prospect still hasn’t been dealt with either. Now, she just saw me in a compromisin’ position with someone I want nothin’ to do with,” I yell out as my door opens to reveal Sabotage and Boxer.

They come in and close the door behind them so no one can hear what’s going on in here. Especially Precious.

“Shank, if you’d let me talk,” Lash tries again.

“I said fuckin’ no. I don’t want to hear anythin’ you have to say. What I’m gonna do is sit my ass in this room, alone, and try to get Calla to answer my fuckin’ calls. She’s sure as fuck not doin’ that right now,” I tell him as there’s a soft knock on my door.

Pushing past Lash and shoulder checking him, I open it to find Jaelyn standing there. She’s crying and I know she’s just come from my house. My old house.

“You’re not gonna hear from her, Shank. None of us are. She’s mad at me for not warning her better and wants nothing to do with anyone in the club. We’ve all fucked up when it comes to Calla. She doesn’t feel as if she belongs here for any reason. Shank, she sees herself as nothing more than your wife when the rest of us are married to our men and ol’ ladies of the club. She doesn’t have that from you. Lash, you didn’t protect her from this shit by forcing him to do something he didn’t want to do. Everyone else is just as fucking guilty. You’re not gonna get her back, Shank. She won’t come around here again. Not unless it’s to drop Zane off to see you,” Jaelyn informs me as I turn to face Lash.

Throwing a fist out, I punch my President in the jaw. Boxer immediately wraps his arms around me from behind as Lash faces me again.

“That’s your one free shot, Shank. Now fuckin’ listen to what I have to say,” he orders as I try to calm myself down from the uncontrollable rage I’m feeling right now. “I will make amends with Calla and tell her what she saw isn’t real. I’ll personally make sure she gives you a chance to talk to her and take all the blame for this clusterfuck that happened tonight. We will have your back as always, Shank. Don’t you ever question how I lead my club again. This will always be family first and we will always do what’s needed to get to the bottom of a situation. If this needed me to be doin’ what you have been, then I would have and not said a fuckin’ word about it to Hartley.”

“No, you wouldn’t have, Lash. You would have told her when you were alone and none of us would have known. But, you wouldn’t put yourself in that position to begin with. I don’t know what the fuck has changed with you, but you need to figure it the fuck out or maybe we need a new President,” Sabotage says, seeing what Boxer and I are with the man we all thought we knew.

“That’s really how you all feel?” Lash questions us, his voice unbelieving as Hartley enters my room.

“It’s how you’ve been actin’, Lash. Before, you wouldn’t have put any of us in this position when there are still plenty of single guys around here. You would have chosen one of them to do what you forced Shank to do. You wouldn’t have made Boxer wait for this and that when Makena had been taken. I get you have a family and want to protect them from everythin’. However, we all have families we want to protect as well. Your family isn’t the only important one here,” Sabotage says, his voice hard and cold as he wraps his body around Jaelyn’s. “Shank, know you’ve got my full support if you choose to go to Judge’s club. There you know he’ll never make you compromise your marriage to Calla for club business.”

Without another word, Sabotage leads his woman from my room. Boxer soon follows after resting his hand on my shoulder for a few minutes. He doesn’t say a word as he looks at me. We don’t need words for me to know he’s lending me his silent support right now. With a nod of my head, I turn to face the last two people in my room; Lash and Hartley.

“Babe, I hate to go against you, but they’re right. The man I first met and fell in love with never would have made a call like this. You would have chosen someone else to get to Precious. Never thought I’d be disappointed in you for the last two incidents the club has experienced, but I am. Deeply disappointed. I think you should stay here tonight. I’m going home to my kids and you need to figure out what the fuck is going on with you,” Hartley says, turning and leaving the two of us standing in my room without another word.

“Get the fuck out,” I tell Lash, not wanting to hear anything else he has to say.

After a minute, he finally leaves my room and I slam the door shut behind him. Twisting the lock, I try to call Calla again. Now her phone is going straight to voicemail. She’s turned it off. Tossing my phone on the bed, I make my way over to the closet. Reaching up, I pull out the box that’s been sitting on top and lay it gently on my bed. I pull the lid off and set it aside before moving the tissue paper out of the way. Inside the box is Calla’s property rag. I’ve had it sitting in here for a few days and there hasn’t been time to give it to her because of this entire situation. Now, I don’t think I’ll get the chance to give it to her at all. Closing my eyes, I let myself relive every fucking memory I have with my family before it all got blown to pieces.

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