Now he'd promised Juice, there was no way back. He had to tell Marcus what his son had done. But how did one tell something like that? He couldn't walk straight to his President and accuse his son of drugging a brother, could he?
Lost in thoughts, Phantom dipped the sponge in the bucket, squeezed it, and continued to clean the bikes of his brothers. Although it was a task he never expected to get when he went to prospect for the club, it wasn't exactly a punishment now the sun was shining and his head was filled with sorrow. Sure, he did feel like a servant, but his first months were done and the others weren't watching him or making taunting comments the whole time.
With a dry cloth, he rubbed the washed parts to make sure no water drops were left behind; then, he gathered the cleaning products and knelt beside the next Harley.
When all the bikes were finished, he got up, threw away the dirty water and stuffed away the products.
A quarter to five.
It was quiet in the clubhouse; as it seemed, they were still in a meeting. He poured himself a drink. He had no idea what they were discussing, so there was no way to estimate whether Marcus would be in a good mood or not.
When the men finally spilled into the clubhouse, he still hadn't thought of a proper way of bringing the subject up. He would have to be straight-forward. He made sure all of the men had a drink. Some of his brothers went out to enjoy the sun; Esai among them. This was the best chance he would get.
Squaring his shoulders, Phantom walked to his President. He was talking to his VP, making Phantom doubt. What if they were in an important conversation?
Apparently, Marcus saw him tarrying for he caught his glance and raised his eyebrows questioningly.
Phantom swallowed nervously. "I uh — I wanted to tell you something. Something... private."
"Did you discuss it with your sponsor?"
"No." He could barely hear his own voice and added a little louder: "It's about my sponsor."
Marcus' glance scanned his face. It was impossible to say how the man felt about that. Without taking his eyes off Phantom's, he took another sip from his beer before he stood op. "Very well." Marcus led him to a small office where he sat down on a desk chair. "Spit it out, hijo." He gestured at a chair across from the desk.
Phantom sat down.
His president's eyes were friendly instead of threatening, surprising him. It helped him relax a bit.
"Esai made me do something, a few weeks ago. Something... I don't feel comfortable with. I've tried to put it down, but it keeps coming back. I feel guilty towards another brother and..."
"Get on with it, Phantom."
Phantom took a deep breath. Right. "A few weeks ago, Esai drugged Raine. He told me to bring the guy to his room and undress him." Ashamed, he dropped his eyes. "A girl joined him — Destiny — and the next morning she was supposed to claim that they'd slept together. I told Esai it didn't sit right with me, but he told me he'd kick me out if I told Raine — or anyone else — the truth."
Skittishly, he looked up.
A shadow passed Marcus' face; his eyes darkened.
"I know the club wasn't a big fan of Raine's relationship with Juice," Phantom said softly. "But drugging someone — letting him believe that he is a cheater... I know Raine hates himself for it and that his self-hatred is destroying what's left of his family. I feel fucking guilty for keeping the truth from him. But if this was a club decision, then..."
"It was not," Marcus said with a growl. "Sounds like it's about time I have a serious talk with my son. Has he lost his mind?!"
The anger flashing across Marcus' face made Phantom hold his breath, unconsciously pressing his back against the backrest.
"I appreciate your honesty. You got nothing to worry about, Phantom." His nostrils flared as he exhaled furiously. "You don't."
. . .
Esai let out a cloud of smoke and watched the sunlight filter through it. Raine was sitting next to him. They didn't say much. Hip-hop blasted out of the speakers of his phone, chasing away the silence. He felt relaxed — they used to sit like this all the time when they were 14-year-old kids. With anti-social loud music, a cigarette between their fingers and a bottle of liquor between them. Everyone who cast a glance at them could expect a defying look.
He could laugh about it now. Back then he'd found himself fucking badass. By now, he knew people weren't scared of him, but of his father who was the President of a biker gang.
Yet, there was something familiar about sitting here. Raine and he had grown apart. It had already started when Raine's mother died and things had become worse when Raine moved to Santo Padre to prospect. At his return, he had been swallowed by the care for his sister and in the end, that sucker of a Juice had been there.
For a moment, he had been afraid that there was nothing left of their friendship.
It wasn't like they were having deep conversations now — Esai had never been a big fan of them. He could be a listener; the problem was that he always failed to find the right words, making him feel awkward.
Sitting here however caused a nostalgic feeling, convincing him that they were okay. That it had been a good decision to cause friction between Raine and Juice. He'd never heard his friend mention the Son again. Apparently, the thought alone to have slept with a woman had restored him to his senses. It wasn't like Esai had seen him with another girl since that day, but Esai was usually too busy with women himself to keep an eye on his friend.
Esai just finished his cigarette when his father left the building.
"Esai," he said shortly. He had a face like thunder.
"What is it this time," Esai muttered under his breath. He got up.
During the meeting half an hour ago, they had discussed options for new transporters for their drug smuggling. Ever since that unknown party had proposed a collaboration — which they'd declined — the whole situation didn't sit right with them and they were quite sure the organization knew too many details about their way of doing business. The options however hadn't been so few that it had caused a huge impact on his father's mood — so what had happened?
Marcus' face didn't tell him anything.
Esai didn't bother to hide his irritation while he followed the man. Sometimes his dad still treated him like he was a kid and it annoyed the hell out of him. How was he ever supposed to prove himself if his father kept treating him differently than the others?
Frustration surged through his body as he slammed the office door behind him. His father took a seat behind the desk.
I guess he's pretty serious.
An unsettling feeling crept upon him. He thought back to the tasks he'd carried out the past days. Had he forgotten something? Sometimes things slipped his mind, but he was pretty sure he hadn't fucked something up lately.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Esai looked expectantly at his father.
"Something troubling came to my ears."
Okay...?! Esai raised his eyebrows. Well, get over it with. It wasn't like his father to stall unless he hoped to provoke a certain reaction.
"About what?"
"About one of our brothers. As it seems, he has been drugged during a club night."
Esai had the feeling someone flipped over a bucket of ice water above his head. Fuck.
He risked a quick look in the dark eyes of his father.
He already knows the truth.
For a moment he toyed with the idea to play innocent, but just in time, he realized it would only make things worse. If he lied to his father's face... it would be hell to pay.
"Fucking Phantom," he growled in a daze of anger. What the hell was that rat bastard thinking...
"Don't you dare to speak ill of the prospect. He has done well to tell me. This is not how we treat our brothers. What does the word 'trust' mean when we drug each other to have things our way?"
"It was best for Raine. Come on man! That relationship of him made no fucking sense!"
"That was Raine's choice to make. He had that right. It's not a secret that I wasn't glad about their relationship, but this... you went way too far, Esai."
Esai gritted his teeth. He disagreed. "I did what was best for him. For the club."
"No, you didn't. If you thought this was what was best for the club, you would have discussed it with me instead of threatening a prospect. What the hell were you thinking, kid? What you did is much more dangerous to the club than the choices Raine has made up to now."
Esai wanted to scream that he was wildly overreacting, but he kept his jaws clenched. There was no point in it. His father didn't agree with him and not a single word would prove him wrong.
"I want you to tell Raine the truth. Now. And don't you dare to even glare at the prospect; if anything you can learn a thing or two about integrity from him. I will make sure he gets a new sponsor. Apparently, you're not ready for such a responsibility."
Anger flew through his veins, his hands were shaking and he clenched them into fists.
The look in his father's eyes however was implacable. These were orders. And if he didn't obey, he would only sink deeper in this shit. Wildly, he spun around and rushed outside.
He wasn't sure what emotion dominated the others.
Anger because a prospect had ratted him out.
Shame because he'd disappointed his father again.
Or fear because he would lose his best friend — and this time for real.
. . .
Sorry the update took me so long, my pregnancy is eating my energy and inspiration away. ): Hope you're still with me and still enjoy the story! Please comment or vote if you do, the hormones make me insecure about my writing.
And yay, 50 chapters.
Soon there will be some fluffy chapters, I promise. If there are any particular scenes you'd like to see, let me know. <3