Hunter
"It's just so crazy to think one of us is doing this, and to what end?" It was just me, mamba, Luke, O'Reilly, and meathead, standing outside in the chilly night. This is a first incident for Luke as the president of D.S. Stocker so to say he's both pissed and confused is an understatement.
He'd just dismissed everyone home a little after midnight. The process of finding the weapons to continue later in the morning.
Luke gestures towards me to talk in private, I slip out among the guys and we walk some steps away from prying eyes. "Capitan's guys from the cartel would be arriving tomorrow. Drozdov wants assurances that our bases are covered so we need to clip this mess ASAP."
"Why wasn't I told that the cartel would be getting involved?" The severity of the situation wasn't hidden to me, but involving the cartel in the Devil's Sons internal affairs should at least warrant a vote.
"I didn't think you'd have a problem with it, seeing as it's in everyone's best interest to find those weapons." Luke replies, narrowed eyes studying me.
"No doubt, but you didn't even seek my opinion about it." He knew my answer would have been a big fat no. The cartel getting involved could get messy real quick, especially with our "trade" with the Armenians. "I understand you're stressed right now, I do. But you're making decisions too hastily Luke and as the VP we're supposed to deliberate, not cross me out."
"No one is crossing anyone out, I can't afford to look weak when someone is stealing from my club." He whisper yells, laid emphasis on the personal pronouns.
"Our club Luke, our club." With that, I turn around towards my Harley. The guys stare silently at Luke and I but no word is spoken, only the deafening silence can be heard.
"You know this has to be done, we gotta find the thief somehow." O'Reilly points out and although I agree, there are better ways to go about doing that. "Good night brother." With a light tap on my back, he bids goodnight. I watch everyone disperse amidst the tenseness in the atmosphere till it's just myself and mamba outside the warehouse.
"So.." Mamba begins in a high pitched voice. He does this when he's about to a.) tell me something that he has no business telling me, b.) What he's about to say would piss me off, c.) He's about to poke his nose in my business but he has to first do option a, then he guilts me into telling him my business or makes me the bad guy for keeping my business to myself.
Sad thing is he gets me everytime. "Where are we going tonight?"
We? I furrow my brows in curiosity on how my plans became our plans. "I'm going to JJ's." It was my fault thinking he would take the hint because the next thing I hear is
"Sweet, let's go." I watch in mild confusion as he dons his helmet and shades before motioning me to hurry up.
"I don't remember inviting you mamba."
"Tsk tsk short term memory is a bitch, right?"
"Motherfucker." I reply before putting on my helmet. If I know one thing it's that there's no way out of this, so no need to argue at all. I ignore the triumphant smile he's sporting, rolling my eyes at the man. Zooming out of the parking space, I make the bearing straight for JJ's house.
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Jesse
A loud knock resounds around the house, I quickly clean my tears as soon as I hear Mel open the door. I was presently in the kitchen fixing us something to eat, lord knows that girl would starve to death without me.
While fixing us some vegetable stir-fry to go with some spicy noodles, I'd reached for the noodles which was next to the pack of banana bites. The whole place just felt weird without the little man but too much was going on right now so I keep telling myself that it's for his safety.
"Smells good in here, now I don't feel as bad for crashing you guys' dinner date. There's food." Mamba completes with jazz hands.
Those two were the last people I expected to see at my house tonight, especially with the accusations at the club.
"You know on some third wheeling shit, I was feeling a little awkward about crashing my bro's night but I definitely made the right call." I slap his hand that has crept into my bowl. "Little more salt on that." This motherfucker. I roll my eyes before pouring the vegetables into the oiled pan.
Once dinner is thankfully done and no thanks to mamba and his creeping hands, I dish it out and carry them to the set table.
"Oh my goodness, she was so pissed when I did that." Mel says with a cackle and she and bruiser burst into a fit of laughter. "She and her perfect little self will never step on my toes again." They fist bump each other as I look in confusion.
"What are you guys talking about?"
"Nothing Jesse. Nothing JJ." They both reply simultaneously. If they were going for the non suspicious act, then they just won the worst actors award, I can tell they're hiding something.
When did they even start staying in the same room without silently sending death threats to each other with their eyes?
"Food is getting cold." Bruiser jumps up and heads for the dining area, Mel following immediately. He must have noticed my narrowed eyes because he simply sends me a wink and purposefully gropes my butt cheek subtly before taking a seat. Heat crawls up my body and I will it to go away. Annoying.
"Shit this is so good. I'm so sad I didn't ask you out first." Mamba states, head buried into his plate as he clears the food in it.
"You're not my type. You're not his type." Hunter and I reply at the same time. I don't miss the scowl on Hunter's face as he glares at his best friend. A smile covers my lips, he's so jealous right now.
"Aww you guys are so cute. I'm going for seconds." Mel makes a puking sound and Hunter's scowl deepens. I simply watch mamba stand from his position to the kitchen, humming to himself as he happily heaps his plate again. Thankfully I added more to the original amount after their arrival.
"Hell I can never take him anywhere." Hunter rolls his eyes and a chuckle escapes me.
"I heard that!" Mamba yells in reply from the kitchen.
Dinner is pretty uneventful after that. With too much on my mind and too little of my attention there, majority of the conversations fly over my head. I notice bruiser stare boring holes through the side of my head but I can't find it in me to care.
Dinner is finished shortly after and with the cleanup done Mel bids everyone a good night. There's an eye communication contest between bruiser and mamba for a moment before I hear "Ah I think this is the part where I say goodnight."
"You think?"
"Forgive me for thinking we were having a threesome." He says with a shrug. Hunter simply facepalms already done with his friend. "Well goodnight boys, be good now." He runs out quickly before the paper towel roll that Hunter throws his way smacks him right in the forehead.
The loud rumble of the motorcycle starts in the nearest distance and slowly it fades away, signalling the departure of the weird one.
Hunter's full attention is focused on me now, he closes the distance between us and gently uses his pointer and middle fingers to lift my face up. Our eyes meet in an intense stare and for once I actually feel scared for what's coming.
"Where's Laney?" I found it quite hard to lie about how I felt at the moment. Not with the hardened look that Hunter had on his face right now, one that dared me to say anything contrary to the truth.
"I couldn't pick him up with everything going on at the club." I whisper softly. It's been a long day and I was exhausted, I just wanted to go to bed. "Can you stay here tonight? Please?" I practically plead, the inability to be alone right now overwhelming me.
Bruiser's gaze softens and he nods slowly. Moving quickly to the door, he secures the lock and makes quick motion of putting off the lights. "Come on clingy let's go to bed." I so did not consent to that nickname but I'm in no mood to bother about it. I weave my fingers through Hunter's and we make our way to my bedroom.
Settled in bed, I lay my head atop bruiser's chest and almost half my body weight sprawled on him. His steady breathing doing a good job of calming me. I find myself clutching his hand tightly, dread filling me for some reason.
It felt like things were only going to get worse before they got better.
"Hey, I'll take care of this alright?" I gaze into his eyes, determination lacing them like a fiery storm. I can't help but trust that he would and so I nod slowly. "Go to sleep JJ." With a quick kiss to Hunter's chest which is closer to me, I close my eyes and let the sleep take over me.
I'm too far gone when my hair is moved out of my face and a gentle kiss is dropped on my forehead.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************
I wake up the next morning to a cold right side of the bed, no bruiser in sight. Just a note in his stead that simply says "Warehouse."