Forever, стр. 43
I mean, usually my presence is optional depending on the nature of business. When King needs my squad, it becomes mandatory. It’s another reason he called me to go rescue Eva.
I stay out of shit unless needed. My mind has been turning over the fact that King requested me in church for almost a full week now. When I saw him Monday, his mind was preoccupied with something totally different. I can’t say it’s not club related, but his shit wouldn’t require my whispers or the Squad.
“I’m only saying, she’s a summer intern. We don’t need the complications. We’re doing so well in the industry these days,” Troy says, straightening his tie.
I think Troy is about to find out who the fuck I am. The real Brick Mason. I bare my teeth and close the space between us.
You see, the Lost Souls have your ordinary enforcers like any other MC. Grim and Wolf are our official club enforcers for the South Carolina, Georgia chapter. You might as well throw Reap into that equation. She’s not an official club member, more like the property of Grim, but you tell her that and see what happens.
Cage always treated Reap like one of the guys. She’s never seen herself as anything but. Reap is smaller than Eva, but you would think she was my height.
However, she’s half the height of every brother in the squad, but just as insane. It’s the reason she’s the only female Squad member. I tried to stop that shit, but she wasn’t having it.
Where you find Grim, Reap is sure to follow. They’re both crazy as fuck, but I will always want them in my corner and on my squad. I was proud the day I watched Reap get her reaper on her right thigh, wings, sword, and all. She grumbled the whole-time Property of Grim was etched into a ribbon wrapping the sword and knuckles of her winged reaper.
“Let me get this straight,” I say low. “You’ve been eye fucking my woman since her first day here. You bring your ass to my office for bullshit all day to ogle her and now you’re talking to me.” I touch my chest incredulously, trying to have a moment to reel my shit in. “About sexually harassing my woman? Are you stupid or slow?”
It’s been one of those mornings. I’ve had so much bullshit floating through my mind as I sat through call after call, watching Eva in those heels and that white dress. I couldn’t wait to get off the phone so I could get close to her. I wasn’t even thinking when I walked over to the drafting table she sat at.
“I… I… I,” he stammers.
“I… I… I,” I mock. “Shut the fuck up! What do you want? Why are you in my office this time?”
“I needed you to sign off on the Sheldon account.” Troy blinks stupidly.
I swear, I lose my half-sane mind. “Are you fucking shitting me?” My voice rises with my ire. “I told your ass to email those to Holden and he would print them off. Where is the shit I actually pay you to do? The Cooper file was a fucking shit show. The figures are a mess and I have that pitch on Monday.”
“Owen, I thought you wanted to see the numbers for the revisions they asked for,” he tries.
“Are you fucking with me? Please tell me you’re fucking with me.” My voice gets louder by the moment. “Those are the same bullshit numbers you beefed up two weeks ago. I told your ass then I wanted clean numbers and details on the shit you were piling onto those spec sheets.”
“I… I can do that,” Troy murmurs.
“It’s not a matter of you being able to do it. Why the fuck has it not been done? There’s one reason I’ve been keeping you around here in the first place and you’re fucking that up,” I growl.
“I’m sorry,” Troy says.
I open my mouth to go completely off, but my cell vibrates. I pull it from my pocket and frown. It’s a text from Gutter.
King has activated him. I clench my jaw. If King went direct, some shit is going on.
I text Gutter back to let him know I got his message and I turn my attention back to Troy. Once again, my words are cut short by my phone. This time it’s a call from King.
“Get the fuck out,” I growl at Troy, dismissing his dumb ass.
I pick up the phone and bring it to my ear. “Prez,” I grumble.
“Get my sister home, now,” King roars into the phone.
My heart sinks into my stomach. For a moment, I think he knows. I can’t breathe for a few seconds. The thought of losing Eva steals what little bit of soul I have left.
“Is there a problem? I got a text from Gutter,” I manage to ask.
“He’s on the way to get Sal and bring her in. Her apartment was broken into and trashed. They took her bike,” King says tightly.
I think I start to see red. Nobody fucks with our girls, but I know what really sets me off is that King doesn’t feel this is isolated to Sal. If he wants Eva home, she could be in danger.
“I need all twelve ready. Get her here. I’m locking shit down until I have answers,” King snaps and hangs up.
I close my eyes as a growl vibrates through me. This shit is just not happening right now. I was hoping this trip home would be a simple one. Not the giant one my instincts have been warning me about.
My mind turns to my cousin and my ex-wife. They’ve been too quiet. I should’ve been paying them more attention over the last few weeks. My name isn’t Brick Mason if those two don’t appear soon to make this shit worse. I feel it in my bones.
“Shit.”