“Dani, I need you to tell me everything you know,” Shadow says, pulling my chin up. “I can’t keep you safe if you don’t.”
“Fine,” I whisper as tears slide down my face. That could have easily been me in that bed, and if I don’t tell Shadow what happened, it could be another ol’ lady.
“Babs had a niece whose boyfriend beat her up for getting into his drugs. So me and the girls went and picked the guy up in the club’s van and took him somewhere to teach him a lesson. Now they are coming back for us,” I blurt out.
“Where did you pick this guy up?” Shadow questions, his tone serious and jaw clenched.
“I don’t know. I was in the back of the van, so I couldn’t see anything. We found him behind some building with green lights all around it, and he was wearing a green bandana. That’s all I know.”
“Fuck,” Shadow mumbles.
“What?” I ask meekly.
“I think you girls threw us into a fucking turf war. We are not allowed over on that side of town, and they aren’t allowed over here. You girls going over there and messing with that guy was stupid. Why didn’t Babs just bring it to the table?”
“Babs said she told Locks but he told her no; that it wasn’t club business,” I inform.
“Keep your ass in here. I have to go find your father,” Shadow commands, pointing to the bed.
I sit back down on the bed, throw my face in my hands and sob. I can’t believe Babs is really gone. She has been a friend to me ever since I arrived here, she was family.
SHADOW
“I’ve called you all here because I have some bad news, along with the club being on lock down,” Bull states, taking a sip from a full bottle of whiskey.
“What?” Bobby asks, eyeing Bull with concern.
“Babs passed away about an hour ago,” Bull reveals slowly, his eyes beginning to glaze over. I can tell he’s trying to act tough for the club, but he’s failing.
“What?” Bobby exclaims, standing from his chair.
“Stroke,” Bull says flatly.
“Where the fuck is Locks?” Old Guy asks.
I look next to Bull where Locks usually sits, but there’s only an empty chair.
“I imagine he’s probably taking it pretty hard,” Bull says. With the way Locks has been treating Babs lately I doubt that.
“Anyways, we are on lock-down because it seems our lovely ladies went on a mission to redeem the honor of Babs’ niece without our knowledge,” Bull continues, rubbing his hands up and down his face. “We think the guy they attacked is under the protection of Augustus.” He looks up from under his hands, waiting for the backfire from the guys which is bound to happen.
“The Kingpin?” Bobby questions.
“Yes. They kidnapped some guy, beat him and left him on the side of the road,” Bull informs.
“They picked him up behind a club with green lights. I’m thinking it’s The Green Room, which is on the wrong side of town, Augustus’s territory,” I pipe in.
“Damn women,” Hawk gruffs.
“Why didn’t they bring it to the table?” Bobby asks.
“Apparently, Locks didn’t find it worthy of the table,” I seethe. That wasn’t for him to decide; he should have brought it to the table for a vote.
“So, now what?” Old Guy asks.
“Going against Augustus and his boys is going to be a hell of a war. I’m not even sure if he is the one attacking. We have to think this through before going on that side of town and making waves,” Bull tells us, lighting a cigarette.
“I’ll do some digging, see what I can come up with. Until then, the club is on lock-down,” Bull finishes.
“Everyone is accounted for but Cherry,” Hawk says from the end of the table. I smirk. Cherry is a rebel. She’s always against the club, breaking laws left and right. She’s the worst pain in the ass this club has had to endure. She’s lucky we owe Phillip.
Bull groans a rumble of frustration.
“Of course she’s not.”
Dani
I sit on the bed and I can hear the club become heavy with idle chitchat as it’s filled with family and close friends. Had I known attacking that boy with Babs would have led to this, I wouldn’t have never gone through with it. I haven’t felt the same since I almost killed that guy. I don’t even know if he’s alive. Shadow comes in the room and leans against the back of the door; he looks exhausted.
“Rough meeting?” I ask.
“You could say that,” he replies sarcastically. “The news that Babs is gone and you ladies threw us in a turf war isn’t exactly something to celebrate on.”
I bite my bottom lip and look at the ground; he’s right.
“What pisses me off more is Locks. He should be trying to avenge his wife’s death,” Shadow continues, his hands fisted at his side. “He’d be in the ground already if it weren’t for the respect I have for your father.” He looks at me, his eyes promising me he would do anything to protect me.
The room is filled with tension and silence.