I grinned as Clinton stopped.
Burke, meanwhile, calmed down. Ford let him go, and he stepped toward Clinton. “Are you sure?” Burke asked.
“I saw it,” he said again. “I saw him do it.”
Burke looked at me. “Did you?”
“No,” I said.
Burke shook his head. “Fuck this, Larkin. Fuck you.”
“Calm down, Burke,” Larkin said. “The boy said he didn’t do it, so he didn’t. You see the way we were set up? Clinton probably thought it was Clutch since Lavoy was so close to him.”
“It was him,” Clinton said again.
“Talk again and I’ll fucking kill you,” Ford growled at the man, shutting him up.
Burke shook his head again. “I didn’t like this from the fucking start. You had no goddamn plan. The only reason this worked at all was because of me.”
“This happened last minute,” Larkin said, getting that dangerous look in his eye. “If you’re accusing me, say it.”
Burke looked like he wanted to speak, but he bit his tongue instead.
“Guys,” Dow called out. We all looked toward him. He was holding up a bag, a huge grin on his face. “Check this shit out.”
We walked over and gathered around. Inside the bag Dow was holding was a bunch of heroine, the pure shit we hadn’t been able to get ahold of since the war had started.
In the other bags was cash. Lots of fucking cash.
Dow was grinning hugely. “Big fucking score,” he said, laughing.
Burke nodded, but his face remained dark.
“Load it up,” Larkin said. Dow and Noble grabbed the bags and began walking back toward our bikes. They were parked a good ways away, covered in brush.
Larkin looked at Burke. “Get your boy under control,” he warned.
“I’m not sure I want to.”
“You think accusing us of killing your guy is a good idea?”
“I’m not sure,” he said. “But if you did it, you’ll pay.”
Larkin got in Burke’s face. “Listen to me, you little twat. We worked hard to set this up, and some dumb fucking monkey isn’t going to ruin it for us. You think we’d risk all this killing just one of your fucking dumb goons?”
Burke didn’t back down. “I don’t know what you’re capable of, Larkin, but none of this was my idea.”
“True. It was your fucking president’s, so respect his commands and stop being a stupid cunt.”
Burke stared down Larkin for a second and then stepped away. He looked at me. “Better watch yourself, Clutch.”
I smiled sweetly at him. “You know where to find me, cocksucker.”
He walked away, back toward the bikes. Clinton followed him, and I gave Clinton a little wave.
Ford and Larkin walked over to me.
“Don’t antagonize them,” Larkin said.
“Fuck it,” Ford broke in. “Fuck them. I never liked this.”
Larkin looked at me. “Did you do it? Tell me honest.”
“I didn’t,” I said. “The guy was practically across from me. If a stray shot hit him, it was a real mistake.” I paused and shook my head. “But it didn’t. I’m a good shot.”
“I know,” Larkin said. “Come on.” He headed back toward the bikes.
Ford clapped my shoulder. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “We’ll work it out.”
“I’m not worried. I’m annoyed.”
Ford laughed. “Yeah, that’s typical of you. Quick to get pissed, but you never know what’s good for you.”
We walked back toward the bikes together.
I didn’t know what the fuck was happening, but I hadn’t shot that dumb asshole. Maybe the whole thing was a setup from the start, just an excuse for something bad to happen. Maybe the Rebels wanted to force a little chaos in our midst.
But I couldn’t imagine they’d kill their own guy for it. No, this was just a random, unfortunate, bullshit accident. I hadn’t killed Lavoy, but they were all willing to pin it on me.
Didn’t matter. The bastards would say what they wanted. I welcomed it, frankly. It might give me a chance to fuck a few more of those assholes up in the long run.
I got to my bike, setting it right and cleaning it off. We got on and kicked our engines to life.
There was suspicion between the clubs, but now it was only going to get a lot worse. With Janine in the position she was in, I was going to have to be extra careful. Now she might be in danger from the Rebels, too.
We rode back toward the club, much richer, but in much more danger.
23
Janine
I woke up for the second time that morning, and for a second, I forgot that Clutch had left. I got out of bed and was about to leave my room before I remembered his visit.
I grabbed a robe and wrapped it around my body. I didn’t want the pledges to see me in just a tiny old T-shirt and short little shorts.
TomTom looked up as I walked out into the main room.
“Morning,” he said. “Clutch told you?”
“Yeah,” I said. “He told me you’d be here.”
He nodded. “They had a job to do this morning.”