I had no choice but to leave first and leave alone because I had to meet up with Anderson. His patience was at its end and so was mine. I felt like a fucking outcast in my own club. My blood ran cold and my body felt numb. I hadn’t touched Linds in days. Not since the truth about Tito came forward. And what could I do about it? Nothing. It was the fucking truth and Uncle Jakey owned up to it.
Uncle Jakey also owned up to everything he said he would do. Turned out that Anderson was connected through dirty money, a dirty crew, and through an official agency. However, he was on a restricted assignment status because of personal situations. To me, it was pretty clear. Whoever had him by the balls was using his status to get what they wanted. Anderson had tried to bring down Uncle Jakey a few times in the past and each time, Uncle Jakey slipped through a crack.
This time would be no different.
At least that’s what Uncle Jakey assured me.
I was shoved in the dark with the rest of whatever plan was in place, which I fucking hated. Everywhere I turned it was like a wall had been put up. Goddamn freedom suddenly felt like prison.
I tore through town and found myself cruising along a bunch of back roads. They were sometimes the best roads to be on. The kind where you had no idea where you were going. All paths led to somewhere, right?
I thought about splitting. Giving my cut back and just taking off. Starting over.
But where? Why? What the fuck would I do?
Patch in with another club?
The truth was that I couldn’t leave Linds. I made a promise to her a long time ago and I wasn’t going to break that promise. So that kept me moving in the direction of Anderson.
He was parked on the side of the road. Sitting on the trunk of his car. Two coffees. A cigarette. The same shit eating grin as he always had.
I pulled my ride to the side of the road and climbed off. I crossed the empty street.
“Coffee?” Anderson asked and nodded to one of the cups.
“No.”
“More for me then,” he said. He took a deep drag of his cigarette and threw it to the ground.
“That’s littering.”
“Call the cops,” Anderson said.
“Aren’t you the cops?”
“Don’t worry about who I am. Do you have what I want, Kingston?”
“How do I know this is all real?” I asked. “That you really have a push for my full release?”
“You don't trust me? I told you those dueling voices were going to kick in. What do you think about your brother’s death?”
“It still hurts,” I said. “But you don’t give a shit about that, Anderson. My personal feelings mean shit to you. You just want to know where the deal is going down. You want to know exactly where Uncle Jakey is going to be.”
“Uncle Jakey,” Anderson said. He clapped his hands together. “Such an amazing way to put him. When I get him this time, it’s going to be great. And I’ll ensure everything I can for you.”
“You say that,” I said.
“Ah, of course. The outlaw fights back. I expect that though. You can speak with your attorney at any time, Kingston. Old files were pulled, the case reopened, and your confession to the murder is now worth shit. The bullet that killed the killer of your brother did not come from your weapon. Now, you still have to face some of the heat for, you know, shooting someone, but murder? You didn’t murder anyone.”
The numbness gave way to anger, but only for a few seconds. I already figured that I wasn’t the one who did it. Uncle Jakey made that clear to me. The Reap was fighting to protect itself and save itself. I had no idea what was going on at that time. I was only focused on seeking revenge. I lost my damn way and ended up on death row because of it.
“Now you’re going to have to take care of yourself,” Anderson said. “When I take down your club, eyes and fingers will be everywhere. If you get known as the rat…”
“I don’t give a shit,” I said. “I have the time. I have the place. I have everything you asked for, Anderson.”
He slid off the trunk of the car. His eyes were wide. “I’m more excited than the first time I found a magazine under my father’s bed that had a bare pussy in it. Give it all to me, Kingston.”
I rattled off the information.
Where the fake meeting was happening and when. Anderson studied my face and repeated my words with his lips without making a sound.
I seriously thought the son of a bitch was going to come in his pants.
When I finished, he offered his hand to me. “I knew I could count on you. I waited so long for this. Goddamn.”
I refused to shake his hand. “You get nothing else from me. Just be there to do whatever it is you’re going to do. I’m going to visit my brother now. Then my attorney.”
“Right, right, right,” Anderson said. I started to walk away and he called my name. “I want you there. At the meeting. I’m going to have to take you down, too. To play this all together.”
“Sure,” I said. “Whatever you need to do.”
I felt sick to my stomach as I crossed the road and climbed back on my motorcycle. I felt like a fucking rat, even if I wasn’t. I couldn’t figure out who was the enemy, the friend, the brother. The only thing that remained constant for me was my feelings for Linds.
I rode away, giving myself a healthy two mile distance before I pulled over again.
I sent a text message to Linds.
Meet me at Tito’s grave… we have to talk…
33