“Good to know,” Trev said. “You ride with me and you’ll get through this, brother. Okay? Miller and the guys are waiting for me. I need the truth from Ripper and then we move forward.”
“You’re talking reaper, aren’t you?”
“What would you do?”
Jasper stood up and looked down at Trev. “I’d do the same fucking thing, Trev. I’d fucking kill him too. I just hope you can pull this off the right way. He’s been talking to some crews. There’s some bad shit coming our way. You better do it right the first time or else this entire MC will implode.”
“No pressure then,” Trev said.
“It’s not a joke. Giovanni was my best friend. Jenn was a special woman to me. The second he saw that woman with you, the rage got worse. He’s been on a killing spree since you left. What he did to that guy you fought - Rocky - was sick. He literally gutted him. Took days to do it. He’s not fucking around.”
“Neither am I,” Trev said. “I have too much to lose to fuck around.”
“Good.” Jasper was to the door and opened it. Ripper was standing there, his eyes beady like a snake. “Hey, Prez. I woke his ass up for you. We good out here?”
“Yeah,” Ripper said. “They took the whore away. No records of her ever existing.”
“Sorry we have to eat that debt.”
“Fuck it,” Ripper said. “We’ll make it up elsewhere.” He patted Jasper on the back. Then he pointed at Trev. “You, outlaw man, let’s have a little chat.”
Trev climbed off the cot Ripper had given him. He had to keep himself under complete composure now. Each step through the bar, Trev waited for a bullet to get him. He waited for someone to bash his head in with a pipe. Then he’d wake up, tied to a chair, and end up tortured by Ripper.
Instead of that, Ripper invited Trev to the table. He even had the balls to point to Giovanni’s chair and give it to Trev.
“Good to see that filled,” Ripper said.
“No, brother, I’m not patching in anywhere, ever again.”
Ripper laughed. “You don’t fit in, huh?”
“You don’t know what I’ve seen.”
“Try me, Trev.”
“Why don’t you start,” Trev said. “What’s going on up here? You guys look strong and in position to move forward. I’m sorry about Giovanni though.”
“Fuck him. He was weak.”
“He was a table member.”
“He threw a knife in my back.”
“Damn. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I’m not. He got his.”
“The ambush. Any idea who it was?”
Ripper smiled. “I know exactly who it was. But we’re here to talk about you.”
“Right,” Trev said. “It’s simple. I didn’t realize the truth about Eden when I had her with me up here. I’m sorry for that, Ripper. That was a complete disrespect to you and your club. If I knew then… I would have given her to you. You could have cut her fucking throat.”
“Screw that,” Ripper said. “You see her? I would have ripped that * to pieces. Then I’d go to her ass. Then I’d go to her mouth.”
Trev felt the fire raging inside his body. Nobody talked about Eden like that.
“You look pissed,” Ripper said.
“I am,” Trev said. “I know who she is now. And her mother is with her.”
Ripper leaned forward, eyes wide. “What?”
“She came to Miller for safety. Right into his goddamn arms, Ripper. He’s harboring both of them. That’s when I lost my shit.”
“What happened?”
“I sat at the table and told them no fucking way in hell I was getting behind it. They could all eat shit and die. It was pretty clear… Eden needs to die. Christ, the same for Jenn. Right? I can’t believe you stuck it out with her, Ripper. You’re a better man than me.”
“It was better to keep her alive,” Ripper said. He showed his fists. “Make her suffer for years instead of a few minutes. But now? She needs to die.”
“I agree,” Trev said. “They didn’t. We fought about it.” Trev pointed to his face. “Then they did this to me.”
“Jesus Christ. They jumped you?”
Trev nodded. “Beat me senseless. Thought I was dead. Stripped my cut and took it. I’m surprised they didn’t kill me. I guess Miller doesn’t have the balls.”
Ripper chuckled. “That fucker never had balls. I’ve been watching him for years fuck shit up for this MC. Want to know something?”
“What?”
“I’ve got a deal brewing that could change everything. From Canada down to Tijuana. Along the west coast, brother, we’ll own it all.”
“Nice. Another crew?”
“Bigger. More powerful.”
“What’s more powerful?”
“Come on, asshole. Don’t fuck with me.”
“I’m afraid to say it,” Trev said with a grin. “That’s pretty hefty. Dealing with the Irish mafia and their guns.”
Ripper nodded. “That’s where Giovanni went wrong. He got spooked. Tried to talk to Jasper once but he’s all club. Which is good. I have an idea on how to run this. I’ll make Jasper President of the guys. Whoever survives your table…”