by Ana Night
“What is it, Gash?”
“King’s here.”
Joker swallowed back the curses trying to escape his mouth. Fuck. There he was, alone with Gabe, imagining him naked and spread out on a bed in front of him, almost giving in and kissing him, and his father had just arrived. He considered himself lucky they hadn’t actually done anything. The last thing he wanted was to break King’s trust, and fucking his son? Yeah, that’d do the trick.
He followed Gash into the living room. He could hear King and Stiletto talking in the kitchen and made his way there. Stiletto was sitting on the kitchen counter, King standing in front of her.
“King. Stiletto,” Joker said.
They both turned their gazes his way.
“Something’s come up,” Stiletto said. “Several somethings, really. I’m taking Wildcat for the day.”
“I thought you were too busy at the shop?”
She shrugged and said, “There are things more important than tattoos. This poor girl reached out to me. She needs our help, but I don’t want her near men. She’s terrified already and that’ll just make it worse.”
He nodded, agreeing with her. They weren’t inexperienced with women like that. The last thing they wanted was to make everything worse for them.
“Cat?” Joker yelled.
Wildcat came walking into the kitchen a few seconds later, wearing a backpack. Joker arched a brow at her.
She shrugged and said, “Stiletto told me when they got here. I figured you’d let me go.”
Joker gave her a curt nod. Stiletto slid off the counter and motioned for Wildcat to follow her.
“Stay safe,” King said to the women as they walked out of the room.
Stiletto gave them a finger wave over her shoulder. As soon as the women were out of the room, Joker turned to King.
“So, what made you come all this way?”
Before King could answer, Joker heard someone walk up behind him. Gabe stopped between Joker and King, curiosity clear on his face. Joker considered himself lucky when he saw that Gabe had put on a T-shirt. That was a distraction he couldn’t have afforded in front of King.
“Hey, Pops,” Gabe said. “Everything all right?”
King sighed, looking conflicted.
“You’re seriously not going to tell me? C’mon, Pops.”
King’s eyes went hard. “Out. We need to talk business.”
Gabe opened his mouth, then closed it, a wounded expression on his face. Gabe shook his head, huffing at his father. He turned on his heels and stormed out of the room. King looked regretful for all of two seconds, then he schooled his features and turned to Joker.
“I didn’t want to give you this information over the phone,” King started. The frown between his brows worried Joker. “Sean has asked for a meeting tomorrow. Something seemed off, so be careful.”
Sean was a business associate of the club. He made the fake ID’s they gave to the people they helped. If Sean was in trouble, so were they.
“I will,” Joker said.
“Good. Call if you need backup.” King glanced at the doorway, then turned his gaze back on Joker. “Now, excuse me while I go scold my son.”
Gabe
He was still fuming by the time his father and Joker walked out of the kitchen. His gaze clashed with his father’s and he felt anger boiling inside him. He was so fucking tired of being treated like a kid.
“You have to start including me. You have to treat me like a prospect, otherwise, what’s the fucking point?”
“Gabe,” Joker said, a warning in his voice.
He ignored Joker, his gaze on his father. He took a step closer.
“I could be anywhere else right now, but I’m here because I want to be a part of this club, of this family. Why won’t you let me?”
“You don’t know what you’re saying,” King snapped.
Gabe made a frustrated sound and threw his hands up. “God, you’re fucking unbelievable.”
“Watch your mouth,” King growled.
“Why should I?” Gabe shook his head. “Every time I fuck up, there’s no consequences. Every time something needs done, you tell someone else to do it. You never really let me do anything. You never include me”.
“You wanna be included? You want more responsibility?” King yelled. “Fine.”
Gabe blinked at him. “What?”
King stepped into his space, making him take a step back.
“Fine. If that’s what you want, then you can go with Joker to see Sean tomorrow.”
Joker’s sigh was loud, and Gabe threw a glare his way.
“I don’t get a say in this, do I?” Joker asked King.
“Teach him what it’s really like to be a part of this club,” King said, turned on his heels and stormed out of the room.
For a few seconds, Gabe just stared after him. Then he shook his head and sank into one of the armchairs. He groaned when Joker placed himself right in front of him.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Joker demanded.
Gabe scowled up at him and refused to answer. He groaned when Joker reached down to grab the front of his shirt and pulled him to his feet. His arms flailed for a moment before he managed to grab a hold of Joker’s upper arms. He tilted his head back to meet Joker’s eyes.
“If you’ve gotta be stupid like that, you’ve got to know how to protect yourself,” Joker said.
Joker let go of him and stepped back to turn and walk towards the door. He hurried after Joker and kept his mouth shut. Anger was pouring off of Joker and he was sure the smallest thing would make the man snap. Joker led them outside and to a remote spot on the property. There, he drew his gun and before Gabe could ask what he was doing, Joker began shooting towards a line of trees.
Gabe gave a start with each shot. Joker stopped shooting and glanced over his shoulder at Gabe. Joker motioned for him to step closer. Gabe walked up next to Joker, his whole body tense. Joker pointed to the trees.
“You see those? They’re for practice shooting,” Joker said.
He looked around, seeing small, round steel targets on every tree. He nodded to Joker who grabbed his hand and placed the gun in it, wrapping Gabe’s fingers around it.
“Your turn,” Joker said.
He’d never liked guns and they’d always had a strict policy about them at home. Rule number one was ‘never pick up a gun unless you’re prepared to kill someone’. He took a deep breath and brought his other hand up to hold the gun like his father had taught him the one time he’d let him near a gun. The weight of the gun surprised him. It was heavy but not as heavy as he remembered.
He pointed the gun towards the first target and breathed in, holding his breath as he squeezed the trigger. The loud sound and the kickback from the gun made him jerk back. He nearly tripped over his own legs, cursing under his breath as he pointed the gun towards the ground. He hadn’t hit the target. He hadn’t hit anywhere near it.
“That’s what I’ve been saying. You’re not ready,” Joker said.
Gabe glanced up at Joker, anger and frustration building inside him. He took a step towards Joker, then remembered the gun in his hands. He grumbled under his breath and leaned down to put the gun on the ground. He straightened and turned to Joker.
“Fuck you,” he snapped.
Joker’s eyebrows hit his hairline and a snort of laughter escaped him. Gabe put his hands on Joker’s chest and pushed, sending the man a few steps backwards. The expression on Joker’s face quickly turned into one of disapproval.
“Watch it,” Joker barked.
“No.” Gabe shook his head. “No. I’m done. You wanna berate me for not being able to do the things you haven’t taught me to do? The things you’ve kept me from doing? Fuck. You.”
“Gabriel,” Joker warned.
Gabe stepped up to Joker, getting in his face.
“You either teach me how to be a part of the club or you let me go,” Gabe said, pain rushing through him at the words even though he
knew it was a necessary ultimatum. Things couldn’t continue the way they had been.
“Stop treating me like a kid. I haven’t been one in a long time. I know my dad ordered you to protect me but you’re not protecting me anymore, you’re just pushing me away.”
“You think I’m only protecting you because your father asked me to?”
Gabe threw his hands up. “Why else would you? You’re not protecting anyone else. You don’t go easy on the other prospects.”
Joker opened his mouth, then promptly shut it, grinding his teeth. He turned away from Gabe, running his hands through his hair.
“Why?” Gabe asked, his voice breaking.
“Because it’s you,” Joker said in a low voice.
Gabe blinked, unsure if he’d heard right. He walked around Joker to stand face-to-face with him.
“What do you mean it’s me?”
Joker looked up, meeting Gabe’s eyes. He let his hands fall to his sides and shook his head.
“I don’t know. It just is.”
“That’s not an answer, Joker.”
“I know,” Joker said and cupped Gabe’s cheeks in his hands, moving closer until they were sharing the same air.
Gabe’s heart went crazy in his chest. His eyes fell to Joker’s lips then shot up to meet Joker’s gaze. What he saw in those blue eyes made his breath hitch. Joker leaned in slowly, his lips feathering over Gabe’s. He didn’t move as Joker kissed him. Joker’s fingers slid into his hair, holding his head gently.
The whole thing was unreal. He’d wanted Joker’s hands on him, Joker’s mouth on his, for so long. He made a needy sound in the back of his throat that spurred Joker on. Joker tightened his hold on Gabe’s hair and pushed his tongue past Gabe’s lips. Gabe grabbed onto Joker’s shoulders, letting the other man control the kiss. Joker’s tongue explored Gabe’s mouth, his sexy groan sending sparks of heat through Gabe’s body.
Joker pulled back, both of them breathing heavily as they stared at each other. Gabe opened his mouth, but Joker cut him off before he could say anything.
“This… This can’t happen.”
Joker shook his head and turned on his heel, taking off towards the house. Gabe stared after him, out of breath and not understanding anything that’d just happened.
He ran his fingers through his hair. His eyes landed on the gun lying on the ground. He picked it up and after getting his breathing under control, he aimed it at the first target. Even if it took all night, he was gonna hit every one of those targets. He wasn’t weak and he’d show Joker just that.
Chapter Five
Joker
HE FOUND Gabe asleep in one of the sun chairs outside. It was early morning and he’d heard Gabe shooting for over an hour after he’d left him the night before. He wondered how much ammo had gone to waste on Gabe’s little temper tantrum.
He pushed at Gabe’s foot with his own. Gabe grunted, then shot upright, his eyes wide as he stared up at Joker.
“Busy night?”
Gabe swallowed, Joker’s eyes going to his bobbing Adam’s apple.
“Um,” Gabe said and got out of the chair. “I hit all of them.”
Joker’s brows hit his hairline. “You sure about that?”
Gabe huffed and said, “I’m not deaf. I heard every time the bullets hit the targets.”
“Well, I’ll have to take your word for it.”
“Or I can just show you,” Gabe said.
A smile pulled at Joker’s lips. “Be my guest.”
Gabe turned, walking ahead of Joker who followed him. He could see Gabe tapping his fingers against the side of his thigh. For as long as Joker had known him, he’d done that whenever he felt uncomfortable or nervous.
When they reached the spot, Joker handed Gabe his gun. Gabe took it, a determined expression on his face. Gabe raised the gun, aiming it at the first target and squeezed the trigger. With almost every shot there was a ping from the bullets hitting metal. Gabe managed to hit every target, which, for someone who’d barely had any training was pretty spectacular. Not that he was surprised. Gabe was a Wolff after all. Anything he set out to do, he’d accomplish. It didn’t matter how hard or impossible it seemed.
Gabe was smiling smugly as he gave Joker back the gun.
“Good enough for you?” Gabe asked.
“You think because you hit a few targets that you’re suddenly ready for the real world?”
Gabe opened his mouth, then closed it and glanced down. His shoulders slumped with defeat. Joker stepped in front of him, grabbing the back of Gabe’s neck. Gabe looked up, their gazes clashing.
“It won’t happen over one night,” Joker said. Gabe’s eyes widened as he kept talking. “You were right. What you said about me expecting you to do something I hadn’t taught you.”
“You’ll teach me?”
He rubbed his thumb along Gabe’s jaw and licked his lips. His eyes dropped to Gabe’s mouth. Yesterday flashed through his head. The taste and feel of Gabe’s lips against his. He took a step back and cleared his throat.
“I’ll try. But you have to listen and do what I say.”
Gabe nodded enthusiastically. “I will. I promise.”
“Good. Then go get ready. We’re leaving in twenty,” Joker said.
He watched as Gabe hurried towards the cabin. The last thing he wanted was to bring Gabe into a dangerous situation, but he wasn’t about to disobey King’s orders. Bringing a prospect to a meeting with a business partner was something they did whenever their prospects were close to earning their colors. It was nothing new, really.
Everything Gabe had told him yesterday had been swirling through his head all night. He knew Gabe needed to get more involved or he’d leave. Zayne had said as much to him a few weeks before, but he hadn’t wanted to hear it then. Now he knew it was true.
He walked back inside, heading for the kitchen where he found Viper and Gash. He went to the fridge, pulling out a few bottles of water for the ride.
“You’re really taking Gabe with you, huh?”
He glanced at Viper and nodded.
“Take good care of our boy, then,” Viper said.
That was a given, so he just grunted in answer. He checked his phone to make sure King hadn’t changed his mind. It’d make things a lot easier for him, but, of course, there were no texts from King. He grabbed the bottles and carried them outside to put in his saddlebag. Less than ten minutes later, Gabe walked out of the front door.
“You ready?” Joker asked.
Gabe nodded and said, “Lead the way.”
Joker grabbed his helmet and pulled it on, then he got on his bike. He started the engine and glanced over his shoulder to see if Gabe was ready. Gabe rolled up next to him and gave him a nod. Joker turned his gaze on the road and drove off. Gabe stayed behind him as he didn’t know the way, which was just fine with him.
Gabe
They’d been driving for almost two hours when Joker pulled off the freeway. Gabe followed him down the exit ramp and to a rest area where they parked their bikes in the shade. They were close to Washington which was where he guessed this Sean guy lived. Joker dismounted to search through his saddlebags. He handed Gabe a bottle of water and took one for himself, too. Gabe unscrewed the cap and took a swig.
“We’re getting close,” Joker said, making Gabe glance up at him. “Did you bring the gun?”
Gabe opened his mouth, doing the whole fish thing before he managed to say, “You didn’t tell me to… I didn’t know.”
Joker didn’t look the least bit surprised which only irked Gabe.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t expect you to. I would’ve been pissed it you had. You don’t know how to properly handle a gun, yet.”
“You’re… not mad?”
Joker shook his head. “No. As soon as I’m confident in your abilities with a gun, I’m gonna get you one you’ll be carrying most of the time, like the rest of us.”
Gabe arched a brow at Joker and asked, “You’re gonna give me
one?”
“You need your own, Gabe.”
Gabe licked his suddenly dry lips. “Thank you.”
Joker bobbed his head, turning to put his bottle back in his saddlebag.
“About last night,” Gabe said and took a step closer.
Joker’s head shot up, his eyes darkening when they landed on Gabe.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Joker said.
Gabe let out a breath of air and shook his head.
“You kissed me.”
“I told you it can’t happen again,” Joker ground out.
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
Gabe threw his hands up. “Are you fucking serious with that shit? I’m not a fucking child, Joker.”
“I’ve noticed,” Joker said, his eyes running down Gabe’s body.
Gabe took a step towards him.
“We need to go,” Joker said and grabbed his helmet.
A groan pushed past Gabe’s lips. He got on his bike and followed Joker, frustration burning through his body as they rode. He needed to corner Joker and force him to talk about it, otherwise they’d never move on. Joker was the one who’d kissed him, and he’d be damned if that kiss was gonna be their only one.
Joker pulled into an area with a few big warehouses in a long row. Joker parked underneath a tree for the shade. They’d have to walk a bit to get to the warehouse but rather that than having to get on a burning hot bike later. Gabe dismounted and pulled his helmet off. Joker didn’t spare him a single glance before he started towards the warehouse. Gabe hurried to catch up with him.
“Don’t say a word and stay right next to me,” Joker said.
He nodded and did as he was told. He didn’t get the feeling that Joker was the least bit afraid of this Sean guy, but he did seem tense. They walked into the warehouse, stopping just before they made it halfway. They’d walked past several rows of crates and a forklift but it was hard to see much because of the shitty light in there. A door opened in the other end of the building and two men came walking towards them. It wasn’t easy to discern any facial features because of the shadows. As they came closer, he noticed that one had blond hair and the other had dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. He knew something was wrong when Joker tensed. Joker pulled his gun, aiming it at the men.