Temper

by Chantal Fernando

  Temper for Logan.

  I just pray that this is going to work.

  We take two separate cars, Skylar, Saint and Logan driving together, and me with Renny, Crow, Chains and Izzy. We left Dee with Trade and Ariel, so they can look after him and make sure that he’s going to be all right.

  We’re basically on a damn suicide mission right now, and I don’t know how this is going to end, but if any of these people get hurt, I’m not sure how I’m going to live with myself. If anything happens to Temper, though, I would be fucked. Is this the shit they have to deal with all the time? The decisions they have to make? How do they do it?

  “Tell me that we’re doing the right thing,” I say out loud.

  “We’re doing the best we can, and that’s all we can do,” Renny assures me, looking over at me from the corner of his eye. “Knights don’t give up and don’t back down. We’re doing the right thing. We’re fighting for us.”

  “Okay.” I feel selfish bringing Logan into this, and I’m just hoping that it all goes to plan.

  It has to go to plan.

  “There’s the place,” Renny says, looking toward a run-down bar on the corner of an old street.

  “This is Dee’s hangout?” Izzy asks, judgment in her tone. “Hasn’t he heard of Toxic? He should go there—that strip club is fire.”

  “Dee met that girl online,” Crow explains. “After they had a date and she told him where she worked, this place became his hangout.”

  “He has the worst taste in women,” Izzy grumbles.

  “Last time we went in the back way,” Renny explains. “I doubt they’re expecting us back today, after how it went down the first time. I’m not sure if they will still have Temper there, or if they’ve moved him. We’re going in blind, guys. Let’s hope for the best but prepare for the worst.”

  “How will they contain him?” I ask. “He’s a big man, and he’s not going to take this lying down, especially after you all got out safely.”

  “I don’t know,” Renny admits. “Maybe they’ve drugged him. They have numbers, and weapons. He’s big, but he’s not invincible.”

  “Okay, so what’s the plan? You already stormed in through the back, but we can’t just waltz in through the front, either. They’d recognize us straight away,” I say, pursing my lips. “Well, they might not recognize me. Would they? Am I on Georgia’s radar?” Renny and I share a look. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

  “That Temper is going to fuckin’ murder me with his bare hands if we let you go in as bait?” Renny replies, lips tightening. “How the hell are you going to ask me to send you in as bait right now, Abbie? There has to be another way. If something goes wrong, I don’t need more blood on my hands.”

  “He has to be alive for him to murder you,” I point out, arching my brow. “I’m the only face they won’t recognize on sight. I’m the best option that we have, Renny. Admit it. They’re not going to expect some random girl the MC just met to come in, guns blazing. They’d expect me to be sitting at home hoping that one of you with a penis saves the day.”

  I mean, there’s a chance the mercenaries will recognize me from the club, but they might not even be there. We have no other plan, and if I can help in some way, even if it’s just a little bit, I’m going to damn well do it.

  “He’s going to kill us,” Renny says, looking behind at the rest of the crew. “You’re all aware of this, right. He’s going to go Hulk Smash and destroy us.”

  “Yeah, but we have to get him out of there first,” Izzy says. “So Abbie, you go in, pretend to be a customer, see what’s going on, create a diversion or something so we can break in through the back and try to save his ass?”

  “You’re not going in,” Renny tells her, scowling.

  “The hell I’m not,” Izzy replies.

  “Someone has to stay in the car and be ready to drive away the escape vehicle,” he says.

  “This is the worst plan ever,” I tell them all. “But fuck it, let’s do it. Let’s wing it. And let’s hope Saint and the others get the memo.”

  We got here before them, but they should be arriving any second now.

  “I feel like this is something we should definitely not wing,” Chains deadpans. “I’ll call Saint and tell him the plan, or lack thereof.”

  “We have no other choice, we are fucking winging it,” I grumble.

  Renny parks down the road from the strip club, and I get out first, and take a deep breath.

  Fuck.

  Let’s go see some strippers.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “You want a drink?” one of the girls at the bar asks me.

  “Sure,” I reply, forcing a smile. “A margarita, please.”

  “Ohhh, you’re fancy,” she replies, making it sound like that’s a bad thing. I don’t know when ordering a cocktail became fancy, but as I take in the run-down bar, and the women who work here, I can tell that maybe they aren’t really cocktail type of people.

  “I try,” I reply, staring at the woman dancing on stage, my eyes then darting to the hall. I don’t know how I’m going to pull this off, but I’m going to have to try something.

  She slides me my drink and I place some money on the table. “You know if this place is hiring?” I ask, thinking that it might be a good angle to use.

  “Actually, we are,” she says, eying me from face to breasts and back up again. “And you know what, we have women of all shapes and sizes now.”

  I don’t know if that was a dig or a compliment, but I’m going to go with the former. “Really? Well, isn’t that lucky for a woman who looks like me,” I reply in a dry tone and a fake smile. “How does one audition? Do you have a manager or someone I could speak to about it?”

  I didn’t think this is how our conversation was going to go, but whatever works.

  “My manager is out back, but I could go find her for you. We need some fresh meat around here. I think the customers are getting bored,” she admits in a low tone, rolling her blue eyes.

  “Oh no, we can’t have that. I guess new faces might bring in some extra tips, hey?”

  Her eyes light up. “Exactly, I’ll be right back.”

  She disappears into the back, and after a few seconds, I follow her, walking down a hallway with various rooms. I hear her voice talking to another woman, and duck down, stopping at one of the last rooms when I hear a man’s voice.

  “He’s unconscious still,” one of the men says. “What does she want us to do with him?”

  “Take him to her house,” another man replies. “And then our job is done, and we get our money. I’m never accepting another contract from her again. Our enemy list is growing just being associated with her.”

  “I know, me neither. But it wasn’t too hard of a job, you have to admit. We didn’t even have to kill him.”

  “I know, I think she’s going to do that herself.”

  A pause, and then, “If she was younger and not as crazy, I’d marry her.”

  Laughter.

  Georgia wants to kill Temper herself? The bitch truly is psychotic.

  Abbie: He’s here, in the very back room. Unconscious. Men around him.

  Renny: GET OUT OF THERE NOW.

  I don’t.

  Instead, I sneak in the room opposite the one Temper is in, and crouch down low in the darkness. I don’t know where Georgia is, but frankly I’d rather take on the hired killers than her. Touching the gun tucked into my jeans, I know I’m either going to have to make my next move, or get the hell out of here. I just don’t know which. I know it sounds stupid, but I don’t want to leave Temper. He’s in the next room, and I don’t want to walk out of here unless he’s going to be with me.

  If I left and we weren’t able to save him, I’d never forgive myself.

  “I want him taken to this address,” a woman says. “
And then you will get your payment. Make sure he is secure, for when the drugs wear off. I don’t want him to be able to get away.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” the man replies.

  “Good, I will meet you there in an hour.”

  Without thinking, I step toward her voice, pulling out my gun and pointing it in the direction of the door opposite me.

  I have no idea what I’m doing, and I’m scared shitless, but this bitch needs to be taken down a notch. I’m sick of her. And I’m sick of her targeting Temper, who has done nothing to her.

  “Well, what do we have here?” She laughs, her shrewd green eyes on the weapon in my hands. “Abbie, isn’t it? My ace in the hole. You were a pleasant surprise. Foolish girl, there are five men here with guns, guns that are bigger, badder and more well used than yours. I really don’t want to see you hurt, so why don’t you walk back out and return to your small town? Did you think you were just going to leave here with the president? He’s mine.”

  That’s where she is wrong.

  “You’re a little too old for him, Granny,” I reply, stepping closer to her, clicking the safety off and aiming right at her face. I can feel the presence of the men, her minions, but no one makes a move. “What have you done to him? If you’ve hurt him...”

  “Oh, nothing yet,” she says, flashing her teeth. “You know I used to be where you are right now. I’d caught the eye of the president of the Knights. I was well respected. I was living my best life. It all comes to an end, though, and it’s not worth losing your life over. So why don’t you walk away, while you still have the chance?”

  “Temper did nothing to you,” I state. “And Hammer is gone, you made sure of that.”

  “You don’t know Temper,” she replies, eyes narrowing. “He is not a good man. Yet you’ll stand by him? I thought you’d be smarter than that. All of the Knights. They poisoned my daughter against me. They tainted my Hammer against me. Temper especially. Hammer would be alive and none of this would’ve happened if Temper had just minded his own business!” She screams the last part.

  The two men step out behind her, guns pointed right at me.

  “He’s good to me.”

  “And to us,” Saint says from behind me, Logan in front of him, gun at his temple. “Give us Temper, or your golden child gets it.”

  “Logan?” Georgia whispers, eyes flickering. “You wouldn’t hurt him. Skylar wouldn’t forgive you.”

  “Skylar doesn’t have to know.” Saint smiles evilly. “And who would she believe, you or me? Besides, Temper is the man she sees as her new father figure. She happens to have a shitload of brothers too, so I’m sure she could survive losing one.”

  “Mom?” Logan says, swallowing hard. “What the hell is going on here? Why are you doing this?”

  “Logan, I’m sorry,” she says. “I don’t know why they’re bringing you into this.”

  “Just give them what they want, please, Mom,” he says, eyes pleading. “I’m too young to die.” At this point, I don’t know if Logan is just playing the part or really thinks he’s about to die from a bullet, but I have no idea how this is going to play out either.

  Saint’s finger lingers on the trigger. “I’m not fucking around, Georgia. What do you love more? Your son or revenge?”

  She eyes her firstborn. “Okay, fine. Give them Temper,” she says to the men behind her. “Now!”

  The men drag him out, and he’s still out cold, his body limp.

  “My men are waiting at the back door. Gently carry him to them, and they will take him. Only then is Logan safe,” Saint demands, clearly much better at this whole thing. “If anyone tries anything, your firstborn is going to be the first in the ground.”

  “You heard him,” Georgia commands her men. “Do as he says.”

  The men carry Temper out, where Renny and everyone else are waiting, guns pointed. Chains puts down his gun to carry Temper into the car, while the other men keep their guns ready to go, in case someone doesn’t stick to their word.

  “Now give me Logan and leave,” she demands.

  “Not so fast,” Saint replies, flashing me a look that he clearly wants me to read, but I can’t. What does he want me to do? Does he want me to shoot one of the men? I mean, I guess I could shoot someone in the foot or something. It wouldn’t kill them, just hurt them a lot.

  Temper is now safely outside, but what about Georgia? If we just leave her here, she’s just going to come back for us again.

  Maybe he wants me to shoot her?

  We’re still having this silent one-sided conversation and I have no idea what’s going on. If it was Temper trying to tell me something, I’d probably be able to understand, but I don’t speak Saint, and I’m about to freak the fuck out.

  “Let Logan go,” Georgia says, and Saint moves the gun from Logan to her. Logan walks over to his mom, not standing too close, probably just in case someone decides to take the evil bitch out.

  Four men return, and now all of a sudden we are fucked again, because we have two guns against their four. I’m pretty sure this was the situation Saint was trying to get us out of, but I didn’t understand what he wanted me to do, and I froze. Now I’m fucked.

  “Put your guns down, or she dies,” Saint tells them.

  They eye her, and she nods, telling them to lower their weapons. They all do so at the same time, but they’re on alert, watching and waiting for their moment. This isn’t going to end well, and I know that. I don’t see how we’re just going to be able to walk out of here.

  “Mom, enough,” Logan demands. “Come on, let’s get out of here. I don’t feel well. I don’t understand why you’d want to hurt the MC you know your daughter is a part of, and one where you used to be queen bee. It doesn’t make any sense.”

  Logan, the hero we didn’t know we needed but got anyway.

  “You don’t understand,” she says to him, shaking her head. “The MC betrayed me, and now they deserve all they get. I gave my life to them, and look how they repaid me. First they took Hammer, and then they took Skylar from me,” she wails. “I was the strong female leader the MC needed. I should be in charge, not her.” She points to me.

  Okay, now I’m getting angry. “It’s not up to you; that decision is up to Temper. You have nothing to do with the Knights anymore, aside from the fact that your daughter is well loved by them. You’re a has-been.”

  Her face contorts in anger.

  Oops.

  Saint throws me a look that clearly says shut the fuck up, but how dare she? This old woman is holding on to the past, on to something that doesn’t even exist anymore. She’s not a Knight. She knows nothing about loyalty, about family. She doesn’t even love her own daughter like a mother is supposed to.

  “You know nothing. The club will chew you up and spit you out just like they did me.” She sneers.

  The back door flies open again, but this time I have to do a double take at who I see standing there.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask my father, frowning. Does he have something to do with this?

  Grayson is standing there in a three-piece pinstripe suit. He looks strong and powerful. This is the kingpin I’ve heard about, amber eyes that match my own jumping between me and Georgia. “Get the fuck out of here if you ever want to work in this city again,” he says in a deathly tone to the hitmen.

  It was like all the air got sucked out of the room. The four men immediately start filing out of the room, almost tripping over one another.

  “You signed a contract!” Georgia screams at them as they leave. “And you work for me until that contract is done! Don’t you dare listen to him.”

  When she realizes they aren’t going to come back, she turns her lunacy on Saint. “What are you going to do? You can’t hurt me. My daughter is the love of your life, so I’m untouchable. None of you would ever so much as lay a finger on me, especial
ly in front of my son, which means I will win every fucking time. I don’t care which of you die, but none of you have the balls to do anything to me. Skylar won’t allow it—”

  I aim at her foot and pull the trigger. I don’t know what comes over me, whether it was her speech or the fact that she almost had the man I love killed, but I’m done with her shit.

  “Skylar might be the love of Saint’s life, but she’s not mine. Temper is, and you chose to fuck with him,” I say, as she gasps, blood pouring on the floor.

  “Oh my God!” she cries out, trying to stop the bleeding with her hands. “Help me!”

  Logan takes off his jacket and helps his mom stop the bleeding, knowing that while it’s probably very painful, she won’t die from it. He probably doesn’t like me much right now, but I owe him a solid, because he really helped us here today.

  He turns to Grayson. “Neville, what are you doing here? How are you involved with this? I thought you and my mom split up.”

  Neville?

  Wait, Grayson is Neville? The farmer husband?

  Hold the fucking phone. How many fucking aliases does this man have?

  “You went after my daughter,” he says to Georgia, tone cold and emotionless. “That’s where you fucked up. And now you’ve lost everything. The second you sent those mercenaries near Abbie, you fucked up your life. I kicked you out of the house because I was done with you, but never did I think you’d be so stupid to go after her twice.”

  “I didn’t know she was your daughter then!” Georgia defends herself, crying. “How was I supposed to know? You didn’t even know! And she walked into this bar; I didn’t go after her. She came after me.”

  Which is actually true, but she had something that belonged to me.

  I look at Grayson, who turns his back on Georgia and comes straight to me. I have so many questions that want to come out, but he speaks first. “There will be a time for explanation, but not today. Get out of here, Abbie. I’ll take care of everything, okay?”