FULL NOVELXO Chapter Twenty-Six
**
“You dumb arse, snivel nose dipshit! Who takes another man’s piece without shooting first?” asked Reeve’s angrily.
“I got jumped. There was more than one guy in the van Prez”.
Liar.
“Now I got one less gun, half a tool that ain’t sharp enough to be of any use till he finds his head”.
“My concussion will be alright in a day or two. Like I said, there were two of them, both wearing Razor’s cuts”.
Liar, liar.
“Fuck off and get some rest AND stay off the piss you useless piece of shit!”
“Yes Prez, thanks”, the prospect mumbled, leaving the office with his tail between his legs.
What are you up to Stone? First my territory, then my clubs. Waltzin’ around in public amongst my people. You’re stinking up my reputation thought Reeve’s. He was going to fight till he was black and blue to make sure he and his club became 1%’ers even if it killed him.
Picking up his mobile he looked down and nearly burst a vein in his neck, his blood pressure skyrocketing instantly when he recognised Stone’s number.
“Cunt!”
“You’re not running hard enough. Between the lines finishes the race, outside those lines changes the end result”.
“Meaning?” asked Reeves.
Dumb cunt thought Stone.
“I got enough proof on my own but you’re blurring the lines to the finish line. Someone wanted my old lady silenced”.
The line went quiet.
“Not by Westsiders”, he said making himself clear, sitting up a bit straighter in his old chair, Reeves pulling at the frayed leather between his thick fat fingers that curled at the side where it once was flat on his desk.
“You don’t say. Seems your sniffin’ around got someone movin’ forward mighty quick”.
“O’Rourke?”
“Hmmm. He’s opened a can of worms on his own”.
“Then? Cut the bullshit and talk!” Reeves said, getting confused with all of the insinuations Stone was making.
“Get out of my way. Last warning”. Then Stone hung up the call.
“What the fuck!” Reeves peeved, slamming his mobile down on the desk, cracking the screen in the process.
All he’d done was talk to Sebastian O’Rourke, well more than talk. He’d fired his gun resting against the fuckers arm giving him a little graze. May have punched him a few times in the head, but any unlawful abiding citizen would have done the same.
But as for Stone’s old woman, Mallie, he’d steered clear of her entirely. You’d have to be a real idiot to go after a President of a one percent club’s woman...
He was no idiot, but he did want to be a President with the same reputation.
As for the can of worms? Was it Seb? That made sense because Stone indicated that he already knew. Then who else threatened Stone’s woman. The Senator? Max?
He had his men approach Max for a meet up at Club Nev’ where he was going to offer his protection at a price. If the dumb cunt talked to his father first, then Reeve’s just gave Max and his powerfully daddy a heads up.
But if he didn’t talk ... Reeve’s may still get his hands on more finances for his club after all.
Leaning back in his chair he was weighing up his options when his V.P walked in. Forgetting all about Senator Sheffield when his Vice President spoke.
“Still on for Thursday?”
“As far as I know. You heard anything else?”
“Max invited a Dwayne and Chase to come along”.
Then it’s still on.
**
Max went to school like usual, trying not to disrupt his schedule. He couldn’t afford to have his father more suspicious; he was already smothered by the minder’s. However, he kept looking over his shoulder anyway every time he was ‘supposedly’ alone. Hoping he wouldn’t get approached again or reminded about the up-and-coming meeting tomorrow night.
Thinking he’d texted enough times to confirm Chase and Dwayne were still coming, he scrubbed all the correspondences before starting his car and driving out of the uni car park.
At least that evidence was gone, now he just needed to find out what the President wanted from him. Was it his silence?
Raping that girl Mallie was the dumbest shit he had ever done in his life. That Christie chick had genuinely caused him nightmares. He didn’t even like fucking girls!
He’d not only been waking up in hot sweats; he’d been missing his evening meals with his parents as well. Feeling sick can only last so long he thought.
Maybe tonight he should make an effort.
**
Ryn woke to silence. Her eyes were still closed however she was warm, comfortable, in a bed that felt heavenly. Sumptuous.
Her arms ached, her shoulders and neck. Flexing her fingers, her palm was tender from exertion, the blade, her blade, she remembered everything.
She remained still as small tears gathered along her lashes like tiny pools. She could move, lift her hands to her face and wipe them away but she let them remain.
That man. Who was he? She killed a human being. Was he bad?
Of course he was bad, he pointed a gun at your face!
Slash, slash, slash.
It must be night for everything to be so quiet. Peaceful!
No wait! There’s some noise she thought concentrating harder. A radio or t.v somewhere, in another room. Where she was, Kamryn had no idea.
Kicking off the doona, she rolled over to her side. Not wearing the jeans she remembered or her long-sleeved top but an oversized t-shirt which was long enough to cover her thighs, the scrunched-up sleeves falling below her elbows when she finally sat up.
She had a head rush, her vision darkening for a few seconds so she sat still and waited till it passed. Achingly, Kam swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood bare foot on bare floorboards. Cold floorboards, she was no longer warm but cold.
Who's place she was in, she had no idea but had every intention of finding out.
Following the noise, Kam went to investigate.
**
Sonya and Crystal had left hours earlier having left enough food, a microwave, two of everything Beetle and Kamryn would need now and, in the future, hopeful much thought Beetle!
Plates, knives, forks, spoons, bowls, mugs etc... He now had two kettles, figured he'd keep the new one and toss his old one in the trash. Fuck 'em!
The fridge was full of dairy, fresh stuff and more.
He was lounging on a well-worn leather couch when he heard Kam.
"Hey!"
"Christ Ryn, you scared the fucking life out of me", said Beetle shooting off the couch in a hurry, taking long strides to come to her, not waiting for the other way around.
Wrapping her in his arms, he didn't let go. Engulfing her small frame in his, the giant tee she was wearing too thin.
"Come. Sit. Get on the couch and I'll start a fire now you're awake", he said unwrapping his arms and guiding her where he had just been sitting. The leather still warm from his body.
"Hungry? Thirsty? Can I get you anything? The loo? Do you want to go to the loo?" he asked bending over so he could look Kam in her eyes.
She still looked sleepy, her hair was at odds, some areas flattened, strands pointing in the dame direction, a little spiked here and there, her fringe falling across her eyes, so he slid one finger across her forehead and out of her eyes.
"Shit Ryn, say something sweetling. Anything. Got me in knots just sitting here waiting for you to wake up. The girls came over and brought some food and stuff", Beetle gestured, his arms sweeping towards the kitchen which looked a bit messy.
Sparse, but still messy.
Kam looked up at Beetle, not knowing what to say she just stared at him, her eye lashes becoming wet again. She was not bawling, she was no longer in shock, just abnormally quiet.
"Fuck baby! I'm so sorry. I just don't know what to say. Didn't mean to make you cry", Beetle said, plonking down next to her on the couch and hauling her onto his lap. His actions were without thought, he just did what he believed needed to be done which warmed Kam's aching heart.
Wrapping her in his arms again, she sat sideways across his lap, pressing her head under his chin. Her arms were squished together with her hands tucked between her thighs; his embrace firmer than needed.
"Sweetling?"
"Ease up a bit, I can't breathe", she stated managing a smiling, tucking her head into the nook of his neck a little more.
"You want a blanket? The fire? Shit! I forgot about the fire. You cold?" he asked quickly, trying to dislodge Kam so he could get back up again.
"Stay Beetle. Stop! I'm ok, just let me sit here and think. I need to think", she said honestly, patting one hand against his muscly chest slowly, like she would a sleeping child.
He did what he was told and remained silent, just holding her in his arms, smelling her sleep infused hair.
It didn't take long before Beetle could feel her relaxing, her back slumping first and then the tension in her arms and legs, the weight of Kam's head falling back slightly, when she once again fell asleep.
She must be truly overwhelmed he thought, resting his own head back, Kam held firmly in his arms, happy because she wasn't protesting.
He now relaxed, listening to her even breaths which he felt on the underside of his neck.
One good thing, she didn't wake frenzied which was something Doc had warned him about with strict instructions to call him immediately if she had.
His little Ninja had more grit, strength of mind than anyone he had ever met.
**