Hook (Brutal Chains MC #1)

Chapter 15

Fifteen

Hook

Bea is sleeping like the dead. I've gotten up, washed, and dressed before going out to the main area of the clubhouse where most of the guys are either playing ping pong or lazing around.

"What the hell were you doing to her?" Pipe asks me the minute I step into the area.

"None of your business," I answer but don't stop the smile from crawling up my face. I laid it down, if I may say so myself, but I don't want to brag about our sex life with the guys. What happens between Bea and me is private.

"Bullshit, I need to make it my business because the way she was screaming for the Almighty, I was about to walk in your room with a pad to take notes."

"You creepy fucker. You just want to get a glimpse of Hook's ass," Semi barks in Pipe's direction.

"No, I'd like to get a glimpse—" Before he can even finish the statement, I've got his collar in my fist and I'm ready to knock his fucking head off his body.

"My bad, my bad!" Pipe instantly cringes away and puts his hands up to show he means no harm. I don't give a fuck if he's just messing around. I'm not going to let anyone disrespect my woman.

My woman.

It feels nice to say.

"Boys!" Brick calls out as he walks out of his room and into church. Everyone follows behind, and I watch as the soft white light starts to flash in the halls and in the rooms. It's a silent calling system to let everyone know to get up off their ass and get to church.

By the time I get to my seat in church, I notice how pissed Brick looks. It's not every day that I see him looking like he wants to kill someone. Sure, he's a grump, but he doesn't wear his emotions on his face.

"Something going on, Prez?" Torch asks as he comes in and closes the church door behind him. We don't allow the prospects into church, mostly because they wouldn't have any say in whatever is going on anyway. They are only around to do what we tell them and pray that they make it through the ride.

"Yeah, we've got a big fucking problem. One I didn't want to have to deal with, but now I'm being left with no choice," Brick growls as he fists his hand on the table in front of him. The room goes silent, and I feel every eye trained on me. The only thing that's changed in the past few days is the mess I've gotten myself into.

I'm confused. If Brick was having any more issues with Bea, I was sure he'd bring it to me first.

"Is it about Bea?" I ask, nearly scared for him to tell me that I have to kick her out. That would mean I'd have to drop my rags. I made a vow to her that I'd protect her; I can't just go back on that.

"No, it's nothing to do with the little lady curled up in a sex coma in your bed." Brick waves his hand, but a bright smile spreads on my face. Sex coma? Yeah, I did that. My chest puffs out a little bit.

"I'm telling you I need to take some notes," Pipe says again, and everyone laughs, completely forgetting the fact that Brick called us in here because there was a problem.

"Shut the fuck up," Brick barks.

The jokes subside, and we all focus on him. Whatever is going on is serious.

"What is it?" I ask, wanting him to get to the point so I know what our next moves are going to be.

"I just got a call from one of my informants that the cops raided two houses around the corner. It seems like the Seven Oh Sevens have set up shop in our backyard and have been peddling smack to the locals. There's word that the cops think we've got something to do with it." Brick continues, and a round of groans and curses filter through the group sitting here in the room.

It's not that any of us are actually dealing, but it's the fact that we're back on the cops' radar. With all of us being felons and most of us still on parole, the cops only need to find one thing to send us back to the slammer—something that none of us want. It's why Brick made the rule that there would be no illegal activity in the clubhouse or in the strip mall attached to it. If the Seven Oh Sevens are dealing this close to us, the cops might try to take us in as accessories, or they could try to pin it on us. They may even try to plant some shit in one of our businesses. There's just a whole slew of shit that could go wrong.

What makes it all even worse is that we, the BCMC, and the Seven Oh Sevens have a makeshift treaty in place. They stay on their side of town, and we'll stay on our side. We don't mess with them, and they don't mess with us. The fact that they are dealing right in our backyard means that the treaty is null and void. They think we're weak, so now we're going to have to show them that we aren't or risk being the pussies in the hood. We can't let our reputation take a hit like that.

"I've got a meeting with Dutch in an hour. I want everyone ready to roll out in thirty." Brick gives the order, and I feel my stomach clench. We're about to roll into a fight. There's a chance that we don't make it out. In our group, the only people who are legally allowed to carry a weapon are Semi and Torch since they are both off probation. The rest of us either carry a blade or something else we can use as a weapon, but I know the Seven Oh Sevens don't have the same rules. All of them are going to be strapped.

There's a good chance some or all of us might not make it back from this meeting if shit goes bad. Either way, we've got to go handle this.

"I'll be ready," I say and stand from my seat as do the rest of my brothers. No one is going to leave Brick to handle this on his own. We've all got his back.

We file out of church, and while everyone goes around to get what they need for the ride, I head straight up to my room to look in on Bea, who is still sound asleep. I stand at the door and just take in her lying in my bed. I commit her face to memory, watching the way her chest rises and falls with each breath.

She is my glimpse of perfection, and if I go down today at this meeting, at least I got to hold her for a while.

Dutch is standing there ready for us, a crew of his little gangsters around him as we ride up and get off our bikes. Brick slides his helmet off his head and hooks it onto the handlebars of his bike.

"You've got some nerve bringing your entire club to my doorstep," Dutch tsks but doesn't move from where he's standing or even let his eyes drift away from Brick. I walk to the side of Brick just so he knows I'm by his side if anything were to pop off.

"That's rich coming from you. How many of your little boys do you have out here with you?" Brick pokes back, and a few of the Seven Oh Sevens take a step forward like they're ready to take their shot.

"You better cool the fuck out," I snap at them. "You don't want these problems." I stare down everyone who moved until they settle.

"I guess you're right about that," Dutch continues. "Now what the hell do you want? I've got shit to handle."

"Dutch, we had an agreement. If you're not going to uphold your part of the deal, then it's going to be open season for the Brutal Chains. You may have more bodies, but I promise you they're nothing compared to my brothers. We'll make your life a living hell long before the cops ever have a chance to realize it's us doing it." Brick is quick with the threats.

"What the fuck are you talking about? I've kept my word," Dutch stares at Brick, this time his face filled with confusion.

"Bullshit. You're selling on our turf. That's against our deal. You stay over here, and we stay over there. That is, unless you want all that bloodshed like before."

"I'm not sure what bloodshed Brick is talking about. This drama goes back to before I became a member of BCMC."

"Brick, I'm not going to tell you again. Ain't no one over here been selling on your turf. Now you can take your empty threats somewhere else." Dutch tries to dismiss him, but Brick won't be ignored. He walks straight through the crowd of Seven Oh Sevens. There's no fear in my president's heart. That's what makes him so fucking dangerous. I watch the sides and see a few of the young gangsters reaching for their weapons, but they all hesitate. They're skittish. That's how I know we'll be able to take most of them out before anyone even has the time to aim and shoot.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Semi snarls at one of the younger kids. He towers over the kid, who looks to be at most eighteen years old. Dutch may have more bodies, but we've got the experience.

"Dutch, you know better than anyone that I never issue empty threats. Your people were caught on our turf. Had the cops raiding houses. I don't want that shit anywhere near my club. Either you keep your people in line, or you and I are going to have a problem." Brick's voice is low and menacing. If I wasn't on his side, I'd be scared.

Dutch swallows hard, and one bead of sweat rolls down his face. "Who fucking did it?" Dutch calls out, but he's not talking to any of us.

No one in his crew answers, but everyone starts shifting around. "I'm going to ask once again, and then I'm going to start fucking everyone up. Who's the dumbass who's been on that side of town?" Dutch turns, giving Brick his back. The tension among his crew is palpable, and my eyes hone in on one kid who seems ready to shit his pants. His face is pale, and he's breathing hard.

Guilty.

"I'd go with that one." I point in the direction of the kid I'm staring at, and Dutch focuses on him.

"Tyson? You got something you want to say?"

Tyson looks from me to Dutch and then to Brick before swinging his gaze back to Dutch one final time. "They don't do shit over there. I thought—" Before he can finish, Dutch whistles once loudly, and everyone around Tyson begins to beat on him.

"You have my apologies. We fucked up. We don't want no problems with your club," Dutch says over his shoulder.

"What the fuck?"

I turn in Light's direction and see him staring off in the distance at someone walking up toward us. It's a woman, but she looks familiar.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Light says. I look at the girl again, trying to place her, but I'm having a hard time. When she looks up, her wide eyes look at me and then to Brick before she looks at Dutch. She scratches at the side of her face before she walks in between all of us.

Like a lightbulb going on in my head, I realize why I'm having such a hard time placing her. It's Wendy, the fucking girl that overdosed in Brick's warehouse.

"You've got to be shitting me," Brick whispers just as Wendy walks up to Dutch and asks for a twenty.

"Fuck no." Brick grabs hold of Wendy and pulls her back.

"What the hell are you doing? This ain't your turf," Dutch steps forward, clearly pissed that Brick is getting in between him and a sale.

"I don't give a fuck whose turf this is. This one is off-limits. No one better be selling her shit." Brick steps further into Dutch's face, and I stand back to wait for someone to throw the first blow. I'm ready to fight, ready for whatever is about to go down, but I'm with Brick. The girl already almost died on our property once. We're not about to sit back and let her throw her life away.

Dutch stares Brick down, but my president doesn't even flinch as he keeps a hold on Wendy to prevent her from taking another step in his direction.

"Fuck it, she's not worth it," Dutch finally waves his hand, and Brick nods. "Good choice."

"Brutal Chains, we're gone," Brick shouts, and the group of us hops back on our bikes, but Brick is still holding onto Wendy.

"What the hell are you doing? Get off of me! I need to talk to Dutch!" she squeals, trying to break Brick's hold.

"It's not going to happen," Brick says as he lifts her onto his bike and gets on behind her.

"Let go of me!" she screams, and I start to worry that she's going to be more than he can handle.

"Prez, you good?"

"Yeah, I'm going to take care of her. The rest of you get back to the clubhouse," he orders as he kicks his bike into gear and drives off in the opposite direction.

I give one final look in Dutch's direction, and he smirks at me. He's baiting me, and I know it. I could get off the bike and ask him what the hell is so funny, but that would mean a fight, and we've worked too long to ensure we weren't fighting unless absolutely necessary. Now that Brick has the treaty back in place, I'm not going to be the one to break it. Especially not when I've got more important things waiting for me at home.

I ignore his shit-eating grin and throw my helmet on before I take off back in the direction of the clubhouse, the rest of the guys following me as we roll into the garage at the compound.

I'm the first one to open the door, and the second I do, I smell something absolutely out of this world.

Food. Someone is cooking.

"Bea?" I call out, and my voice carries around the open layout of the clubhouse. She pokes her head out of the kitchen, a bright smile that makes me want to grab hold of her and fuck her against the wall.

"Oh, you guys are back. I hope you're hungry." She ducks back into the kitchen, and when I turn around, I see the rest of the club all wearing the same expression I am: shock and awe.

So much for keeping her all to myself.