Wrath (Dirty Soul MC: Long Beach #2)

Chapter 12

A n idea comes to me when I pass a sports store on my way to Mark Collard’s office and after making a quick stop off, I park outside his big, shiny building and get off my bike. I reach over my shoulder as I head toward the doors, lifting the new baseball bat I just purchased from where I’ve tucked it in the back of my jeans.

I tip my chin as I pass the receptionist and her mouth drops open as she watches me march down the glass-walled corridor that leads to the bastard's office.

I stop myself when I see him, en route. He’s sitting in one of his boardrooms, casually leaned back in his leather desk chair, and listening to one of the five people with him as they make some kinda presentation. A presentation that I shit all over when I let myself in and steal the attention of everyone around the table.

“Sorry for the interruption.” I smile at them all sarcastically, before swinging the bat into the refreshment table that’s neatly laid out beside me. “It’s just that this little jerk…” I point the end of it directly at Mark, “...thinks that it's okay to bully women.” Stepping around the big, long table I smash my new toy into the huge TV screen that's mounted on the wall and displays his company logo.

It gets a good reaction outta my audience, one woman even crawls under the table like she’s preparing for an earthquake.

“This sorry-assed bastard humiliated someone that I care very deeply for.” I move toward him, pressing the top end of the bat into the chair between his legs and resting both my hands on top of the handle. “Now, I think it’s time for that sorry-assed bastard to do some listenin’.” I look the fucker in his sunken eyes and snigger.

“If you go near Eden, or her studio again, I’ll shove this bat so far up your ass that you’ll be able to taste your own shit. If you ever make another attempt to embarrass, or shame her...” I grab his face when he tries to look down, and seeing the sweat pouring from his forehead, and the way he trembles, makes me laugh at him. “...You're pathetic.” I save my words and release him from my grip. He knows exactly what I could do to him. Tapping him on the cheek I take a few paces back, shaking my head at the sorry excuse for a man as I back out the door. I take one more swing with the bat at the huge glass wall expecting to crack, what I don’t expect is for it to shatter completely. “There will be no more warnings,” I promise him, leaving all the gasps and screams behind me as I head for the exit.

“Excuse me. Ummmm, sir?” I stop when I hear a female voice and as I turn back around a woman wearing a red pantsuit and leopard print heels clambers her way over the broken glass to chase after me.

“Has anyone ever told you that you have a face for the industry?” She smiles up at me seductively, holding one of her business cards out between us. “I’m always looking to take on new clients. With those eyes and this body.” She glances me over and licks her lips. “I’m sure I could get you plenty of work.”

“Janice!” Mark calls out at her angrily.

“Sorry darlin’ showbiz ain’t for me.” I wink at her before I turn back around and when I see the security guard waiting for me by the exit I notice his face getting paler as I stomp toward him. He breathes a sigh of relief when I press the bat's shaft against his chest and let him take it.

“Might wanna get someone to clear up that mess, for your boss” I suggest, tapping him on the shoulder before leaving the office and heading out to my bike.

I do a double-take when I get back to the club, and see Rocco on gate duty.

“Why ain’t you at Eden’s studio?” I call out to him once I’ve parked up.

“Didn’t realize I was supposed to be.” He shrugs back at me.

“Eden not here?” I see Peyton’s car in one of the bays so it makes no sense that he never got the message I sent with her.

“Yeah, she’s here. Why am I needed at the studio?” he questions.

“Load a cage with some cleanin’ supplies, and I’ll message you the address. Eden’s asshole ex had some real nasty insults written all over her windows. I want ‘em gone by tomorrow mornin’.,” I order, before heading through the arch toward the clubhouse. Raze not being here means I’m in charge and I wanna check everything’s in order before I go in search of Eden and commit the rest of my afternoon to making sure she’s okay. When I open the barroom door, I’m surprised to find her here, stepping toward the bar carrying a tray of empty glasses and still wearing that fancy outfit and those kick-ass heels.

“What the hell are you doin’?” I snatch the tray off her and place it on the bar.

“I’m helping.” She steps around it and starts loading the dirty glasses into the dishwasher, and I can tell by her refusal to make eye contact with me that she’s mad.

“Eden, look at me,” I order, scowling at Saul when I notice him lean over the bar to check out how good her ass looks in the tight pencil skirt she’s wearing. “Eden, why the fuck are you mad at me?” I’m confused.

“Do I really have to point it out to you?” She eventually straightens up and turns to face me, pinning me with those blue eyes.

“Yeah, ya gotta point it out.” I grip the edge of the bar in frustration.

“You…You just keep making my situation worse.” She shakes her head.

“ I do?” I stare back at her in shock.

“Yes, Aaron. You. I just got a call from Laura and she told me what you did at Mark’s office. I broke that man’s heart, I ditched him in front of all his family and friends. What does it matter if he wrote some nasty words on my studio window?” She tries her best to make it sound like she’s not bothered, but I saw the mess she was in when I arrived at her studio earlier.

“It matters because it hurt you,” I tell her.

“I asked you not to react but you didn’t listen.” Tears are building in her eyes and knowing I’m the cause of them makes me grip hold of the bar a little harder.

“I wasn’t gonna let him get away with sayin’ those things, Eden, you're my–”

She reaches over the bar and places her finger over my lips to silence me.

“I’m not anything to you anymore.” She smiles sadly before sliding it over my chin and stepping from around the bar. I turn my head and watch her walk out the door then I quickly drop it between my arms and growl in frustration.

“You not gonna go after her?” Saul gives me a few seconds before he speaks up.

“What’s the point? She just made it real clear where I stand.” I’m about to change the subject and ask him why he’s not gone with his sister to visit their folks, but the door opens and Raze steps through it with Peyton.

“Someone get me a fuckin’ beer.” He sounds groggy as he sits on one of the stools beside me.

“Back already?” It doesn’t feel like any time has passed since they left.

“Old man didn’t exactly make me welcome,” he growls.

“I told him we should have spent the night in New Mexico but he wanted to get back.” Peyton side-eyes him but proves she’s not mad when he tugs his arm around her waist to drag her between his legs and she smiles.

“I can rest now we’re home.” He kisses her while Polly gets behind the bar and pops the top off a beer for him.

“Where’s Eden?” He looks around as if he’s expecting to see her here.

“Your boy here’s pissed her off.” Saul slaps me on the chest.

“I’ve barely been gone 24 hours.” Raze looks at me blankly.

“Yeah, well, I’m pretty sure you’d have done the same thing I did,” I tell him, glaring at Saul as I take the beer Polly cracks for me.

“I think I should go find her.” Peyton places a kiss on Raze’s cheek before heading back out the door while Raze folds his arms and waits for my explanation.

“I may have smashed up her ex’s office, but no one got hurt,” I admit and when Raze blows out a long, heavy breath I tell him exactly why. “She tried going to work this morning and when she got there the front windows were covered in trash talk. It was him, and you know as well as I do that it’s all the start of his plan to ruin her reputation. If ya think I was gonna sit back and have someone call her a whore then–”

“Is someone takin’ care of the window?” he interrupts me, looking pissed.

“I got Rocco on it, now,” I explain.

“I wondered why there was no one on the gate when we pulled up. With all that's goin’ on we need to keep someone out there at all times. I wanna know who’s comin’ in and who's goin’ out. Saul, go cover for him.” Raze gestures his head toward the door.

“Gate duty?” Saul’s eyes stretch wide.

“Yeah, well, in case you haven’t noticed we’re runnin’ low on prospects,” Raze snaps, and I quickly glance my eyes at Polly to remind him that she’s still standing there.

Raze closes his eyes and shakes his head.

“Sorry, Pol, I’m tired. I just did a lot of drivin’” He scrubs his hand over his face.

“It’s fine, you meant nothing by it” She smiles bravely before disappearing through to the kitchen.

“Me and my big fuckin’ mouth.” He takes another sip of his beer.

“Don’t beat yourself up, like you said, you’ve done a lot of drivin’. Why don’t ya head home, get some rest? I’ll take care of things here.”

“I can’t, right now. The old man told me about a woman from back in Cliff’s Colorado days, he thinks she could be the person we need to speak to. I need to find out where she is and arrange a way to speak to her.” He sounds hopeful, but I can tell him straight away that he’s wrong and when he goes to stand up I force him to sit back down.

“Tomorrow,” I tell him. “You need rest or you’ll be no good to any of us.” I’m relieved when he nods his head back at me in defeat.

“What ya gonna do about Eden?” He finishes the last of his beer.

“I don’t think there's a lot he can do, she was pretty mad.” Saul’s voice comes from behind me.

“Are you still here?” I turn my head and let him see that he’s pissing me off.

“Okay, I’m on it.” He holds up his hands, getting off the stool, and heading out.

“You know, we really could use an extra pair of hands around here. You spoke to Dev’s brother, Corey, lately?” I suggest. Anyone can see how keen the kid is to get in on the action.

“He ain’t an option.” Raze shuts me down.

“Why not? He’s got initiative, he's smart and he hangs out here every opportunity he gets.”

“He ain’t an option because I gave Dev my word that I wouldn’t let him be one,” he explains. “Apparently, the kid’s got some real opportunities heading his way, Dev don’t want him gettin’ mixed up in our shit.”

“You know he turned eighteen a few months back, Dev can’t make those kinda decisions for him no more.”

“Like I said, I gave my word.” He makes it clear this conversation ain’t going no further.“ I’m gonna go get some rest, tell Pey I’ll see her back at the hut.” He gets up and taps me on the shoulder.

“Raze, d’ya ever wish someone would have looked out for you that way?” I’ve always wondered how different things would be if I’d listened to him all those years ago when I asked him to mentor me. His first response was no. He told me to get outta Long Beach and get myself a professional trainer. I eventually wore him down when I told him I was prospecting with or without him.

“Some days. But then, I guess life would be borin’.” He manages a smile before he heads out the side door toward the beach.

I stay at the bar staring at my beer and trying to think of what I can say to Eden to fix things. I can’t apologize because I ain’t sorry. That asshole ex of hers didn’t come close to getting what he deserved earlier today and the fact she still cares about him is really pissing me off.

Drinking ain’t gonna make that anger go away, so I pick up my keys and head for the gym.