Matt stood. He would’ve charged again but Ronald’s booming voice halted him in his tracks. “Stop it right now! Let’s take this inside.”
“They don’t deserve to come inside,” growled Matt. His lips were peeled back and malevolence twisted in his eyes. “Shit! Let me have a go at the bastard. He tried to play us.”
“Stop it!” said Ronald. He held Matt’s arm in a firm grip. Gabby expected him to give hell to the younger man for starting a brawl, but instead his gaze focused on Nick. “Did you go to the police station with her?”
What the hell was going on?
How did they know? And why was Matt upset?
“We did,” huffed Nick. “But that has nothing to do with you or him.”
Matt growled. “Nothing to do with us? Your asshole. Let me go, Ronald. You’ve protected him for too long.”
Gabby was sure that she was missing some crucial aspect of this situation. Why would Matt and Ronald be upset that they talked to the police? This had nothing to do with them. Did they know that she was trying to put her pimp behind bars? And if yes, how? Did Nick tell them? She sure hoped not. It was supposed to be a secret endeavor. Of course, these men were not likely to inform Joseph but James had told them to be wary of discussing this with anyone.
“Is it true? Have you and Gabby given away our new location and plans to the police?” asked Ronald.
She was sure that she didn’t hear him right. How could he think that Nick and she would snitch on them? This had nothing to do with them. “We went to the police, and it was something personal. It has no bearing on our dealings,” said Nick.
“No bearing…I…”
“Shut up, Matt,” ordered Ronald. “Wait! I need to know more. So you admit that you were at the police station? Matt saw you go in. I didn’t believe him.”
Nick took a deep breath. “Listen, we went to the station. But as I said, that is something personal that I am dealing with. It’s got nothing to do with Hell Brigade.”
“I don’t believe you, bastard!” said Matt. He shook his arm in an attempt to break free from Ronald’s grip, but the older man hung on. “What did you tell them?”
“Ronald, man, you need to trust me. I’ve never done anything that would put the club in harm’s way. You’ve got to have faith.”
Ronald shook his head. His eyes, usually so calm, were full of anger. “If you want me to listen to you, then you need to tell me the truth. What were you guys doing at the police station?”
Gabby held Nick’s arm. She didn’t want to disclose her personal secrets to anyone. Sure, they all knew about her past but they didn’t need to understand this. It had nothing to do with Hell Brigade. Matt misunderstood the situation. He must have followed Nick and thought they were going in to snitch on hell Brigade. How could they convince them that this was another matter altogether?
Nick pulled himself to his full height. Anger simmered in his coiled muscles. His integrity was never questioned. It was terrible that he got into this mess because of her. “Maybe we should…” she began to say.
“Quiet!” he ordered. Startled by the rebuke in his voice, she pressed her lips. Perhaps it was best to let him deal with the men. After all, she wasn’t officially a member of the biker’s club. He would know how to calm the men down. Nick turned his attention to Ronald. “As I said, this has nothing to do with Hell Brigade. Stay out of it.”
Matt shifted on his feet. “You expect us to believe you?”
“Yes, I do. I am telling the truth. The plan is as it was before. Nothing has changed.”
“So who are you going to send to prison this time? It’s all because of this girl. Ever since she has come in, things have changed. He has changed.” Matt pointed a finger at her and then at Nick. “She has corrupted your mind. What did you tell the police?”
“I told them nothing about Hell Brigade,” Nick’s voice was full of ire. The muscles in his shoulder bunched. “Stay out of this, Matt.”
Ronald’s face looked as if it was cast in stone. “It’s time you confessed everything, Nick. If you can’t tell us the truth, we have to assume the worst and that means we can’t trust you anymore.”
She couldn’t believe this was happening. Gabby longed to explain. Although she wanted to keep this matter private, it looked as if she didn’t have a choice. She should tell them everything, but a furious glance from Nick told her to keep her mouth shut.
“If that’s the way, I quit this club.”
“About time,” said Matt. “You’re no longer welcome.”
“That’s not your decision,” said Ronald. Hope flared in Gabby’s heart. Would he give Nick a chance to explain? Ronald and Nick shared a good relationship. If Ronald talked nicely, Nick would probably come clean. Of course, he was doing this to protect Gabby. But she didn’t want him to be kicked out of the club due to her issues. It was better to tell them everything. Sure, they wouldn’t be happy that Nick and Gabby contacted the police, but as long as they knew that it had nothing to do with Hell Brigade, things would quiet down. She didn’t want Nick to be out of the club because of her.
If that happened, Nick would die.
These were his men, his friends. He wouldn’t be able to live without them. His whole life revolved around the club and its activities. He’d put himself in danger many times because of them. How could they accuse him of being a snitch?
Surely, this was a mistake. And Nick would sort it out. But Nick picked up his helmet and wore it. “Let’s get out of here, Gabby.”
“But…” she started to say, flabbergasted by the speed with which everything was happening.
“If that’s the way you want it, you’re going to get your wish,” said Ronald. “I don’t want to see either of you here again. Matt, we need to change the plan and the location. This asshole has already told the police everything.”
Matt cracked his knuckles. The sound was ominous. “I’ll manage everything. And if I ever see you again…” he pointed his finger at Nick again. “I will bash the life out of you.”
Nick’s laughter was mirthless. The rage that coiled and looped through his veins was almost palpable. “You can try, but it might not go the way you’ve planned. Gabby, get on the bike. Tell Willow to pack her stuff. We’ll collect it later.”
Gabby didn’t know what to say or do. Should she try to dissuade him from making such a radical move? Maybe she should tell them why they went to the police station. She opened her mouth, but seeing Nick’s furious gaze, she closed it again. He never ever behaved in such an abrupt manner before. Matt’s rude accusations really must have pissed him off.
But he was making a terrible mistake.
Hell Brigade’s clubhouse was his real home. It was the one place, the one set of friends, who were a constant in his life. Without them, he wouldn’t be able to survive. He needed them as much as he required air to breathe.
She longed to say all those things to him, but Gabby didn’t want to embarrass him in front of Ronald and Matt. It might be a better idea to calm him down at home and then get him to talk to Ronald. Quietly, she sat on the bike. As Nick took his place and they veered off towards his home, Gabby cast one last glance back at the clubhouse.
Was this the last time she would ever see the place?
It was as much her home as Nick’s, and she couldn’t bear the idea of not being a part of the wonderful lives of all these people. Dread filled her as she turned her head, rested it on Nick’s back, and waited for the next scene to unfold.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
A day after the incident, Nick and Gabby still hadn’t recovered from it. Nick’s hand caressed Gabby’s back as he contemplated all that transpired. Being kicked out of Hell Brigade was a novel experience. And even though he wasn’t as bent out of shape about it as Gabby was, his heart ached with pain. Without his buddies, he felt like half a man.
“Everything will be ok,” he assured her.
“But…”
“Listen Gabby, I know you’re upset, but it’s not what it looks like,” he said.
“What does this look like to you? To me, it seems the end of a life,” she muttered as she stood and walked towards the kitchen. “And we still haven’t picked up my stuff from there. Maybe I should go down and talk to Willow. She will explain to Ronald.”
He sighed as he picked up the paper. Shit! Maybe he should’ve thought through this when he involved Gabby in it. But she was the lynch pin of this mess. Matt’s hatred for her was known to all. He’d been waiting for an opportunity like this for months and Nick basically handed it to him on a platter.
The doorbell rang. Gabby opened it even as she muttered under her breath. Her mouth gaped as Ronald and Matt sauntered in. “Looking cozy, dude!” said Matt.
Nick sighed. Now he was in for a world of pain. “What happened?”
“It went exactly as you envisioned?” said Ronald with a satisfied grin. “Gabby dear, you look a little flustered.”