Mason:Inked Reapers MC(33)

I parked, thankful that I had been smart enough to stop at the grocer  before making my way to the cabin. I wasn't entirely sure I'd be able to  get back down and up again more than once a day. I mentally put new car  on the list of things I needed to get, and soon.



Once I dragged in the groceries and my bag of clothes, I plopped down on  the couch and took a deep breath. Mr. Doyle kept the cabin in good  repair and even kept fresh potpourri in the bedrooms to keep the place  from smelling like mildew.



My phone vibrated on the coffee table.



On my way home



Mason. It hadn't even been a week. Did something go wrong? I stared at  the screen, tempted to let him know what I'd done. I needed to stay  strong. I hadn't just left to get away from Jayson, I'd gone to keep  Mason from making a mistake. He needed his life the way it was, and I  was just a distraction. Him coming after me, that would start a war  between the MCs that would only leave both sides full of blood and  death.



You doing okay?



I turned off the phone and went to the master bedroom. I needed a nap. A month long nap.





CHAPTER TWENTY NINE



MASON





Marcus paced across the room while Tick and I finished explaining the  fucked up situation from down south. His expression started out pissed,  then quickly morphed into terrified. When we were done telling him  everything, he threw his fist into the wall.



"This is bad." He shoved his hands into his hair. "Where's Charlie?" He  stomped out of the room, leaving us sitting at the table alone, staring  at each other. "Goddamn it!" When Marcus returned, without the VP, he  picked up a chair and threw it across the room. It slammed into the wall  and two legs broke off, wood splintered all over the floor.



Charlie finally showed up, buckling his belt as he sauntered in, and  Marcus began to rehash the whole story to him. While they were having  their hissy fit, I checked my phone. Still nothing from Lucy. I needed  to get over there, get her away from Jayson. Whatever was about to play  out wouldn't be safe for her. She could get caught in the crossfire, and  from the look on Marcus's face, there would be fire.



"It makes no sense. Why would Julio turn on his brother?" Charlie rubbed  the side of his neck. "And if he asked you two to do the job, why have  someone else step in last minute? Did you give him any reason to think  you wouldn't do it?"



"No." Tick shook his head. "I don't know what the fuck happened.  Carmella was never the target either. Maybe we were a fucking decoy,  like Mason said. So that Carmella wouldn't know he was gunning for her,  too."                       
       
           



       



"Could be." Charlie looked to Marcus. "What's the plan now? If Julio is  running shit, will he keep our two clubs tangled up, or is he gonna let  us each do our own business again?"



"I don't know." Marcus leaned over the table, propped up by his clenched  fists. A layer of sweat began to take over his forehead, a single drop  slid down his cheek. "Julio has his own game, no idea what he's planning  now."



"Why did you agree to this shit without a club vote?" I asked, getting  up. I heard enough, and I really didn't give a rat's ass anymore.



"Not everything needs a vote." He growled at me, with narrowed eyes.



"Something like taking out a fucking cartel leader needs a vote!" I jabbed my finger into the table.



White teeth flashed at me. "You wanna run shit, is that what you're getting at?"



"What? Fuck no." I shook my head.



"That's why you fucked up down there, so Julio would have my head and  you'd take the seat." He rounded the table, headed toward me.



"You're fucked in the head if you think I would turn on my club."



"Why not? You want out, isn't that what I'm hearing around here? You've lost love for your brothers?"



"I love this club." I watched him stalk toward me, bracing myself for  what he was bringing. His shoulders arched, his head ducked down.  Pumping his fists at his side, he lunged for me.



I sidestepped, letting him crash down into the chair I'd been sitting  in. The old fuck stumbled back up to his feet and turned on me again,  seething. Spit flew from his mouth, and he went for me again. This time I  let him come at me. He wrapped his arms around my midsection and tried  to push me down. We collided into the wall, and I managed to get my arms  under his and broke his hold on me.



"Marcus!" VP yelled.



"It's because of that whore! That little bitch spread her legs for you and now you can't get your head out of her pussy!"



His fist came at me. I ducked, managing to land a punch to his gut. Even  with the thick layer of fat around his middle, he felt it. He cursed  again, falling to his knees. He got back to his feet, but Charlie was  behind him, pulling his arms back. "Knock it off!" he yelled at him,  tossing him away from me.



I glared at him, catching my breath. I could have tossed him around for another hour;



the words he spewed about Lucy got my blood boiling. Tick stood in front of me, more to protect Marcus than me.



"You need him," I heard Charlie say to Marcus, still trying to get him  to calm down. "The other brothers will follow him, do you get that? They  respect him. This club is falling apart." He slammed his hand against  Marcus's chest, keeping him in the chair.



Marcus turned his steely gaze on me. "Get out." He waved a hand at me, his chest still heaving from the physical exertion.



Charlie looked at me over his shoulder. "Let the other guys know, tonight at eight. We figure this shit out."



"You got it." Tick nodded and gave me a shove to get me moving. I kept  my gaze on Marcus, wishing I could have another go at him. One fist to  the gut hadn't appeased my annoyance.



"What the fuck is there to figure out?" I kicked the dirt once we were  outside by our bikes. A few members had been in the clubhouse and had  heard the shuffle, but hadn't asked any questions. They knew better.



"How to get his ass out of the fire, I guess." Tick looked at his phone. "Fuck. I missed another doctor appointment."



I looked at him, tapping away on the phone, probably begging for  forgiveness, and felt another twinge of jealousy hit me. "You'd give  this up for her, even if she doesn't want you to?" I asked him when he  slid his phone back in his pocket.



"She wants me out. She wants to raise our kids without all the drama and  danger, but it's the only life she's known-like you said. She's scared.  And right now, pissed." He climbed onto his bike.



"She's gonna have you whipped in no time." I grinned at him, swinging my leg over my own hog.



"Have me? Hell, that woman had me wrapped around her finger the first time I laid eyes



on her. She deserves better than this." He nodded to the clubhouse.  Jessie, the blonde waitress that warmed my bed whenever I wanted, walked  out of the front door at that moment, wiping her hand across her mouth.  Her lips were swollen and her lipstick smeared across her cheek.  Looking at her then, remembering the times I'd used her, my gut twisted.  Such a waste. When she noticed us staring at her, she narrowed her eyes  and turned away. "Still haven't heard from Lucy?"                       
       
           



       

"Nah. I'm gonna head to the diner, maybe she'll be there. If I don't hear from her soon, I'm going to have to go get her."



"You can't just march into Disciple territory. Not now. Not until we  know what the fuck is going on. Wait until tonight; if you don't hear  from her, then you can decide to make a move."



I nodded. He was right. Until I knew what happened down in Mexico,  walking into their clubhouse would be a crap shoot. "If she's not at the  diner, I'll head over to my ma's. I haven't seen her in a while, and  she's been bugging me to stop by."



"You wanna crash with us tonight?" He snapped his helmet strap. "Less time here probably the better."



I looked over my shoulder at Marcus, who had come out of the clubhouse  still wearing his pissy glare. He watched me-I could feel his eyes on me  when I turned back to Tick. "Might be a good idea. Seem to have lost  some love around here."



"He's just looking for someone to blame and you were the closest to him. It'll blow over."



"Yeah, but he knows we want out. Probably taking it personally that I haven't gone to him directly."



"Probably," Tick agreed. "After this is settled tonight, we'll sit down with him. Tell him our plans."



I gave him a wary look. "Maybe we should make some, then."