Monster squinted. “Paxton’s blackmailing you?”
Loki slouched against Jack’s powerful chest, unsure what it meant yet, but so far, Monster hadn’t drawn his weapon, and that had to mean something.
Jack swallowed. “Of course she wouldn’t mention that during her visit, would she? Fucking cunt!”
Monster shook his head. “What the fuck are you on about? I’m here to get Loki,” he said without sparing Loki himself the smallest of glances.
“M-me?” Loki bit his lip, and his heart sped up like a sprinter approaching the finish line. Would this be it? Was this his end?
“You out of your fucking mind?” Jack grabbed Monster’s shirt and pushed him on the wall. “He isn’t going anywhere with you. This is club business! He has nothing to do with this!”
Monster glared at Jack’s fist. “Some guy wants to speak to him. Let go of my fucking shirt.”
Loki blinked. “Who?”
Monster shrugged. “Just this average Joe. Dark hair. Glasses...”
“Richard,” muttered Loki.
Jack let go of Monster and took a step back, going white this time. “What?”
Loki shifted uncomfortably. “It sounds like Richard.”
Monster adjusted his shirt. “Can I take him, brother?” he asked, seemingly unfazed by having been a witness to a rim job.
Jack put his hands on his nape, looking lost with his eyes bloodshot and wide. “I… Paxton didn’t come?”
Monster groaned and shook his head in disapproval. “You should have told us. Can’t let a cop hold one of our own by the balls.”
“So... you’re not gonna hurt Jack?” asked Loki, slowly zipping up his jeans. Any erection he’d had was just a distant memory.
“What was I gonna say? Paxton has video of me fucking Loki. That would not fly with Borg or Viper. Or even Glock…” Jack looked away, deflated.
Monster sighed. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing with your life? At this rate, your property is gonna end up looking for a new keeper.”
Loki’s face went aflame, and blood beat in his ears as the tattoo on his naked back burned. Fuck. The bastard had seen it.
“You’re so fucking smart, aren’t you?” Jack shot Monster a glare. “Shit happens! How was I supposed to know there was police coming? And my property is none of your business!”
“Calm down.” Monster walked up to a stack of soda cans and opened one. “I don’t care who you fuck.”
Jack ran his fingers through his hair and plopped down to the mattress. “I still like girls…”
“Again, I don’t care.” Monster drank some of the soda and cast a glance at the money scattered everywhere. “Did you win the lottery?”
Jack groaned and hid his face in his hands. “No, I just figured I’m not gonna get to use it if I’m dead anyway.”
“I could use a new car.”
“Wait, what’s going on?” asked Loki, finally putting on his shirt. He gravitated toward Jack, angrier with each step. “You thought you were going to die, and you didn’t tell me?”
Jack grabbed a handful of banknotes and threw them at Monster. “Here! And no, I didn’t tell you. What’s the point of you worrying. I wanted you to have a happy day.”
Loki threw his arms to the sides. Even his gums started throbbing with the anger that suddenly exploded in his chest. “And what then? I’d find you dead? What the fuck?! Are you an idiot?”
Jack gave Loki a grim look. “I doubt you’d find my body.”
Loki pulled back his hand and kicked the mattress. “And I’d think you left me? Fucking great!”
“No… I’d leave you money and shit…” Jack licked the tattoo on the inside of his lip. His secret.
Loki shook his head and massaged his eyeballs to get rid of the sudden tingling. “I don’t need money. I’m dying, remember?”
Jack took a deep breath. “I can’t take back that video. Paxton’s gonna come to the clubhouse, and I’ll be dead anyway, so at least you’d get a comfortable few months. What am I supposed to do? I can’t rat on the club. Not that I’d even want to. The Nails are my life. Even beyond the money. There’s nothing else out there for me when you leave me.”
Loki sat down next to him and quickly pulled Jack’s head on his shoulder, hugging him as hard as he could. He didn’t even know what to say to that.
“Jack’s not dying,” said Monster from his place by the soda tower.
Loki couldn’t help a sniff and pushed his nose into Jack’s hair. “You’re not dying,” he repeated, though his heart was a led block pulling him to the floor.