“What? Was Daddy Borg worried?” Jack snorted and walked toward the house, but looked back to make sure Loki followed.
Loki smiled at him and rushed inside without looking at Monster, whose gaze he still couldn’t shake off. The moment he stepped inside, the eerie otherness of the living room hit him like an anvil falling from the sky. Things were out of place. A stack of magazines was scattered over the floor where Jack had fallen, bringing them with him as he tried to hold on to the table. And then blood. Red crust smeared all the way to Loki’s feet. It felt wrong to stand on it, so he moved aside and leaned against the wall.
“What happened?” asked Sam, ignoring Jack’s mocking.
Jack dropped the silly smile as Monster closed the front door and leaned against it, blocking the way out. “I got shot.”
Sam frowned. “What? Why the fuck didn’t you call?”
“I didn’t have my phone on me,” Jack muttered, and even to Loki’s ears it was a lame ass excuse.
“I’m pretty sure the hospital has fucking landlines,” said Sam. The atmosphere in the room thickened so much Loki was afraid to move by even an inch.
“And he could have called us, too,” added Monster, gesturing Loki’s way without otherwise acknowledging his presence.
Jack groaned and leaned against a table, looking at his collection of model bikes scattered everywhere, along with the shattered glass. It had Loki’s conscience screaming. “It’s got nothing to do with the club.”
Sam snarled and walked up to Jack, all but hitting him with his chest. “You’re a brother. No one shoots a Nail and gets away with it!”
“Fucker’s gotta die, or else nobody’s gonna take us seriously. I’m gonna take care of it myself if you’re having problems,” muttered Monster from his spot at the door. His voice was like a noose tightening around Loki’s throat.
Jack licked his lips, avoiding eye contact with Loki. Maybe Loki should have left town after all? “No, it’s not that. I can handle shit. I don’t know who the fucker was!”
Loki squeezed his fists. He knew this wouldn’t stand. The club would be looking for the culprit, and it would bring more danger to both him and Jack. Monster was an interrogator. Why wouldn’t he sneak behind Jack’s back and try to get intel out of Loki?
“I know who it was,” he said into the sudden silence.
Jack squinted at him. “Do you? You haven’t fucking told me for two days.”
Loki exhaled and dragged his hands down his face. There was a name that he wanted erased forever. “I didn’t want to worry you while we were in the hospital. It’s not like he could just march in there and do anything...” Loki stopped talking the moment a cool hand squeezed around his shoulder.
“Who?” asked Monster.
Loki bit his lip and closed his eyes not to look into Jack’s eyes. “Ted Mozer. He lives on the other side of town.”
“Who the fuck is that, huh?” Jack hissed and the sound of his boots stomping Loki’s way made all of his hairs bristle. “This better be good, Loki.”
“And that’s why I didn’t want to tell you!” Loki stepped away, shedding Monster’s hand off his shoulder. His teeth were clattering so he forced his jaw open to relieve the tension and spoke, “You don’t want me talking about my lifestyle.” He caught Sam glaring at Jack and pushed on. “He’s so hung up on me, and he must have thought Jack and I are... you know...”
“That you’re fucking,” said Monster.
“We’re clearly not,” Jack yelled, barely catching a breath and grabbing his side. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” He dropped to his knees, getting paler by the second. “He’s your ex? That Ted guy? Which one?”
Sam pulled Jack up and led him to the sofa, but Monster seemed more concerned with the crime than its victim.
“Who’s that guy?”
Loki bit his lip, and it almost felt as if his ribs were tightening around his organs when he remembered the last he saw of Ted. “He’s still dealing, I think. He used to make the stuff, too.”
Jack stilled on the couch with a sneer. “That guy.”
Sam kicked Jack’s boot. “What guy?”
“Asswipe used to smack Loki around. He’s gonna get what’s coming to him. No one’s gonna be messing with my cousin.”
Loki exhaled, and as tension suddenly dropped off his shoulders with Jack’s acceptance, he slid down the wall and sat on the floor, watching the three men whose eyes were now on him.
Sam shook his head. “Fucker. I’ll have Borg authorize this,” he said before walking off to the room next door.