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It was Maverick’s clever way of letting Zach know that while he was down, he was not out.
Nothing accompanied the photo. No ransom requests. No demands. Nothing. More and more this was looking like nothing more than a power play. Shark letting the Handlers know he could get at them whenever he wanted and there wasn’t a damn thing they could do about it.
Zach held the photo up for Copper to see.
His president’s face hardened and he bowed his head for a moment before saying, “Fuck.”
The weight of that word crashed down upon Zach like a sledgehammer. Copper was never without an idea. Never without confidence. Never defeated. He tried to inhale, but it felt as if a heavy rubber band had wound itself around his chest. With each passing second, it grew tighter and tighter until he couldn’t breathe.
Zach shoved back from the table and stumbled out of the meeting room. As he lurched past the bar, two of the Honeys tried to get his attention. He wasn’t even tempted, but normally he’d at least have said hello and let them down easy. Now, he just didn’t give a shit.
“Get the fuck out of my way,” he barked at Becky, who dropped her jaw and scurried behind the bar.
He didn’t care who he pissed off. All he knew was he needed out of the clubhouse. He needed oxygen.
Shoving through the door, he stumbled out into the quiet night. A cool breeze washed over him, loosening the grip of the rubber band and allowing him to draw in a breath.
“Fuck!” he yelled when he had enough air.
The panic that had been rushing through his system transformed into an anger so great he could think of nothing but wreaking havoc on whatever was near.
Balling his fists, he rammed them into the nearest tree again and again with no regard to the damage he was causing himself. The skin over his knuckles split and tore, but he welcomed the pain. It was nothing compared to what was in store for Maverick, and the sting only fueled his anger and need for blood.
When all his energy was spent, he was sweating and gasping for breath. He propped himself against the defeated tree and tried to get his head straight.
He had no idea how long he stood there before Copper walked up, liquor in hand.
“Better?” Copper asked, holding the bottle out.
Zach accepted the bottle and tipped it to his lips. After a good eight second guzzle, he handed it back to his prez. Blood ran in streams from his hands, coasting over the bottle and dripping to the grassy ground.
Copper wouldn’t give a shit. If there was ever a man not afraid of a little blood, it was Copper.
“Better.”
“I’m gonna say this one fucking time, Zach, so listen the fuck up.” Copper took a long drink. “I didn’t appoint you enforcer because I thought you’d be able to anticipate every problem that would come our way. I didn’t give you the position because I thought you would somehow know shit the rest of us didn’t.” He passed off the bottle then lit a cigarette. “I made you enforcer because this club is in your blood and you will rain holly hell down on anyone who fucks with it.”
That was the damn truth.
“So stop beating the fuck out of my trees and yourself because of some misplaced guilt. Save your fury for Shark.”
After another long drink, Zach tried to return the bottle, but Copper waved it away. “Finish it,” he said. The orange tip of his cigarette glowed as he returned it to his mouth.
“You know, Cop, Shell was at the diner when we tore out of there this morning.”
Copper grunted. “Feels like years ago.”
Zach swallowed the last eighth of the bottle in two large gulps. “She’s gonna be worried. Probably heard something about Mav by now. You should swing on by. Might want to warn her to be vigilant.”
“Yeah,” Copper said as he flicked ash off the end of his cigarette. He spoke as though it was no big deal. As though he wasn’t in love with the woman he refused to take. And as though it didn’t break her heart to be in the same room as him. “Both she and Toni are gonna be wondering why we had prospects tail them home.”
“She’s gonna get on your ass if you show up smelling like a tobacco factory.”
The cigarette was midway to Copper’s mouth. “What are you my mother now, Zach?” He tossed the thing to the grass and ground it under his size thirteen heel before walking halfway back inside. “Have Jig give you a ride home. You drank half that bottle.”
“I’ll have Jig drive me around and search a little longer.”
Copper nodded. “Make sure you get some rest at some point, brother. You’re no good to Mav if you can’t function.”
