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I clap Banger on the back in sympathy. He’s still young and learning, but this is a lesson every man has to figure out for himself. “That’s exactly what she needs from you right now. You can’t fix this for her. You can only be there to support her through it.”
He nods and stamps out a cigarette. “I guess. I just wish I could go back in time and make it so I was the one pulling the trigger instead of her.”
Together, we let out an exhale, recognizing the shitty side of life. I can tell how much it’s eating him up inside, and though he doesn’t want to hear it, the burden he carries now is a good thing. It’ll make him a better brother and a better man moving forward. Then he changes the subject.
“What about you and that Colombian cutie?”
I shrug because what the fuck can I say about Valentina? “She’s unexpected.” In every possible fucking way. As much as I planned for my life after prison, settling down with a good woman and making a few babies, I hadn’t made any effort to put the plan into action.
“I couldn’t have chosen a worse woman, that’s for fucking sure.”
“I don’t know,” Banger grins. “She’s hot as hell. Don’t tell Willow,” he adds quickly. “She must be something for you to take the risk.”
I nod. “She is, but the thing is, this wasn’t ever supposed to be all that serious.”
Banger gives me a woebegone smile. “It never starts out that way, does it? I mean Willow, in all her beauty and grace, went and fell for a fucking gang banger. Love is as fucked in the head as the rest of us, so we can either go with it or fight it, man. Which one are you gonna do?”
I nod in the distance. “That’s the million-dollar question, ain’t it?” I notice the crane raising the next container off the boat. “We have about an hour before they load that container onto a truck.”
Banger nods and lights another cigarette. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re doing the MC dirty where Valentina is concerned. I think this all just caught you off guard.”
“Thanks.” His trust in me means a lot considering I’m a big part of the reason he’s a member of the MC.
“Of course. But you should know that I’m in the minority thinking that. A talk with all the brothers wouldn’t be out of line.”
I know he’s right, but it still pisses me off. “I agree,” I tell him, “but it’s bullshit. I’ve been around longer than half these assholes. Who are they to question my loyalty? I bleed for this MC and always will, dammit.”
His mouth curls into a wise but grim expression. “I know, but she’s a cartel princess, man. Of the cartel that killed our brothers. You gotta see both sides of the story. Once you do, just use your charm to ease everybody’s minds. Yeah?”
I nod. “I guess.” I still don’t like it, but as the VP, it’s my responsibility to keep the men calm and faithful to the MC leadership.
I’m so fucking happy when we get the nod that the dock workers have finally loaded the container onto a truck. Now we can get it over to Morgan’s place. This talk about Valentina needs to stop.
Instead of just directing the work of the prospects unloading Arturo’s shipment, I get in there and do my fair share of heavy lifting until we’ve unloaded all of the wooden crates and stacked them against the wall in the warehouse. “That’s a lot of goddamn crates,” I growl and wipe my forearm across my forehead.
“Fuck yeah. That was a goddamn workout,” Banger says, but he grins with satisfaction as we walk toward our bikes.
A shot rings out, echoing throughout the port. Instinctively, I drop to the ground and pull out my gun. “What the fuck was that?” I ask and roll under a truck, coming up on the other side.
Behind me, Banger risks a look, but he slides back behind the truck when we hear more shots coming at us. “No fucking clue. Can’t see a damn thing.”
“Anyone else see shit?” I call out.
Tank, in the warehouse behind the roll-up, answers. “I saw two muzzle flashes.”
“All right,” I nod. “Stay back! I’m gonna fire again. I need you to see where the shots are coming from. Got me?”
Banger nods and I turn, firing high into the distance. Almost instantly, shots fire back, and I see at least three different muzzle flashes before I seek shelter behind a crate. “Three. At least. Up high and slightly to the right.”
Banger nods and gets into position, crouching low and aiming high to cover my back. “Ready when you are, brother.”
I nod and give myself a moment before I turn and open fire on whatever assholes are stupid enough to shoot us on our own fucking turf. I hit one, and he tumbles off a container in the distance before landing hard on the concrete.
