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“That’s a shame.” My father sighed, and I waited. “Guess we’re at a standstill.”
“Just say the word and the last recording is yours.” I tried one last time.
“You know the deal, boy, and you know where I am when you’re ready to make it.”
“You can’t hold Snake forever. He’ll eventually want to come back for Maggie himself. Then you’ll have to tell him you’re using him as bait.”
“Snake will do what’s best for the club,” he sneered. “I’ll be waiting for your answer. Oh, and you may not want to take too long. I’m ready to end this, and I’m running low on patience. You should have never let a bitch weaken you, boy. I tried to teach you that when your mother pulled her shit. You set up your entire club, a club that’s in bed with the fucking cops, to save a piece of ass.” He grunted. “I know that cop is practically salivating to get his hands on Snake and has been for years.” He chuckled darkly. “You’ve handed me all the ammo I needed to get that recording. Let me ask you, boy, how does it feel to lose your leverage, to be stripped of your power and control?”
He paused, and I realized something I hadn’t in the past. He didn’t hate me because I bribed him so I could leave his fucking club; he hated me because I took away his power and authority, even if only over me. I focused again when I heard his voice. “This is the deal. You don’t make it, we come after your whole fucking club.” His voice darkened again. “And you are not strong enough to fight the Widows.”
I heard the dead air and knew he’d ended the call. I stared across my room at the clubhouse, anger washing over me before dropping my phone to the bed, pulling my arm back and plowing my fist into the wall.
CHAPTER TWENTY
MAGGIE
I heard a loud crash and jumped from the chair I was sitting on while I read. When the sounds continued, I stood and walked slowly to my door and stood in front of it, listening. Another sound, like glass breaking echoed down the hallway, and I reached out, putting my hand on the knob. Slowly pulling it open, I peeked my head out and noticed the hallway was quiet. Looking down the hallway toward the sounds, I stepped out and faced that way. I knew Gunner’s door was the last on the left, only a few down from mine, but why was he in his room? He never was during the day.
I moved slowly down the hallway, startling when I heard another loud bang that had me almost running back to my room, but something pushed me to keep moving toward that door. I faced his door and looked down the hallway again to see no one was coming up the stairs so I knew no one else was around to hear the commotion.
Lifting my hand, I paused with it midair and exhaled before tapping my knuckles against the hard wood. There was a pause, and everything went completely silent before I heard the crunching of something that sounded like glass. The door was pulled open so suddenly that I took a step back, only to watch Gunner fill the doorway.
His jaw was tight when he looked down at me. “Go back to your room, Maggie.”
My eyes moved from the angry look on his face to his hands fisted at his sides. I should’ve been afraid and part of me, the part that had been conditioned to fear Snake when he was angry was screaming at me to run, but something else, something bigger was telling me to stay.
I swallowed hard. “Are you okay?”
“No,” he bit out. “Just go back to your room.”
I took a step forward. “Did something happen?”
He pushed his hand through his hair. “Maggie…”
I lifted my hand and laid it against his arm, ready to ask him again what happened, but then saw the state of his room behind him. My eyes widened at the destruction, and I took a step closer, looking around him before I snapped my attention back to him. I couldn’t read the expression on his face, but if I had to guess, I’d say he looked defeated.
“You can talk to me.” I encouraged quietly.
“No, I can’t.”
“Why not?” I frowned. “We’re friends.”
He closed his eyes briefly before slowing opening them, and all I saw was sadness, which could only mean one thing.
“You don’t want that.” I surmised quietly.
He shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. “I want that, Maggie. It’s just not a good time right now.”
He was lying and not very well, but I knew when I wasn’t wanted, so I nodded. “Okay, Gunner.”
I turned and walked back to my room, wondering how I could be there for him like he’d been for me, but having had no experience in that, I came up with nothing. I made it back to my room and walked through the still open door but dropped my head. I didn’t want to be this person, I wanted to be strong, I wanted to be the person he sees in me. I turned back around and walked back to his room, lifting my hand and knocking louder this time.
He pulled open the door, his expression blank, but I pushed through my insecurities. “I want to help you.” I held up my chin. “Like you help me.”
“You can’t.” he said, his voice low and rough.
“I can listen.” I persisted.