Page 67 of Carver

Royce leaned forward, hands on their knees as their entire mood changed. “If you want to talk fashion, baby, I got you. Let's get started. Fury, can you go collect my bags? I might have some things that could fit our sweet boy here.”

Gideon shivered at the nickname and Royce winked again. They must have known that that was Carver's nickname for Gideon.

As Fury left, determination settled over Gideon. He was going to figure out his own personal style with Royce's help. He would continue to talk with Fury and to expand his life. And then he would tell Carver the truth of everything.

He would lay himself bare and hope that the other man still wanted him after.

Thirty

Carver stoodin the center of the warehouse, arms folded as he looked at the man strapped to the chair before him. It was one of his Angels. A man named Gator. Someone he had trusted. Someone he thought was going to be one of his brothers until the end.

Gator stared back with wide eyes. He had tape covering his mouth. His arms and legs were bound so that he couldn't move.

"You're sure it was him?” Carver asked Trix.

They hadn't hurt Gator yet. Had only pulled him out of the club and brought him to one of the secluded industrial buildings to work him over.

But if Trix confirmed it, then it had to be so.

Trix made a noise, then said, "Unfortunately so, Boss. It was him who signed off on everything each time, and I even checked his personal accounts. He was depositing those exact amounts on the days that he should have been putting them in the bank. It's all fucked up, but apparently, he had a gambling problem none of us picked up on."

"Gambling?" Carver asked.

Slash grunted. “A lot of other shit you can do with money besides gambling. Hell, I'd be less upset if it were spendingmoney on pussy. Instead, he's ruined his life over slot machines and poker tables.”

"It wasn't slot machines," Trix interrupted.

Carver and Slash turned to face him.

Carver asked, "Then what was it?"

Trix shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels. “He was gambling with other guys for a shot with their girlfriends. Girls who didn’t know they were being offered up, Boss.”

It felt as if the room dropped several degrees with the way Carver reacted. His body tightened, and his stare turned to ice as he scowled at Gator. He didn't have to remove the tape. Didn't have to hear his pleas for mercy to know that the man was guilty.

It was all right there, clear as day on his face. He'd been caught. After years of stealing from the club, his actions were finally given consequence.

Carver turned to Slash. "Go get the others."

Slash jogged away, phone in hand. He and Carver had prepared to bring everyone from the club over to witness what was going to be done to Gator. It had been a long time since Carver had had to be The Butcher at home. A long time since he had to make sure his men knew he meant business.

He was being given the chance now, and Carver felt like it was time to prove a point. He had to remind them all that he was not anyone to be played with.

This club and this family was a place where you were loyal. Anything less earned you a one-way ticket to the grave.

It took a few minutes for the sound of motorcycles to reach him.His men had arrived.

Carver looked at Trix, then at Gator. "Get the plastic, grab the hose. I want everything ready so that cleanup is simple."

Once Trix stepped away, Carver walked around Gator slowly, taking in his features. This was a man he lived with. A man he had given an opportunity to. A man who he considered family.

But Carver didn't care if it was blood or by choice. When someone fucked up, they had to deal with it.

He leaned down once he was back in front of the man, hands to his knees as he focused on his face. In a calm tone he said, "You know you really fucked up. I've been itching for a fight. I've got all this aggression…”

His lips tipped up into a smirk.

“I was even too scared to go at it with Silver. You know he's my sparring partner. Good guy. Love him to pieces. But if we got in the ring together, I'd have killed him. I knew that, deep in my bones. I had nothing else to let my feelings out on, so I held it in. I balled it up. I've let it build and build, and now here you are, like a gift from the universe. You know what that means, don't you?”