Tommy’s party.
“Yeah.” No. I think I’m done with parties.
“Good. I’ll see you there, babe.” Her dismissal comes in the form of her locking lips with Puck again. This might actually be the first time I’ve ever been dismissed by my best friend, but I can’t be sure because I just never paid enough attention before.
“Jesus,” I mutter softly as I turn and leave. What the fuck is going on inside my head? Why am I only noticing this shit now?
Tommy’s words ring in my ear as I walk to my car. You were born for guys like me. When you figure that out, come find me. One of my greatest fears is that he’s right. That I was born for guys like him. That I’ll crawl right back to him, exactly how he predicted.
3
Fury
* * *
I suck back some beer and stretch my legs out in front of me as I relax into the couch in the clubhouse bar. It’s been a long day and I’m ready to do nothing but drink and maybe find some company for the night.
“Hey, man.” Sarge drops down onto the couch next to me. “Heard you’re up tonight.”
“No.” No fucking way am I fighting when I’ve had a day like today. I’ll channel my frustration into the fight and no one needs to be on the receiving end of that.
He frowns as he tips his beer bottle to take a swig. “Not what Mace told me.”
“I’m too fucking tired tonight. And besides, Mace doesn’t want me in the ring with him.”
Sarge grins. “True. But I think he wants to chance it anyway. Get some pointers off you.”
I swallow some more beer before scrubbing a hand over my face. “Fuck.” Leaning forward so I’m resting my elbows on my knees, I drop my head to stretch my neck muscles. Then, glancing sideways at Sarge, I say, “Mace has a fucking death wish. Get Devil in there with him instead.”
Sarge slaps me on the back and stands. “Devil’ll get the job done, but it won’t be half as good to watch.”
I shake my head as he leaves. Sarge has no idea. None of them do, except for King. He’s the only one who’s seen me fight no holds barred. What I give when I’m in the ring out the back of the clubhouse is a fraction of what I’m capable of, and I do my absolute fucking best to avoid getting in that ring with my brothers very often because I know the tightrope I walk when I’m fighting. If they manage to drag me to the edge, fuck knows what will happen, and that’s something I refuse to have on my conscience.
“Fury,” King barks from the doorway. “My office.”
The last thing I want is a job for tonight, but it looks like that may be on the cards. I drain my beer and follow King down the hall to his office.
“Close the door,” he says as he walks around his desk to sit in his chair behind it.
Once I’ve done as he says, and he’s downed a shot of whisky, his eyes meet mine. Something serious is brewing behind those dark eyes. “I need you to dedicate all your time to Hagarty, and dig as deep as it takes to get some dirt on him. If you find it’s gonna take cash to get people to talk, come to me and I’ll make that happen. If you find it’s gonna take some manpower to get people to talk, I’ll take care of that, too.” He pauses, his eyes boring into mine. “Whatever the fuck it takes, I need you to find some shit on this motherfucker that’ll be worthy of him agreeing to do whatever I tell him to.”
King hasn’t mentioned Hagarty for a good six months. Before that, he had me watching him a fair bit. I never knew what for, but that’s how King and I usually work. I never question him on anything. That was our agreement from the day he first approached me back before I joined the club, and it’s how our working relationship has continued ever since.
“You want me to start tonight or tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow is good. Get some sleep tonight. You’re gonna need it.”
“Report back in daily or just when I have something for you?”
“Daily. I wanna know everything this asshole does, from the shit he takes in the morning to the moment he closes his eyes at night.”
He wasn’t kidding when he said I’m gonna need sleep tonight. I don’t mention that, though. King wants a job done, I’ll get it done.
“Anything else?”
“Yeah.” He downs another shot of whisky. “Thanks for the heads up on Zara this morning. I appreciate you getting her home and for filling me in.”
Fuck me.