Chapter Thirty-One

Cameron

Mumbling, I sat in the backseat of Priest's truck and watched as Phoebe walked into her building. "What's a brother gotta do to get some respect from these Bettys?"

Sulking, I glared at the building, wondering what in the hell was taking so long. I wasn't a patient person. I knew that. Hell, my sissy told me I was absent the day God handed out that shit. In fact, she said I was absent for a lot of other stuff too, but I wasn't really listening to her.

When she started rambling about whatnots, I tuned out.

Sissy didn't understand that I was a man. And men didn't give a fig about a lot of things.

All I cared about was my best friends, food, and my bucket list.

Oh... and Bagel.

I couldn't forget Bagel.

He was the bomb.

I sure hoped Sissy remembered to let him out. Poor guy had a bladder the size of a peanut, but I wasn't worried. Soon, Bagel was going to get bigger, and my dog was going to be the biggest, meanest, guard dog around.

It was going to be his job to guard the little Bettys.

My job was to train the next generation of manly men, but was I doing that? Hell no, because I was too busy trying to keep the current brothers in line.

Boy howdy, were they a pain in my ass!

Not one single brain cell among them. I swear, if it weren't for me, they'd all be drooling and eating dirt, and don't even get me started on Banks and Hawk.

I had plans for those two.

Just wait and see.

Not a single brother saw the big picture.

I tried explaining it to them once but gave up when none of them listened.

It was like talking to a brick wall.

In the end, I did what I had to and took over. If none of them cared, then I would. You see, I'm a thinker. I think of everything, and right now, I'm thinking it's monkey balls I'm stuck in this truck. I was only doing what Athena told me to do, and look where it got me.

Huffing, I glared at the building.

Yeah. To hell with this shit.

I ain't never got anything done sitting on my ass.

I was a go getter.

Climbing over the seat, I unlocked the driver's side door and jumped out. Ignoring the front door, I ran around the back of the building. I knew the back door didn't lock properly. Found that out when Banks, Hawk and I swung by to check on Phoebe and saw the douche canoe with her. I tried telling Banks, but he didn't listen to me. He was too busy talking with Phoebe. Just like I tried to tell him, I saw the douche canoe sneaking around the building the other day when he was escorting me back from the bowling alley.

I really hated that guy.

Not Banks.

The other one. The douche canoe.

Something about him rubbed me in all the wrong places.

Phoebe was Priest's woman and we manly men didn't share.

Seeing the backdoor cracked open, I shook my head and opened it to see Priest laying on the floor. Blood pooling around his stomach. His left leg was broken, the bone stuck out.

OH SHIT!

This was not good.

I knew douche canoe was in the building.

The same building Phoebe was in.

Shit!

I was about to go find Phoebe when I heard her scream.

Quietly backing away, I closed the door and ran as fast as I could.

I needed to get help.

I was only seven. I knew my limitations. While I could hold my own with kids my age, I wasn't big enough to take on a fully grown man, but I knew several brothers who were and one of them always carried his trusty knife with him.

Racing as fast as I could, I saw Sugar's Creamery up ahead, when someone stepped in front of me, halting me in my tracks as someone from behind me grabbed me, throwing me over his shoulder.

"Gotcha!" Hawk chuckled.

"LET ME GO!"

"Not a chance in hell, Carnage. You are going straight home to your sister. She is worried sick. Not to mention pissed. You have the entire club out looking for you. Everyone is pissed at you."

"I say we truss him up and hogtie him. That way, he won't get away again," Banks commented while he started walking away from Sugar's Creamery.

"You do and I will make your life a living hell when I get free!"

"Who said we were gonna let you go free?" Hawk laughed.

"I'm serious. You need to let me go. I gotta get help!"

"No, you need to stop being a pain in the ass."

"I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Yeah," Banks scoffed. "You and what friends?"

"I got friends. Lots of them!"

"Yo! King!" Banks yelled as Hawk placed me on my feet, gripping my arm. "We found him."

"Goddamnit, Cameron," King roared, storming across the street.

Oh shit.

He looked pissed.

Really pissed.

"Boy, I should whip your ass. Do you know what you've put the club through tonight? None of us knew where you were at. You scared the crap out of us."

"I'm sorry, Prez, but—"

"No!" the big man shouted angrily, pointing his finger at me. "Not this time. You really messed up this time, Cameron. You're grounded."

"But!"

"No buts."

"Oh, good. You found him," Henley said when she and Scribe walked over. Scribe frowned, shaking his head at me.

"Cameron!" Sugar cried, running over to me, Enigma followed, fuming. Hugging me tight, Sugar pulled away, holding my shoulders in her firm grip. "You, young man, are in big trouble. Do you know how scared we all were? Where in the hell have you been?"

I was about to answer her when Sarah came running over with Gunner. He, too, glowered at me.

"Where was he?" Sarah asked no one in particular.

"Found him heading toward Sugar's place," Banks answered.

"Well, we need to get him home. Skylar has been blowing up my phone," Bailey said as she ate her ice cream.

"We can't!" I cried, but no one was listening to me.

"The hell we can't," King sneered. "You are going straight home."

And that's when I did the unthinkable.

Ripping my arm out of Hawk's grasp, I hauled off and punched the President of the club in the stomach.

"Will you all listen to me! Priest is hurt bad, and that douche canoe has Phoebe. They are in trouble. You have to help them!" I screamed, tears running down my face, pleading with them to listen.

King grabbed me and lifted me off my feet. "What the hell are you talking about, Cameron?"

"I was with Phoebe. Athena told me to ride home with them. Priest went back inside the building to lock the back door. Only it doesn't lock. I tried telling Banks that the other day, but he wouldn't listen. None of you listen. Priest is hurt bad, King, and Phoebe was screaming. I swear it on my daddy's name, King. I ain't lying."

And that was all it took for Scribe to take off running.

Frank right behind him.

"Goddamnit!" King cursed loudly as he handed me off to Sugar. "Get him the fuck out of here. Enigma, get the women home. Sarah, call your dad and tell him he's about to have another body to process. The rest of you, follow me."