Jack by Amanda Anderson

far.  Her rent had been paid for the month, but it was time to go.  Bobby would be upset.  He had just settled into his school and he loved Mary, maybe she would come along with them too.
    She let out a long sigh.  “What am I going to do?”
    She had suffered too much to give up now.
    She drove home and collapsed in a heap on the couch.  She was so tired, not only from cleaning and servicing Fish and his friends, but from the emotions that had washed through her in the last few hours.  Jack had claimed her and he had vowed to protect her, but he had also almost killed Fish and had choked her.
    How could she trust a man who resorted to that kind of violence at the drop of a hat?  How could she trust Bobby with him?
    Her thoughts tugged at her until she drifted off to sleep.
     

 
     
    8
     
    Jack stood in the dim interior of the shed.  The place smelled like mildew and male sweat.  The club used this old building to store things, but mostly they used it to fight and sometimes torture information out of enemies.  There were old rusted things hanging on the walls.  Everything from old lawnmower parts to gardening tools, but the middle of the shack was kept clean.  It wasn’t very big, but the front wall opened like doors so a truck or a van could be pulled in if needed.  Today the doors were thrown open and most of the club’s members stood around watching the bloody sport with anticipation. 
    Jack hadn’t felt a thing for the first two minutes or so.  His rage had eclipsed all feeling and all thought, but now he was starting to feel the sting in his fists each time they met Fish’s flesh.
    He didn’t know what had come over his.  He felt like he was losing his damned mind.  Viki was in some deep shit and somehow he had missed it.  He took out his rage on the little pissant that had caused her so much pain.  Fish lay in a heap on the floor at his feet now and Gator spat curses at him as well as several other brothers.  Fish would be lucky to survive the week.  He had pissed off too many people and if what Viki had said was true, he had also stole money from the club.  There was no forgiving that.
    Jack looked to Gator.  He had no idea why his brother was so pissed off about the whole situation, but welcomed his anger.  Gator delivered a kick to Fish’s ribs that sent the prospect toppling over to the dirt.
    Others were sparring, less out of anger and more just to take the edge off the aggression they all felt building inside themselves.  It was good for men like them to fight, they were more animal than those normal men who sat behind desks and wore uniforms.  They all had darkness inside of them that had to be calmed and often with blood.
    Two prospects drug Fish out of the shed and left him lying in the dirt.
    “What should we do with him?  Mike asked as he handed Jack and Preach a beer.
    “I need the facts before we make any decisions.  Make sure the little mouse had nothing to do with it and find out what she’s hiding.  Find out what he’s been holding over her head and somebody get me Naughty.  I want to know how a stripper had such an easy time accessing our accounts and why the fuck she didn’t say anything about this shit.”
    “She asked me for the money, part of the money, but she wouldn’t tell me what it was for.  I thought she was using again, but she got pissed when I asked her.”  Gator put in as he handed Jack a bandana to wrap around his bleeding hand.
    “Fuck is everybody hiding shit now?”  Preach spat.
    “Just loaned her the money Preach.  Had no clue what it was for.”  Gator’s Cajun accent thickened when he was pissed and right now he needed a translator.
    “I want this shit handled and if that little fucker was stealing from us I want it taken back in blood.  There’s still a thousand dollars missing.  I want someone watching that little mouse.  Fish goes near her and I want to know about it.  I told her she was safe and I want that taken