Discovering Me
Page 19

“Sniper, do inventory on all brothers’ ammo, and if they require more, get it at your cost, not theirs. We’ll supply everything,” my brother commands.
An ammo count should be a chore for a prospect, but I can’t say that to my brother and undermine his authority in front of all the guys. I’ll argue with my blood brother at another time in private.
“Did you get that, brother,” he asks when I don’t acknowledge his order.
A growl almost escapes my throat when I respond. “I did.”
I know if he didn’t have his glasses on, I would see the aggravation in his gaze. I’m not trying to be an asshole. I woke up this way yesterday, and ever since, my mood has been on the none-too-friendly side.
I could blame it on how overcrowded the club is with brothers wall to wall, but the truth is it all has to do with Piper and her all of a sudden cold shoulder towards me.
This is what has me bothered at the moment, and with the cartel on town, I have got to get my mind straight and focused.
When I make my way around with a notepad to get the counts for ammo, I run into Piper as she stocks the bar. She doesn’t even peek in my direction.
I click the pen closed, shove it and the notepad into my back pocket, and demand attention from Piper. I slam my fist down on the bar. “What the fuck is wrong with you,” I growl. I don’t like things left unresolved.
“I’m busy. Can’t you see I’m busting my ass, catering to your brothers?”
Jesus. What the shit?
“Piper… I can’t fix what I did wrong if I don’t know what the fuck I did!”
She jerks an empty whiskey bottle off the shelf, slams it into the trashcan, and flinches as it shatters. “I don’t have time for this.”
Well, she’ll make time for me. I’m her fucking best friend, for fuck sakes.
“Goddamit, Piper! Make time.”
She turns around and stocks the top shelf with the premium alcohol. It’s further proof she is an excellent bartender and why she does an exceptional job at Club Sated.
I cross my arms and glare at her as I continue to wait until she finishes with her restock. When she turns around, the water that sits in her eyes proves she is upset with me.
“You know… I will tell you what is wrong with me,” she whisper yells as she tosses the empty box to the ground and stomps on it. “You made me believe that we had a special friendship. A special fucking bond, Sniper.” She swipes the tears away. “But you have the same ‘bond’,” she air quotes, “with one of the Red Ladies, Lucy. Do you know what that makes me think?”
I shake my head in disbelief.
“I’m a fill in!”
What? She is crazy.
“You’re being fuckin’ stupid,” I say with a laugh. Piper is nothing like Lucy. Never has been and never will be. Piper means more to me than some bitch from our female chapter whom I fuck.
“Am I? I don’t think I am. Right now, there is nothing you can say. I want space from you to get my head on straight,” she says before she leaves me to stand there confused.
How did I screw up her head?
All of this is because of Lucy. She had to have said something to Piper to cause her to act like this. I won’t stand for this bullshit. No way in hell.
“Piper, stop!” The rough, edgy growl ripping its way from my throat causes her to halt in place.
I stomp towards her, grab her elbow, and drag her outside to the parking lot for some sort of privacy. Piper tries to dig her feet into the ground to stop my tug, but she is no match for me. I swing open the door, move us beyond the threshold to the outdoors, and kick the wooden door shut behind us. Some brothers linger outside, and sensing the tension, they walk with casual movements to leave us alone.
“What the fuck is goin’ on with you, Pipe. This fuckin’ behavior is not you!” I roar as I let loose of her arm to grant her freedom.
She stands tall, moves smack dab in front of me, and stands on her tiptoes. “You made me believe I was the only female you have ever let in! You fuckin’ lied to me! All along, you’ve had bitches like Lucy,” she yells and shoves at my chest with both palms. “I can’t even look at you. I feel betrayed. I told you things I haven’t told anyone else,” she sobs. “I thought we were real, our friendship was real, and it wasn’t.”
I’m stunned to silence as I gaze at her retreating body as she rushes into the live-in building. All of the things she has accused me of are false, and I don’t see why she sees the truth as lies. I’ve been nothing but honest with Piper, at all costs. The only thing I don’t share with her is club business, so why does she think I betrayed her? There is far more to it than Lucy being here.
“Piper—”
How the fuck do I fix something I don’t goddamn understand?
I hear the sound of a door open behind me, and I think maybe Piper has come back to chew me out, but here comes Lucy. As if her presence hasn’t caused enough fucking problems. Any other time, I would be more than happy to shoot the shit with Luce, but she has upset Piper.
“Everythin’ all right?” Lucy smiles at me.
Dammit, she is the one that got me into this mess with Piper, and she is the last person I want to discuss shit with.
“Lucy, go do somethin’ female. I can’t deal with your shit right now,” I growl and stalk off, leaving her with a disbelieving look on her face.
The Prez is throwing a ‘Welcome to the Master Chapter’ party before we get down to business, and I’m getting fucking drunk tonight before shit gets real. Fuck clear headspace. I want to forget for the night.