Toni rubbed her back in soothing circles.
“What the fuck am I supposed to think, huh, Screw? Explain it to me, because all I see is some fucking hotshot who thinks he can do whatever the fuck he wants!” He roared out a yell then slammed his fist into Jazz’s wall leaving behind a giant hole.
“Hey!” She said then shrank back when Copper’s furious gaze turned her way.
“He’ll have it fixed,” Toni whispered.
Jazz had been around the club for a while. She’d seen the guys and their women go through some serious shit. An FBI raid, Izzy being beat up, Chloe attacked, betrayal from Holly’s father, the list went on. Through all of that, she’d never seen Copper lose his cool like this.
Her hands began to tremble, so she tucked them under her legs. The Jeremy link still made no sense, but all she could think of was the danger the two men who’d given her so much had put themselves in.
They went to a party at the CDMC clubhouse without telling anyone. Were they insane?
“Copper—” Screw began.
Gumby stepped forward. “I know it’s hard to see beyond the way this ended and how he went behind your back, but Screw has some information for you that could give your club a huge edge over the Disciples.” He spoke in the calm, rational way she’d come to expect from him.
“How about you keep the fuck out of my club’s business?” Copper advanced on Gumby and Jazz couldn’t keep her mouth shut any longer.
“Stop!” She yelled.
Copper whipped his head in her direction, no less furious than when he’d started yelling.
Now that his attention had shifted to her, whatever she’d been about to say died in her throat. “I…uh…” God, he was a scary man sometimes.
“Your club may not be my business, but Jazz is.” Gumby spoke with such strong conviction, his words chased away some of her chill. “Jeremy is the reason we had to get the fuck outta there. He recognized us and ratted us out to Crank. Otherwise, we’d have been home free. Now, is he just some hang-around the club doesn’t give a shit about, or is he on his way in? Who the fuck knows, but he lives next door to Jazmine and if she’s in danger, it is my business.”
Everything began to click into place. Of course, Jeremy had been at the party. The guy was starved to be part of an MC and after being rejected by the Handlers more than once, he probably saw the CDMC as his second chance. His way of finally having the life he coveted.
Did he know what assholes made up that club? Was he so desperate to fit in, he didn’t care what they got up to?
Screw stepped forward, placing a hand on Gumby’s shoulder. A silent thanks-but-I-got-this-now.
“Copper I’m under no illusion that I don’t deserve your anger. I even expect you to take away my position as enforcer. I broke your trust and I get that. But I didn’t do it lightly. And I didn’t do it because I don’t care about the club. I did it because I needed to. I needed to take this risk and do something to give us a leg up on those fuckers. They came too close, Cop. Too close to hurting Toni. Too close to hurting your woman.”
The set of Copper’s shoulders eased somewhat as he finally listened to Screw.
“And you know what, Copper?” He pounded his fist into his palm. “It worked. It fucking worked and I have an idea of how we can hit them and hit them hard without them knowing it was us.”
“For real?”
Copper’s eyes shifted between Screw and Gumby, who nodded. The only indication his need for verification from Gumby hurt Screw was the subtle ticking of Screw’s jaw.
With a deep sigh, Copper rubbed his beard. “All right. Fuck. Church tomorrow. I want every fucking detail from the second you pulled into that clubhouse until I rescued your stupid ass.”
Screw nodded. “Of course, Copper.” He stuck out his hand.
Copper glanced at it then began to move.
Her heart sank down through the couch. But then Copper grabbed Screw in a huge bear hug, slapping him hard on the back, and relief hit Jazz so fast, it was dizzying.
“Glad you’re okay, brother.”
Screw nodded without saying anything and if Jazz didn’t know better, she’d have thought he was too choked up to respond. But Screw didn’t do choked up. He did laughs, and jokes, and deflection.
None of that came from him now.
“Thanks for having his back,” Copper said to Gumby, extending his hand.
Gumby grasped it, giving Copper a solid shake. “Anytime.”
A look passed between Gumby and Screw she couldn’t decipher. Something more than just the hot lust they had for each other.
Did they feel something for each other?
Her gut twisted as an image of the two of them waking alone together in the morning popped into her head.