Page 57 of Wheelie's Challenge
Wheelie looked at his arm and could see the gaping wound; blood flowed and dripped on the dirt. He lifted his chin to Animal, and a current of gratitude and love passed between them.
“I’ll call Doc.” Animal took out his phone and turned away.
Sweating, red-faced, and nostrils flaring, Tigger glared at Wheelie. “You stay the fuck away from my wife. If I catch you even looking at her, you’re dead.” He turned to the brothers, who still stood around them, and pointed at Wheelie. “This motherfucker betrayed a brother. He crossed the goddamn line between loyalty and trust. He fucked my old lady.” Tigger then glowered at Wheelie. “Your ass is gonna be thrown out of the brotherhood. Was my wife’s pussy worth that?”
Smokey and Rags ran over and held Wheelie back. “Leave it alone, bro,” Rags said. “It’s done. You’re hurt bad. Let’s go inside and Doc will be here to fix you up.”
Skeet went over to Tigger. “You’re a fuckin’ piece of disloyal shit!” he yelled at Wheelie.
“How could you do that shit to a brother?” Cruiser said as Wheelie walked away with Smokey and Rags.
As he broke through the crowd, Axe, Chas, Billy, Ruben, Bear, Blade, and Puck bumped fists with him. Klutch gave him his T-shirt, and Wheelie jerked his head and wrapped it tight around the wound.
Inside, Skinless had a double Jack waiting for him on the bar. Wheelie threw it back and Skinless immediately refilled it.
“I’m not sorry for shit when it comes to that sonofabitch,” Wheelie said, even though Tigger’s words cut him. The truth was, no matter how he rationalized it, hedidbetray a brother; something heneverthought he’d do. “Fuck it,” he muttered as he picked up his glass.
“You should’ve kept your cool. I’m pretty sure this emergency church is about kicking Tigger’s ass out. Fuck, man. No one had to know if you only would’ve kept your head,” Smokey said as he offered a joint to Wheelie and Rags.
“Yeah… well… I’ve been keeping my cool for too damn long. I should’ve done this two years ago. I should’ve been there tonight to protect Sofia.” Wheelie slammed the second double down his throat, the smoky burn feeling good.
“Don’t blame yourself for the shit that fucker did,” Rags said.
But he did.I told her I’d have her back. She told me she felt safe with me. I fuckin’ let her down… just like Kendra.“Give me another.”
By the time Doc arrived, Wheelie had a pretty good buzz going on. Doc unwrapped the blood-soaked T-shirt. “What’s going on tonight?” he muttered under his breath. “Let’s go to a room. I’ll give you some pain pills, but you have to take them after the alcohol gets out of your system.”
“I don’t need pain pills. I’m not a fuckin’ pussy,” Wheelie slurred as Rags, Animal, and Smokey helped him to one of the empty rooms.
While the doctor stitched him, all Wheelie could think about was Sofia and how Tigger used her as a punching bag. “I shoulda helped Sofia,” he said over and over.
Doc numbed the area and started putting the ripped flesh back together. “Settle down. The little lady is doing just fine.”
“You saw her? Where is she?”
“At Banger’s. She’ll be sore for a while, but she’ll be just fine. Now calm down so I can concentrate on what I’m doing.”
Wheelie closed his eyes and Sofia’s green eyes sparkled through the haze of booze.My Sofia. My love. My life.
Then he passed out.
***
The following afternoon,Wheelie sat next to Throttle and Animal in the meeting room as they waited for church to begin. As the members came into the room, they avoided eye contact with Wheelie, and he couldn’t say that he blamed them: He betrayed a brother. Plain and simple.
Earlier that morning he’d tried to call, then text, Sofia, but she didn’t answer, and he’d made up his mind that once church was over, he’d go over to Banger’s to see her.
Banger walked in with Hawk, and the two of them looked like someone had died. Wheelie knew that what was about to happen wasn’t going to be good. The air in the room was charged with anxiety, regret, and sadness. The usual bantering and joviality of the members before Banger called the meeting to order was absent. The room was as quiet as a tomb while brothers stared ahead at their leaders with dazed faces. Tigger was conspicuously absent, and his cohorts—Skeet and Cruiser—glowered at Wheelie.
Banger brought the gavel down and cleared his throat. “I called this emergency meeting to take a vote about keeping Tigger in the club.”
“That’s fuckin’ bullshit,” Skeet said in a voice loud enough for Wheelie to hear.
“Some of you may not know this, but Tigger beat the shit outta his old lady real bad last night. She’s lucky to still be with us.”
Heat flushed through Wheelie, and he ground his teeth as he stared forward.
“Banger and I went over to their house last night, and we had to call Doc to help out with some of Sofia’s injuries,” Hawk added.
