Page 190 of Savior
“This was a Goddamned, motherfucking, blatant act of fucking War!” Dean nearly shouts. His angry gaze shifting between Viking and Axel as he stands at the head of the Saviors MC table. “Unsanctioned at that.”
I’ve never been inside this room before, not while the MC is holding what they call Church. Both Cherry and I have been summoned to the War Room. We stand side by side, near the closed doors, keeping our mouths shut and simply listening. The prospects weren’t invited. Sitting at the table, are only the fully patched members of the Saviors MC.
“You do a whole lotta unsanctioned shit.” Axel mutters under his breath. Cherry’s grip on my arm tightens slightly, as if she’s nervous or afraid. I’ve never seen Axel talk back to Dean. Though, ever since that night in the cabin, there’s been a shift in Axel. It’s as if his almost Hero Worship of Dean, has faded in some way.
Dean’s scowling eyes cut back to Axel. “You two fucked up in epic proportions last night. There’s no fixing this.”
“They attacked first!” Axel shouts across the table. “We’re just supposed to let them get away with what they did last night? To our fucking president!”
“I’m alive.” Dean says on a sigh laced with regret.
“Who’s to say you would be if we didn’t show up when we did?” Axel snaps back.
“He doesn’t want me dead. Yet.” Dean’s gaze shifts back to Viking. “How could you let him do this?”
Viking frowns at him. “Let him? Hell, I bought the gasoline.”
“Jesus fuck.” Dean shakes his head as if he still can’t believe it.
“I’m going to say something, and I don’t mean any disrespect to you, Vanna.” Axel says, looking at me now with a regretful expression in his sweet blue eyes, before he shifts his attention back to Dean. “But you wouldn’t be saying shit if it was Vanna. Hell, you killed the man who hurt her.”
“The fuck are you two even fighting about?” Ruger asks. “What the Hell does burning down the CDMC’s club house have to do with Cherry? I thought this was retaliation for what Legion did to you?”
“It has nothing to do with Cherry.” Dean replies, hard eyeing Axel. This time, Axel stays quiet. “Legion didn’t know Cherry existed. He never knew.”
Axel looks appallingly surprised. “You actually believe that?”
“I’m not saying he isn’t our enemy. He may still be our enemy. But Legion had no idea about Cherry. Legion did try to infiltrate the Saviors. He wanted to corrupt us from within. Drag us back into the darkness. Force us back into some old ways… That’s what that bible quote was about. He was going to cast his Demons into our MC. He was taunting us with that message. He would have twisted the Saviors MC into something evil under the guise of good… Me taking over, threw a wrench into that plan. Legion probably faulted Preacher for allowing that to happen, and killed him for it. He’s clever, and adaptable. But his motives have nothing to do with Cherry… It’s about me.”
“Why you?” Ruger asks.
“Because of shit that should have stayed buried in the desert. They’re here for me. Not Cherry. Not any of you. At this point, you’re all just collateral damage… avenues to hurt me through.”
“Viking was right, wasn’t he?” Ruger asks. “You fucked up someone close to him. You and your vigilante bullshit brought him and his drug peddling Demons to our county.”
The muscles in Dean’s jaw tick, but he nods, letting out a gruff sigh. “Yeah, I guess you could fuckin’ say that, Ruger.”
“Dean…” Cherry begins to say, when he shoots her a stern look, silencing her.
Ruger notices their exchange as well. “Ain’t Cherry from the desert?” he asks, his eyes settling on her with suspicion.
“Careful, bro.” Axel warns him. “I don’t like the way you’re looking at my girl.”
“Fuck you, Axel.” Ruger snaps. “It’s a simple fucking question.”
To my surprise Axel shoves Ruger, and suddenly the room seems to erupt all at once, and like an earth quake, split in half. Brothers divided, arguing and shouting over one another. I watch the remorse flicker behind Dean’s eyes as it all unfolds before him.
“This all boils down to you! How could you have kept this from us all this time?” Ruger shifts his focus back on Dean.
“I didn’t realize who he was when they first rolled into town. And when I did, it wasn’t all my story to tell.” Dean says.
“You’ve put the entire MC and our families in Legion’s cross hairs!” Ruger steps angrily towards him, and my instinct to rush to Dean’s side has my feet moving in his direction before I can think. Cherry grabs my arm, halting me.
Viking steps between Dean and Ruger.
Ruger glares up at him. “And you! You fucking asshole! You and Axel! You really did just start a war!”
“The fucking war started the night the Demons took up in that diner and pulled into our lot!” Viking counters him. “What Axel and I did, was a long time coming! And knowing what I do now, I’d have done it sooner!”
