Page 192 of Savior
Ruger stops struggling against Viking as Cherry’s words settle in his mind. Though Dean still looks like he wants to hurt him.
Cherry turns to Dean, placing her small hands against his heaving chest, pleading with him to look at her, trying to convince him that nobody thinks he’s capable of that kind of evil, Ruger was just confused, emotions are high.
His eyes drop to hers, and after a few seconds, he begins to calm from his rage. The brief, though intimate moment between them stirs a feeling inside of me that I can’t yet identify. But it doesn’t feel good. I push it back down. There’s far too much going on right now to focus any attention on deciphering this unpleasant emotion.
“I’m sorry, Dean.” Ruger mutters.
Dean doesn’t say a word to him. He glances at Diesel and Chopper, and they release him. His arms wrap around Cherry, her arms wrap around his neck, and I wonder how Axel doesn’t seem to be the least bit jealous, let alone bothered at all, by their closeness. When Dean releases Cherry, he passes her back into Axel’s waiting arms, before he nearly glares at all of the members of his MC.
“I’m the reason the CDMC is here. I’m the reason they’re systematically dismantling our county.” He says. “The reason neither Cherry, nor I, recognized him, is because neither of us had ever seen Legion before. The Chrome Demons were known in the area for drug distribution and prostitution. I was aware of their reputation. I never knew, for certain, they were connected to the Devils Scorpions MC.”
“Why are the Chrome Demons wreaking havoc on us, and not the Devils Scorpions?” Dozer asks.
“Because the Devils Scorpions, are all dead.” Dean mutters. The room falls to silence again. “When I told Legion the truth about that crew… It disturbed him. It shook him up. I saw it in his eyes. He had no idea what Asmo was involved in.”
“Who is Asmo to Legion?” Ruger asks.
“They had the same creepy gray eyes.” Dean replies.
“Fuck… You killed his brother?” Ruger asks.
Dean says nothing. Neither confirming, nor denying, anything.
“Well… that sure explains a few things.” Ruger says.
“I wanted to wait on retaliating against them, until I knew where Legion stood after learning the truth about his brother.” Dean sighs, clenching his fists and pressing his knuckles on the wooden table. Leaning against it, he drops his head low.
“How long have you known this was the root of everything?” Ruger asks.
“Legion made it clear, last night.” Dean says, lifting his eyes to stare at me once more from across the tense room. I can see a flicker of guilt in his eyes. He’s telling the truth. But it’s not the whole truth.
“We’ve known all this time he was from Arizona. You didn’t think to disclose this little history lesson before now?” Ruger presses.
Dean’s darkening gaze shifts back to him. “I’ve done a lot of shit in Arizona. And there are a lot of MCs all across this fuckin’ country, just like them. Hell, some of you motherfuckers used to roll with a few of them.” Dean growls back at him. “Any one of you, has something in your past, that could come back to bite you. That could blow back on the rest of us because of our association with each other. Not to mention, you all thought I was fuckin’ paranoid when I tried to tell you I believed Legion has been behind everything going on in this town, all along.” Dean sighs, shaking his head before he continues. “He wanted to drag us down… Mark 5:9 was about more than simply taunting us with his name. The whole fucking passage was a warning. We’re all seeking redemption through the mission of this MC, in one way or another, for various crimes. But Legion means to pull us back into the darkness. Corrupt us. He was hoping there would be retaliation for what happened last night.”
“Things would have been different, if you two would have said something months ago.” Ruger points at both Dean and Cherry.
“Back the fuck off, bro.” Axel warns him again. “If Cherry knew who Legion was, she would have said something the night they showed up.”
“I didn’t recognize him because I never met him, or anyone in his crew.” She reiterates. “He came right up to me and shook my hand the night of Axel’s patching in party. And if even I didn’t know who Legion was, how could Dean have known?”
The brothers seem to find a little contentment in her words.
However, I know the real answer to that. Gila Bend. Aaron Hopper. Dean has at least suspected since the investigation months ago, when Jack had us in the cabin. When it was revealed that his accomplice was from Arizona. It didn’t make any sense to me, then. But it does, now.
My eyes drift back to Dean’s to find them pained. I say nothing. If they’re all willing to accept this half-truth, fine. I won’t be the one to throw my baby’s father under the bus.
“They’re going to want revenge for burning down their club house.” Dozer chimes in after a few moments of silence.
“We’re seriously outnumbered by them. You two fucked up, big time.” Ruger says to Viking and Axel.
“What’s done is done.” I can almost hear the defeat in Dean’s tone. “The Jokers will stand with us. That even’s shit out. But we might not have to worry too much.”
“How do you figure that?” Ruger asks.
“Like I said… Legion didn’t seem to have any idea what his brother was involved in. When he confirms the truth for himself, this all might be over.”
“That’s a Hell of a lot of wishful thinking.” Ruger scoffs.
