Page 33 of Ethan's Sky

“Easy brother.” Caleb grits holding onto Ghost’s shoulder. “The only reason Ethan here is being such an ass is because the girl he loved came back to town and now his underwear is squeezing his brain a little too tight. This isn’t easy for any of us, but the last thing we need is to shed each other’s blood, yeah? George wouldn’t want that.”

Grumbles and grunts are heard around the table.

“He’s only pissed because he knows I’m right.” I grumble.

“What you are…is an ass.” Eli says, his right eyebrow is raised, his facial expression, not amused. “And about thirty seconds shy of a serious fucking beat down.”

I shrug him off. I could give two shits what he thinks about me or my opinions when it comes to Skyler Sinclair. She’s got all these fuckers fooled.

“You’re out of line, Ethan, and you fucking know it! You’re this fucking close to losing your patch. Is that what you want?” Gabe snaps, pointing his finger in my direction.

Fuck no, it’s not what I want. And I don’t hesitate to say so.

“No.”

“Then I suggest you stay in your seat and shut the hell up. I mean it. Not another goddamn word out of you about Skyler. Am I clear?”

“Pres...”

“I said…Am. I. Fucking. Clear?”

“I’m just...” The look he gives me stops me short of my explanation. I decide to heed the warning given. “Yeah, we’re clear.” I say dejected and furiously fuming. I have no choice but to back down. I may have lost everything before because of Skyler, but I’m not about to lose my patch and my chosen family because of her bullshit too. I’ll get through whatever this is with George’s death, and then I’ll worry about getting her ass out of here, permanently.

“We’re all fucked up over this, but now isn’t the time. Everybody shut the hell up so Mack can finish telling us what we need to know, and we can all get the hell out of here. We need some air and a fucking drink.Jesus.” Gabe drops his hand and gives Mack a chin lift to continue.

“We do think George may have known what was coming for him and you’re right. He was trying to keep the club away from whoever it was, that’s why he kept it to himself.” We all look to Mack for further explanation after the little bomb he just dropped. “It may also be why he called Parisi. It’s possible he struck a deal with Parisi to keep the club away from whatever he was involved in.”

Vincenzo Parisi is the head of a well-known mafia family with a far-reaching hand. He’s also a friend of the club. More like a business associate. He owns several dance clubs, bars, gentlemen’s clubs, and a few larger hotel venues he uses for weddings or other grand events. He often has famous bands and performers coming throughout the year. He hires Garrison Security to help with those big events or guarding some of the special talent he brings in to perform at his venues. With Garrison running the security, it frees Parisi’s men to tend to his otherbusinesses ventures.

The MC isn’t involved in the behind-the-scenes stuff. Gabe doesn’t want our hands in anything illegal unless it’s absolutely necessary, and since the club owns a gun shop and shooting range, we don’t get involved with Parisi’s arms dealing operation…often. On the rare occasion he may have something we need and can’t legally obtain for whenever larger problems arise.

“Why would he want to keep the club away? Who could he be afraid of that he wouldn’t want the club involved?” Jake asks the question, but we’re all thinking the same thing. There aren’t many people the club wouldn’t want to go up against, but it doesn’t mean we wouldn’t if the need arose.

“It may be less about him wanting to keep the club uninvolved and more about wanting Skyler to be kept safe.” Eli suggests. “If the club goes hunting, Skyler’s left unguarded. Or it’s possible he considered the fallout if his enemies came to your door and Skyler was hiding here. George was covering all the bases.”

“But getting Parisi involved, “Jameson starts, “had to come with a hefty price.”

“We need to know what kind of deal he made with Parisi. I know he’s a friend of the club, but if George made a deal, we need to know if Skyler will be on the hook for George’s debt.” Jameson adds, looking around the room at the old timers for some answers. He must think the same thing I do. They know more than they’re letting on.

The room is quiet for a minute.

“What we should really be asking is who the fuck killed George and who are they sending a message to?” Jameson interjects.

“How do we know it was him who was in trouble?” I ask. I’m still hard pressed to believe it was George and not Skyler who is in trouble. I don’t have time to ask all the questions floating through my mind about how George would even know to go to Parisi because Jameson is already onto the next question.

Seems everyone was keeping secrets from everyone.

Just fucking great.

“Maybe Ethan’s right. Maybe it wasn’t George who was in trouble. Maybe it is Skyler.” Hawk proposes.

All heads turn my way. Not one of them seem pleased with the assumption, but they know it’s a valid point.

I shrug. “Wouldn’t be the first time she…”

Ghost stands, slamming his chair back into the wall, the movement cutting off my train of thought. Ghost points a finger in my direction. “You better watch yourself kid.” He spouts off before taking his seat. Gabe leans forward on the table bracing himself there.

Kid. Not brother. I see where his fealty lies.

---