Page 19 of Light

"I didn't... He just lost it... I wasn't..." He sighs hard and lets his arms flop down to his side. Obviously realizing that there's nothing he can say that's going to make him right in this situation. "You're right. My bad." Nothing but that.

I turn to look at Semi who is still nearly frothing at the mouth to get to Vinny but at least he's not throwing elbows anymore. Both Torch and Hook are out of breath trying to hold him back.

My eyes scan the area and I see in the background near the rooms Brick is standing observing the situation. Luna is right by his side with a wide eyed expression on her face. She's no stranger to violence.

"Semi!" Brick finally barks out and Semi turns his head in that direction. "We need to kill his ride?"

Everyone looks at Semi waiting for his answer. Torch is the most nervous I can tell. He's the one who sponsored Vinny, so having his prospect ride cut short would look bad on him. Unfortunately it's one of the many rules that make up this club. Any patch member can keep a prospect from completing their prospect run for any reason. If whatever Vinny did to piss Semi off was enough to prevent him from getting his top rocker all Semi has to do is say yes.

There's a heavy silence in the room as we all wait for Semi's answer.

"Nah, just keep him the fuck away from me." Semi shrugs Hook and Torch off his arms and storms out of the clubhouse.

"What the hell happened?" I look between Torch and Hook, both of them shaking their heads equally as confused as I am.

"Light," Brick shouts to me but his gaze is still locked on Vinny. I don't know what kind of punishment the poor guy is going to endure but I'm sure he isn't going to like it.

"Yeah, Prez?"

"Go check on Semi."

I nod once and rush out the door trying to catch up with Semi. By the time I make it outside, Semi is already halfway across the courtyard and on his way to his shop.

"Semi! Hold up!" I yell for him but he doesn't even slow down. Semi isn't the type of person to get angry. Hook and Brick, absolutely. A person could look at them the wrong way and they'd be ready to slice them from ear to ear. Semi isn't like that. He's a jerk but his baseline is calm and collected.

I follow Semi across the courtyard, my boots kicking up dust with every step. He reaches the wide steel door to his shop and throws it open so hard it bounces off the stopper and rattles back into place. Without looking at me, he marches inside.

Semi’s place smells like grease, gasoline, and something sharper, something electric. It’s a wide-open workspace, with three separate bays big enough to house full-size rigs. His pride and joy, a gleaming black Peterbilt, is tucked into the farthest bay. The second bay holds a battered red Kenworth he’s been rebuilding for months. The third is empty, stripped down to bare concrete and oil stains.

There’s a cluttered desk shoved against one wall, loaded down with paperwork, cheap coffee cups, and a few ratty flyers for custom jobs. An old vending machine hums in the corner. Hand tools are stacked on pegboards. A few Brutal Chains MC T-shirts and hats hang on a rack near the door, the kind of cheap merch we sling at local events.

This is Semi's kingdom. Organized chaos, built tough and stubborn, just like the man himself.

I step inside, letting the door close behind me.

"Semi," I call out, softer now.

He heads straight for the workbench, gripping the edge so hard his knuckles turn white. His shoulders are heaving like he’s trying to wrestle himself under control.

"Just fucking drop it, Light," he growls without turning around.

I walk farther in, planting myself about ten feet back. I know better than to push Semi when he’s like this... but damn if my curiosity isn’t eating me alive.

"Look, you don't lose your shit unless there's a damn good reason. So either tell me, or I'm gonna stand here annoying the hell out of you until you do."

For a second, I think he’s going to keep stonewalling me. Then he exhales hard through his nose and shoves away from the bench.

"It’s Vinny," he mutters. "He found some shit when he was cleaning out my rig."

I frown. "What shit?"

Semi glares at me like I’m the idiot. "Pictures."

I cross my arms over my chest. "Pictures of what?"

Semi scrubs a hand over his shaved head. "My ex. Claire."

The name drops heavy between us, heavier than anything he could have punched Vinny over.

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