Motorcycle clubs have always been a boys club. It makes sense: the violence, the hierarchy, the fact that they haven't exactly met the women's movement. Now, there's a new club in Northern Cali, looking to make a name for itself. It's already allied...
Happy slammed the door of the clubhouse open, striding through it as Tiki followed slower and at a safe distance. The big man was clearly pissed about something and Opie winced as he saw the pinched look of pain on Tiki's face and her hand gripping her side. His eyes widened as he noticed the blood seeping through her shirt and between her fingers.
"What the fuck happened?"
Happy shook his head and glared as he grabbed a bar towel and thrust it into the smaller woman's hands. "Where's Chibs?"
Opie shook his head. "Not here, man. He went with Tony, Alvie, Juice, and Jax up to Cara Cara. The girls are supposed to be checking it out today."
Tiki cursed as she reached into her back pocket for her phone. She shrugged and grinned around a wince of pain as she looked at the burner in her hand. "That would explain why I have ten missed calls."
Opie looked at the door of the clubhouse with a frown. "Where's Tig? He left a little while ago, said he was meeting you two."
Happy nodded. "He did. He's taking care of the trash while I deal with her." Happy turned a sour look in Tiki's direction. "Come on, I'll stitch you up."
Tiki shook her head quickly, a look akin to panic on her face, making Opie grin and shake his head. He had to admit, things had been a lot more interesting since the girls joined the fold. He had honestly thought that Happy would have Tiki locked down by now, but apparently, that was proving to be difficult. "Can't Opie do it? Or we can wait for Tig?"
She looked at Opie for help, making him smirk bigger. "Happy's better at medical stuff than I am, darlin, and Tig knows less than I do. Sorry."
She rolled her eyes as she shifted on her feet. "Yeah, well, he's pissed and liable to make it hurt a lot more than it should."
Happy gave her a wholly evil smirk and nodded slowly. "You're right, that could happen."
Opie couldn't contain his laughter at the look on Tiki's face. "So what happened? I thought Tig said this was a simple clean-up job."
Happy rolled his eyes in annoyance and hooked a thumb at a now-seething Tiki. "It should have been, but instead of sticking to the plan and letting me get in through the back, someone decided to play Dirty Harriet without checking to make sure the asshole was unarmed."
It was Tiki's turn to roll her eyes. "Oh, come on, I made sure he didn't have a gun. How was I supposed to know he was packing a switchblade?"
Opie snorted at the look of disbelief on Happy's face as the big man slapped his hand down on the bar. "Gee, I don't fucking know. Oh yeah, maybe you wait on back up!" He pointed a finger at the hallway to the dorms. "Last door on the left, now, Theresa."
Tiki flipped him off as she strode toward the hall as fast as her wound would let her. "You don't have to be a dick!"
Happy smirked to spite himself as he shook his head. "Oh yeah? Wait until I have that needle in my hand, you brat." He turned to an openly amused Opie. "Tell Tig to hang out when he gets back. As soon as I'm done, I'll drive her up to Cara Cara in the van. She doesn't need to be on a bike anymore today. Call Jax and let him know we'll be there in a while."
Opie just chuckled and nodded as Happy strode after Tiki, grabbing a bottle of Jack Daniels on his way past the bar.
When he reached his room, he found that Tiki had already removed her shirt and tossed it in the trash. He sat the bottle of whiskey on the bedside table and opened his dresser, first for a clean shirt and then for a couple of towels that he laid on the bed. He motioned for her to lay down before he moved her hands and removed the bar towel from her side.
He winced when he saw that the cut was about five inches long and ran from right under her right breast down almost to the top of her jeans. Thankfully, the asshole hadn't had time to properly stab her. "There might be some Vicodin or codeine laying around somewhere if you want me to look." Tiki shook her head quickly, looking away from his face as he sighed. "You can stop the silent treatment, little girl. None of this is my fault and you're not going to make me feel bad for being pissed off."
Tiki sighed and shook her head. "I'm just pissed at myself. I thought I had him, I swear I did. I didn't think the prick was going to pull a knife on me."
Happy just looked at her before he stood up. "Gonna get a wet towel to clean this off. Lay still." He was back in two minutes or less, kneeling beside the bed to get a better look at what needed to be done. "The fact that you underestimated him is why you should have waited. You knew the plan, you should have stuck to it. He could have killed you before I could get to you."
Tiki blew out a breath, then hissed when Happy made the first stitch. "I'm not used to having to answer to someone."
Happy shook his head as he worked quickly but neatly. "It's not about that, T. It's basic shit, babe. You come up with a plan, you stick to that plan. See what happens when you don't?" He cursed under his breath. "This thing between us... that's not what this is about. I know you think it's about me wanting to take charge, to protect you, but it's not. I know you can handle yourself, but T, like I said before, this lone wolf shit is stupid. You're used to handling all of this stuff yourself, which is also stupid, to begin with. Me and Tig, we work as a team, neither of us goes in without a plan and help."
Tiki sighed as Happy stood up and moved to the top of his dresser for the bandages and tape. "I get what you're saying, but you're going to have to cut me some slack until I get used to having back-up."
Happy smirked as he walked back over and helped her sit up on the side of the bed. While he bandaged her side, she traced the snake tattoo on his skull with one finger. "Nah, babe, that was your only chance to get that shit straight. Next time you break protocol, I'll beat your ass."
