Tank

23 - What will be will be

Tank

When I was inducted into Snakes Henchmen MC, I pledged to honor and protect the club, my brothers, their Old Ladies, and their kids. Well, those who had them, at all costs. I have followed the rules and lived for my club since I was seventeen. I’ve fought, killed, and almost died for my club multiple times. I’m the man who takes charge in situations that require punishment to be doled out. My brother may be Sergeant-At-Arms, but I enforce the rules of the club. New members, old members. I am someone in this club. However, looking at the Prez right now, I may well be on my way to the grave.

I didn’t want to do this right now. Now is neither the time nor place to do this. Especially when Nova told me point blank that she wanted to go slowly. But I know he won’t let me walk out of this room until he’s had his say.

“You were warned to stay away from my daughter.” Shepard stands at his full height with his arms folded across his big chest. The man might be fifty-one, but he's as strong as a man half his age. He’s also as dangerous as they come and not afraid to kill a man in the worst way. Even a member of our own club.

“She needed a friend these past few days.”

“A friend.” He hums while scratching his cheek with his thumb. Ah, hell, he’s more pissed than I thought he would be.

How pissed did you think he’d be, Tank? This is his daughter you’re messing with.

But I’m not messing with her, not at all.

I know I was once a fuckin’ dic.k, a man who fucke.d for fun whenever and wherever, but I’ve given it all up for Nova. I never lied about that.

“And the fact my granddaughter clings to you as though you were her father? You don’t see that as a problem?”

No, but I can see you do.

“What is it you want me to say, Prez? I know what you told us all about staying away, and I have tried really hard, but I can’t.”

“You’re willin’ to go against me, boy? You’re willin’ to risk a bullet to your stupid brain over this?!”

“Dad!” Jett steps between us, his hand on his father’s chest. I don’t need Jett to stand up for me, although I don’t particularly want to square up to the Prez either. The man has never made a threat he didn’t carry out. “Don’t do this here. There’s a baby in the damned house. An innocent child. Just because he has feelings for Nova doesn’t mean she reciprocates.”

“I didn’t mean to fall in love with your daughter, Shepard.” Four sets of eyes burn holes into me. “I love her, and I want to make her my Old Lady.”

“Not happenin’!” Shepard takes another step towards me. Any closer, he’ll be within punching distance. “You think me a stupid man, Tank?”

“Of course not. But you’ve known me my whole life. Am I really that bad?”

“It’s because I know you that this ain’t happening. I asked one thing of you. You went against me, and you know what's comin’ now, Don’t you?”

I do know. I’m going to get a damn good beatdown for this.

“Nothing is coming.” We each turn our heads in Nova’s direction. She was quick. Ember couldn’t have fed much. Nova’s only been gone ten minutes. “I understand your rules and regulations, Dad. I respect them. However, you don’t get to choose whom you allow to love me. I have my own mind. I can choose for myself.”

“Not one of my boys, you don’t. He defied a direct order, and he knows...”

“If you do anything to hurt him,” She cuts him off. “I will never forgive you. Ember and I love having Tank here with us.” She rubs her forehead in frustration. “I love him, Dad. I want to be his Old Lady.”

I smile while puffing my chest out like a lion. I fold my arms around my chest, pride filling me. This beautiful woman loves me just as I love her, and she wants to be my Old Lady.

Well, fuc.k me.

Nova walks over to me and slides her arm around my back. I unlock my arms and wrap my left around her waist, holding her close to me. Shepard’s eyes widen in anger. Jett is shaking his head at me. He knows as well as I do that I’m pushing Shepard in a way I shouldn’t push him. Lynette and Willow are saying nothing. Then again, they know not to get involved in Shepard’s business.

“I know you’re angry, Daddy, and I am so sorry you feel that way, but Tank is a good man. He’s been so good to Ember and me. Tank thinks so much of you. He didn’t want to give in to his feelings for me. Believe me; he tried to deny them because he didn’t want to go against the man he felt saved his life as a child.”

Shepard looks at me for a moment.

I’ve never told him how thankful I am to him for what he did for me when I was a kid. I tried once, but he shooed me away.

“When Mandy brought Ember here, I was terrified, Dad. I had no idea what I would do. I thought trying to find my baby another new family would be best. However, Tank showed me that I could be her mother. If it wasn’t for him helping me see what Ember really means to me, God only knows where she would be now.

“In all the years I was without you, I was never taught what love really was. Yes, Celia said she loved me a couple of times. Butch told Celia he loved her once or twice, but that’s it. I never saw love between two people, so I didn’t know what that was. Then I saw how you are with Lynette, telling each other how much you love each other so effortlessly and not care who hears it. I see Willow and Jordan and how much they love each other.” Jordan is Willow's boyfriend, a prospect with the club. “I see the other guys with their women, and I don’t know, I guess, I started to believe I could feel that too.

“I was the one who initiated this whole thing between us. I was the one who chased after him. Tank told me more than once that nothing could ever happen between us because he wouldn’t go against you. But he loves me, Dad, and I love him. I don’t want you to hurt him when he’s done nothing wrong.”

“We’ll talk about this back at the clubhouse,” Shepard tells me.

I nod in his direction.

“If you hurt him, I promise you will never see Ember or me again. I will never forgive you if you do anything to hurt my Old Man.”

Hot Damn!

Shepard’s eyes widen, but I take Nova’s face in my hands before he can say anything. I can’t have her speaking to him like this it will only make things worse.

“What will be, will be.” I kiss her forehead before walking out of there, Shepard and Jett following closely behind me.