Steel guardians

Chapter 5

Gunner

I make my way into the club house as I see prospects running up and down cleaning the place for the engagement party. Empty beer bottles and cigarette butts line the floors. "What happened here last night?" I ask, "do we not have ashtrays here?"

"Pres got a little sloshed." Axel says emerging from the bathroom. "He had some 'friends' over.'" He says. He suddenly reverts his attention to his phone and I see a grin on his face.

"I thought you guys went to the bar," I say but he pays me no attention whatsoever, "who are you chatting to with that stupid grin on your face?"

"I could ask you the same thing." He says.

"Oh please I don't grin at my electronic devices."

"You're on your phone a lot lately and it doesn't look like you're not enjoying whatever messages you've been receiving." He says. "I met someone last night."

"You're dating a stripper?" I furrow my brows.

"We aren't dating, and yes she's a stripper." He shrugs, "we all do what we can to put food on the table. Even if the morale behind it isn't good."

"Touche." I say remembering that I sell illegal weapons for a living. So I probably can't pass judgement. I just didn't picture Axel ever getting serious, let one with a stripper. Then again this will probably pass quickly and he'll be onto the next one.

"So hows the whole Gina thing?" He asks. I was hoping no one would bring it up. Then again I should've known they would. I can't trust everybody in the club, but the reason it was started was because of brotherhood. I trust Axel with my life, if I can't tell him who can I tell?

"Well Chloe actually heard something interesting at the hospital yesterday."

"Why was she there?" He furrows his brows.

"Collecting autopsy results for her article I guess." I shrug. "But she heard Cathy and Gina, they were faking the paternity test so that it'd show positive. I would've spent 18 years raising someone else's child."

"Jesus." He says as a look of disbelief crawls across his face. "Well have you spoken to Gina yet?"

"No." He says, "I'm thinking about how to handle it."

"Well at least you found out now."

"I actually wanted to talk to you about Chloe." I say.

"Why?"

"You didn't tell me she was a detective in the city." I say.

He freezes, his lips quiver as if they're jumping over words trying to pick the right ones to use. "I'm sure you can understand why."

"I do. But it's also going to put her in danger." He says.

"Malik won't do anything." He scoffs.

"I'm not so sure about that Axel." I say. "I think he's going to flip when he finds out."

"Chloe would never do anything to raise suspicion. Not as long as I'm in the club."