Anders. I haven’t had the heart to tell him. But my silence might get him hurt, too.
I return downstairs to where Topanga and Mama ignore each other. Sitting in between them on the couch, I look at Lana nearby in a chair.
“In the clubhouse’s restroom before they stuck me in the toilet,” I begin, and Topanga and Lana instantly lean forward to hear more, “DeAnna said when Wyatt becomes president, he plans to kill Anders. I’m afraid to tell my grand sequoia what they said. Those hags knew I was in the restroom. They might have been saying lies to upset me. But what if Anders is in danger? I should have told him. Wyatt could hurt him tonight.”
“No,” Topanga says, waving away my fears. “Wyatt won’t be anywhere near Anders tonight.”
“How do you know?” Lana asks. “Did you hear their plan?”
“No, but I know Bronco, and Wyatt sets him off. So, of course, he’ll assign Wyatt to a spot away from him. And Anders always follows Bronco around. Meaning, Wyatt and Anders won’t be in the same place.”
“But what about after tonight?” I ask, and Mama takes my hand to comfort me. “DeAnna said they would put a bullet in his big head. Is Anders safe in this community?”
Lana doesn’t help by looking as freaked out as I feel. But she’s a new member of the Woodlands community, too. I remind myself that she only came here after Carina was born, and the baby is still very small.
Topanga pats my free hand and shushes me. “I know hearing those bitches talk shit about your man got you riled up. I’d be just as pissed if they said that about Lowell. But here are a few facts that should help calm you, okay?”
Once I nod, she continues, “Wyatt will never be the Executioners’ president. Everyone in this community except for Wyatt and DeAnna knows this fact. Even Taryn knows Conor is who Bronco plans to tap for the top spot. So, when Wyatt and his bitch bride talk shit about how they’ll run things, they’re living in a fantasy world. The founding members of the Executioners will have a say. They want Conor as president. Not only because he’s calmer and smarter than Wyatt. It’s also a gift to their dead friend, Wheels. When they look at Conor, they see the man that helped build the club.”
After thinking about her words, I ask, “What if Wyatt still decides to hurt Anders?”
“Baby, that shithead doesn’t have the balls to challenge Bronco in a fight. How the hell will he grow testicles big enough to take on a giant?”
Her words are meant to soothe me, but they only reaffirm how people don’t realize my blond bear bleeds just like everyone else.
“Anders is very big, but he has been hurt so many times. I don’t want anyone else scarring his body.”
“I know, but you’ll need to learn how to tell when people are full of hot air.” When I frown at her wording, Topanga shrugs. “Lying? Full of shit? Bragging?”
“Like John Marks,” Mama says, and I exhale uneasily.
“Can you understand how the rules are confusing?” I ask Topanga. “Taryn and DeAnna can shove me into a toilet without getting in trouble because they’re special. But they’re also not to be believed?”
“They get special treatment because of Rooster and Bambi, who founded the club. Those bitches haven’t earned anything themselves. DeAnna’s family has a little money, so she feels like a princess or some shit. But Wyatt cheats on her just like he would if he married a waitress or a homeless chick. DeAnna will stop being special the day Wyatt gets bored of her. Taryn will always be special because she came out of Bambi’s snatch. That’s just the way the world works, but Bronco is the one who calls the shots. Notice how your man is always with him, and DeAnna’s man is always somewhere else? That’s what really matters. Not some crap they say in a restroom.”
“So, I shouldn’t tell Anders?” I ask, wanting to avoid upsetting him.
“I’ll talk to Lowell about it. You and Lana are still new to this world, and talking club business with your men isn’t easy. I have no trouble blurting shit out to Lowell, and he keeps no secrets from Bronco. If they think Wyatt is a threat, they’ll deal with him. You just worry about getting healthy and settling into your new home.”
Exhaling easier this time, I squeeze Mama’s hand. Topanga might rub us