He wouldn't have admitted it, but Chibs had felt his heart sink when Stahl slapped the cuffs on V. Though he'd told himself, just as they all had, that the ATF didn't have anything on her and she'd be out before the sun went down, he still didn't like seeing her led to that black car. Unlike the rest of the Sons, who found novelty in a girl being arrested, even if it was V., for Chibs it brought back dark memories. Young girls with wide eyes and blood on their hands, pushed into dumpy squad cars, girls with bombs still strapped to their bodies, even his Fi, who'd never done time, but not for lack of trying. After this was all over, he'd be just as amused as the next guy at the thought of Stahl faced off with V., but until then it just wasn't striking him as funny.
The immediate tension in the Clubhouse didn't help. After what had happened with Opie, and Donna's death, it was an even more serious thing than before to imply someone might be a rat, and it had been all he could do to keep his temper hearing V.'s loyalty questioned. Chibs couldn't say he liked Tig, necessarily, but he got on with him fine. He was confident they always had one another's backs, as brothers should, and thought, when he gave it any thought at all, that behind Tig's cold exterior was loyalty and strength—qualities to be admired. Unlike Jax, he didn't feel compelled to challenge or argue with Tig. Still, Tig's constant insistence that there was something wrong with V., that she could be a danger to the club, set him on edge.
Looking around the room, Chibs saw everyone had returned to his own thing. Bobby was reading at the bar, Clay and Gemma talking at a table. Jax and Opie were playing pool. He'd been attempting to stay away from V., unsure that he was in control enough to handle her, but he wanted to see her now. When he went out to his bike, he told himself he was just going for a ride, but before long he was pointed in the direction of her new apartment. She might not be home yet, but he could wait for her.
As he pulled into the small parking lot, Chibs' eyes narrowed behind his sunglasses. Another motorcycle? Pulling closer, he recognized the bike as Tig's and felt himself go cold. Why the fuck would Tig be here?
A rush of images flooded Chibs' mind. V., smiling through bloody lips, clearly wanting only more pain. Fi, leaving him for Jimmy because he was "too soft." Himself, on his knees in front of V. after her fight. It had happened, then. She'd sensed too much caring in him, too little control, and she'd moved on to someone who would hurt her more. Happy had declined. Tig was perfect. A natural sadist, and for V., all the better that he couldn't stand her. For a moment, all Chibs felt was sad. Then the anger came.
-0-
By the time V. was finally released from the police station, she was well and truly pissed. Being kept in a small windowless room for five or six hours for no real reason did not put her in a particularly giving frame of mind. To top that, though, she was furious at Chibs for not telling her about the wife and kid, and even madder at herself for caring. Not wanting to take a chance on seeing him, or really seeing anyone, she decided that rather than call someone to pick her up, she'd walk the couple of miles from the station to her house.
When she got to her block, V. was sweaty and in an even worse frame of mind. Turning into the small lot in front of her building, she saw a motorcycle and groaned. As she approached, intending to see whose bike it was, she saw its owner leave the building, pulling his gloves on as he walked right towards her. Tig.
"What the fuck?" When Tig looked up and saw her, a second of panic flashed across his cold eyes. He moved closer to her quickly, menacingly. "What are you doing here?"
V. smirked. Catching you at whatever it is you don't want anybody to know about, she thought. "I live here," she said. "I moved in upstairs about a week ago. What are you doing here?"
Tig couldn't believe what she was saying. It took a second for it to sink in. She lived here. Upstairs. Upstairs from Aisha. Fuck.
"I think you know someone else in the building," V. continued, enjoying his discomfort. "A little girl called Aisha?"
Tig's posture moved from uncomfortable to furious. "What the fuck do you know about Aisha?" he hissed, his face uncomfortably close to hers.
V. raised her eyebrows. "Only what the agent just told me. That she lives here and has some sort of relationship with you." She saw no reason to mention having seen them out her window. "She's got pictures. Says she's gonna bring the girl in."
Tig grabbed V.'s shoulder, hard. "What the fuck did you tell that Fed?" His face was twisted now, threatening.
V. kept calm. "Didn't tell her anything. Said I just moved here, don't know my neighbors, and don't give a shit who you fuck."
Tig let go. V. was amazed at how panicked he seemed, and struggled not to smile. No matter if they were in the shit or not, it was a beautiful thing to see Tig sweat.
Tig's face was guarded now, hating to have to ask V. for anything, but needing to know what she knew. "What did she say?"
V. continued to hide her smile. This is killing you, isn't it? she thought. Having to ask me for information? "Don't think she's got much. Knows the girl's name is Aisha and that she lives here." Then, unable to stop herself, she added, "She might think Aisha is your daughter. I did."
Tig scowled. "And the bitch going to bring her in?"
V. nodded. "So she said."
"Shit." Tig was quiet a moment.
"The Club doesn't know about her, do they?" V. wasn't sure she should ask.
Tig didn't answer, but his face made it clear. Aisha, whoever she was, was a secret.
They're gonna have to know now, Tig thought. There was no way he was going to be able to keep Aisha hidden from the club if the Feds got to her.
"Look," V. said, meeting Tig's eyes, "I'm not going to tell anybody. But if she's gonna be a threat to the club, you'd better find a new place to stash her."
Tig nodded curtly. Oddly, he believed V. when she said she wouldn't tell the Club about Aisha. She had no reason to offer him the courtesy, but he didn't think she was lying.