Today he woke up and just felt different. He didn’t know why, when you’re locked up in a cell for 23 hours a day, not much can go different. Maybe he was getting visitors? But the likelihood of that was damn near impossible because he was once again in solitary confinement. Besides he made Justin promise to never return to this place even if it was just for a visit.
He was never much of a dad to that boy. He got locked up for life when Justin turned two. The boy was much better off being raised by Paul and Lynn but Justin didn’t believe that as much as Randall did. Even when he was younger Randall could see that wild fire in his eyes. Always figured the boy would never be able to settle down, that was until Aiden came along. Paul had never really had a hold on Justin and he lost any grip he had when Aiden came along.
But Randall wasn’t complaining. Aiden made sure Justin would visit him on holidays and any other time they could. Paul and Lynn never knew of their visits, at least not until Justin himself got locked up. Then he got visits from all members of The Wolf Pack asking him to watch out for Justin. But he only listened to one of those pleas, Aiden’s. She was more dedicated to his son than his mama, than him, than Paul and than the club.
So he looked out for Justin and Justin looked out for him. Him and Justin probably spent more time locked up in solitary confinement than in their actual cells. Not to mention the fact that Justin, like him, liked to make money. So Randall would set up fights and the guards would bet on either Justin or whichever inmate he was fighting that day. You wouldn’t think it but it was a great bonding experience with his son and it made him proud to say he created him, with Lynn’s help of course.
He could still remember the day Justin showed up on the same cell block as him, probably The Wolf Pack’s doing. Everyone could tell Justin was his son, the boy looked exactly like him. Since then everyone wanted a piece of his son but unfortunately for them Justin was a great fighter. He could still remember Justin’s first fight in the prison courtyard.
* 2 years, 335 days, and 17 hours ago/ Justin’s View*
He took a look around him as he pulled his prison-issued hoodie over his head, covering his eyes from his opponent’s view. This particular fucker had been giving him shit about his AT tattoo for a whole month, labeling him “Ass-Tapper” since he walked off that transport bus. Today though he was going to kick his ass! Aiden had transferred money into his account so he could pay off the guards and set up this little fight.
This stupid fucker would learn his lesson. His freedom had been taken away when they locked him up but they couldn’t take his fight or his fire. And this fucker who dared to give him shit about something he got for Aiden was going to learn that the hard way. No one made fun of him or his girl without paying the consequences.
He past his fellow prisoners ignoring their jeers and slurs as he walked past. He wasn’t well liked by them but that would change when he won. All of them were nothing but sheep, followers, animals who were once men until too many days in a cell turned them. He would give them something to live for, something to fight for, something to enjoy.
He stepped into the middle of the courtyard, cracking his knuckles as they all gathered around him and his opponent. He rolled his head to the side as he jumped on his toes working out his shoulders as his opponent tried to stare him down. He tried not to smirk as his dad stepped between him and his opponent, Erik. He counted down as they both inched towards one another.
He removed his hoodie at the last minute before Erik took a swing at him, missing as Justin quickly dodged and countered with a swing of his own. He managed to dodge quite a few punches that were thrown at him and land a couple of his own during the fight but Erik had resorted to lowballing him. Pushing him back into the crowd as Erik’s buddies took their own punches at him before pushing him back into the circle.
He let out a cry of pain as a right then left uppercut met his ribcage. His left eye was one punch away from being swollen shut but he wasn’t going to stop fighting. His right fist connected with his opponent’s jaw and he watched as the guy stumbled a bit. He took this opportunity to unleash a mean left kick to his opponent’s right side and hit him with a left hook. He watched as Erik fell to the ground.
He smirked as he turned around and faced the crowd now cheering for him. His eyes followed as money was exchanged due to his knockout. Money that would be put in his pocket. That is why he did what he did. It was also something he was good at and something that would give him special privileges. Privileges like pictures of Aiden, maybe conjugal visits with her, extra food on his plate at dinner, an extra day of laundry but most importantly an in into the drug smuggling ring in the prison for the club.
*Back to Randall/Present day*
He had been so proud of Justin that day. He had taken Erik down a notch and had taken over the entire drug smuggling business in the prison on behalf of The Wolf Pack. It was a flawless system Justin had set up. Aiden would come for her weekly visit with Kale tagging along bringing some stuffed toy along with him. Justin would pay the guards to keep the toy his boy always gave him and then later he would cut it up for the drugs inside. Randall would stitch the toys back up before the guards noticed anything funny going on.
Now that Justin was out though he wasn’t included in the drug smuggling any more. Some other group had the drug hold and things were back to normal for him. Except Justin and Aiden made sure money was put into his account every week in order to keep him living comfortably inside the prison. And he would always be grateful to them for that. Grateful that they still cared to look after an old man who was rotting away in a cell.
“Prisoner 87757610, you’ve got visitors.” The guard shouted as he tapped on Randall’s door.
He rose to his feet, standing in front of his door with his hands out and his legs slightly spread. The heavy steel door slid open as the guards came in and shackled him up by his wrists and ankles.
“Will you remove these if my grandson’s there?” He asked the guards, trying to mask the hopefulness in his voice.
“Only if he’s there.” The guard told him as he nodded his head in understanding.
He walked down the hallway, almost laughing at the family members that were sitting in the visiting room when he showed up. They looked scared to death to be in the same space with him, frankly he was too old and too tired to try anything even if he wanted too. A smile grazed his face as Aiden and Kale walked into the visiting room but he started to frown when he noticed Justin was with them.
It’s not that he didn’t love and want to see his son, it was the fact that he made Justin promise to never come back here. He shook his head as Justin gave him a slight smile and wave before shoving his hands in his jeans pockets and gazing down at the floor. Randall held out his arms to the guards so they could remove his shackles.
“My grandson’s here.” He said as they relented and undid his chains, “So, why are you here Justin?” he asked as he picked up Kale and hugged him tight, causing the five year old to laugh.
“Just needed to see you dad.” Justin explained as him and Aiden took a seat and he handed Kale back to them before taking his seat across the table from them.
“You promised.” Was all Randall could say as Justin sighed.
“I know I did but Paul betrayed us and I just wanted…no needed to see and talk to my real father.” Justin told him as he listened and accepted his answer.
“So did ya’ll take care of that?” He asked.
“Of course we did. Kale, don’t you have something to give your PawPaw Timberlake?” Aiden asked as Kale practically jumped out of her lap and ran over to him, handing him a stuffed teddy bear and a picture of himself with Kale.
“What’s this buddy?” Randall asked him as he showed the bear to Kale.
“That’s Randall. I made him for you PawPaw.” Kale said as Randall looked at the guards before hugging it.
“Thank you buddy. I’ll keep it forever.” Randall said as he ruffled Kale’s curls before he joined Aiden and Justin again.
“I helped him stuff it as best I could.” Aiden admitted and Randall understood exactly what she was saying.
“Thank you for that. And the proceeds?” He asked as they looked at him.
“Yours to keep. In the name of The Wolf Pack.” Justin said as Randall nodded.
“Live comfortably.” He said.
“Live well.” Justin finished as the guards tapped the table and they rose from their seats.
“Say bye to PawPaw, Kale.” Aiden said as Kale hugged him again and said bye.
Randall hugged Aiden tight. He loved having her as his daughter-in-law. She always took care of each and every one of them because she loved his son. Now that they were in charge of The Wolf Pack things were going to change. He could feel it and he knew he would be grateful for those changes soon.
“Bye Dad. Take care in here. Call me if you need anything…I mean anything.” Justin told him as they hugged then broke apart so Randall could get shackled up again.
As he was walked back to his cell he held the bear tight to him. This would ensure that he would live very comfortably for the next few weeks. Maybe now that Paul was taken care of Justin could work on his other promise to him. Maybe he would get him out of this hell hole once and for all. He understood that would take paying off a lot of people but if The Wolf Pack could do it for Justin then surely Justin and Aiden would make sure it was done for him.
