“You two need to get out.”

“Now, Charlie is that anyway to greet paying customers?” One of the Shadow Dwellers answers. I can’t say as I blame her. Jesus, I hate everything about these pricks. I only wanted a simple fucking lunch.

“I wouldn’t take your money if I was starving,” she mutters.

“I want you scum out of my restaurant.”

“You’re getting too cocky, old woman. We’ll leave when our business is over with our friend here,” he answers, and that’s about all I can handle.

“If that’s what’s keeping you, then you can just go. I don’t have any fucking business with you, and we sure as hell aren’t friends,” I growl.

“In that case, I’ll take your order,” the old woman says, her withered face, spreading into what is almost a smile. I order a burger while watching from the corner of my eye as Hayden flees into the kitchen. She’s not coming back. I should be glad about that. I shouldn’t be worrying about her. I definitely shouldn’t be thinking about going after her. Definitely not. What the hell would even bring that thought to mind?

I lay the towel over my leg—not really caring that much. Then I look up at the two men who sit down and make themselves at home. I really hate these fuckers. I hate their entire club. The Shadow Dwellers are a bunch of sniveling cowards. They’re fucking scum. I don’t normally give a fuck about clubs and how they get their money. It’s their business. But the Dwellers are notorious for human trafficking. How the fuck did Hayden get mixed up with them?

“A little birdie told us you were in our territory. Blade doesn’t like the disrespect you’re showing him, brother.”

“I’m not your brother,” I growl at the little weasel who’s speaking. I’ve dealt with him marginally before. Some club business sent us through the northern part of North Carolina, which is what they claim to run. They’re way out of their territory here. This asshole is the Vice President of the Dwellers, and he’s a fucking prick. I didn’t like him when we dealt with them, and I like him less now. He’s tall, skinny, and the ugliest motherfucker I’ve ever seen. That’s ironic coming from me, considering how I look these days, but this fucker…he’s ugly all the way through. His pockmarked face and blond, greasy hair is just the beginning.

What was his name? My eyes go to his cut, and I read the name Mad Dog. Oh yeah, that’s original.

“Customs are customs,” the other one says. This one I’ve never actually seen, but he’s not that different looking. His cut says his name is Big Jack and that makes me want to laugh. I shit bricks bigger than this asshole.

“If I was still in a club, maybe I’d care. But since I’m not…” I shrug, appearing unconcerned and that’s easy, because I’m not. I’m through with that life. I’m through with idiots like this, and I’m really through with club politics. “I don’t give a fuck,” I tell him.

“You’re not here on behalf of the Blaze?” Dog asks, and something about his look sends off an alarm bell, but I ignore it. I’m not in this mess anymore.

“There’s nothing in this fucking town the Blaze cares about anymore, that includes me,” I mutter, just wanting him gone.

“We heard talk you left the Devil’s.”

“Seems that little birdie is quite the talker.”

“You know how it is.” Dog shrugs.

“Maybe you could tell me how the hell you knew where I was today. You having me followed? Because club or not, I’m not about to take that shit.” I study them for a minute, making sure my face shows my boredom in having to deal with them. “Tell me boys, does Cade’s uncle know you’re in his area?” I ask them. These fuckers want to pull my chain, then they need reminded, I know what the score is. Cade is over the Blaze’s Florida chapter. His uncle, however, is thick in the Torasani family. The Torasani’s aren’t a family you want to mess with. Messing with them has a nasty way of making it so you stop breathing.

“You just said your people didn’t give a fuck about this place anymore,” Dog growls.

“Blaze may not, but I can’t say the same for Torasani. This is their territory.”

“Where we go is our business. You talk awful big for a man who doesn’t have muscle backing him,” Jack says.

I don’t say anything for a bit. I watch Dog shift in his seat, and I know my silence is unnerving him. I’m doing it mostly to make sure my voice doesn’t crack around him, but let him think what he wants. Finally, I get tired of dealing with them. My face goes ice cold, then I lean up, so he can see how fucking serious I am. “The day I need anyone to back me up when I’m squashing you piss-ants is the day they need to plant me in the ground.”

“Be careful what you ask for,” Jack says, but he doesn’t get what Dog sees. I watch as Dog puts his hand on Jack calling him back. Weak-ass little punks.

“Be careful who you fucking follow,” I warn.

The waitress brings my food to the table and the look on her face says she doesn’t want anything to do with anyone at this table—including me. Probably a wise move.

“You two need to get the fuck out of here,” she tells the other two men.

“You forget yourself, old woman,” Dog says.

“You don’t run this town. You need to leave,” Charlie says, surprising me. I think I might like this woman.

“Listen here, you bitch,” Jack says, reaching out to strike Charlie and fuck me, I shouldn’t get involved, but for some damned reason I can’t stop myself.

I reach up and grab Jack’s hand. “Dog, I think you need to take your little puppy and leave. You’re ruining my dinner. Your message was delivered. Go back and tell Blade as long as you fucks stay away from me we got no issues. We clear?” Dog looks me over, nods his head slowly.

“Let’s go,” Dog tells his boy.

Jack makes a growling noise and yanks his hand free. I let him go, not taking my eyes from them. The diner is silent as they leave.

Once they’re gone, the woman called Charlie looks at me. She blows a strand of gray hair out of her face and the deep wrinkles on her face only get a little deeper as she studies me.

“You don’t keep good company,” she says, watching me.

I shrug, and take a bite out of my burger. Then I do what I do best.

I ignore her.