CHAPTER 24
AXLE
Jude is drinking a beer, standing beside Dash and talking about the new girls who just came in from the strip club. I’m barely listening to any of it, because I’m on the verge of being drunk.
For the first time in a long damn time.
Hell, I forgot I could get drunk.
“How’d she like the final product?” Drex asks me, gesturing toward Maya when he sees me staring.
“Her panties are in his pocket, so I’d say she was impressed,” Dash says with a fuck-wad grin on his face.
Drex arches a questioning eyebrow at me as I shake my head. “She liked the haul,” I state dismissively, trying not to think about the fact she’s wearing a skirt with nothing under it as she dances with Eve and Colleen.
Fortunately, she’s not twirling. That damn skirt would fly up if she was twirling. I almost hauled her out of here when she leaned over the bar and I saw the bottom curve of her ass.
“Axle?”
Drex’s voice has me snapping out of my trance as I turn to face him again, my movements sluggish. I’m pretty sure that grin of his is mocking me, but…well, what was I saying?
“I don’t think he heard the question,” Dash says, snickering lightly.
“I asked if Maya is going to be sticking around for a while,” Drex tells me.
“Yeah,” I say, looking back at her. “She is.”
I’ve decided it’s the safest, even if it’s also for my own selfish reasons.
“How’re the hits on Herrin doing?” Dash directs that question toward me.
“Good so far. Most of the surrounding clubs had no idea what went down, although there were several rumors floating around. So planting the seed that it was because Herrin turned and started informing the FBI was easy enough. It’s starting to take root. Drug bust downtown worked out in our favor, since Herrin’s guys were going to run the drugs for those junkies. Junkies are the easiest to convince, because they’re already overly paranoid,” I state flatly. “Just a matter of time before more people start believing it.”
“Which means someone will eventually take him out for us or turn him over to us,” Jude says, joining the conversation. “Especially since part of the equation is adding in Benny’s son. People believe Ben and Herrin are linked, since it all went down at the same time, which is why Herrin is probably working so hard to remind people there’s an alliance between his crew and the Hell Breathers.”
Like a lightbulb went off in his head, Drex’s slow smile spreads. “What if we could convince Benny Pop was working with his fuckwit son during all that shit?”
I start to speak, to tell them we already have too many rumors in the mix and this is just drunk talk, when Sledge walks over, interrupting us, a broad smile on his face.
“Just got word from a friend of mine that the Bloodhounds are out for Herrin’s blood. Please ignore the accidental pun in there,” Sledge tells us.
Bloodhounds are a fairly new, but completely ruthless gang in Dallas.
“Herrin was supposed to make a run for them,” Sledge goes on, “and distribute their drugs to their dealers along the west coast. Two days after their meeting, the feds showed up and did a raid—confiscated close to three million just in heroine. Either someone is helping our little rumor gain some merit, or our rumor is true, and Herrin really is giving the feds some info to keep the heat off his back.”
Maya crashes against my side, just as Eve returns to Drex, and that ends the conversation. As Maya smiles up at me, Jude says something about getting a lap dance from any brave strippers.
They have to be brave because…well, his ex is someone they know will slit their throats. But a couple of new girls don’t know Sarah, so he might have a little luck.
I lose all interest in everything surrounding us as I lift Maya, dropping her ass on the bar and stepping in between her legs. With the bar being so high, her head is a little above mine, and she gets the higher angle on the kiss for once.
She grins against my lips like I just did something right, and I tug her closer, making sure no one can see past my body to where her skirt has her exposed. Her nails softly graze my scalp as she wraps her ankles around my waist.
“I think I like you drunk,” she murmurs against my lips.
“Not drunk. Just getting there.” I tug her bottom lip between my teeth, but before I can take things farther, Drake’s voice is busting up the moment.
“It’s not a purse,” he’s telling someone as I turn my head to the group, staying put between Maya’s legs. “It’s a satchel. You cumstains try to carry shit when you’re working with crutches. You get inventive.”
“You mean you get a purse,” Drex deadpans, amusement dancing in his eyes as Drake glares at him, reaching his hand into the green bag that does look suspiciously like a purse.
“You fuckheads probably need to deal with this pronto. It’s never a good thing when someone drops a package on my doorstep and tells me to deliver it to you.”
Drex reaches out, taking a manila envelope from Drake and ripping it open, pulling out a thumb drive.
“I’ll grab a fucking laptop,” Dash says on a sigh as he puts his drink down.
I glance over, seeing Drex tear Tiffany—the newest girl to join the ranks—off Jude before leaning down to his ear. Tiffany tries to step into Jude before he walks off, but he just lifts her and drops her ass to the chair he vacated, before following Drex back to us.
“What’s going on?” Maya asks, biting on her lip.
“Stay with Eve.” I jerk my gaze to Drake and point at him. “You stay right here. Anyone fucks with her—”
“I can handle babysitting detail. I have Eve with me almost daily,” Drake interrupts.
“I work there. You don’t babysit,” Eve drawls.
I get what Drake is saying even if she doesn’t, and I turn and follow the others into the meeting room as Dash finishes setting up the screen, linking it to the laptop.
Drex hands him the drive as I shut the doors, sealing everyone else out.
Sledge props up next to Jude on the wall, and we all wait really impatiently as Dash takes forever. “Sorry,” he grumbles, finally getting it to play. “Little fucking too drunk for this.”
“At least you’re not—”
Drex’s words die as a scream rips through the room, coming from the screen. My stomach roils as I stare at Liza being held down on a table, fighting and struggling as Herrin’s laughter comes through the speakers.
My eyes dart to Sledge to see his eyes wide, his face pale, and his knees wobbling.
Liza screams again, and I realize Hershel—Herrin’s right hand—is fucking her as Herrin ducks his head into the screen, grinning at the camera.
“If you can’t keep your women safe, then it’s just a matter of time before I finally get my hands on you.” Another scream interrupts him, as Liza begs for them to stop. I swallow down the bile as Herrin chuckles, his eyes returning to the camera. “One down. More to come, son. Keep telling people I’m a fucking rat, and there will be far worse than this.”
The screen goes blank, and Sledge darts to the screen, ripping it off the wall and smashing it against the ground. Dash leaps back to avoid the flying debris, and I lean against the table, feeling my heartbeat drone in my ears.
Jude slams his fist into the wall. Drex is shouting something, barely reining in his own temper. Dash is on the phone, trying to get a beat on Herrin.
“Someone thinks Herrin is hiding out two towns over at the old factory we used to own,” Dash says. But he’s wrong. That’s probably a fake lead planted by Herrin himself.
He wants us to go to that old factory, because that’s a lot farther away than he is.
“He’s at the Royal Inn right outside of town,” I say, silently seething as I straighten. The buzz from the alcohol is gone. All that’s left is that never-ending rage that loves to come out and play.
“What?” Drex snaps.
“I’ve been to all sorts of motels around town for business meets. That peacock paper in the background; it’s only at the Royal Inn. They shut down six months ago and the place is set for demolition. That’s where Herrin is.”
“I’m getting a message from a guy swearing he’s holed up at the factory. They saw him ride in there today,” Jude is arguing.
Sledge looks at me, his body tense and tight, ready to break. “You sure it’s the Royal Inn?” he asks, eyes on me.
I nod. “I’m positive. The factory is a smoke screen and probably a trap. That paper is, without a doubt, that hotel.”
Sledge slams his foot into the monitor one last time before sprinting out the door. We all follow, and Drex barks out orders to the others that have every man tossing away a beer or a girl and rushing to the hangar.
Maya is looking at me questioningly as I stalk to her, shakily taking in a breath, and doing all I fucking can not to lose it. Sledge and Liza have been on and off for over fifteen years. I can’t even fucking imagine right now.
“What’s going—”
“Stay here,” I say to Drake, cutting Maya off. “Stay with her, Eve, and the other girls. Keep everyone inside, and lock the place down. Do not take your eyes off the security cam until we return. Got it?”
He nods slowly, eyes wide as he swallows. “Yeah. Got it.”
“You got a gun in that purse?” I ask him.
“It’s a fucking satchel,” he bites out. “And yes. There’s a gun.”
Maya says something, but I can’t hear it right now. All I can see is Liza on repeat, the way her eyes teared up as she stared into the camera.
That could have been Maya. And that’s the most selfish fucking worry. I’ve known Liza for years, and my first thought is that I’m so fucking relieved it’s not Maya.
She doesn’t follow, knowing this isn’t the time, and I load up, hurrying the motions of revving my bike as Dash passes out guns.
Sledge tears out, leading the way, and I ignore the fucked up feeling in my gut that tries to get me not to leave.