CHAPTER 8
LUCKY
They’re all going to lose their minds, I thought, as I hung up the phone with Ryder, the President of the Gods of Chaos Motorcycle Club and Ziggy’s boss.
Ziggy filled me in completely and I couldn’t have been more impressed.
He told me all about Grace and Ryder, and the organization they’d started called Solid Ground, an underground railroad to help people who needed to employ unconventional avenues and methods of getting to a safe place.
My situation didn’t exactly fall under the umbrella of what they usually did, but Ryder explained that since the nature of their business was untraditional, so too were the jobs they were asked to take on.
He almost said no; I could hear it in his voice.
But I went on and on about how the very thing I needed was ‘unconventional’. Once Ziggy told me about the jobs that he and the Gods were used to, I knew it was a perfect fit. I mean, sure it was Ziggy’s idea at first, but I quickly hopped on board. Every security team I’d hired to keep me safe from Nicholai had failed me.
What else did I have to lose?
Why not try something new?
Ryder finally agreed and we hashed out the arrangements quickly after I assured him I would handle all the expenses necessary.
Seventeen leather clad bikers would soon be joining me on tour, including Ziggy, who I already couldn’t get enough of.
I couldn’t wait to meet them all. In the meantime, I needed to deal with the management and instruct Becky to get all the airline reservations made.
I was late getting to the signing, and the look on Becky’s face told me she’d been the one to take the heat for it.
“Sorry, Becky,” I said. “I had some business to attend to.”
“Right,” she nodded. I knew she thought the ‘business’ I was attending to was Ziggy, and she was partially right. It took all my strength to peel my limbs from him and start my day. “Everyone’s waiting for you. They’ve been waiting.”
“Listen, before I go in, I need you to take care of some things for me.”
“Sure,” she nodded, pen in hand, ready to take notes, as always. Becky’s a good girl. She’s loyal and efficient, I really couldn’t ask for more. I just wish she wasn’t so uptight and buttoned-up all the time.
“I’ve hired a new security team.”
“Oh, thank God!” she sighed. “Which one did you decide to go with? I can get the contracts out today.”
“None of the ones you listed,” I said. “In fact, they aren’t really an official security team. But I think it’ll finally be a group of guys who can take care of business.”
“I don’t understand,” she said, blinking at me. “We need a fully-licensed and bonded security company. The insurance company won’t cover —.”
“— I’m paying for it all myself. Just relax. I’m not budging.”
She took a deep breath and nodded.
“Okay, what are their names?”
“There’s seventeen guys. I only know the names of two so far. Ziggy and Ryder.”
“Ziggy? The guy you were with last night? The biker?” Her eyes were as wide as saucers.
“Yep,” I said. “They’re the Gods of Chaos Motorcycle Club.”
“Lucky!” she cried. “You can’t do this! This is ridiculous!”
“It’s done,” I said, ignoring her outrage. “All I need you to do is get them on a plane. If they fly in tonight, they’ll be here in time for us to get on the road early tomorrow morning and can travel with us to Los Angeles.”
“Lucky…”
“I said, it’s done, Becky!” I repeated. “Also, they’re going to need their own tour bus, so rent another one.”
“The record label will never allow this!”
“Sure, they will.”
“Well, what do you want me to say to them when they say no?”
“Tell them I quit,” I shrugged.
“Quit?” Her eyes were so big now I thought they might pop right out of their sockets.
“If they so no, I quit. Simple as that. If they want the tour to continue, they’ll give me this. I won’t negotiate.”
“But Lucky —.”
“—but nothing! Go!” I said, turning and walking away, leaving her standing there dumbfounded with her jaw on the ground.