Chapter 11
Slick
I’m riding back to the compound with a huge great fucking smile on my face and wondering what that shit is all about? That brief meeting of lips, although admittedly leaving me with a raging hard on, was something so special I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way in my life. Despite the world falling apart around me, this great step forward I’ve made in repairing, no, starting a relationship with Ella has got me grinning like a fucking kid in junior high. I may not have got completely to first base, but I’ve made a fucking good start.
Parking up I step into the clubhouse and walk to the bar, a spring in my step that had been missing for months.
“Beer,” I demand, rapping on the wood. Marsh snaps quickly to serve me.
“Slick, you and I haven’t had some fun together. Wanna give me a try?”
Spinning around I see Diva, and she’s right, I’ve not dipped into that yet. A waft of cheap perfume has me wrinkling my nose, reminding me of the clean, fresh smell of the woman I’ve just left.
“Not tonight, sweetheart.” I let her down gently.
Not easily put off, she tries again. “We could threesome with Paige?”
I glance across to where the other new sweet butt’s sitting, looking eagerly across and decide to knock this on the head now. “I’ve got an ol’ lady.”
She should walk away, instead she continues to push. “Don’t see her around.”
“I’ve got an ol’ lady,” repeating myself loudly. “Leave me the fuck alone.” I turn back to the bar, thumping my hand down, my previous good mood being swept away. There’s no doubt my cock isn’t as resilient as my brain—he’s twitching away eager to sink into any hole. But I know I won’t be satisfied if I follow his lead. There’s only one woman I want, and I’m prepared to wait. Though taxing as it’s going to be at times, she’ll be fucking worth it.
Caught up in my inner turmoil, I don’t notice Wraith approach, his arm around Sophie, and they’re both grinning at me. My VP indicates my, for me, smart clothing. “Date went well I take it?”
“You had a date?” Sophie’s beaming from ear to ear. “With Ella? Is she coming back?”
Her innocent enquiry has my good mood returning. “Yeah,” I give in and tell them both. “And I fuckin’ hope so. Won’t be for want of me tryin’.”
“Good on yer, Slick.” Wraith nods in approval.
Jerking my chin at him in return, I glance at his old lady, who’s trying to hoick her butt onto the tall bar stool, noticing she’s looking slightly rounded now, their baby starting to show. And suddenly it hits me like a bolt of lightning from one of our Arizonian summer storms that I’d like to see my baby growing in Ella’s stomach. The thought so unexpected I turn away and run my hand down my face.
Me claiming an old lady was bad enough, but wanting the real deal with her? Leading a grown-up life with a house off the compound and children? Well fuck me if that doesn’t get me as excited as if someone’s given me a new Harley, rather than making me want to vomit as it has in the past. But first, a little voice inside reminds me I’ve got to convince her. I’ve got to work hard for something I want for once in my life.
Taking leave of my brothers, I walk up to the compound to my room in one of the renovated blocs that used to house guests when this place was a vacation resort. When it had burned out, only a club of bikers looking for a new home saw potential in the shell that remained. And the accommodation provided on site to the brothers was better than in any clubhouse I’ve ever seen. I enter the building housing my suite and the now redundant Wraith’s—as he now lives with Sophie—knowing it will always be mine, even if I buy a house down Tucson way.
I’ve always had things easy. My parents are still married and living happily together, I wasn’t beaten in my childhood or kicked out of home. I served my time in the Army and came back uninjured, and got my place as a prospect shortly after I finished my final tour of duty. Prospecting was hard, I ain’t gonna lie, but after I was patched in there was easy pussy on tap and a life free of citizens’ rules. I’ve never had to fight for anything before, it’s always been handed to me on a plate.
Until now. For once I’ve got a challenge on my hands, and fuck me if I’m not looking forward to it. Working to get my old lady back? I’m going to give it every damn thing I have.
Ten o’clock the next morning and we’re back in church. Never come to the table as much as we have the last few days, but I can’t criticise the reason. Drum’s wanting us all to be updated with everything going on. Our businesses running on just a skeleton crew, we’re all staying close by in case of trouble.
He raps the gavel down hard, and all eyes are on him. “Who’s at the hospital?”
“Viper,” Dart confirms. He consults the page in front of him. “Slick, you’re on the next shift?”
I nod, happy to do my bit. And fuck, even though he won’t be able to talk to me I’m eager to see Heart, even if it’s only to see for myself he’s still with us.
Drum points at me. “Mouse got some info for ya. You need to stay close and bring Ella here. Rock, can you do a swap?”
“Sure fuckin’ thing, boss,” he agrees, spinning the gun on the table in front of him.
I sit up in my seat, eager to hear what Mouse has found, apologising silently to Heart and promising him I’ll be seeing him soon.
Waving me back down, Prez looks around. “Order of business. Heart, then Ella. Okay? And then Wraith’s got some suggestions about prospects.”
I toss him a glare. I’d rather it was the other way around, but when he starts speaking he captures my interest.
“Got a phone call last night. Wraith and I went out to meet Detective Hannah this mornin’.” He jerks his chin toward the VP. Safety in pairs and all that. Our habit when speaking to the filth. Means no one can be accused of saying something they didn’t. If we can’t have another brother along, we say nothing without the club lawyer. Nobody, not even the prez, wants to set themselves up for an accusation of being a rat.
“It was odd,” Wraith takes over. “She parked around the back of the Wheel Inn as though she didn’t want to be seen. We opened it up early to talk inside.”
Joker sniggers. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a dirty cop.”
Drum glares at him. “The opposite, I think. But I’ve got doubts about her partner.”
“We know anything of him, Prez?”
“No, Lady. They’re both new to Tucson. But as the VP said, I don’t think she’s on the take. And if he is, then we’re certainly not the ones fuckin’ payin’ him.”
“Somethin’ to worry about?”
“Could be, Peg. Could fuckin’ be.”
“What did she want?” I butt in.
“To give us an unofficial report.” Drum taps his fingers on the table, his steely eyes looking around the room. From the expression on his face I get the feeling we will dislike what he’s about to say. “They’ve been over Heart’s bike. No mechanical problems to cause a crash. But the rear fender’s obviously taken a hit. Something must have shunted them hard.”
“Fuck that!” Motherfucker! Though we’d had our suspicions, it’s hard to hear that Heart’s smash was no accident. Which confirms Crystal’s death as murder.
The prez waits for all of us to pipe down. “There was some transfer of paint onto the fender.”
“Have they analysed it?”
“Yeah, Mouse. It’s a dark green 2014 Ford F-250.” Mouse starts tapping away as Drum continues, “Will you be able to find anythin’?”
“I’ll look into who’s got one registered to them, starting with anyone who’s had an issue with us. And at the auto shops. A prang that hard would cause damage needing to be repaired.”
“Hannah’s checkin’ out stolen vehicles.”
“Can you look at associates of this Detective Archer?” Something is niggling at the back of my mind.
Prez confirms I’m right to have suspicions. “Good point, Slick. I didn’t like the fucker. It’s worryin’ that Hannah told us he asked for them to be assigned to the case.”
“It’s clear Hannah is puzzled as to why,” Wraith adds.
“Anythin’ else she could tell us?” Bullet lights a cigarette and smoke plumes rise above the table.
“Pass one to me.” I reach for his pack.
“And me?”
“For fuck’s sake Blade!” Bullet all but throws it at him.
Cigarettes lit and burning, I look back at the prez as he carries on after the brief interruption. “No, but at least she’s going to keep us informed. She didn’t say anythin’ about Archer being dirty, but she led us to believe he didn’t want us to be given any intel.” Drum picks up the beer he brought in with him, making me feel I wish I’d had the foresight to collect one too. “We can expect visitors. They’ll want to interrogate us, see if we know any enemies Heart may have had. Readin’ between the lines, Archer may use it as a chance to get into the compound. Hannah said she’d suggested they ask us to go to the station, but Archer wasn’t fuckin’ buyin’ it”
Another round of swearing.
Again Drum scans the room. “Don’t need to tell ya, anything we know we’ll be actin’ on it ourselves. Now you’ve all slept on it, anyone come up with any fuckin’ idea who’d want to take out Heart?”
We all shake our heads. Then Mouse puts up his hand. “I don’t like the mother, Crystal’s mom. Been doing some diggin’. She’s an addict, been arrested a couple of times for solicitin’.”
“She owe money?”
Mouse smirks at the prez. “Seems likely. But if she does, don’t think the types she’s owes to keep online accounts.” There’s sniggering around the table. “But I’ll keep diggin’.”
“You don’t really think she’d put a fuckin’ contract out on her daughter and husband, do you?” I’m shaking my head. I didn’t like the woman, but surely she wouldn’t go that far.
“Doubt it would be worth it. Our businesses are thrivin’ and we’re takin’ home a decent cut, but Heart and Crystal haven’t got much to leave anyone. Their house is rented.”
Prez knows what he’s talking about. We’re all in a healthy position, but none of us would leave much of an inheritance to speak of.
Drum bangs the gavel. “As of now, we don’t discount anythin’. Keep your eyes and ears open, and Mouse, keep doing your shit. Now movin’ along, want to update on what you’ve found out about Ella’s sister.”
At fucking last!
Mouse points at me. “I’d like to speak to her today.”
“I’ll try and get her here.” I agree. I’m sitting forward, eager to hear what he’s going to say next.
Mouse taps at his keyboard. “I’ve got into Jayden’s Facebook account. And looked at her phone. Thanks for gettin’ that done, Tongue.” Tongue waves his hand as if to say it was nothing, and to him it probably wasn’t. “It looks like she’s got herself a boyfriend. Hundreds of text messages back and forth.”
“Anythin’ odd? Ella said the things she had were expensive.”
With his dark hair from his Native American heritage swinging around his head, Mouse shakes his head. “Jayden’s quite open in her texts, but the ones from Diego, the ‘boy’ I’m assumin’ she’s seein’,” he puts two fingers up from each hand giving emphasis to the word boy, “are brief. When he tells her to meet him he just says usual place or same time. Short crap like that.”
Drum again taps the table. “We can track her now though?”
“Long as she’s got the phone,” Mouse agrees.
“What’s your readin’ of it?”
Mouse shrugs. “It’s hard to say. But somethin’ doesn’t seem right. There’s no photos on Facebook, her status is still single. Girls, they like to put shit up if they’re in a relationship. If she’s got somethin’ going on, she’s hidin’ it from her friends.”
I don’t like what I’m hearing, something sounds off. Fine, a fourteen-year-old could be in a relationship with an older man that she wants to hide, but according to Ella he wasn’t making her happy. “I’ll try to get Ella here, Mouse, but if I can’t, you okay to go to her?” As he nods I continue, “You can run your ideas past her and pick her brain.”
“Appreciate that, Slick. Hey. After hearin’ what she went through, don’t think anyone could criticise her for stayin’ away.”
Taken aback I simply stare, and then turn to Drum who shrugs. “Thought it wouldn’t hurt everyone knowin’ she didn’t walk out on you, Slick. She left the club not understandin’ there’s no way in hell any of us here would force a woman.” He pointedly looks around the table at my brothers. “She comes back here, ya’ll treat her like fuckin’ glass.”
My face feels tight, expecting them to think the worse of me for not going after her.
“We got this, Slick,” Wraith says, with no derision in his voice. Choked up by his support I can only lift my chin to show my thanks.
“We’ll get Marsh followin’ this Jayden,” Prez announces. “Road’s tied up with Ella. You still want him on her I suppose, Slick?”
Pulling my head back into the game, I reply, “Yeah, I don’t trust her roommate’s ex.” Particularly as he wouldn’t be an ex if it wasn’t for me. Scowling, I remember that fucker’s hands on her. No one is ever going to hurt Ella again.
“So that brings us nicely around to the fact we need more prospects. VP?”
Wraith nods and takes over. “I’m proposin’ Marsh gets his patch. He’s been here fourteen months now. Anyone disagree?”
No one puts up their hands. “Let’s take a vote on it.”
As Drum goes around the table it’s a unanimous round of ayes. As Dart records the decision my eyes flit to the empty chair next to Peg, and I can’t help but wonder whether we’ll ever see our rightful secretary sitting there again.
Wraith whistles for attention. “There’s a couple of guys been coming around. They’ve been doing some building work for us. Bullet, you want to give an update?”
“Yeah.” The treasurer takes over. “Hyde’s one, he seems sound. And Spindle.”
“Spindle?” I can’t tell who echoes the name as it’s more than one.
“Yeah, skinny fella. But he’s only a youngster so he’s probably still got some growin’ to do.”
Viper’s nodding. “I’ll second them in. They’re both dependable.” Bullet heads up, and Viper works with our construction crew.
“You spoken to them, Wraith?”
“I have, Prez. They know the score.”
And there’s another round of voting. We all agree to them coming in. Even with Marsh getting his patch we’ll be back to three prospects again. This day’s looking up.