Ride hard, p.50
Ride Hard, page 50
“I told you ass in the car and lock them doors till I say so. Someone’s been here or may still be inside. Front door is open. Let me see that its safe first.”
“Okay. I’ll sit in your truck, honey.”
“I mean it, Lex. Stay put till I say it’s clear.”
She nods and climbs into the driver’s seat. I kiss her forehead and close the door, waiting to hear the lock engage. Once it does, I move through the garage to enter by way of the kitchen. Since I ended shit with Ruthie, I’ve been staying with my woman or at the clubhouse. My guess is whoever it was either knew I wasn’t staying here, or they targeted me and missed me. Either way I don’t believe it to be random. Therefore I’m not chancing Alexa walking in until I know there’s no imminent threat.
I ease through the doorway careful not to hit the weak spot on the floor that creaks. That’s when I spot the fucking prospect at my fridge his back to me rifling through the contents. “The fuck you doing?”
“Hey, Prez.” He turns around wearing a goofy fucking grin. “Had my grandma drop me off.”
“Jesus. Fuck. Why?”
“You gave me a key last week to start cleaning your shit or erm stuff out.”
“Right,” I mutter. I’d forgotten between all the shit on my plate. “Don’t be drinking all my beer.”
“I won’t.” He flashes me his teeth and cracks open a bottle. Fucking goofy ass bastard.
“Not a word to Alexa about last night.”
“Got it.”
I go back out to the truck and let Alexa know it’s cool. “Just the damn prospect,” I mutter as I hold the door open and give her hand getting out. “Forgot I put him on this.”
Her palm slides to my jaw. “Honey, you need to relax. You’re tense.”
“I’ll settle once shit is official. You having my last name. This house business over.”
Her lips tip to a smile. “It’ll all happen. Don’t stress yourself out so much.”
“I’ll always worry, babe. Comes with the territory.”
“Club business,” she murmurs.
“You get it.” Yeah my woman knows the score. Fuckin’ perfect Old Lady. Perfect every-fucking-thing. I kiss the inside of her wrist. “Let’s get this shit over with. Anything that’s Ruthie’s goes to donate or to the dump. Don’t give a fuck which. See something of Rochelle’s you think we need to hang on to tag it. Most my shit I give a fuck about is already at your place or the clubhouse.”
“Got it.”
Alexa and I set to work. I don’t want her lifting or doing anything strenuous, so she has sticky notes and a marker. I trust her to know what matters and what no longer holds any count. I go into the master bedroom and check the closet. Anything I wear is already in rotation between the clubhouse and Alexa’s. “All this shit in the closet can be donated. Start getting shit boxed and marked. I’ll call in some more men and get a truck to take it to the dump or charity.”
Rio nods. His dumbass should be home resting that arm, but he wants to work through the pain then whatever. I call Viking. “Grab Sandman and Hound and a moving van or truck. I’ve got a house full of shit I need cleared out. By next week.” I pause and wait for his yeah. “My place. Hurry it up.”
Alexa enters the room appearing a little pale. “Hey,” she whispers. “You mind if I keep this?” She holds up a purple fuzzy diary. Must’ve belonged to Ro.
“Whatever you want.”
She sniffs and nods. “Kay.”
“Let me get you a box.”
She looks to Rio. “What happened to your arm?”
“Got shot.”
I slap the back of his head. “What’d I tell you.”
“Sorry, Prez.”
“James?” my woman presses.
“He’s fine. Nothing to worry about.” The second the words leave my lips. The front living room window shatters. At the sound of breaking glass and gunshots I grab Alexa and drop to the floor with her, shielding her with my body. When the noise stops, I roll off Lex. “Stay here with the prospect. Guard her with your life.” He gives me a chin lift, and I’m moving down the hall. I step out the front door in time to see a black SUV speeding off.
I scrub a hand over my face as a couple neighbors peek out their doors. Bet they can’t wait till I’m off their street. I know I gotta call this shit in as much as it pains me to do so. I make the call. One of my neighbors beat me to it but at least it’s on record. Within ten minutes there are two units accessing the scene putting a halt to getting this shit sorted.
Alexa is shaken but good. Me? I’m riled the fuck up and want to put these fuckers down for good, but I’m trying to be a better man for my woman and our child that’s on the way.
Detective Masters strolls in with a smug smile. “Should’ve known you’d be involved.”
“If you’d do your job and get that scum and their product out of our city you wouldn’t see my ugly mug.”
His face reddens. “Street justice never solves anything.”
“Someone has to get a handle on this before someone dies.”
“Like your pal Nickel or Grudge was it? How about your ex-wife? Your woman know the danger she’s in? Next time it could be her.”
“My woman is none of your fuckin’ business. Do something about these punks or I will,” I warn.
“Outside,” he barks at me. “Need a word.”
“I’m done talking to you.”
“Five minutes.”
“Fine.” I follow him out.
“I don’t need you giving me shit on this, man. I know they are a nuisance so work with me on this. You said yourself you’re getting married this weekend. You want them to gun down your bride on your wedding day?”
“Watch it.”
“You and I both know it’s a possibility. All I am asking is for one name.”
“I’m no rat and if you were good at your job, you’d know who controls the drugs in this town.”
“Not much I can do without proof. Give me proof.”
“I can’t give you anything helpful. My club is drug free. My men know they come up dirty they don’t get help to kick the problem they’re out. No exceptions.”
“Where’s the wedding?”
“Why? You want an invitation?”
“I see a gorgeous woman in there who is terrified right now. I don’t want her blood on my hands. I’ll have a few cars on the street to make sure I’m not getting a call to pick up her body.”
I shove him against the side of the house. Arm to his throat. “You saying I can’t protect my woman?”
He grunts and I let him go.
“If she had been outside when this shit today started, you’d be planning a funeral. Don’t be stupid. You think of something here’s my card. Use it.”
He straightens his jacket after handing me his damn business card.
I don’t like the prick, but he has a point as much as I hate to admit it. Until these pieces of shit are dealt with Alexa isn’t safe and neither is our unborn child.
Chapter Seven
“Trouble is always following the two of you.”
I turn to see an old but dear friend. “Lily,” I say her name breathily. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s not every day my brother gets married.” She pulls me into a hug. “What happened?” She nods to the police working the crime scene.
“The usual. Someone wants one of us dead.”
“Any leads on who?”
“If you ask your brother, he’ll play it off or say club business. Hard to know really. We both have enemies.”
“Right. So what’s this I hear about a baby.”
“He told you?”
“Sure did.” She grins. “You’ve got the glow. I have years of practice. I can smell it.” She laughs, highlighting the scars that mark her face. They tell a story though. One of survival.
“I’m almost through my first trimester.”
“I’m damn happy for you. Both of you. You deserve to be loved, Alexa. I’m glad you finally see your worth.”
“Don’t make me cry. I’m already emotional.” Lily knows the history between her brother and me. Everything we’ve been through to get to where we are today. It was a hard road, but the destination is beautiful.
“Look what the cat dragged in. They’ll let anyone out.” James pulls his sister in for a bear hug. His eyes crinkle in the corners as he grins.
“Better shave before the big day.” She tugs on his whiskers.
“Good to see you.”
“Yeah,” she whispers. “Wanna tell me what’s going on?”
“Nope.”
“Wrong answer. There’s police tape and your front window is gone.”
“I got it handled. Don’t worry.”
“I’m your sister it’s my job. I get paid to worry about you.”
“You don’t need to worry. Wasn’t expectin’ you till Sunday.”
“I know. I was going to see if I could crash here but I don’t think that would be smart. I have some business. Locally.”
“You can stay at my place. Wylla Mae’s old room is still set up.”
“I don’t want to impose.”
“You’re always welcome.”
“Now that that is settled. Why don’t you update me on your progress tracking Hazel down?”
“Fuck,” James mutters.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing really. Just We’ll talk later on that, yeah? Holy’s in the field.”
“There’s something you’re not telling me. I can read you better than anyone.”
“Lils...”
“Let me guess. You’ve got it handled, huh?”
“Something like that,” he tells her.
What my man isn’t telling his sister is Holy has laid claim to Hazel, and we both know that she won’t like it. Holy has particular tastes in the bedroom. He’s rumored to be on the dominant side.
Lily held her daughter a total of three minutes before she signed her rights away in hopes of giving her a better life. Things didn’t go the way she planned. I don’t know much about Hazel other than catching bits and pieces of one-sided conversations when James is whispering on the phone and talking with his men.
I try not to eavesdrop but sometimes it can’t be helped.
**
“I’m calling off the party.” James knocks back his beer and scoots his chair back.
“Why?” I grab his plate, dump the scraps, and rinse.
“Not leaving your side till this shit is settled.
“You’re going.”
“Nope. It’s settled. C’mere.” He grabs my hand and tugs me into his lap. “All I need is this. You in my arms.”
“As sweet as that is your men want a party. You need to be there. I’ll come with you.”
A deep rumbling chuckle moves from his stomach, up his throat, and out his mouth. “You’re gonna come to my bachelor party? Watch them women rubbing up on your man and shit?”
“No, I’m gonna come to your party, and I’m gonna mean mug every female who looks your way.”
“That’s cute.”
“I’m not being cute.”
“Yeah. Fuckin’ adorable when you’re jealous.”
I shove off his lap. “I’m not jealous. But seriously go to your thing. I’m going to hang with the girls. Do our nails and shit for the wedding. Jules used to be a hairdresser and has all the tools.” I set to cleaning up after dinner.
“Not leaving you unprotected.”
“I’ll be with Pam and Lily said she wanted to go. She’s excited to see Wylla and Mila.”
“Pam your bodyguard now?”
“No but she’s damn proud of the effort she has put into making this weekend special, and if anyone tries to get in the way of it or ruin it, I think she’d slit their throat.”
“Fair assessment.” He pushes up from the chair and tosses his empty bottle in the trash. “I’ll drop you at Pam’s and Slick can bring you to the clubhouse later. We’ll spend the night there. I’ll give Lily a key and she can have the house to herself. Doubt she’ll want to party with the boys.”
“Aren’t the rooms reserved for our wedding guests arriving tomorrow?”
“Not mine and some have reservations elsewhere or will only be staying for the ceremony.”
“I’ll pack a bag.”
“Yeah, pack a bag, babe.” He grins. “Don’t wait too long to crash my party. I’m an old man in the family way. Can’t be up past my bedtime.”
I narrow my eyes on him. “I don’t know if I can marry such an old man. I need someone with a lot of stamina who can keep up with...,” I pause to lick my lips, “a baby waking up all night.”
“Got your stamina right here.” James grabs his crotch and I shake my head.
“I see my brother still thinks with his other head,” Lily muses, returning from the bathroom.
James clears his throat. “Least I’m honest about it. Here. Key to the house. Lex will be staying with me tonight at the clubhouse. Slick will give you a ride back from Pam’s when you want it. He’s gonna sleep on the couch. With the shit going on want everyone protected.”
Her cheeks redden at the mention of Slick. I know they had a thing after her split from Bronson. “You still haven’t said what that shit is.”
I turn my attention back to the dishes. No way am I getting in the middle of this.
“Club business.”
“Should I be worried?”
“Worried? No. Cautious? Always.”
“I don’t need Slick to babysit me.”
“He volunteered.”
“Call him off.”
“No can do. Need eyes on you and Lex tonight.”
I glance over my shoulder in time to catch the roll of Lily’s eyes. I wonder what went down between her and Slick?
Chapter Eight
“Oh, this color is perfect.” I hold up my nails to appreciate the simple yet elegant pearl pink with French tips Jules did for the wedding.
“Told you. Jules is like a wonder woman. She can do anything,” Wylla says, taking up the seat I just vacated to get hers done next.
“You sure Zoe doesn’t mind being on baby duty?” Jules looks to Pam.
“She owes me, and she enjoys it. Wants to open up a daycare. Told her I’d invest.”
“That’s awesome,” I tell her.
“I figured it’d be a sound investment all these kids you bitches keep popping out.” She shoves cheese and sausage paired with a cracker into her mouth. “Enough about babies. Lily what’s up with you?”
“I’m stepping out for a smoke,” Slick announces.
Lily’s gaze trails him until the front door shuts behind him.
“Not much. The usual. Doing what I can to make the world a better place. Happy to see my brother tie the knot and spend time with my beautiful niece.” She winks at Wylla.
“You got a man these days? I heard Slick is still single,” Pam presses.
“Don’t start with me. I am perfectly happy with my work. I don’t need a man getting in my way.”
“Mhhmm. Right. You gonna tell me you don’t want a fine ass man like Slick crawling into your bed to keep you warm at night. A man that’s wanted you for years.”
“You don’t know what you are talking about. We’re good friends.”
“I bet he is afraid of what that brother of yours might have to say.”
“Leave it alone, Pam.”
“I’ll leave it alone if you admit the truth.”
“Which is?”
“You think Slick is F I N E. Fine.”
“Okay. Yes. Slick is sexy. Now you happy?” Lily goes pale as soon as the words leave her lips.
Slick is standing in the doorway wearing a shit eating grin if I ever saw one. “You think I’m sexy, babe?”
“I um. Pam made me say it.”
“Oh no you don’t. Not blaming this on me. I only made you confront your feelings. Looks like you two got some shit to talk about.” Pam sticks her tongue out and makes an aha noise while high fiving Wylla Mae’s free hand.
Jules mutters under her breath and shakes her head. “And she wonders why her husband drinks.”
“What’d you just say?”
Uh oh.
“I think I’m ready for that ride to the clubhouse, Slick.”
“No problem.”
“No. Hold up. Why’d you say that shit, little sister?”
“I don’t think now is the time.” Jules glances around the room at their audience and I agree.
“Link say something to you?”
“I overheard him talking to Roane. He mentioned that things aren’t good.”
“I’m gonna kill him. Alexa, I’m with you.” Pam jumps up out of her chair.
“Shit fire,” Slick mumbles and goes to dial someone on his phone.
“Don’t you dare tell him I’m coming. This is between Link and me.”
**
The ride to The Devil’s Playground is quiet and tense. The radio hums some classic rock, but it’s too low to make out the words. I don’t know what I’m so damn nervous about, but I can’t help but notice from my back passenger seat of the SUV that Slick has his right hand on Lily’s thigh.
“You want to talk about it? If you walk in there all pissed off...”
Pam’s palm flies up in front of my face. “Don’t.”
“Okay. I won’t, but if you change your mind, I can be a good listener.”
“I’m good.”
The SUV rolls to a stop outside the gate.
“You don’t want to hear it, but gonna say it anyway. You need to think long and hard about what you might see and whether or not you want to see it,” Slick warns.
Shit. He knows. Link is up to no good. Fuckity. Fuck.
He catches my eye in the rearview mirror.
“Not saying Link is doing anything. That’s my brother and I love him. Got mad respect for both of you, and I’ll catch whatever hell is coming my way if need be. I’m just asking you to think before you make a move.”
Pam licks her lips. “Appreciate the pep talk, but I need to speak with Link.”
“All right.” He uses the electronic opener on his key ring and drives us through, stopping at the door.
The vehicle idles while Slick exits and comes around to open my door. I hitch my overnight bag up on my shoulder and climb out, hoping Pam changes her mind.
