CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Cody—
My phone vibrates on the nightstand with an incoming text. I crack an eye open to see both Heather and Tucker still asleep.
Squinting, I read the message.
CRASH: You want to get out here and tell me why the prospects say you told them to bar the fucking door?
ME: Be right there
I slip out, pull my jeans on, throw a shirt and my cut on, then quietly open the drawer and retrieve my Glock.
Moving into the hall, I meet Crash at the bar where he sits with a mug of coffee. Both prospects are behind the bar, trying to look busy.
“You want a coffee?” one offers me.
“Yeah, thanks.”
“What the fuck is going on?” Crash asks.
“Had some trouble up at Sonny’s,” I reply.
“What the fuck did you do this time?”
“It wasn’t me. An old boyfriend of Heather’s tracked her down. She says he was abusive. He’s the reason she ran to California—to escape him.”
“Christ. It’s too early for this bullshit.” He sips his coffee.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“Cole called a meeting. He’s going out of town and wants to deal with the Lucky situation before he goes.”
“So, everyone’s coming?” I check the time. It’s not even eight yet.
“Yeah. I’m surprised you didn’t get the group text.”
About the time he says it, my phone dings.
“Sometimes I get crap service, especially in this building.”
“What are you doing up here? Why aren’t you at your apartment?”
“I brought Heather and her kid to make sure that asshole doesn’t get to them.”
“Well, aren’t you the knight in shining armor. They still asleep?”
“Yep.”
We hear several motorcycles roll up.
“That’ll be the boys,” he says, downing his coffee.
A moment later, Red Dog, Green, and Wolf walk in, followed by Shane and my father.
Green immediately goes behind the bar and makes a Bloody Mary.
“You’re startin’ early,” Crash says.
“I’m still partying from last night, VP,” Green replies, lifting his glass in the air. “Here’s to all the girls we’ve loved who suck our dicks and drink our booze.”
Red Dog rolls his eyes and looks at me. “You seen Billy?”
“He crashed here last night, but I haven’t seen him yet.”
There’s another roar of bikes and soon TJ, Marcus, Rafe, and Kyle stroll in.
“Whose idea was it to have a meeting at this fucking time of the morning?” TJ grumbles.
“That’d be your old man’s,” Crash replies.
“He here?”
“Not yet.”
“Figures.”
There’s another roar of a motorcycle.
“That’ll be the man,” Crash says.
I lean to the prospect behind the bar and tell him to make sure the gate to the parking lot is locked and to stand guard out there while we’re in the meeting.
He nods. “Yes, sir.”
Crash lifts a brow. “We’ll talk about your little problem later.”
Great. Can’t wait. I’m sure he’ll throw me under the bus as the cause of all these problems we keep having regarding Sonny’s.
Cole walks in and emits a sharp whistle. “Let’s go. Church. Now.”
He heads down the hall, and we all follow.
Billy emerges, yawning and scratching his chest.
Red Dog slaps an arm around his son and aims him toward the hall. Green is still behind the bar mixing drinks.
“You comin’?” Crash asks.
“I’ll be right there. Just gotta teach these grasshoppers how to make my favorite drink.”
“The meeting starts in two minutes.”
“Don’t get your panties in a wad. I’ll be there.”
I lean toward the prospect. “If Heather or her kid come out here, give them some juice and show them where the kitchen is.
“Yes, sir.”
I follow the rest of my brothers and see the one prospect going outside to lock the gate.
We troop into the room, and Cole slams the gavel down.
“I want to make this quick. Angel and I are going out of town in a couple of hours.”
“Where are you going?” Wolf asks.
“Lake Mary.”
“Must be nice,” Shane says. “Bet it's beautiful up there right now.”
“So, what’s the plan with Lucky’s?” Crash asks.
“You want to tell him, Wolf?” Cole says.
The man leans back in his chair. “Fiona’s got a friend who we’ll put in as a new waitress. She’ll see if she can find out what’s going on up there.”
“She know what she’s getting herself into?” Red Dog asks.
“She knows she’s looking for the reason the bar is not making the money it used to. She used to work at Chappy’s Lounge, so she’s not clueless.”
“She needs to be careful, and there’s no one she can trust. It could be anyone or all of them,” Cole states.
“I’ll make sure she knows.”
“When is this happening?” Crash asks.
“Tomorrow night,” Wolf says. “I’ll be up there watching the first night just to make sure she feels safe.”
Green walks into the room with a Bloody Mary, chewing on a stir stick and starts to sing a song.
“There's two, there's four, there's six, there's eight, standing at the clubhouse gate.”
Cole looks at Green. “Are you on drugs?”
“Maybe.”
TJ looks at Billy. “Why does that tune sound familiar?”
“Because it's the theme song for Thomas the Train, you moron,” Marcus says.
“How do you know that?” Red Dog asks.
“Because I got a kid, so does he.”
“Who the fuck is standing at the gate, Green?” Cole snaps.
He pulls the stir stick from his mouth and smiles. “The Death Heads.”
Cole jumps to his feet. “What?”
“Okay, maybe just one. I’m seein’ double right now.”
We all rush out, shoving him aside and go to the gate, marching in a line of patches.
There stand two Death Heads.
The prospects at the gate stand with their arms crossed.
“They’re nomads,” one mutters to Cole as we approach.
“What the hell do you want, nomads?” Cole barks through the chain-link.
A big, burly guy with a beard hooks his fingers in the links. “Name’s Snake. This is Greasy.” He nods to the man with him. “I'm looking for my woman. I heard you have her here. Her name's Heather.”
“Who’d you hear that from?” I snap, thinking he’s gotta be the abusive boyfriend she told me about. What she didn’t tell me was the part where he’s a goddamn Death Head.
“I tracked her to the local strip club. Sonny’s. Word is the Evil Dead own the place, so she must be in your stable of girls.”
“Who is or isn’t in our employ is none of your business,” Cole growls.
“She's my property. I want her back.”
Cole’s eyes shift to me, but he gives nothing away. Everything inside me is on edge, though, because he could turn her over if he chose, and I have no clue what he’s about to do.
“We don't have your woman.”
“She dances up at Sonny's. She's a headliner.”
“Our headliner is not your property,” Cole replies.
“You callin’ me a liar?”
“I’m tellin’ you to find another girl.”
“So, you're taking her from me? You all have women.” He points a finger around the group. “How about I take one of yours?”
“Get the fuck out of here before I put a bullet in your brain,” Wolf snarls.
“We'll see about that.” Snake shakes the chain and shoves away, returning to his bike. His brother follows.
“Bye. Bye,” Green says, taking a sip of his drink and wiggling his fingers.
Once they roar off, Cole starts barking orders.
“This gate stays locked, and I want two men on it. Lock down the rest of the building. Every entrance. We’re going into full lockdown.
Call the families in. I’m not taking any chances with this guy.
” Then he whirls on me. “I want you and her in my office. Now.”
Oh, shit.