7. Crow
CHAPTER 7
CROW
Electricity zaps each and every one of my nerve endings until I’m aware of nothing but her.
“She’s got balls, I’ll give her that.”
I down my latest shot of Jack while my gaze remains on Addison. She’s currently dancing with Python. When my brother wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her to his chest, jealousy slithers through my system.
She might be the enemy, but my foe has never looked so enticing.
“We’ll see how big those balls are when she finds herself stuck here.” I smirk at Journey. “Gather the officers and meet me in church. Do it quietly.”
While my second-in-command gathers the others, I spare Addison one last look before making my way to the meeting room. I don’t bother taking my weapons out and putting them in the box outside the door.
“Damn, Pres,” Screamer grumbles when he enters the room. “I was just about to take Sunny upstairs.”
“She’s not goin’ anywhere,” I snap. “You can have your fun when we’re done.”
“What’s this about, bro?” Poker asks when he walks in.
I pull out my cell and call Ghost on Facetime. He’s an officer and needs to be a part of the vote I’m about to pose.
“Yo, Pres, everything okay?” Ghost asks when he answers.
“No. I’ve called the officers together for a vote,” I explain.
“A vote?” Poker asks. “For what?”
I heave a sigh. “Ghost, I’m gonna send you a pic I took of a woman at the party tonight. I need you to confirm my suspicions.”
“Okay.”
I open my photos and select the one I took of Addison earlier. After sending it, I wait. Ghost remains quiet.
“Well?” Journey prods. “Is it her?”
“Would someone please fil?—”
“Jesus, how’d she get in?” Ghost barks, ignoring Screamer.
“How did who get in?” Poker demands. “What the fuck is going on?”
I scowl. “Addison McGill, daughter of the Chief of Police, is out there right now,” I snarl, pointing at the door.
“Fucking hell,” Screamer barks. “This is bad.”
“No shit,” I snap. “Do you really think I’d call you away from a party if it wasn’t?”
“What’s the vote, Pres?” Journey asks.
“With everything going on with the dead Limitless Throttle brothers, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that she’s here,” I say. “I wanna keep her here.”
“You wanna abduct the Chief of Police’s daughter?” Poker asks skeptically.
“Do you have a better idea?” I counter. “Because our clubhouse was searched the other day, and clearly the police think we’re responsible for those murders. She’s gonna find something tonight. Maybe not connected to murder, but there’s all sorts of illegal shit going down.”
“Will she ever walk out of here?” Journey asks.
“That depends,” I reply honestly. “If she cooperates and agrees to do so in the future, we’ll let her go… eventually.”
“And if she doesn’t cooperate?” Ghost asks.
“Then we do whatever we fucking have to.” I take a deep breath. “All those in favor of keeping Ms. McGill here, thump twice.”
My brothers each bang their fists on the table twice. And since he’s on the phone, Ghost presses a button two times for his vote.
“Vote passes,” I say. “Journey, go see if Kenny still has any of that shit we found on him the night we took him in. Screamer, get Python and fill him in. Let him know that I need him to keep Addison occupied and supplied with booze.”
“Whaddya want me to do?” Poker asks.
“I need you to get with Blain and between the two of you, get Addison’s friend out of here. I have no interest in holding her hostage as well.”
“And me, Pres?” Ghost asks.
“You stay with your mom until the nurse gets back,” I tell him. “We’ve got things handled here.” I glance around the room and grin. “Let’s get to it.”
With church over, my brothers return to the party. I have all the confidence in the world that they’ll carry out orders. None of them have ever let me down, and I don’t expect they’ll start now. Not with something this important.
I make my way back to the common room and cut my gaze to the bar. Journey is talking to Kenny, and I watch them closely. While I need Kenny to have the drugs necessary to knock Addison out, a part of me hopes he doesn’t since he was instructed to never use them again.
When Kenny reaches into his pocket and hands Journey a small plastic baggie, I sigh. Looks like Addison won’t be the only one in the Nightmare Room tonight.
Journey hands the baggie back to Kenny and gives him instructions. I didn’t specify during church what I wanted done with them, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.
Once I’m satisfied that Addison’s next drink will be spiked, I search the room for Screamer. He’s speaking to Python, who’s nodding with a giant grin on his face. No doubt, he’s thrilled to be responsible for keeping Addison close.
Next, I look for Poker. He’s in the middle of the dance floor with Blain and Mona. His job should be fairly easy if the way Mona is staggering is any indication. She’s already way past drunk. It shouldn’t be too hard to convince her that it’s time to go home.
I head to my recliner and sit. As I always do, I watch as everything unfolds. It’s not thirty minutes later that Blain is carrying Mona outside. There was a brief conversation between Mona and Addison and apparently, Addison wasn’t ready to head out just yet.
Shocker… Can’t very well get dirt on us if she leaves.
My attention settles on Addison and Python. When the song changes, he stops dancing and practically drags her to the bar. Kenny serves them both a fresh beer, and I know it won’t be long now.
I stand and cross the room.
“We’ve got a problem, prospect,” I say calmly when I reach the bar.
“I know,” Kenny says. “I can’t believe that bit?—”
“Wasn’t referring to her,” I snap and reach across the bar to grab a handful of his shirt and yank him toward me. “You were told to get rid of that shit.”
His face pales. “I… I know. But aren’t you glad I didn’t listen?”
“We’d have found another way.”
“And now you don’t have to,” he argues.
“You’re right,” Journey states when he steps up next to me. “But you still disobeyed orders, and that can’t go unpunished.”
“Unpunished?” Kenny repeats. “What’re ya gonna do?”
The fear in his tone sends adrenaline coursing through my veins. Without letting him go, I glance over my shoulder.
“Conner!” I shout to be heard over the music. “Get behind the bar.”
Conner scurries to do my bidding. “Need me to take over, Pres?”
“Yes,” I reply, returning my attention back to Kenny. “You’re headed downstairs.”
“Oh shit,” Conner quips while shaking his head.
“VP, get him outta my sight,” I demand.
Journey walks around the bar and wraps his meaty hand around Kenny’s bicep. He drags him to the hall that leads to the steel door. I’ll deal with the prospect later. Right now, I need to focus on getting Addison downstairs as well.
My eyes land on Addison, who’s taking a long pull from her beer.
Won’t be long now.
After a few minutes, and several more sips, Addison begins to sway, and not to the beat of the music. Her knees buckle, and Python quickly scoops her into his arms. That evil green monster reappears, and I rush forward.
“Give her to me,” I demand when I reach the pair.
Python wisely keeps his mouth shut and hands her over. I carry Addison through the crowd, and no one gives us a second glance. As far as they’re concerned, I’m carrying a chick who can’t hold her liquor to a room so she can sleep it off.
Addison is light in my arms despite essentially being dead weight. My fingers dig into her flesh where her shirt crept up, and touching her is like a lightning strike. Electricity zaps each and every one of my nerve endings until I’m aware of nothing but her.
“Let me outta here!”
Kenny’s shout pulls me from my trance. Journey is standing just outside the door to the Nightmare Room, watching Kenny on the monitor.
“Open the door,” I order Journey. “Then get me the cot.”
He presses the button on the wall, and the door slides open. While I carry Addison inside, Journey moves to the storage room. Kenny continues to shout, but I tune him out.
“Here ya go,” Journey says when he returns with the cot and a blanket thrown over his shoulder.
“Put it against the wall,” I say, nodding to where I want the bed. I glance at Kenny. “You touch this thing, and you won’t walk out of here on your own, got it?”
That seems to shut him up. He nods.
I lay Addison down and grab the blanket Journey hands me. After I cover her up, Journey and I retreat out of the room, and the door slides closed.
“Now what?” Journey asks.
I grin. “Now we wait.”