EXILE
Five Points Lofts was the home of many of the male Crimson Guard members. I knew most of the women members lived in a big house on the north side. I always found the living situation strange, since several LM Jokers members, including their president and VP, also called this place home.
I parked my ride next to Rowdy’s in the underground garage at the condo complex. He took a minute to climb off. We arrived minutes after someone else, and I assumed Rowdy wanted to avoid sharing the elevator with that person.
“Who are you dodging?” I muttered under my breath after we entered the elevator and the doors shut.
“Jagger.”
“Do you think he’ll start shit?”
“No, I think he’ll charm you into the Jokers’ arms. Hell, Jagger might even send his pretty sister to bat her pretty eyes at you.”
“I’m not interested in his fucking sister.”
“But you are interested in mine, right?” Rowdy asked as his demeanor shifted from distracted stoner to razor-sharp killer. “That’s why you showed up today, isn’t it? I’d hate to believe this is a bizarre plan by your boss to get close to our inner circle.”
“If the Black Rainbow wanted to seduce someone from your club to get an inside angle, do you really think we’d pick Lula?”
Rowdy studied me with his icy blue eyes before smiling. “She’s a gorgeous woman. Inherited our mom’s good looks.”
The elevator doors opened, and Rowdy was instantly in the hallway. The tension he gave off a second earlier was gone. I followed him down the fourth-floor hallway.
We soon stepped into his unit. The two-story ceiling in the kitchen and living room were definitely slick. The wall of windows was covered in heavy, dark drapes. I noticed they were up in the corner where a cage rested.
“I’ve got to take Goblin down for his shit break,” Rowdy explained and released a black-white-brown Chihuahua. The dog rushed over to me, looking like an arrogant shithead considering his size. He sniffed my boot and then growled at me. Just as quickly, he sauntered over to the door and barked.
“Don’t let his attitude fool you,” Rowdy told me. “I’m the boss in this relationship. He knows his place.”
The dog instantly barked at Rowdy again, as if to prove his owner wrong.
“Should I go with you?”
Smirking, Rowdy asked, “Do you want to watch my dog shit?”
“What the fuck else am I supposed to do?”
Rowdy walked back to the kitchen and grabbed a handful of menus from the cabinet. “Pick something for me to order. I don’t care what we get. I skipped breakfast and only ate a granola bar for lunch. I might have to eat this fucking dog if I don’t get fed soon.”
The Chihuahua looked up at Rowdy and barked for a third time.
“Sure,” he said and lifted his boot over the dog’s head. “It would be so easy to end you.”
The dog wagged its tail and licked the heel of the boot. Rowdy grinned instantly and glanced at me.
“That door over there is to the guest room. There are clothes in there. Some might fit you. Take a shower, or a shit, or watch TV. Whatever. I’ll be back soon.”
Rowdy and the dog walked out of the condo while I stood like a clueless kid. I glanced over the menus and picked sandwiches because few places could screw up something so simple.
Walking to the bedroom that Rowdy pointed out, I shut the door and checked my phone. Zodiac had sent a cryptic message, saying only, “Your balls have lost their power and might need to be removed.”
I called Nova to check on her and explain how I wouldn’t be home tonight.
“Did she appreciate your romantic gesture?” Nova asked, answering with the sound of cooking in the background. “Have her knees gone weak?”
“I suspect so.”
“You suspect? Why don’t you know?”
“I got derailed by her family pretty quickly after I arrived.”
“Are they bullying you? Should I get involved? I can bring the girls to play backup.”
I grinned while glancing out the window with the downtown view. “I’ll keep your offer in my back pocket, but I ought to be fine for now.”
“When are you coming home?”
“Not sure. I’m staying overnight at her brother’s place.”
Nova didn’t answer immediately, and I heard a familiar voice in the background.
“Are you cooking for Zodiac?” I asked, instantly irritated by my president’s bullying ways.
“He doesn’t know how to feed himself,” Nova said in her mommy voice. “He needs someone to keep him from starving.”
Zodiac made a habit of showing up at my house and hinting for Nova to take care of him.
In the beginning, I worried he might be sniffing around my sister.
Zodiac was my friend, and I’d take a bullet to save him.
That didn’t mean I wanted his dick in Nova.
She needed a solid guy with the ability to act like a dad.
Zodiac would never stay loyal and stable for a woman.
“Whatcha doing?” Zodiac asked after snagging Nova’s phone. “No, let me answer for you. ‘Zodiac, I bailed on my Baton Rouge responsibilities to get my cock wet with a pretty biker lawyer.’”
“Cock!” Lyric yelled and started chanting the word.
Nova immediately lost her shit and yelled, “Dammit, Zodiac! You weren’t raised right!”
Zodiac casually replied, “How many times have I told you that I wasn’t raised at all? I just got older, free-range style.”
Nova stole her phone back and whined, “You need to give the girls the lecture when you get back. You know, the one where you remind them how Zodiac’s a strange man who shouldn’t be copied.”
I heard my president chuckling before sweet-talking his way back into control of the phone.
“Your sister’s making me spaghetti. Meanwhile, you’re doing what exactly right now?”
“I’m at Rowdy Reed’s place.”
“Did the lawyer kick you out of her house? I knew you’d crash and burn, Exile.”
“Burn!” Lyric yelled.
“See?” Zodiac told Nova. “She isn’t saying ‘cock’ anymore.”
“Cock!” Lyric yelled.
“Where’s my carrot shredder?” Nova hollered. “I’m turning Zodiac into a girl biker like the one my brother is chasing!”
“Here it is!” Skylar yelled.
The sound of cooking faded, and I heard a lawn mower’s engine. Zodiac had clearly fled the house and was in the backyard now.
“Speak up now that we don’t have an audience. I assume you aren’t calling me in front of your new friends.”
“Rowdy is taking care of his little dog.”
Zodiac quickly asked, “Why are you there and not at the lawyer’s place?”
“Her family played cockblockers.”
“Makes sense. Imagine if some fella showed up looking to fuck Nova. Do you think you’d let him stay over with the girls around? No, you’d start grinding your teeth and thinking of burial sites.”
“I’m staying at least until tomorrow.”
“At least?” Zodiac muttered.
“Well, yeah, I’m trying to make something happen here. Besides, Lula could be in danger.”
“So could Nova, but you left her unattended.”
“Is that why you’re there?”
Zodiac chuckled at my question. “No, I wanted her to cook me spaghetti. I’ll send someone else later to bunk on your couch.”
“Who? I don’t want Sugar trying to get in her pants again.”
“Just let your sister have a juicy, young cock to enjoy. You’re such a damn prude.”
The idea of my club brother talking his way into Nova’s bed nearly sent me rushing for the door and my hog. Rather than bail on my plans with Lula, I snarled, “Who will you send?”
“I might stick around. But I’m not sleeping on your fucking couch. I’ll stretch out in your bed and give it my manly scent. Now, let’s stop stressing over the safety of Nova’s pussy and focus on what’s happening on your end.”
“I told you what’s happening.”
“Yeah, but you’re in Little Memphis, getting inside intel,” Zodiac said, sounding like the scheming bastard I knew. “Don’t act like you aren’t making mental notes.”
“Nothing to tell yet. They’re on edge after what happened to Lula and the sisters.”
“How did Clint act when you talked to him? I assume he stuck his nose in your seduction plans.”
“He seemed calm.”
“He always seems calm,” Zodiac muttered, and I felt him rolling his eyes.
“What are you hoping I can tell you here?”
“I want to know how seriously they’re taking this Void shit. Plus, they have an odd relationship with the LM Jokers. I want to know if shit goes sideways between our club and Tricky’s, will Clint ride to our aid?”
“They put me up here at Rowdy’s place, so I’d be protected. I can’t tell if they’re genuinely worried about me or trying to appease Tricky.”
“Our snitch hasn’t said anything since we hit the drop-off spot and took Lula. It’s possible the guy outed himself, and we lost our inside person.”
“It’s been less than twenty-four hours.”
“Yet, you’re playing Romeo and skipping club meetings.”
“What club meeting?”
“I planned to have another one tonight before a celebratory party. Instead, you hopped on your bike and rode to Arkansas. Now, I’m forced to bunk here with your sister and those little outlaw nieces of yours.”
Though I couldn’t remember Zodiac scheduling a meeting or a party for tonight, his claim made sense. We’d need to go over shit. On the other hand, Zodiac enjoyed lying and making people squirm. That was why York always double-checked with me before assuming our president was telling the truth.
“I’m not an impulsive man,” I told Zodiac rather than ask if he was full of shit. “The fact that I’m here should mean something.”
“I know exactly what that something is. If Elle Reed would spread for me, I’d ditch my responsibilities for a day or two. But you can’t forget the big picture here. The Void made a huge play yesterday, but someone snitched them out. We don’t know how they’ll respond.”
“If that happened to us, we’d respond by holding off on anything big until we smoked out our rat.”
“That’s what I’m hoping for, but we don’t know. The Void fucker who’s gunning for Little Memphis is working on emotion, not logic. He might lash out immediately. A sniper could make a mess in Little Memphis. Imagine how much Nova would cry if your pretty head got blown off.”
My mind raced with thoughts of Nova and the girls unprotected back in Baton Rouge. I also felt stressed about the Void taking another run at Lula. I didn’t know the answers. I felt torn in two directions.
“Put my sister back on the phone,” I told Zodiac. “I’ll call you tomorrow with an update.”
Zodiac didn’t give me any more grief. Likely, the spaghetti was nearly finished, and his mind was on food. Nova took the phone and sighed dramatically.
“This woman better be hotter than hell,” my sister muttered.
“She is.”
Sighing deeply, Nova admitted, “As much as I want you to be happy, I don’t like how far away you feel.”
Few people could cut me down deep like Nova could with only a few words. She was so willing to suffer for the people she loved. Something had to hurt deep inside for her to complain. Right now, her fears bubbled to the surface.
“I’m having lunch with Lula tomorrow,” I explained, hoping Nova could relax if she knew I had a plan. “I’ll try to see her with fresh eyes and test this thing. If it’s not working, I won’t stick around.”
Nova sighed. “But don’t be pushy. Women don’t like. Oh, and she’s probably all banged up from what happened. Be sweet to her.”
Smiling at how she wanted to help, I promised, “I will.”
“It’s important to show her that you’re not just the grumpy guy you act like on the outside. You have a big heart, Dan. Make sure you don’t hide that. People don’t always notice it.”
My chest hurt at how Nova wanted me to win Lula’s affection. I wished Baton Rouge and Little Memphis weren’t so far apart. Nova could visit with the girls while I figured things out. We’d get a hotel, and I’d be able to keep an eye on everyone who needed my protection.
After Nova encouraged the girls to tell me goodbye and blow kisses into the phone, I hung up and felt like my home was too far away for any of this to work.
Walking away from my feelings for Lula made sense. I was a rational guy. Nothing was truly keeping me here. I could ride home and kick Zodiac out of my house. Things would go back to the way they were before I met Lula.
I was ready to head down to the garage to get my ride. I imagined myself walking to the elevator. I saw myself riding back to Baton Rouge.
My heart clenched at the idea of walking away from Lula. I couldn’t breathe. Feeling overheated and dizzy, I worried I was having a damn heart attack.
Only when I bowed to my heart’s desire to remain near Lula could I catch my breath and regain control of myself. Somehow, after less than twenty-four hours, I’d become a slave to my need for Lula Reed.