1. Memphis
Memphis
“Jenna used my razor to shave her legs.”
“Yeah and?”
“It was my razor, and she used it on her legs! That damn blade got dull as hell. It was like using a fucking butter knife.” I was sitting in the backseat of Grim’s truck with Ghost and Seven, and we were all listening as Grim complained. “Haven’t had razor burn like that since I was a kid.”
“Aw, damn,” Ghost chuckled. “That’s gotta suck.”
“It does, and to top it off, I went to the store and bought her a brand-new razor of her own. It was pink and everything, but she still used mine. What the hell is that about?”
“Might have to start stashing your shit somewhere.”
“Stashing my shit?” Grim’s brows furrowed. “That’s a thing?”
“Hell, yeah, it’s a thing,” Seven answered. “I dated this girl once that was obsessed with my shit, even my deodorant.”
“Jenna uses mine all the time, and I got no idea why. She’s got tons of smell-good shit. Soaps, shampoos, and sprays. You name it.” Grim shook his head. “But I gotta tell ya, my ass has never smelled so good.”
“You better watch it, brother,” Ghost chuckled. “Wouldn’t want you going soft on us.”
Grim was the club’s enforcer, and he was anything but soft. The man had done things that would make the devil shake in his boots. He cocked his brow as he replied, “You know better than that.”
“Grim going soft?” Creed was the club’s VP and knew Grim better than anyone, so I wasn’t surprised when he scoffed, “Not a chance. Hell, you saw what he did to Delgado. There ain’t nothing soft about that.”
“Yeah.” Ghost winced. “That was pretty rough.”
Delgado made the mistake of kidnapping Luna, Jenna’s young daughter, over money that was owed to him by Jenna’s brother and his gang. It was a mistake that ended up costing Delgado his life in the most gruesome of ways. None of us were surprised that Grim had gone to such an extreme. He was crazy about Luna, and he was distraught when he discovered she was in danger.
But with Delgado out of the picture, we were left without a distributor.
That was a problem—a big problem.
Our club gained a great deal of income from our marijuana sales, so we were left with no choice but to find someone new—which is why we were in Grim’s truck and headed to Nashville.
We were going to check out a possible new distributor that was run by the Ruthless Sinners and one of their ol’ ladies. They were supposed to have the best marijuana this side of the border, and we were all eager to find out if it was worth all the hype. We’d first learned about them through Gus, the president of the Memphis chapter. He’d assured us that they were the real deal, and that’s all we needed to know.
We asked for a meet, and Gus set it up.
It was about a five-hour drive from Little Rock to Nashville, and the guys were growing restless—which led them to start talking. One thing led to another, and Grim started opening up about having a new woman in his home. He was usually pretty tight-lipped, so he had our full attention as he said, “Delgado had it coming. And if I had it to do again, I wouldn’t take it so easy on him.”
“Hell yeah, he did. Dude was a real piece of shit.” When Grim turned down an old winding road, Ghost leaned forward and asked, “We getting close?”
“Shouldn’t be much further.”
After ten or so more miles, we came up to a secured gate, and Creed announced, “This must be the place.”
We looked around for a guard or some kind of monitoring device to let them know we’d arrived, but there was nothing to be found. But after several seconds, the gate eased open, and we were able to continue down the road.
It wasn’t long before we pulled up to an old school surrounded by several smaller one-bedroom houses, which made the place look like some kind of religious compound. Grim parked, and we all got out and stretched our legs. It wasn’t long before two guys came out to greet us.
One was clean-cut and wearing jeans and a t-shirt. The other had long, dark hair and was wearing a Ruthless Sinners cut. The man in jeans walked over to the group, and after a quick scan of our cuts, he extended his hand to our VP and said, “Welcome to the Manor. You must be Creed.”
“I am.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you and your brothers.” He shook Creed’s hand as he added, “I’m Braylon, and this is Country.”
Country walked over and shook Creed’s hand, then moved to Seven, our sergeant-at-arms, and shook his as well. “Gus speaks very highly of you all.”
“Same for your brothers and this place.”
“Glad to hear that.” Country motioned his head towards the front door. “Why don’t you guys follow me inside, and I’ll introduce you to Kiersten? She’s the one who runs the show.”
“Sounds good.”
As we followed Country and his friend towards the main building, I kept expecting to see armed guards or more Sinners lurking around, but it was just them—at least it appeared that way. But once we were inside, I saw the security screens along the back wall—each showing a different location on the manor. It was then that I realized that every inch of the place was being carefully watched. Nothing was going down without them knowing it.
Ghost, Seven, and I followed Grim and Creed into the foyer, and it was done up in a way that reminded me of a hotel lobby. There were marble floors and seating over in the corner with a sectional and various lamps. It wasn’t what you’d expect to find at a marijuana distribution site. We were checking it all out when a young woman walked in.
Her long, wavy hair was down around her shoulders, and she wore a long, colorful skirt with boots and a t-shirt. Her wrists were covered with bracelets, making her look like a gypsy. She gave us all a bright smile as she walked over and said, “Hi, I’m Kiersten.”
“I’m Creed.” He turned and motioned his hand over to us. “And this is Memphis, Seven, Ghost, and Grim.”
“It’s nice to meet you. Gus has told me all about you and your needs and expectations, and after today, you will see that we’ll have no problem meeting those.”
“We shall see.”
“Okay, then. Let’s get this party started.”
She motioned us to follow as she started down the hall. When she reached two doors, she opened one wide to reveal row after row of cannabis plants. After we’d gathered inside, she said, “Our greenhouse is state-of-the-art. We have the best lighting on the market and a top-of-the-line filtration system. Over the past few years, we’ve developed the perfect blend of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus for optimal growth of our plants.”
“Holy hell. More goes into this shit than I thought,” Ghost grumbled.
“It’s a lot, but it’s worth it. You’ll see.”
I had to give it to her.
This Kiersten chick was on it. She knew her shit and was clearly proud of what she’d accomplished, and rightly so. This place was incredible. “This is just one of our many start-up rooms. We use this and a hydroponics room to start the process. After a couple of weeks, they are developed enough to be moved to the gymnasium, where they will complete the process. Come with me, and I’ll show you.”
Grim nodded, and we all followed her out of the room. When we walked into the gymnasium, I was blown away by the number of fucking marijuana plants lining the floor. It was insane. I had no doubt that they could meet our needs and more. Much more.
I could hear the pride in her voice as Kiersten announced, “Each startup room offers a different harvest time, so we are able to keep up with our demand. And our demand is substantial and growing all the time.”
“I can see why.” Creed sounded impressed as he told her, “You have quite a setup here.”
“It’s taken a lot to get it where it is, but I think we have a good thing.”
“You certainly do.”
“Well, there’s only one way to know just how good our stuff really is. You want to try it?” A knowing smile marked her face as she added, “Why don’t you guys go out to the fire pit, and I’ll gather up some samples for you?”
“The one out front when we walked in?”
“Yeah, that’s the one.”
“Okay. Sounds good.”
“Great. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
Creed nodded, and then we all followed him out back to the fire pit. There was already a fire brewing, and several guys were over at the grill, cooking up a mess of burgers and hot dogs. Seven stepped up beside me as he said, “This place is really something.”
“Yeah, it is.” I looked around, watching as several of her workers moved from one location to the next. “I’m interested to see if the book is as good as the cover.”
“I don’t know. Something tells me it will be.”
The words had barely left his mouth when Kiersten came out of the barn with Country. We all sat down by the fire and listened as Kiersten explained the different variations she’d brought for us to try. I’d always thought that pot was just pot, but clearly, I was wrong.
We each got a joint, then took a spot around the fire. I immediately lit mine and took a long drag. I held it for a moment, then slowly let it out. Country took a hit of his, and as he let it out, he nudged me with his elbow and snickered, “Smooth like Sunday morning.”
“Yeah, it’s definitely that. I can see why Gus had so many good things to say about it.”
“They’re good guys. They make it easy to do business with them.”
“He said the same about you.”
Before I could say anything more, I felt the effects of the pot start to roll over me. I took another drag, and soon after, I felt a mellow like I hadn’t felt since I was a kid. When Kiersten said her stuff was the best around, she wasn’t kidding. I’d smoked my fair share of pot, and it was easy to tell the difference between the good stuff and the bad.
This was the real deal, and I was feeling good—really good. I eased my head back and listened as Creed asked Grim, “You fussin’ earlier about Jenna and the whole razor thing, but what would she have to say about living with you?”
“Nothing. There’s nothing to say. I’m good.” He squinted as smoke billowed from his lips. “I stay in my own lane, and I don’t mess with her shit... Well, I use her shampoo now and then, but only because it’s easier to reach.”
“Ah, so it’s not because it smells good and makes your hair soft.”
“Come on, now. You know me better than that.”
“I do know you. That’s why I asked.”
“You aren’t getting it, brother. My house has become their house. I used to have a fridge full of beer and leftover pizza boxes, and now it’s crammed packed with salad and fucking kale. I don’t even know what kale is, but I can tell you this. It tastes like ass, and I want no part of it.”
Grim was bitching, but we all knew he loved every minute of having Jenna and Luna in his life. They’d only been with him for a few months, and they already meant the world to him. I won’t deny that I was a little envious of him. Just hearing him talk about her and their life together had me thinking back to the night I thought I had found the one.
After ten years of being on her own, my mother had found someone who checked all her boxes, and she asked me to come down and meet him. I wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea. It’d been over a year since we’d spent any real time together, but I agreed to go. A few days later, I was stuck in Memphis at some swanky hotel she’d set me up in.
I was just going to grab a quick drink and head up to my room, but my plan changed when a beautiful brunette caught my eye. She was sitting at the end of the counter, toying with the straw in her drink, and she was staring off into space, completely unaware that I was checking her out.
Her long, dark hair was pulled back on one side, revealing her perfectly etched jawline and dark, piercing eyes. She was wearing a pale pink top that accentuated her olive-toned skin, and she was sporting a pair of pearl earrings and a sparkling gold bracelet.
She came from money—real money.
It was written all over her.
I usually steered clear of chicks like her. They were more trouble than they were worth. And even if they happened to be one of the good ones, they
were typically interested in guys who wore khakis and sports coats, not tattoos and leather.
But I was a cocky asshole with nothing to lose.
So, I got up and walked over to her with a smile. “Hey there, beautiful. How’s it going?”
She turned her head towards me, and the second her eyes met mine, a smile swept across her beautiful face. “Hey. It’s going okay.”
I glanced down at her hand, checking for a ring, and was pleased to find that she was unattached. “You expecting someone?”
“No, not at the moment. I just stopped in for a drink.”
“Same.” I held up my drink, and her eyes skirted over me with a spark of intrigue. I took that as a good sign and asked, “Mind if I join ya?”
“Sure.”
As I sat down next to her, I asked, “You got a name?”
“Antonia, but my friends call me Toni.”
“Nice to meet you, Toni. I’m Wes.”
“Wes.” Her brow cocked and her smile widened. “Nice name.”
We were off to a good start. I was almost surprised by the fact. “You from around here?”
“I am, at least for the time being. I just got a job at Melbourne and Jones Law downtown, but I’m not sure that I’ll stay there long term.”
“You’re a lawyer?”
“I am.”
“Oh, wow. What kind? Criminal or defense?”
“Civil litigations. I’ll represent clients in lawsuits between individuals or businesses. That sort of thing.” She held my gaze as she asked, “What about you?”
“I help run a family business.”
“That sounds... interesting. Is this business close by?”
“No, it’s over in Arkansas. I grew up around the Berclair area but left as soon as I was able and moved to Little Rock. I’m just here for a quick visit.”
“I see.”
Her eyes never left mine as she lifted her glass and took another drink. Damn. This chick was just as into me as I was her. I had to take my shot, so I asked, “So, Toni. What’s a girl like you get into on weekends like this?”
“Well, that depends.” Mischief flashed through her eyes as she smiled. “Usually, I just head home and spend the night curled up in front of the TV, but there are times when I meet up with friends, and we cut loose a bit.”
“And how do you do that?”
“We drink a little, dance a little, and try not to get too carried away.”
“And how often do you get carried away?”
“Not that often.” A sexy smirk crossed her face. “But with the right motivation, I’m up for just about anything.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Our conversation flowed with ease. We didn’t have to think about what to say or what the other was thinking. We just talked. Toni told me about her childhood and how her mother had passed a few years back. I told her how my folks were never married and that they’d fought for years over where I should grow up.
I couldn’t really tell her how they’d finally decided that I should stay with my mother. It was something that was never shared with me, but I told her that I’d known from day one that I belonged in Little Rock with my father and the brothers of Satan’s Fury. At the mention of the club, she asked, “Satan’s Fury? Aren’t they here in Memphis?”
“Yeah, there’s a Memphis chapter. They’re some really good guys.”
“So, why didn’t you just stay and join their club?”
“It’s a good club, but it’s not my father’s club.”
That conversation was a bit more entailed and led us to go sit by the fire.
Once there, we continued to talk and shared one story to the next. She could see that I was a biker through and through—made for speed and full of greed. But she could also see that there was much more to me than that, and she was willing to take the time to find out all she could about me.
She went as far as to ask me things like what I remembered about my eighteenth birthday. Hell, no one had ever asked me something like that, and it took me some time to answer. But as I did, I divulged things about myself that I didn’t even know. We delved into our life goals and everything in between, and I was surprised to find that our plans for the future were oddly similar. It was strange. We were from two different worlds, but I could see myself tied to her—in more ways than one.
I’d heard the brothers say that when you know you know, but I’d always had my doubts—until I met her. I finally got it. It was after one in the morning. I didn’t care. I could’ve talked to her until the sun rose the following morning, but neither of us had that kind of time. As much as I hated to, I placed my empty glass on the table and said, “We should probably call it a night.”
“Yeah, it is getting pretty late.”
“Mind if I walk you up to your room?”
“I’d like that.”
I nodded, then stood and waited for her to do the same. A soft smile crossed her face as she collected her things and started for the door. When we passed the bar, I stopped long enough to grab a napkin and a pen. I wrote my number on it, then I slipped it into my pocket and followed her to the elevator.
We were both silent as we made our way to the second floor. Toni gave a few side-eye glances, and I could tell by the way she raked her teeth across her bottom lip that she had something on her mind. I had the same thing on mine, which was why I waited for those elevator doors to open and followed her down to her room.
She pulled out her key card and asked, “Do you wanna come in for a minute?”
“Yeah, I would, more than I care to admit, but you have a big day tomorrow and I don’t wanna mess that up.”
“How would you mess it up?”
“’Cause you’ll be hella tired.” I gave her a smile. “If I go in that room, you’re not going to be getting any sleep.”
“I see.”
“But I can’t leave here without...”
I slipped my arm around her waist and pulled her against my chest. Her eyes danced with desire as she watched me lower my mouth to hers, silencing her rebuttal with a deep, demanding kiss. I’d spent the better part of the night imagining what her soft, full lips would taste like, but it didn’t hold a flame to the real thing.
They were incredible.
She was incredible.
Every touch of her tongue only made my need grow more intense. I wound my hand up to the nape of her neck and tangled my fist in her hair, giving it a slight tug. Her delicious lips opened in a small gasp, exactly like I wanted, giving me even better access to her sweet mouth.
She ran her fingers into my hair, pulling me toward her and returning my kiss with fervor. From the start, I had suspected the pull I felt toward her was mutual. I could feel it lingering under the surface, and if this kiss was any indication, she wanted me just as much as I wanted her.
“Mmm…” She moaned into my mouth as my free hand grabbed her ass and pulled her closer. That little moan made my cock so hard my jeans could barely constrain me. I could feel a little smile play on her lips as she ground her hips against mine, clearly enjoying my growing arousal.
I kept her head pulled back as I trailed my lips down her throat, nipping and sucking at the sensitive flesh. I heard her breath catch as I reached the nook of her neck and collarbone. For reasons I couldn’t begin to explain, this woman had me on edge. I burned for her, and with every touch, she stoked the fucking fire. She shifted her hips forward, grinding against my ever-hardening cock.
We were about to cross a line that I knew we shouldn’t cross—not if this was going to be anything more than a one-night stand, so I took a step back and pulled the napkin from my back pocket. I offered it to her as I said, “Call me.”
She nodded, then just as I started to walk away, she reached out and grabbed hold of my hand. When I turned and saw the look of hunger in her eyes, I knew there was no walking away. I had to have her.
I took the key from her hand and opened her door, and as soon as we were inside, I lifted her up into my arms and carried her to bed. We spent the better part of the night tangled in each other’s arms. The next morning, I got up early, so I could head back to my room. She followed me to the door, and disappointment filled her eyes as she watched me walk down the hall.
She was still standing in her doorway when I stepped into the elevator, but as soon as the doors started closing, she went back inside her room and closed the door. I felt a twinge of regret when I could no longer see her and that had me questioning everything.
My father would tell me that it takes more than a few hours to know if you’ve found the one, and up until tonight, I would’ve agreed with him. But there was something about Toni that had me thinking about white picket fences. It was a thought that lingered with me as I took my shower and got dressed.
I was just about to shove my phone in my back pocket when I noticed that I had a message from an unknown number. I quickly opened it, and just as I’d hoped, it was from Toni.
Toni-
Hey.
I wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed last night.
I hope I can see you again.
Me:
You can count on it.
I was tempted to say something more but decided it was best to play it cool. I took it as a good sign that she’d texted and left it at that. I went downstairs to the lobby. It was finally time to meet up with my mother and her new fella.
I wasn’t exactly looking forward to it.
I loved my mother, but our relationship was strained. We never saw eye-to-eye on anything and fought a lot, and things didn’t get any better when I decided to go live with Dad.
But Mom never gave up.
She kept calling, kept trying, and even though I didn’t always show it, it meant something to me. It was one of the reasons I’d agreed to come and do this whole meet-and-greet thing.
As soon as I got to the lobby, I spotted my mother at the front entrance. She was wearing a pair of white slacks and heels, and her hair was pulled up into a tight bun. She looked nice, but that was nothing new. My mother was a pretty woman and always dressed to impress.
Her eyes lit up when she spotted me, and she smiled one of her smiles as she held out her arms and gasped, “Wes!”
“Hey, Mom.” I walked over and gave her a hug. “You’re looking good.”
“You are, too. You look more and more like your father all the time.” She gave me a squeeze, then motioned her hand to the man standing next to her. “I’d like you to meet Carmine. He’s the man I’ve been telling you about.”
He was a big guy with broad shoulders and salt-and-pepper hair. He was wearing an expensive suit, but he didn’t have the look of easy money. He’d worked for it, and that was something I could respect. I extended my hand as I said, “It’s nice to finally meet ya.”
“Right back at ya, kid.” He shook my hand. “Your mother has told me a lot about you.”
“I hope they were good things, but I know better than that.”
“Well, they were mostly good.” He smiled, but it quickly faded when his attention was drawn to something behind me. “Ah, there’s my girl.”
I glanced over my shoulder, and my breath caught when I spotted Toni walking toward us. And she wasn’t just walking toward us. She was coming over to us. At first, my mind wasn’t computing why she was there or why Carmine had just called her his girl.
Then, it hit me. My chest tightened, and a knot formed in my throat. I prayed it wasn’t true, but my worst fears were confirmed when he said, “I’d like you to meet my daughter, Antonia.”
And just like that, my whole world crumbled.