Chapter 2
Slay
Deputy Mitchell counted the ten grand I’d put in an envelope. Steve stood nervously beside me. It seemed Cassandra’s younger brother had been targeted by an unknown player in our territory. And my informant, Deputy Mitchell, had intervened on the club’s behalf… For a price, of course.
“Who’s shit list is the Kings on now?” Mitchell asked.
“Your guess is as good as mine.” We could be on any number of shit lists. Over the years, we had taken business away from the Bratva, Mafia, Cartel, and the Irish.
I was confident it wasn’t small-time gangbangers. They weren’t stupid and were usually doped up on the pain meds they sold.
“What’s it been? A year since I was cleaning up that fire shit with the Mafia dude?”
“Something like that.” The deputy annoyed the crap out of me, but thus far, he’d been valuable to the club—for a price.
“Well, when you find out who’s trying to move into the Kings’ territory, drop me a text. We need to know if there’s going to be a war.” Deputy Mitchell put the cash in his pocket.
“Will do.” I nodded and put my hand on Steve’s back to leave. In and out was how I rolled with these exchanges. I had no time for chitchat with law enforcement.
Even though Mitchell was my informant, I didn’t trust him like most people. In my line of work, I’d found out fast that I couldn’t trust anyone other than my president and club brothers.
“Oh, and Slay…” Mitchell muttered in a mysterious tone.
I stopped without turning around.
“There’s been some noise about Russians in town. Better watch your back.”
Fuck. I resumed my steps, pushing Steve to go in front of me.
“Did he mean Bratva?” Steve asked in a low voice. “Why would they be in town?”
Excellent question. But I would not share my thoughts while I escorted him to his vehicle. His safety was my number one priority. Cass wouldn’t lose another brother on my watch.
“I’ll keep an eye out,” he said.
“No, you won’t,” I said through gritted teeth.
“But—”
“But nothing.” I jerked my chin at his door. “You heard nothing and know nothing. Go back to living your life and stay in the dark. That’s the safest place for you.”
“Why can’t I prospect? You can sponsor me. I can help solve the mystery.”
Jesus, this kid was too much.
“The club life isn’t for everyone. Cass would have my balls if I let you in.” More than that, she could shut me out of her life completely. We were on semi-friendly terms. She tolerated me, and I wouldn’t do anything to make her hate me more than she already did.
“She’s not the boss of me. I’m a grown man and make my own choices.” Steve straightened his spine. He had potential and could be valuable in the club, but it’d never happen.
“Get in the car, Steve.”
“Come on, Slay. Will you at least consider it?” He opened his door and sat in the driver’s seat. Fortunately, Deputy Mitchell hadn’t seized his car and impounded it. Steve had been smart to mention me after they brought him in. Just wished he hadn’t called his dad, too.
“No.” I shut his door and went to my Harley.
If Mitchell was right about Russians in town, I needed to get this information to Jefe right away and reach out to some of my contacts.
The day was ending on a bad note. I hadn’t finished my burrito. And worse, Cass was angry with me.
Fuck my life.
Back at the clubhouse, I drank a beer while Jefe helped Silvia put baby Chance to bed. Russians in our town was huge news, but Prez didn’t want to hear anything until he returned.
I waited in the bar with my brewski and an image of Cass torturing me. She looked fine as always, but that black sundress made my blood pump in the best way.
Her reddish-brown wavy hair looked soft and silky, just begging for me to wrap it around my hand and tug it back so I could devour her luscious lips.
Hell, I’d devour every inch of her if she’d give me the damn green light. Sex as adults would be so much better than when we were teenagers losing our virginity to each other.
I snorted to myself, remembering how much we fumbled around the first time. We were so awkward and nervous; me almost eighteen and her newly turned fifteen.
The next few times had been better, much better. But the things I could do to her now that I was experienced and older… She would beg me to never stop, and I fucking would die to hear her begging for more.
I took a large gulp of my beer, hoping it would cool my jets before I slipped into the bathroom to jerk off.
“Did you get your clean laundry?”
Oh, shit. I knew that voice coming from behind me. Her timing was impeccable given my current state of arousal.
Suzy sat on the edge of the table in front of me. Her tan legs brushed against mine teasingly. “I left them on the dining table since you won’t give me a key.”
“Thanks. I’m sure they’re still there.” The only person to ever have a key to my private bedroom would be the woman I claimed and married. No one else.
“Want me to put them away for you?” She leaned forward, giving me a bird’s eye view of her plump cleavage spilling out of her strapless top.
“I’ll do it.” Couldn’t say she didn’t have a nice pair of tits. Most women did. I liked breasts. All kinds. Any size and shape.
But I only wanted Cassandra’s in my hands and in my mouth.
“Why do you get like this every time she comes around?” Suzy boldly put the tips of her high heels on the chair between my thighs. The way she acted around me would make people assume we were a couple, and we weren’t.
“Not sure what you’re talking about.” The muscles in my body turned to steel as tension spread like a wildfire through my limbs.
“You get cold and harsh after you’ve seen Steve’s sister.” She considered me. “Do you like her?”
“That’s really none of your business.”
“If you didn’t, you would have said so.” She moved onto my lap and straddled me.
“Not necessarily.” Mercifully, she wasn’t near my dick, or she might believe I was hard for her, which was furthest from the truth.
“I’ve noticed a pattern. You’ll avoid me and the other girls for weeks. Maybe a couple of months after she’s been around.”
“That’s not true.” It was true and I wasn’t sure why I just didn’t admit it.
Suzy and the other girls should have known their time with me would never lead to more, to me claiming them. But my MC brothers and I weren’t like other clubs where club girls were only a piece of ass. If we fell for one of ours, we’d claim them. It just hadn’t happened.
“Yes, it is. You won’t take me to your room until you’re desperate for a release and that woman is far from your mind.”
Well, fuck. I didn’t like being called out like that. I had half a mind to punish her for crossing the line.
She’d hit a nerve. Punched me right in the balls. It was my pride that made me angry. At my age, I shouldn’t be pining over a woman who didn’t want me.
“Like now. You’re all cold and trying to keep your hands off me.” She rocked against me, trying to turn me on but it wasn’t working.
And why wasn’t sexy Suzy turning me on?
Because Cass was fresh on my mind. Dammit, I felt like a pussy.
“She has you by the balls, Slay. She controls you.”
“Nobody controls me.” I put my hands on her ass and tugged her closer. “If I want you. I’ll have you.”
“How about right now?” She swiped her tongue across my lips. “Take me now.”
“Get gone, Suzy,” Jefe hissed, entering the bar.
“I’ll wait for you.” She pouted and kissed me as she got off my lap. I didn’t stop her because it felt nice to be wanted after constant rejection from Cass.
“Don’t bother. Slay’s gonna be busy tonight.” Jefe sat across from me.
“Okay.” Suzy left, leaving a trail of disappointment wafting in the air.
Couldn’t say I wasn’t feeling just as bummed out. I needed a release and Suzy was good in the sack for an emotionless quickie.
“How’d it go with Mitchell?” Jefe asked once we were alone.
“Steve was set up. I paid to get him out.”
“Good. Who set him up?”
“Russians.” I shrugged, shifting on my chair. Had Suzy rocked on me a little longer, I would have messed my shorts.
“How would he know the Bratva was in town?” He guzzled his beer.
“I guess Mitchell could be wrong. He only heard some noise. But I don’t think we should blow it off.
What if they were trying to get a stronghold in our territory?
” It was my fault if Russians slipped into town unnoticed.
I’d been distracted by getting the new security systems installed on the compound. I’d let my guard down.
“Fuck, that wouldn’t be good.” He reclined in his chair and scratched the top of his head.
“I’m going to set up a meeting with the Ferraris. If anyone knows the Bratva is in NorCal, it would be them.”
“We should know they’re in NorCal,” Jefe shouted. “Us!”
I nodded in agreement. A ball of fury sprouted in my gut. I’d let my prez and club down.
“Fabio knew before us that Leo Costa was forming an alliance with Miguel Avila. That shit can’t be happening!”
“It’s on me, Prez. I will do better.” I patted my chest.
The truth was that any time I saw Cass, the club fell off my radar. I couldn’t let that shit happen. Too many lives could get in the crossfires if I wasn’t on top of things.
He muttered in Spanish, but I didn’t understand. “It’s Cassandra, and don’t you deny it.”
I remained silent.
“She’s got a spell on you, and you need to fucking break it one way or another. If she doesn’t want you, move the fuck on.” His words easily cut through me and the pain was indescribable.
“I’ve tried.”
“Try harder,” he hissed. “Sometimes we need to force ourselves to get over someone.” He pointed in the direction Suzy went. “That sweet, sexy girl wants you. Try with her. I bet the more time you spend with her, in and out of your bed, the easier it gets.”
I shook my head. “Cass is my person.”
“Yeah, and where is she?”
“Not here,” I grumbled.
“Exactly.” He slammed his hand on the table. “Set up a meeting with Ferrari in The Bay.”
“For when?”
“His earliest convenience.” Prez crossed his arms over his chest. “You gotta let her go man. It’s long overdue.”
“Consider it done.” I chugged my beer, hoping it damaged my brain, so I didn’t remember Cass existed.
Well, shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.
This went in a direction I wasn’t expecting.
Jefe wasn’t wrong about getting over Cass. I needed to. I couldn’t live the rest of my life getting laid by club girls a few times a year, just to take the edge off.
I wanted a kid or two.
A wife.
A partner in life.
If Cass was never going to come around, maybe Suzy could be that person for me.
But before I did anything reckless, like make Suzy my woman, I needed to see Cass and put everything out on the table.
If Cass rejected me one more time, it would be the last.
I would claim Suzy before the month was over.