Chapter 8
Slay
Fucking Steve failed me. I’d told him to have Cass call me because I didn’t have her new phone number, and the numb nuts must have forgotten.
I burst through the clubhouse doors and went into the bar. I needed a shot of tequila to calm me down.
During the day we didn’t have a bartender in the bar, so I helped myself behind the counter. I got a glass and a bottle of tequila and poured myself what would be one of many shots.
“Hey, Slay.” Suzy sidled up against me. “It’s like I never see you anymore.”
“Been busy, Suz.” I tossed my drink back and refilled the glass. Fucking busy with the new Russian threat in our territory for fuck’s sake. All info I couldn’t share with a club girl.
“Yeah, I assumed so. What about taking the tequila to your room and we can enjoy it together? Have a little party just you and me?”
I glanced at her. Her offer didn’t tempt me one bit. In fact, she made me think of Cass. Cassandra my beautiful brunette.
“You know you want to.” Her hand glided up my arm. “It’s been a long time, Slay. A man as virile as you must need a woman like me who can go all night. Let me take care of your needs, baby.”
“Get gone, Suzy!” Jefe entered with his son in his arms. “Why do you lead her on if Cass is who you want?”
Oh, shit!
“Cass? As in Cassandra the chick who was here last week?” Suzy asked in a tart tone.
“That’s her. The love of his life. Now leave.” Jefe jerked his chin toward the exit.
Suzy left in a huff, and I was sure I’d hear about it later. She’d corner me and ask a million questions that I’d never answer. She’d probably cry and hate me
Yeah, I was an asshole for giving her false hope. But right now, I wouldn’t worry about her.
Cass was my priority.
“What should I do?” I asked Jefe.
“Seems pretty simple to me. Bring her to the clubhouse where you can keep her safe until we figure this shit out with the Bratva.”
“She’d never willingly stay here. She has her café and a life that doesn’t include me.” I took another shot. Two more would probably do the trick. “Who would keep her business humming along until she returned?”
“What about Steve? She has employees, right?”
“Two. But for how long can they manage without her?” I drank shot number three and sat on a stool, finally feeling calmer. “There’s a lot to figure out, man. This is Cass. If I fuck up her life and business, she’ll cut me out of her life faster than I can fall on my knees and grovel.”
“A Kings never grovels on his knees. Jesus.” Prez shook his head.
“I’m just saying.”
“Grow a pair brother. If Cass makes you weak like this, it’s better to be without her. Go find Suzy and let her suck your dick. You’ll feel better.”
“Cass doesn’t make me weak. I lost her before and I don’t want to do anything to lose her again.”
“That’s assuming you get her back. Can’t lose what you don’t have.”
I hated that he was right. Before I said something I might regret, my cell phone rang and it was Fabio calling.
“This is Slay,” I answered, pushing the bottle of tequila away. Three shots were enough. I needed to remain clearheaded. I would be no good to anyone if I drank myself into a tequila-induced coma.
“My informant said Kozlov is taking her to dinner tonight. He paid for a server to drug her drink. She’s never going to make it home.”
“Jesus Christ. Are you sure?”
“Yes. He gave her flowers earlier today. They’re compromised. A camera and speaker. Don’t get anywhere near them. He can’t know you’re onto him.”
“How the fuck do you know all this?”
“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.” Fabio snorted. “Just remember this when I call in a favor.” The call ended.
“Fabio says Alek is taking her do dinner tonight and she’s never making it home. What in the fuck did I do to piss off this motherfucker?”
“That’s a good question. I don’t have an answer. Could just be he has a small dick, and he’ll feel better about it if he steals Cass off the street… literally.” Jefe made his way to the exit. “I’ll be back. Gotta put Chance down for a nap. Don’t go anywhere, and that’s an order.”
I grabbed onto the edge of the bar and almost smashed my head on it. None of this made sense.
Was it really Kozlov who set up Steve or was it another player? I replayed Deputy Mitchell’s words in my head… There’s been some noise about Russians in town. Better watch your back.
Had he meant for me specifically to watch my back, or the club?
But Kozlov had been hanging around Cass’s café for a few weeks before Steve’s arrest. And now Alek wanted my girl.
I grabbed my head and squeezed, trying to force myself to figure out this puzzle.
What did Kozlov really want? Was he working with someone else? Was this nothing but a man trying to flex his muscles and take away a woman from another man?
No. It had to be more because I wasn’t in the picture until after Steve was arrested. Right?
Fuck, I didn’t know.
What blew my mind was how Fabio Ferrari knew more details about his situation than me. How many people did he have on his payroll? And should I trust him?
“Stop thinking for one second.” Prez strutted toward me. “First, we need to get Cass under our protection. As I was changing Chance’s diaper, an idea came to me. Let Kozlov take her to dinner, and we’ll get them both when they come out of the restaurant.”
“I don’t know where he’s taking her.”
“Find out every detail you can. We’ll be there.” He took the tequila and poured himself a shot.
I dialed Steve.
“Slay, I am so sorry,” he said.
“Shut up. I’m pissed at you, but I don’t have time to get into it. Where is Alek taking Cass to dinner?”
“No idea. He just said he’d be back at seven. I’m sorry I forgot to tell her to call you.”
“I don’t want to hear it.” I rolled my eyes at Jefe. “Text me her number.”
“What are you going to do?” Steve asked.
“Don’t be at the café, not anywhere near it at seven.” I ended the call. As if I would tell him anything after he didn’t follow through on one simple request.
My phone dinged when a new message came through. Cass’s phone number. Perfect.
“I take it he didn’t know jack shit.” Jefe reached over the counter and grabbed a bag of chips.
“You’d be correct. I’ll get a crew together to tail them to the restaurant.” I paused mid-thought. “Or would it be better to just be straight with her? I’m trying to imagine her waking up in my bed after being drugged.”
“It’s not like you’re going to have sex with her.”
“Of course I wouldn’t take advantage of her. But she doesn’t like the club and what we stand for.”
“And so, you want to tell her the dude who’s been flirting with her is really Bratva and he wants to snatch her and force her to be with him. I can see how she’d take that well?” He put a handful of potato chips into his mouth.
Dammit. Prez was on a roll today making me feel like an idiot.
“Yo. I just got off the phone with Storm in Minnesota,” Quino said as he entered the bar. “One of his members is Russian. Did either of you know that?”
Jefe and I shook our heads.
Storm was the president of the Knight’s Legion MC. They had several chapters in the Upper Midwest and were decent. Good on Quino for contacting them.
“And?” Jefe asked.
“Well, Wolf is from Russian and his family was Bratva along time ago, but when he came to America, he changed his name and joined the Knights. He’d been estranged from his family, but he’s reconciled with his brother, Kira.
Now he’s married to a woman whose family is Mafia, Remotti is the last name. ” Quino took up a stool.
“I’m sure Fabio knows who the Remotti Mafia is. He seems to know everything,” I said, feeling a massive amount of envy toward Fabio at the moment.
“Probably,” Quino replied. “I’m waiting for Wolf to call me. Hoping he can give me some insight on Kozlov.”
“Good.” Jefe continued to eat potato chips. We were all starving. Tequila had gone to his restaurant to get food for us since we hadn’t stopped on the way back from The Bay. “In the meantime, get the guys ready for tonight,” he told me.
“I’m on it.” What I wouldn’t do for a chance to kick someone’s ass. It didn’t matter who. I just needed to fight someone.
It could be pent up sexual tension. I hadn’t fucked in a while. Each time Suzy came around or any of the other club girls, it was hard to resist the temptation.
If all this blew up in my face and Cass never wanted to see me again, I would let her go and move on with my life.
I hated riding solo year after year, wishing Cass would be my ride or die.
Saving her from Alek would be my last attempt at getting her back.
The ball would be in her court.
Goddamn, it would break my heart to lose her, again. But it was better to find out while I was young enough to find someone else and have the family I’d been dreaming of for years.
It’d hurt but I’d let her go if that was what she wanted.