Chapter 31 – Niki
Chapter Thirty-One
NIKI
“You look happy.” Bam’s statement catches me off guard.
Does Bam know Andy and I had sex last night? Can that be read on my face? I pause about two blocks from the laundromat and peer between the iron bars of the cell phone business storefront. My unsmiling expression stares back at me. “How so?”
He draws a circle in front of his face. “You just do.”
I pat my cheeks. “Was I smiling?” Since I’m going in to discuss business with Clark, I don’t think I should be smiling, and even though last night was the best night of my life, it’s also private.
I don’t want people associating my moods with when I have sex with my girl. That’d be weird and invasive.
“No. When have you ever smiled? You just have a”—he searches for the right word—"glow.”
I can feel my cheeks heat up. “You’re on a weird side of the TikTok algorithm if you’re talking about glows.
” I scrub a hand down my face and rub my fingers in my scalp to get rid of whatever it is that Bam sees.
My fingers run over the bump at the back of my head, and I wince.
Everything is healing fine, but there are some tender spots.
My partner knocks my hand away. “Don’t worry about it, man. Clark sees you for a minute every couple of days. He is not going to sense anything different about you. Me, on the other hand, I practically live in your pocket. Anyway, good to know Andy makes you this happy.”
“How do you know it’s Andy?”
Bam rolls his eyes and shoves me forward. “I’m not an idiot.”
“Didn’t think you were,” I grumble and pull open the door to the laundromat. This time, the place is half empty. I check the time. It’s afternoon, so the place should be filled with recruits.
“Weird how there’s not many people here,” Bam murmurs quietly.
I nod in agreement and move to the back. The same bodyguard Clark always has clears us, but inside, Emile’s seat is empty. The cash counting machine is silent, and Clark is standing looking out the window.
“Problem?” I don’t know why I ask. I usually show zero interest in how things run around here.
Unless something bigger is happening, and if that’s the case, I’d bet it’s linked to the Pipefitters.
They are popping up more lately and trying to push in on areas.
That won't be good for anyone. They have no real code or rules.
Clark slowly swings away from the window and then leans one hip against the table. His uniform jacket is slightly askew, and there’s dirt along the hem. He might as well have stripped nude in front of us—that’s how shocking his appearance is.
“Got knocked around a bit, I heard.” He looks me over, but I don’t really appear too banged up.
“Nothing I haven’t recovered from before.” He nods, satisfied with his own visual inspection.
“We’re acquiring Rico’s strip club along the riverfront,” I announce.
“Because he beat on your girl?”
I’m not surprised that Clark knows. It’s his job to know everything about all of us, but it’s still irritating. The more people that know how much Andy means to me, the greater the danger. “Something like that.”
“We don’t have a lot of extra manpower.” He gestures toward the half empty front room. “And it’s not a business that brings in enough money that the big guys would be willing to lend any muscle.”
I look to Bam for the go-ahead. He has no reason to fight with me other than that’s what he’s always done. The side of his mouth quirks up, and he gives me a wink. “I’m all in, brother.”
I return my gaze to Clark and repeat, “We’re all in.”
Clark waves us off. Once we’re out of the laundromat, Bam can’t keep it in. “What the fuck was that?”
“Clark?” I ask.
“Yeah. The dude was… disheveled.”
“I have no idea. Do you think recruitment is down?” It has to be Pipefitter bullshit. That’s the most logical thing.
“I haven’t paid much attention,” he admits. “Looking for your ass and reading to Julie has occupied my time.”
“And I can’t really see past Andy.” I don’t have the bandwidth to figure this puzzle out, though, not when the fight with Rico needs all of my attention.
We arrive just after the bar opens. His Tesla is parked in the back. Bam keeps a watch out while I pry open the electric charger portal and pour salt water onto the circuit. I pop the trunk with a jack and then pour more salt water onto the 12 volt battery connections.
Once that’s done, we move to the back entry. I pick the criminally simple lock, and we’re inside the hallway that leads to Rico’s office. The bodyguard is standing at the opening of the hall, his back to us. Bam again keeps watch while I check the office. Rico looks up when I open the door.
“What the hell?” He looks confused, switching his gaze from me to somewhere to the left of the door where the bodyguard is probably standing. I slam the door wide. The muffled yelp of pain on the other side makes me smile. I’m starting to get my glow on.
Rico reaches underneath his desktop, probably searching for a gun. I leap over the desk and take him backwards onto the floor. I hear another grunt and then a thud followed by Bam’s cheerful voice. “Didn’t see me coming, did you?”
There’s a gurgled response, but I can’t make out the words. I grin at Rico, whose throat is between my hands. “Should’ve killed me when you had the chance,” I say. “Now you’re Riders’ meat.”
I reach behind me and find the hand gun he was going to use.
I release the clip from the handle and kick it away.
“This is for Andy.” I bash the steel barrel against his temple.
He thuds, unconscious, against the floor.
“Heads up,” I yell, and toss the emptied gun to Bam.
He catches it with one hand and uses it to knock out the guard.
In the bottom desk drawer, I find a metal box of cash. I stuff the money into my pockets and then look around the room for the safe.
“Here we go,” Bam says, pushing a table aside to reveal a biometric lock.
I drag Rico over to the wall and slap his hand against the sensor. It whirs, and then the door pops. Just then, the office door flies open, and in the entry stand two burly guards. Bam and I step aside and gesture to the open safe. “We can fight or you can have this.”
The two guards take in the situation with a single sweep. “We can have all of the money and take you two punks out.”
“Or we all fight, some get injured, and the rest of the Riders show up to wipe the floor with you. Seems like the best play is to take the money and run,” I advise.
“You’re acquiring this joint?” one of the guards says.
”Yeah. It’s ours now, and we’ll do what’s necessary to protect it,” I answer.
Just like Andy. I’ll do whatever I need to to protect her.
In this case, it’s beating up Rico and buying off his guards with his own money.
They won’t be able to come back after stealing from him, and he will have trouble hiring new muscle without the funds.
It’s a win for everyone but him, which is just what he deserves.
The guard who spoke scratches the side of his face, weighing his odds.
The other guard, though, has made up his mind.
He plows forward, shoving us aside, and fills his pockets with cash, watches, and even a few slim gold bars Rico had stashed.
Watching his buddy steal the goods puts the other guy’s ass in gear.
It’s like watching two pigs fight each other at the trough.
We leave them fighting over the division of the last of the goods. If Rico wakes up, he can fight his former bodyguards, but he’ll lose. Once those guys got their hands on the gold, they were never going to give it up.
“Is it okay to say you’re glowing now?” Bam asks as we walk away from the strip joint.
“Yeah.” I know I’m not smiling, but I do feel good. I repaid my debt to Andy, and she’s safe. Her mom’s money is in my pocket. I reach in and count out the money Andy and her mom are owed and hand the rest to Bam. “Thanks for having my back.”
He gives me a chin nod. “You reading to Julie tonight or am I?”
“Me. I’m going to bring Andy over. Introduce her. How will Julie take it?”
“Not sure. Andy should bring her something.”
“A book,” I think. “And we’ll read it to her together.”
“Better make it two,” Bam suggests.
The thought of Julie and Andy meeting each other and getting along makes my chest warm, and this time, I am actually smiling. Funny enough, none of my injuries hurt any more either.