Chapter 26
26
BLOOD
The next day I called an emergency unscheduled church meeting. Lousy timing with getting ready for the big fight later, but I had to get shit ironed out, and I needed Smoke and the other brothers in on it—or at least have my back, ‘cause shit was about to get crazy real fuckin’ fast.
I head for the back room, barely putting one foot in front of the other, since I spent the rest of last night tearing up the sheets exploring Maxine’s exceptional body. I’ve been freebasing black coffee for the last hour, hoping the caffeine would kick in and wake me up, or at least make me look like I’m awake. I took the lack of sleep as a win since Maxine agreed to accept my help getting Hector out of her life for good. Now, I just have to come up with a plan that wouldn’t get us all iced in the process.
Smoke takes his seat at the head of the table, and the brothers take turns offering their condolences for Javi. It’s no secret what the kid meant around the gym and to me, so the brothers acknowledging it means a lot.
When we all file into our usual seats, Smoke slams the gavel against the polished wood, then turns his gaze on me. “Blood’s got some shit he wants to discuss. I’m not even totally sure what, so I’m gonna hand it over to him.”
All eyes settle on me, and my brain races to find the right words to make what I have in mind sound less fucked-up. “As most of you know, Maxine’s been bringing in some big bucks for the club. Her fighting skills are off the charts.”
Nods and “fuck yeahs” filter around the table.
“What some of you may not know is she’s tied to Hector Rodriquez.”
A few looks are exchanged, then Diesel leans his elbows on the table. “Shit, so she was spying for him all this time to get intel.”
“Not exactly. She didn’t have a choice since she’s been living as his fight slave for almost five years.”
“Fight slave?” Bolt narrows his eyes. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“It’s not my story to tell, but the bottom line is she didn’t have a choice.”
“That’s all kinds of fucked-up,” Ricky says.
“Not only is she tied to him, but he wants her to take a dive at tonight’s fight. Since she’s the favorite, he’s gonna bet big on her opponent, beat the odds, and rake it in when Maxine loses.”
The angry mumbling gets louder until Bolt speaks up, “She told you this?”
“Yeah. She’d laid it all out for me last night.”
“I don’t get it,” Ricky says. “She’s working for him, but she ratted him out to you?”
“Sounds risky with a fucker like Rodriquez,” Bolt adds. “You sure she’s not playing you for the cartel?”
“Nah, I mean, she tried, but the thing is she wants to get away from Hector too.”
“And you trust her?” Manny’s sharp mind and coming from a cartel family make my words hard to believe.
“I do.” I lock eyes with Manny. “And that should be all you need to know from your VP.”
“So, she’s bargaining with you, hoping you’ll help her?” Ricky asks. “That’s what the passport was about?”
“She planned on escaping after the fight with the passport, but I’ve convinced her to stick around and play it out ‘cause she doesn’t wanna throw the fight. She’s worked too hard, and she wants to win.”
The room erupts with all the brothers talking at once. Each with their own opinion on how this is a bad fuckin’ idea.
“Hector’s not gonna be happy when she doesn’t take the dive, then he’ll retaliate,” Diesel says.
Bolt crosses his arms over his chest. “Yeah, we don’t want him or his goons starting shit at the fight.”
“We’re not gonna let him get away with grabbing what’s ours.” Manny taps at his laptop.
“Fuck throwing the fight so that bastard can make money.” Bolt shrugs. “Just take the fucker out before the fight. No muss. No fuss.”
“Settle the fuck down.” Smoke smashes down the gavel. “We thought of that, but it’s too risky.” He pulls a cig out of the pack on the table and lights up, then nods to me to continue.
“There might be another way. I was thinking we let Hector believe it’s all gonna go his way.”
“No way I’m giving our winnings to that fucker,” Manny protests.
Smoke raises his palm. “Let the man speak.”
“We welcome Hector when he shows up, make him feel comfortable; we even insist he sits with us.” Groans and grunts surround the table. “This way we can keep an eye on him, and when Maxine wins?—”
“He’s gonna lose his shit,” Diesel spits out.
“Right, and that’s when we move into action. With the crowds and the chaos, nobody will notice when we corral him into the alley where the truck will be waiting for us to give him a one-way ride out to the desert.”
“Fucker deserves what he gets after all the shit he’s pulled with Maxie,” Diesel adds.
Diesel and Maxine grew close, and if he ever knew all the shit Hector put Maxine through, he’d lose it for sure, but for now we had to keep cool.
“What about his bodyguards?” Bolt asks.
“That’s where you and Ricky come in. Once the fight is over, you two make sure they’re out of the way.”
“That’s a lot of moving parts.” Manny looks up from his laptop. “The locals are afraid of the cartel, and Hector controls as many cops as we do, so if this plan goes south, we’re on our own.”
“We’re not gonna need outside help.” I look around the room. “We’re gonna be on our turf, so we handle it in-house.”
Smoke grins. “Marisol and I take rides out to the Pacific all the time, so I know just the spot. Off the main road, nice and secluded. Blood and I will get the job done while the rest of you stay behind, making sure no one follows us or gives us any bullshit.”
Diesel taps his fingers on the table. “It just might work.”
“And if it doesn’t, we’ll make it work.”
We go over a few more points, then the brothers file out. I stay behind, pull a cig out of my cut, offer one to Smoke and light us up.
“Whaddya think?” I ask him.
“I think we’re walking into the lion’s fuckin’ mouth, and if we don’t get our heads bit off, it’s a win.”
“I was thinking about that time back in Cali when the Demons tried to move in on our shit, and we paid them a visit at the strip club they hung out in. How you went in alone, picked a fight with the punk leader, and dared him to go outside. He thought it was gonna be you and him, but when you got him out in the alley, we were all waiting for him.”
“And after we busted some heads, we partied our asses off.”
“Hmmmm, those twins from Vegas we shared in the Champagne Room. They were amazing, but it was kinda freaky to look up and see the same face sucking your dick as the one who was riding mine.”
“Good times, brother.”
My brain spins with all the shit me and Smoke pulled off, and no matter how fucked-up, came out on top.
“This just might be crazy enough to work.” I hold out my knuckles, and we tag fists.
“If we all keep it together, we’ll have a good shot.”
“Have Bolt make sure the truck is gassed and ready to go. I don’t wanna get stranded on a road to nowhere in the middle of the fuckin’ desert.” Smoke draws deep on his cigarette. “You care about her, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I don’t know why, but I do.” I rake my fingers through my hair. “She’s this crazy combination of tough as shit and soft as silk. She’s super strong, yet vulnerable. Hard as fuckin’ stone one minute, gentle as a kitten the next.”
“I get it. When it happens, you can’t pin it down to one thing. It’s all of it combined that make it work. Confusing as hell, but the best thing ever.”
“Fuckin’ truth, man.” I shoulder-butt Smoke. “Wasn’t expecting philosophy from my hard-ass prez.”
“You tell anybody I said that, I’ll deny it.”
I close my eyes and shake my head. “If we pull this one off, we are gonna have a party that lasts for days.”
“Fuck, yeah.” Smoke crushes his cig in the dented ashtray on the table.
“I gotta get goin’. I got a fight to put together and an abduction to pull off.”
We tag fists again before I leave. The next few hours I’m gonna be a busy fucker.