24. A Plan Forms
CHAPTER 24
A PLAN FORMS
Leo
"Rumble! Calm down." I rush to get where they were just fighting.
Everyone else has back down but Rumble still has his gone pressed against his brother's temple. He's nearly foaming at the mouth.
"Can't do it. This motherfucker has to die." Rumble doesn't take his eyes off his brother who has the nerve to be smiling up at him. Taunting Rumble to end his life.
"Rumble, I'm not going to say it again." I bark at him and take another step closer to the danger.
I have no idea what his brother is doing here or what happened back at the hospital but whatever it is no one can get me to believe that Rumble was in on it in any way. Still, I gave Rumble an order and he's blatantly disregarding me. I can't let that shit fly.
Slowly, I see Rumble's forearm twitch like he's about to pull the trigger at any moment. I'm not going to let that happen. Not until I get all the information I can out of him. Violently, I grab hold of Rumble's brother and yank him from the path of Rumble's gun.
Instantly, my SAA tries to drop his gun so it's not pointed at me but I hold his wrist so he can't. "You think you running shit now Rumble? Is that what's going on here?" I snarl and watch his eyes go wide.
"What? No, man."
"You sure because it seems like you're trying to challenge my authority."
Rumble sighs hard and drops his hand completely from the gun so the hardware is now in my hand. "I'm not challenging your authority. It's just that this jerk has done nothing but fuck up my life since the minute he let me know we came out of the same ball sack and now I hear he's been running around with the same jerk that's been tormenting Nisa and her mother. If you want to keep this piece of shit around, I'm with you, whatever the decision. You're my President." He nods and even though I can still see the crazed anger in his eyes I know none of it is directed towards me. If I tell Rumble to set his brother up in his personal room I know Rumble will do it.
I stare him down a few more seconds before I turn to address the stranger in my clubhouse. "You've got some fucking nerve showing up here. You're lucky I'm intrigued by what you could possibly hope to gain by showing up here."
"I hope to stay alive."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Lash asks from the crowd that has continued to grow around us.
"It's supposed to mean exactly what I said, I didn't come here for shits and giggles. I came here because I only just found out that Marc was going against Rumble. I was doing outside work for him and his people. I only recently found out that he was coming for Chrome Creed. My brother may not have any loyalty to me but I've got some toward him."
My eyebrows jump up to my hairline. I wasn't expecting him to say that. "What the hell am I supposed to call you anyway?"
"I'm Phoenix, it's nice to meet you, Leo. We've got a lot to talk about."
"Alright Phoenix, if you think you have something to say that's worth my time I'll hear you out. Come with me." I turn and see Nisa standing at the door of my room staring at Phoenix.
"She may want to hear this as well." He gestured with his chin in Nisa's direction.
I'm not happy about it but she was the one who said she wanted me to treat her like more of a partner. I only hope whatever it is Phoenix has to tell me isn't going to make me lose faith in my woman. I care for her but no one, not even her, is ever going to come before the safety of my club.
I put my hand up, jerking my fingers once letting Nisa know I want her to come with me.
"You need us too, boss?" Spike speaks up.
"No, I'm sure Phoenix here will be on his best behavior."
Phoenix nods once, "Of course, I'm not suicidal." He chuckles and walks a little ahead of me while I hang back and wait for Nisa. She's already shooting daggers at his back. It's obviously no love lost between the two of them.
"You've never seen him before?" I ask Nisa.
"Once in passing, we never spoke. I didn't know he was related to anyone in here." She answers right away. I like that she's so open with me about this.
I bring both of them into one of the free rooms and sit on the edge of the small desk that decorates the room. Nisa stands next to me and even though I'm not used to having a woman around when I'm conducting business but it gives me a small sense of pride to have her by my side.
What I don't expect is the intense rage burning inside me as I watch Phoenix's eyes roam over Nisa's body.
"I didn't call you in here to gawk at my woman. I could've taken care of your eye problem out front." I clench my arms ready for him to say anything out of pocket.
Instead, he takes the smart option and looks away from Nisa. "I meant no disrespect, I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Marc never thought she'd actually go against him. He's quite smitten with her or at least he was. In fact, I'm almost sure if she asked to go back to him he'd take her with open arms." Phoenix shrugs and shoots Nisa another glance.
"Is that what you came here for? Are you lobbying for Marc or some shit? Maybe to get back in his good graces by trying to take my woman away?"
"It'll never happen," Nisa mutters next to me and places a hand on my forearm. Squeezing slightly and rubbing against me.
"Fuck no. That man is out of his mind. If you go back to him you're just as crazy." Phoenix shakes his head.
"Yeah, if you think he's so out of his mind what are you doing with the likes of him." I need to get to the bottom of this. I'm not here to make friends with Rumble's brother, all I want is to figure out what he knows and to send him on his way.
"Money. That's the only reason I'd ever get involved with a man like Marc. Why do you think I only hit Rumble up when I need something, it's not because I want to but because I've got nothing else. I'm tired of living this way, with nothing but the fucking clothes on my back and the food I can scrounge up. When Marc offered me work I took it. I had no idea that he was y'all enemy, I'd rather know the pain of hunger for a few more days than to sell my own blood out like that." Phoenix clenches his jaw and looks away.
"So what did Marc's money bye? What do you know?"
"I know he's not going to stop until he destroys the fabric of what this club is. He has it in his mind that you shunned him in some way in the past and he wants to prove that you made a mistake."
Shunned him? My mind whirls and I fight to remember when Marc and I had any contact with eachother. I don't remember ever seeing him before.
"He'll never take Chrome Creed down. All he has is intimidation. Leo isn't one to be intimidated." Nisa says from behind me which causes Phoenix to chuckle. Apparently, she said something funny.
"Just intimidation? Are you kidding me? Wow, you really are just as naive as he thinks you are. You and I both know that Marc will burn down the entire world to get what he wants. Right now he wants to end Chrome Creed and secondly, he wants you back where he thinks you belong, on his arm." Phoenix smiles.
"I don't give a damn what he wants. All that matters to me is what I want, and if you don't start telling me something useful in the next few seconds I'm going to make sure that no one stops Rumble the next time he puts a gun to your head." I seethe.
"Marc is going to overpower you, he's just got his hands in too many different things. Too many allies around. Other clubs, cartels, even some members of law enforcement. They think because he has a clean-shaven face and dresses like a business man he's less of a problem than you guys but they don't realize he's much worse." Phoenix says, all I can offer is a huff of indignation. Who the fuck says he's worse than me. I'd take Marc on one on one any day.
"You came here to tell us he's going to win. I'm sure he could've found someone else to tell us the same thing."
"No, I came here to tell you I know his weakness, I know a way to get him off the playing field and Chrome Creed back on solid ground."
I tilt my head and stare at Phoenix. I'm not an idiot, there's always a but in these sorts of things.
"But, I need some assurances." Phoenix shoves his hands in his pockets and looks away from me. It's obvious that this really is bothering him to say. His pride is taking a hit.
"Why would you want shit from us?"
"Leo, I'm not a fucking idiot. I know what this place is and what it can do for people. Rumble and I may have grown up in two different households. Had two different mothers but our lives were pretty much the same. I see where my road is headed, doing the same shit my deadbeat father was doing. If I have a chance to change that up before I get too far I want to make sure I do." He captures my gaze and holds it.
He can't be asking me what I think he is.
"What are you saying, Phoenix? Be clear about it."
"I want to prospect."
"Fuck no," I answer immediately.
His chest deflates and his jaw drops.
"That's not how this shit goes. I don't know anything about you besides the fact that Rumble is willing to blow your head off at a moment's notice and that you're running with Marc. None of that gives me good feelings about you riding next to me in any matter."
Phoenix nods his head and straightens his shoulders. It wasn't the answer he wanted but I can tell that he's not just going to take it and move on. I can already tell that Phoenix is a lot more like his brother than he may realize.
"I can understand that, what about letting me work up to a prospect run? Let me prove to you guys that I'm not just a fuck up."
I'm not really interested in trusting him but if he has any real information that would let us take Marc down I'm going to have to work with him. "I'll throw you a little work but I'm going to have to smooth this shit over with Rumble. I'm the President but I'm not going to go against my family for an outsider. That said... if you do right by us, you won't have to worry about having something to eat or money in your pocket. We take care of our own even if they don't have a patch on their back."
Phoenix nods his head and continues on with what he knows about Marc. He wasn't playing around when he said that the man was connected in ways that I didn't realize. Nisa is into some really deep shit.
"You're not going to be able to get to him, Leo. As many people as you know he knows more."
I run my hand through my hair, my frustration rising to a near-unbearable peak. "I don't need to hear more about the shit that I'm not going to be able to do. I don't need you for that shit."
"I'm just trying to be honest with you. What you do need is plan and I've got a good one." Phoenix's eyes crinkle at the edges with a smile.
"I'm listening."
"Give him Nisa back."
"What the fuck." I jerk back almost as if he'd slapped me across the face. "You're out of your mind."
"No, just listen to me for a second. I'm not saying to just hand her over for real, but we need to make Marc think that you have. He will never believe that Nisa wants to be with you over him. It's a hubris thing. Let him think that Nisa has come back to him with her tail between her legs and you'll be able to not only keep better tabs on Marc but find out firsthand exactly what he's got planned. You'll have insider information."
"It's a good plan. Marc could never accept that I'd be able to live without him." NIsa says from my side.
Does she want to go back to him?
Back to Marc to touch and mold what's mine. She wants to leave me.
A loud thumping echoes in my ears as I stare at Nisa.
My muscles clench and unclench as I think about the possibility. I can't stand it.
"Leave us." I bark at Phoenix.
"Wait a minute, just hear me out." Phoenix puts his hand up, trying to further his case.
"I said get the fuck out!" I yell at him.
He grumbles but turns on his heels to leave Nisa and I in the room by ourselves.
"What?" Nisa whispers.
She's going to sit here and pretend like she doesn't understand what is going on? She going to pretend like I can't see what she's planning.
"Don't fucking what me Nisa. You know exactly what the hell is going on here."
Her face pales but she doesn't back away, instead, she lifts her chin and glares right back at me.
"I don't know what your problem is Leo. And I don't feel like playing mind reader today. If there is something that you need to say to me I'd suggest that you get to the point and tell me yourself."
I snarl at her and thread my fingers in her hair, I pull hard enough that she gasps and latches on to my wrist to keep me from hurting her anymore.
"What!" She hisses at me.
I put my other hand under her chin and tilt her head back further so I could see deep into her eyes.
"You're mine Nisa. I'm not giving you back"