Bonus Scene #2
Callum must’ve found a spot along the eaves and wiggled his way into the ceiling from there. Not bad. He could’ve been seen by any number of the Crimson Crew. The fact that he wasn’t is a testament to his skill. Dangerous. I’d like him to leave.
“These are the friends that helped Stacey Langford along to her death. I think we’d be better off keeping them as very distant acquaintances.
” Alexei strips off his gloves, like the mere presence of strangers on our property is too much for him.
He’s absolutely not getting in the bathwater now that Bernadette’s been in there.
“Even acquaintances sound like too much work.” Widow pauses as the bathhouse doors slide open, revealing Bernadette redressed in the clothes she showed up in, her blond and red hair hanging wet on either side of her face. She looks like she’s just fallen in love.
Everyone notices it.
Me and Alexei, Widow and Ash.
The Havoc Boys—Hael, Aaron, Victor, Oscar, and Callum—they’re disturbed by her look.
“Thank you.” Bernadette turns to my wife as she appears in a silky, black robe and slippers.
Casual. Underdressed. Impossible to look away from.
I glance at the Havoc boys with my lip curled, but they’re entirely fixated on Bernadette.
Lucky for them. “Meeting you has been a privilege for me. Honestly.”
“You’re a good kid,” Scarlett says, tossing an arm around Bernadette’s neck and riling up all nine men in a way that makes the air crackle.
Both women notice at the same time, going perfectly still.
Matching frowns. “Boys, don’t make me beat your asses.
This woman is the straightest person I’ve ever met in my life. ”
“Besides yourself,” Nisha inserts from somewhere beyond the bathhouse doors.
“We’ve got an invite to their anniversary party,” Bernadette tells her crew before she turns fully to Scarlett and the pair of them hug tight before drawing apart.
Ah. And Uncle Burt will be there. Introducing them without introducing them.
Scarlett is way too fucking nice. My God.
Oh well. This is Havoc’s problem, not ours.
“Feel free to stop by for tea sometime.” Scarlett waves as Bernadette rejoins her men.
They’ll have to walk back to the front gate.
We forced them to leave their cars there.
Pretty pink Cadillac in the mix. Havoc’s got style.
“We can do some shooting. Have some sandwiches. Real rich people type shit, with clay pigeons and everything. Only after you’ve concluded your business with the family though.
I don’t want to be involved in that. Good luck. ”
Bernadette offers up a small bow, smiling back at Scarlett in a way that makes Vic twitch.
Oscar is scrolling his iPad furiously while Callum studies the screen over his shoulder. Good luck finding out Ash’s identity. It’ll be a challenge. A death trap.
“We appreciate this so much. Seriously. If you ever need anything…” The implication is there in Bernadette’s words, resting on the lips of a gangster girl with enough power and influence to turn that if you need anything into a powerful statement.
“The sort of favor that comes with strings.” Alexei keeps his voice down, watching the six of them head down the gravel pathway through the extensive Japanese garden that surrounds the bathhouse and garage. We keep our cars close. “We should have nothing to do with it. Or them. Nothing at all.”
He turns to Scarlett, thoroughly dismissing our guests.
“I like her,” Scarlett says, smiling at the tableau of the oversized, inked Prescott men surrounding the girl in the pink jacket.
It says Havoc on the back of it, just like the ink on all their knuckles.
They’ve got matching tattoos, like we do.
How precious. “But five lovers? You think at least one of ‘em has a pencil dick?”
“What positions do you think they use?” Ash wonders as Widow rolls his eyes and pretends to be annoyed. He finds that question as hilarious as I do.
“We’ll never know the answer to that question because we don’t need to hang out with them again.
They make me nervous. All the POP boys have brothers and cousins and all that shit around Prescott.
I know what Havoc gets up to, and it’s none of our business.
” Widow tears open the door to the bathhouse and all the girls scream playfully.
“Get out,” he calls, tearing his shirt over his head as they shriek and leap out of the water.
A horde of girls in flapping towels and robes streams past us and into the yard, laughing.
Sigh.
They’re only here on Sundays, Kellin.
“Still thinks he’s the boss, don’t he? Time to beat some ass.” Scarlett stalks off down the path after Widow, grabbing Ash’s arm as she goes and keeping him close.
“Do you think they’ll figure out who Ash is?” Alexei asks me as I close the door behind us, locking out Nisha and Bastian and Emma Jean. Everyone.
Just us in here.
I breathe a sigh of relief and close my eyes, letting the steam and the sound of Scarlett laughing soothe my angsty spirit.
“Probably. But you see how reluctant we are to start a fight with them? They’ll feel the same way.” I’m confident in that answer. There’s no need to be concerned. They’re not an active threat.
Good luck with the family, Havoc. You’ll need it.
THE END