Chapter 4
Penn
The clubhouse is cold. Almost like a freezer, cold. I turn to ask Pacino why, but then Rooster walks out of one of the rooms with a girl applying to work at Velvet Desire. The smile plastered on his face tells me all I need to know.
Her nipples stick out through her shirt, which would be impressive if the shirt wasn’t already see-through. There’s no reason to turn the temperature down this low because he can already see who he’s working with.
The thing that strikes me is how ashamed the woman looks. Even more surprising is the cross necklace she wears around her neck. Most of the girls who work for us gave up on believing in God a long time ago. They usually come from a tough life and had never been taken care of until they found us.
“Guys, meet Faith. She’s the newest Velvet Desire girl,” Rooster says. “Phenomenal at her work.”
Faith is a dark-haired beauty who gives a small smile. “Thank you for the compliment, Rooster.”
“Don’t let him intimidate you, honey,” Kannon says. “His nickname comes from his irrational fear of roosters.”
“And all birds, really,” Capone says. “Screams like a little girl.”
“Fuck you,” Rooster says.
This makes the woman smile slightly, but she hangs her head still, not quite meeting anyone’s eye. “Everything okay?” I ask. “Are you sure you want to work at Velvet Desire?”
“Things need to be taken care of, and it’s how I’ll make the most money,” she says.
At least she’s honest.
“But if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, it’s not going to be great for business,” Jethro says, walking up behind us. “You look like you need to repent for your sins.”
Her hand flies to her necklace and she nods. “I do, but it won’t affect my performance.”
“She’s fucking amazing at what she does. I have never been closer to God,” Rooster says. “You’d never guess she was a bible thumper with the kinky shit she’s willing to do. And let me do to her.”
She swallows like she’s forcing down vomit, and I can’t quite understand how Rooster can be so oblivious to her discomfort. “I’m not sure this is the right fit,” I say. “You don’t look like you’ll survive a week with the men that come into the brothel.”
“I’ll be fine,” she assures. “I’ve done worse. Thank you for the opportunity. Rooster said I can go and work with Queenie to get the paperwork all sorted out and my first clinic test scheduled.”
Faith scurries away, and Rooster holds his hands in a prayer. “That woman can deepthroat like no one I’ve ever met before.”
“That girl hated every fucking minute of it,” Pacino says. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking she pulled off the best performance of anyone I’ve interviewed for Velvet Desire. And from the way her pussy clenched me, I don’t think she hated every minute.”
“It’s her choice,” Jethro says. “Let’s get started. And Rooster, what the fuck did I tell you about the air conditioning? I’m going to have Capone take this month’s bill out of your portion.”
“Totally worth it,” he says with a smile.
He doesn’t realize that Jethro’s going to get him back for this. Rooster may be our road captain, but the president gets final say on things. And our next run will ride through a wild turkey area. Rooster’s going to lose his fucking shit.
As he deserves.
I walk into the Chapel and take my seat when I spot the container on the table. “Pacino?”
“Yeah, they’re the cherry Danishes you fucking love,” he mutters.
“I love your wife,” I say, reaching for the first one.
Ever since he married Phoebe, I’ve gained ten pounds. Ten pounds that were totally worth it.
She owns the bakery in town. Phoebe’s Phab Pastries. Stupid name. Bright yellow interior. But fuck if his girl can’t bake. She makes these amazing pretzel cupcakes with stout and a marshmallow frosting topped with salt flakes that make me want to make love to a dessert.
She’s an interesting woman. So cheery and oblivious to danger around her that Pacino actually had to check her bag for drugs when she stayed with him after she was targeted by his family. Who, surprisingly, is the mob.
Who knew?
“Your wife is an angel,” Capone says.
Now Capone’s family? Totally in the mob. He looks like it, too. Just with leather instead of a pristine suit.
“She’s got a devil side to her, too,” Pacino says with a wink. “And an ass that drives me fucking wild.”
“You do not deserve her,” Kannon says.
“I know.”
He says it simply and without question. Just a quiet truth.
He loves her, and marrying her has changed him.
Before Phoebe, Pacino was just like Capone and Kannon.
Our three grumps who couldn’t keep company with a woman but needed sexual release to keep them functioning without tearing the world apart at every minor inconvenience.
The only woman they were with was Queenie at the brothel. The loophole for the three of them.
Now it’s just Kannon and Capone keeping her company.
Maybe I should talk to Jethro about getting in on that loophole. I can’t seem to seal the deal with Dixie around, and I could really use a sexual release. Even if it’s just head.
“Alright, let’s get started,” Jethro says, banging the gavel on the table.
Zeppelin nearly vibrates in his seat to Jethro’s left. He’s got a lot of pent-up energy, and being benched hasn’t been good for him. But being here for Misty during her high-risk pregnancy is necessary, and he knows it.
It doesn’t change the fact that Zep looks like a caged animal as his leg bounces, and his fists clench so tightly that his knuckles turn white. His jaw is locked so tight I’m worried he might actually hurt himself.
“We have a problem with our gun runs,” Jethro says. “The Venom have figured out our routes, and the cops are watching the borders. We’ve got problems on both sides of the law, but there’s a bigger problem we’re facing.”
“What’s that?” Pacino asks from Jethro’s right.
Sergeant at Arms. His job is to make sure Jethro’s protected, and he ensures we’re all well-armed and monitored, too. Problem isn’t a word Pacino likes very much.
“Venom Dust is spreading faster than we can track it and shut it down,” Jethro says.
“It’s fucking everywhere,” Capone says. He opens up a small notebook and flips through to find the page he needs.
“I’ve done some research, and the numbers don’t lie.
They have a new distribution line. And it’s being run by a guy who acts more like a corporate sales rep, and it started with small-time dealers around Gravelton.
Now, he’s gotten to bigger fish, and the shit’s reached Vegas and Reno. ”
Pacino’s brow lifts. “And our families haven’t put a stop to it?”
“Their rivals are in bed with the Venom. They’re doing what they can, but it’s going to be hard if they keep getting the shipments to sell.”
“Then we find this guy and put a bullet in his brain,” Kannon says. “Can’t keep building the network from beyond the grave.”
Kannon is one of the most dangerous men we have in the club.
Not because he’s some explosives expert or anything, but because he’s a man with nothing to lose.
His wife and daughter died years ago, and the only other woman who ever stood a chance at being his family left.
A man with nothing to live for becomes the most dangerous man in any room he enters.
“It’s not quite that simple,” Jethro says. “We don’t know who this asshole is yet. He’s smart, and he doesn’t stand out. Probably has a legitimate business operation. It’s not like he’s wearing the Black Venom logo.”
“If we’d killed Butch Ballard when we had the chance, we wouldn’t have this issue.
Their operation would have taken a major hit, and it would have sent a message,” Zep says.
“Instead, we’re looking at major distribution to the biggest cities of our state, and soon it’ll become national. Then global.”
The anger Zep holds burns from something deeper than the drugs.
His biological father raped Zep’s mom, resulting in his birth.
Which is enough to deal with, but add on the fact that Zep is convinced the Venom killed our former president, and it becomes a recipe for disaster.
Then, as if that wasn’t enough for him to deal with, Butch tried to rape his girl Misty in the alleyway beside the Seven Crows. We barely got there in time to stop it.
“We don’t have proof,” I remind Zep. “And we can’t go out and put a hit on the rival president without inciting a full-on war. That fire will take down the entire town. And our loved ones will go up in flames, too.”
“They’re pushing us. They’re poisoning our kids with that trash. Johnny’s dead, and Butch is out walking around like his shit don’t stink. He’s breathing the air Johnny should be breathing, and we just continue to sit back and do nothing.”
“We’re not doing nothing,” Jethro says, his voice commanding but not yelling. “But we’re going to be smart about shit. I’m sorry it’s not going at a pace you approve of, but acting first and thinking later only gets you and everyone else around you killed.”
“And you have two girls and one on the way to think about,” I remind him. “Don’t let Butch take more from you than he already has.”
Zep stares at me, but my words seem to get through to him. “Fine.”
A man like Zep doesn’t do well feeling helpless, and between the situation with the Venom and Misty, he’s restless. There’s nothing he can do, and that’s not something he’s ever been good at.
“I want to find out anything we can on this guy helping expand their distribution,” Jethro says.
Pacino nods. “On it.”
“Good. And we need to come up with alternate routes. The last thing we need is the Venom getting one of our shipments of guns. Drugs and the heavy artillery we have ensures a disaster we can’t contain.”
Sniffling, Rooster taps the tabletop. “Will do.”
“We stay alert, and we stay alive. If the Venom want a war, it’s going to be on our terms, not theirs.”
He slams the gavel on the table, and we all stand.
Zep’s up and gone before anyone can say anything, and I want to go after him.
But what can I really say? Yes, I think we should have gone after Butch after Johnny died.
But I also understand why the club decided against it. We probably wouldn’t be here if we had.
Reaching for another pastry, I let the flaky, buttery crust melt in my mouth, and I nearly moan. Yep, Phoebe has been a great addition to the Daredevils family.