Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
SAMMIE
“It’s pretty unbelievable,” Evie shouts over the sound of hammering and the power saw Deuce is wielding on the other side of the bar.
“I know, I can’t believe all they’ve gotten done in two weeks.”
The smell of new wood and paint fills me with hope. For the first time in a long time, I have a plan and maybe even a future.
“I also can’t believe that two weeks ago, Deuce could barely get off my couch, no less be down here doing manual labor.”
Evie glances at Deuce. “He is a fine-looking specimen.” Then back to me. “Have you told your father what you’re doing?”
“I’m taking pictures, and when I’m no longer a prisoner here, I plan on taking a trip to Rikers.”
No matter how many times I deny it, making my father proud is always stalking in the corners of my mind. I haven’t seen him in over a year. He drove me crazy with his schemes and dreams, but the need to please him still lives deep inside me.
I’d kept the photos off social media for obvious reasons, but I definitely plan on making one of those photo books as proof of what could be accomplished with dedication, hard work, and persistence. Three attributes my father never acquired.
Evie leans into my ear. “Did you find the money or anything else of value yet?”
I shake my head ‘cause it baffles me.
The first week, they ripped up the flooring and brought the walls down to the studs, then they hauled out the rotted wood. The whole main floor has been stripped down from the rafters to the floor boards, and the question still remains—where is the hidden money and the flash drive?
“I know you have to be here all the time, but what if they found it and—”
“Deuce gave all his guys a very explicit warning the first day, making it perfectly clear if anything was found, it was to go to me. And what would happen if they didn’t.”
“And you believed him?”
Of course, my bullshit meter wavered a bit, but for some reason, I trusted Deuce.
Plus, he paid for all the building supplies, along with an advance on the first month’s rent.
He didn’t say how he came into this money, and I didn’t question how a guy locked up for the last five years got it. Some things are better left unsaid.
“What choice do I have? If I want this place up and running, I need their help and their money.”
“That, and the fact you’ve gotten to enjoy this eye candy for the last two weeks and haven’t called me sooner.” Her gaze zooms in on Fist hammering the plank flooring into place. “Nothing like seeing a man on his hands and knees.”
I follow her gaze, and the muscles flexing in his bare back is impressive. The new air conditioner isn’t fully installed yet, so add sweaty, muscular men to the mix.
“According to Deuce, Fist has a different girl in his bed every day of the week.”
“I’ll take Thursday.” Evie grins wider. “Seriously though, this place looks great. A huge difference from when you first came here.”
Shady picks up a bundle of two-by-fours like they’re toothpicks, and I can’t help but agree with her.
It’s amazing what six big guys on a mission can accomplish.
It took me almost two months to get my upstairs apartment livable, and just do basic cleaning of the main floor, and I’m not a girly girl when it comes to physical labor, but The End needed major help.
They work from early morning to sometimes late at night, and their skills as carpenters, plumbers and electricians amaze me. We now have running water and working electric in all the rooms on the second floor, along with a refitted and working bar with beer taps that aren’t clogged with gunk.
“So, what’s the deal? ‘Cause I know you didn’t sell this place to them.”
“The Kings fix The End up, they pay me rent, and I get to stay here. When the kitchen is fully functional, we’re to serve basic but good bar food, and guess who put herself in charge of overseeing the kitchen?”
“Nice. The first thing I’m ordering are your delicious smash burgers.” Evie kisses her fingers. “Chef’s kiss.”
“After they pulled out all the old appliances in the kitchen, I did a cleanup that would’ve made Jon Taffer on Bar Rescue proud.”
Shady impressed us by literally carrying the stove out on his back, but Fist dry-heaving at the dead roaches in the grease pans was priceless.
“The kitchen is now equipped with a new industrial stove, griddle and dishwasher. Once they’re all hooked up, we’ll be ready to go. Plus, Speed fixed the walk-in refrigerator.”
Evie looks around again. “The transformation is amazing.”
I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it myself, but Deuce and the other Kings transformed the broken-down bar to its original glory.
“You’d never know how great this looks from the outside.”
“That’s intentional. Deuce didn’t want to draw any attention to the fact that the Kings are getting their new clubhouse in order.”
“Does he know about . . .” She nods to my ankle.
“Yup, I told him the night he came here after Viper gave him a beatdown.”
“And you haven’t seen or heard from Viper?”
“Nope. Weird, right?”
“Maybe the Kings’ presence is keeping him away.”
At first, Viper’s absence made me uneasy since he’d been a weekly visitor with threats and demands, but now I let myself be lulled into the protection and presence of the Kings.
Not my normal, but at the same time, handing over the reins to someone else relieved me of the constant anxiety and worry of going it alone.
“That would be the logical assumption, but Viper’s a crazy fucker who isn’t logical, and it was Viper who beat up Deuce, not the other way around.”
“True, but look at these guys. Would you want to piss them off?”
“No, but then I’m not a psycho like Viper.”
“Just please be careful.” Evie waggles her eyebrows at Deuce. “Or do you have your own personal body guard?”
“Deuce and I have a working relationship.”
Evie barks out a laugh. “Yeah, right.”
“I mean it.”
“The first man to give you an orgasm, who you already admitted is hotter than hell in bed and out, and you haven’t revisited that perfection.”
“Exactly. I’ve made it perfectly clear that what happened was a one-time thing and will never happen again.”
“Mmmmhmmm. Pardon me while I call bullshit.”
“Think what you want, but it’s true.”
“Fine, then I won’t mention how, for the last half hour I’ve been here, he’s glanced over at you at least ten times.”
“Maybe he’s looking at you.” I love Evie to death, but when she gets an idea, it’s dog with a bone time.
“Nope. When I went back to bathroom before, I watched him watching you.”
“You’re imagining things.” I flick my hand toward the back stairs. “The upstairs is starting to take shape too. Deuce fixed the leak in my bathroom and has his room and the other rooms rewired.”
“Whoa, whoa, his room?”
“He’s been staying here since the thing with Viper. He doesn’t trust him either, and he doesn’t want any sneak visits, so at night, the Kings take turns keeping an eye on the outside of the building.”
“And what exactly is Deuce keeping an eye on all night long?”
“After the days they put in working, I’m sure he’s asleep by nine.”
“Alone?”
“Anybody ever tell you you’re very annoying?”
“Yes, you, all the time, but luckily I don’t listen.”
“There is nothing, and there will be nothing going on between me and Deuce.” My gaze travels to him still behind the bar.
“If you say so, just seems like an awful waste to have a man who looks like that only a few feet away and not enjoy it.” Evie nods in Deuce’s direction. “When does he take his shirt off?”
The question threw me for a minute. “He hasn’t.”
Over the last two weeks, I’d seen almost all the Kings without their shirts. Being only a few blocks from the beach, some of them would cool off in the ocean, then come back to work, but never Deuce.
“How about when you had crazy bar sex?”
I furrow my brow. “He didn’t take his t-shirt off, and even the night he got beat up, he kept it on.”
“Maybe he’s shy,” Evie teases.
“Hardly.” He certainly couldn’t be self-conscious about his body. His lean, taut muscles outlined every move he made.
“I’m sure you’ll see him naked all in good time.”
I nudge her shoulder. “I think it’s time for you to leave.”
“Geez, touchy.” Evie envelops me in a hug. The smell of her signature scent calms me in some way. Like at least that hasn’t changed. “I gotta go anyway, but keep me up-to-date on the latest here.”
I walk her to the door and turn to Fist and Speed’s eager grins.
“So, who was the blond bitch?” Fist blurts out.
“Evie is my very best friend, so please don’t refer to her as a bitch.”
“Yeah, what the fuck is the matter with you?” Speed punches Fist in the arm.
“What’s the big fuckin’ deal? I call all hot women bitches. Or bitches in heat.”
“Lovely.” I roll my eyes.
“Shit, anybody with eyes can see she’s a classy bitch . . . sorry, woman,” Speed amends. “Not like those used-up cunts you’re ballin’ over at the Royal Flush.”
Thankfully, years listening to my father’s friends’ banter, then the Dogs made me immune to the trash talk.
I smile up at Fist. “Just for the record, she was checking you out too.”
“I knew it.” Fist shoulder-butts Speed. “Women see a good thing, and they can’t pass it up.”
“Ahhh, shit, now there’ll be no living with him,” Speed complains.
“Don’t worry, I also told her you have a different woman in your bed every night.”
“Fuck, babe, why’d you go and tell her that?”
“Just repeating what Deuce told me.”
Fist screws up his lips. “Hey, Deuce, what the fuck? You’re cockblocking me now?”
Deuce lays the power saw on the bar top, pushes back his safety googles and ambles over to us. His long strides eat up the space between us in no time.
“What’s your problem?” Deuce glares at Fist.
“Telling Sammie I’m a dog with women. That ain’t right.”
“Might not be right, but it’s fuckin’ true.” Deuce smirks at me. “Half the time, he doesn’t even get their names.”
“Like you’re any different.” Fist flings his hand at me. “Why don’t you tell her the real reason you call all women babe is ‘cause you usually can’t remember their names or never got them in the first place.”
“Is that so?” I cock my head. “That’s very interesting.
“I remember some names.”
“Yeah, right.” Fist barks out a laugh.
“I remember Cinzia Marino.”
The name hangs between us, and I can’t hold back the grin curving my lips or my eyes darting to his.
“Who the fuck is Cinzia Marino?” Speed asks.
“Sounds like a stripper name,” Fist says. “Who is she, some bitch you balled back in the day?”
“Not that far back.” His black eyes never leave mine. “I can still remember every detail, right down to little moans in the back of her throat.”
“Shit, brother,” Fist complains. “Too much fuckin’ information.”
Deuce breaks eye contact, turns and heads back to the bar. My eyes follow him like I have no control over my own body.
“Anyway,” Fist continues. “Tell your friend to stop by again.”
“Get the fuck back to work,” Deuce shouts from behind the bar. “It ain’t quitting time yet.”
Fist and Speed head back to the wood floor planking, and I turn toward the kitchen, purposely keeping my eyes forward even though I can feel Deuce’s gaze tracking my every move.