Chapter 22
SUGAR
One Week Later
Ileft Kalani in Makani a week ago, and I’d missed her annoying me ever since. She’d been a pain in my ass up until the last second.
“Text me before you get yourself into another stabby situation.”
“Only if it’s regarding Ashley. What? I won’t make promises I know can’t keep.”
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I hadn’t heard from her and likely wouldn’t. I glanced at my phone and considered tossing it to the side and taking a nap when it vibrated in my hand.
Kalani: Ashley is here asking questions about me.
Kalani: I’m in the break room. I don’t think she saw me.
Sugar: Fuck. Do you know what she wants?
Kalani: I heard her ask Everly if I was working.
Sugar: Let me know when she leaves.
Kalani: I don’t like hiding from her.
Sugar: You’re not hiding. You’re setting a trap.
Kalani: Dirty talk! More please.
Sugar: Focus.
After fifteen minutes of nothing from her, I sent another text. I knew Kalani could handle herself, which is exactly what worried me. Ashley was a trigger for her. If Kalani snapped, she’d slaughter Ashley in the middle of The Stinky Dog and mop the floor with her blood.
Sugar: Is she still there?
Sugar: Hello?
Sugar: Deviant?
Fuck. I got up, grabbed my shit, and sent a text to Prez to let him know Ashley was at The Stinky Dog. It was probably nothing and Ashley would be gone by the time I got there, but the bar was forty-five minutes away—a lot could happen in much less time, especially if Kalani was involved.
Whisker stepped out of his office as I was coming down the hall. “She’s not answering me,” I said and held up my phone. “I’m gonna ride out there.”
He nodded. “We’re coming with you. We’ll leave in five.”
“Do you know something I don’t?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No, but I got a weird feeling.”
Yeah, I did too, but we were both skewed. Whisker got a weird feeling whenever something unexpected happened, and I cared about Kalani.
Fuck. I cared about Kalani.
I chuckled to myself. I’d always assumed it would be a girlfriend who had concerns about my lifestyle, not the other way around.
While we were on the road to Makani, I called Beaver and asked him to track Kalani’s phone. “It’s at The Stinky Dog.”
“Why the fuck isn’t she answering?” I mumbled, not expecting an answer.
“Do you want me to call the bar?” he asked.
“Yes! Call the bar and ask for Everly, but don’t push her if she won’t talk.”
“I’ll have Cookie do it,” Beaver said and ended the call.
Beaver called back a few minutes later. “Whoever answered said she was busy and couldn’t come to the phone, but she responded to Cookie’s text. She said Ashley is still there and she thinks Kalani is in the break room, but she hasn’t actually put eyes on her since Ashley came in.”
“But she’s had eyes on Ashley the entire time?”
“Yes,” he confirmed. “We asked.”
“Thanks, brother.”
Why don’t we have a tail on her?
Because she’s not an Old Lady.
And she doesn’t need protection; people need to be protected from her.
She can take care of herself.
I reminded myself over and over on the way there. I also promised I would butcher anyone who hurt her. Neither gave me a shred of comfort. But something else did.
Sugar: I’m claiming her.
Whisker: Noted.
Fuck. I’ll tell her later. Much later.
When we arrived at The Stinky Dog, Kalani’s truck was parked in the lot with a few other vehicles, but it was the absence of emergency vehicles that gave me a sense of relief.
The guys went inside to get a table and see what was going on, while Slit and I went around to the back.
He waited in the truck while I got out and walked in through the unlocked back door.
Fucking Kalani. What appeared to be a lack of self-preservation and situational awareness was probably her way of helping Ashley help Kalani kill her.
Fuck. Now I’m thinking like her.
I found Kalani in the break room, sound asleep in one of the chairs. At least, I thought she was until her eyes popped open the moment I stepped into the room. Raising my index finger to my lips, I waited for her to nod before I mouthed, “Out the back.”
She nodded and grabbed her phone as she stood. I wanted to ask her why the fuck she wasn’t answering texts or calls when her phone was right beside her, but it would have to wait until after Kalani and Ashley were a safe distance apart.
Slipping out the back, we got into the truck without being noticed.
“Where are we going?” Kalani asked as Slit pulled out of the parking lot.
“Your house,” I answered.
“What? Why? I still have the rest of my shift to finish.”
“You’d know why if you had answered your texts.”
She pulled out her phone and looked at the screen. “Aw, were you worried about me?” she teased.
“Yes, you little deviant, I was,” I admitted. “Now, shut the fuck up and listen. Everly is going to ask Cookie about me. Cookie’s gonna tell her I went to your house because you’re home sick. We’re gonna sit at your house and wait for Ashley to show up.”
“Don’t tease me.”
“You can’t kill her.”
“Why not?” she whined. “It’s my house.”
“You can’t kill her at your house. Better?”
“So I can kill her?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t not say it.”
“Fuck!” Slit blurted. “Just tell her she can kill her later.”
“Fine. You can kill her later,” I said flatly.
“Oh! You do love me!” Kalani said gleefully and clapped her hands. “Ah! I’m so excited. Plans! I have to make plans!”
“What have you done?” Slit asked.
“Me? I said she couldn’t kill her. You’re the one who suggested letting her kill her later.”
“I want out of this truck,” Slit said. “No. I want one or both of you out.”
“Come on. Don’t spoil this for me,” Kalani pleaded. “How often does your penis pal bring you a bitch to kill?”
“Do not ever call me your penis pal again,” I said. “Ever.”
“Phallic friend?”
“I will stop this truck and make you walk,” Slit threatened.
“Go ahead.” Kalani pointed. “That’s my driveway.”
“Of course it is,” Slit groaned exasperatedly.
“Wait here while I clear the house,” I told Kalani.
“Fuck no.” Slit hopped out of the truck. “I’ll clear the house. Be right back.”
“Boy, I really flustered him,” she said, scrunching her nose as she watched Slit enter her house. “You sure he’s okay to carry a gun?”
“Around most people? Yes. Around you? I’d say it’s a no for most people.”
“Yeah, I don’t think it’s safe for most to carry a gun around me either.” She winked.
“All clear!” Slit called from the front door.
“When is Birdie supposed to be home?” I asked as we walked inside.
“Tomorrow, I think. Maybe the next day.”
“I want you to come back to Kahakai with me,” I told her. “I don’t think you should be out here by yourself tonight.”
“Okay,” she said, agreeing much easier than I expected. “I’ll go ahead and pack a bag. You guys make yourselves comfortable and help yourselves to whatever’s in the kitchen that isn’t alcohol or weed.”
“Why is she being friendly and hospitable?” Slit asked. “It’s weird.”
“I don’t know. I guess she’s happy.”
Kalani came back downstairs moments later. “I need to charge my phone and left my charger at work,” she said from the kitchen. “I’m gonna grab my other one out of the old truck.”
She came back inside a few minutes later. “Got it! I’ll be back down soon.”
At some point, I heard her turn on the shower upstairs, followed by a strange tinging sound.
When I got up to see what crazy-ass shit she was up to, my phone vibrated with a text.
“Whisker said Ashley left,” I told Slit. “I’m gonna let Kalani know.”
When I knocked on the bathroom door, the shower was still running, but I didn’t hear the strange noise.
“Yeah?” Kalani called through the door.
“Hold on,” I said as my phone vibrated with another text. “Whisker said Ashley left the bar and appears to be headed this way.”
“I’ll be right down,” Kalani said.
When she came downstairs, she put two bags by the back door before joining us in the living room. “So, do we have a plan? Are we winging it?”
“Sorry to disappoint you, but we’re not doing anything.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s a tracker on Ashley’s car. If she comes here, one of the brothers will grab her before she gets to the house. If she doesn’t come here, they’ll follow her and get her when they have a chance.”
She sat back with a huff and crossed her arms over her chest. “I am disappointed. What kind of outlaw motorcycle club are you? Stopping a lady from killing? We live in a different day and age now.”
Slit closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.
“Unclench your asshole,” she said and stood. “I’m going to make a snack. You can continue being rude without my presence. Enjoy your peace.”
“I’m sorry,” Slit sighed. “I don’t like to be distracted when we’re doing shit like this, and you are a distraction.”
“Understood.” She smiled softly. “I’ll tone it down.”
I waited until she was in the kitchen and out of earshot. “What the fuck was that?”
“Scary,” Slit whispered. “That was fucking scary.”
My phone vibrated with a barrage of texts.
Whisker: She’s five minutes out.
Whisker: Driving past the house.
Whisker: Circling the block.
Whisker: Circling again.
Whisker: Answer the fucking phone!
Whisker: They lost her!
Whisker: Fuck!!
Tossing my phone to Slit, I rose to my feet and pulled my gun from its holster. As I crept toward the kitchen, I suddenly noticed how quiet it was.
I peeked around the corner and sagged in relief when I saw Kalani standing in the mudroom. Lowering my gun, I took one step around the corner—only to move right back while hoping I wasn’t seen.
Ashley was standing inside the back door pointing a gun a Kalani.
Motherfucker!
That’s why Kalani was smiling and being oddly hospitable. She knew Ashley was there.
“I know you had something to do with Matthew’s disappearance,” Ashley said.
“Really?” Kalani asked skeptically. “Prove it.”
I moved to the other side of the doorway to get a better view, but it was still an odd angle. Kalani was facing Ashley with her hands behind her back. I couldn’t see much of Ashley, but I could see her arm and the gun she had pointed at Kalani.
“I saw you leave Liquid Anarchy together the night before he disappeared,” Ashley said confidently.
Kalani didn’t flinch.
“You were wearing a pink wig and sneakers. You went across the street to his hotel room. Room four at Charli’s Place. You were seen on traffic cameras returning to Makani around one. I have the pictures on my phone. Do you want to see them?”
“What do you want?” Kalani asked.
“I want to know where Matthew is.”
Kalani slowly shook her head. “I think you’re lying.”
What the fuck is she doing?
“Tell me where Matthew is or tell me where the money is,” Ashley demanded.
Kalani’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “What money?”
“The money Trenton gave Matthew!” Ashley yelled. “Don’t act like you don’t know! You know because you took it!”
“I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kalani said calmly. “But how much was it? Maybe we can help. I’ve got a couple of twenties around here somewhere.”
“Twenties!” Ashley cackled maniacally. “Twenties won’t work.” Her laughter stopped abruptly. “But you will. Let’s go.”
“Hold on. I think you skipped some sentences. I’ll work for what? And where are we going? I mean, I’ll go. I just wanna know the details first. It helps my anxiety.”
She’s going to make me watch her die. After she made me love her.
“Fifty thousand dollars,” Ashley said. “Trenton gave Matthew fifty thousand dollars for goods that weren’t delivered. Trenton wants his money or his goods. I don’t have his money, so I’ll deliver you instead.”
Kalani nodded as if she understood. “I get it. I’d want my money or the human I paid for too. Where is Hannah, by the way?”
“In the trunk of my car.”
Fuck!
I saw it. The moment her switch flipped.
Kalani’s eyes widened in horror, and then they filled with rage.
She moved so fast it was over before my brain processed what happened.
Kalani grabbed Ashley’s arm and pushed it away while simultaneously bringing a sickle down on the bend of Ashley’s arm with the other hand.
The gun fell to the floor as Ashley screamed in agony. Kalani pulled back on the sickle, but she had to work to free it, severing more of Ashley’s limb in the process. When she stepped back, Ashley’s arm was dangling by … something that didn’t look strong enough to keep her arm attached.
“Stupid bitch. Guns are so impersonal.”
While I stood there with my mouth hanging open, Kalani dropped the sickle and shoved Ashley to the ground.
Then Kalani jumped on top of her, picked up the partially attached arm, and started hitting Ashley with it.
“Why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourself?”
“Stop!” Ashley screamed. “Please, stop!”
“Please stop what?” Kalani taunted as she continued to beat Ashley with her own arm. “You’re the one hitting yourself.”
“Stop! I’ll do whatever you want!”
The sound of motorcycle engines approaching snapped me out of my shock. “Kalani,” I called. “You’re making a hell of a mess.”
“Oh, damn.” She paused from beating Ashley to look at the blood spattered around them.
Kalani lifted Ashley’s arm and held it like a microphone.
“Well, kids, I guess it’s time for the last dance of the evening.
” Then, she twisted the arm over and over while she sang Let’s Twist Again until the appendage finally broke free.
My stomach churned with nausea.
Turning to me with her face covered in blood, Kalani smiled triumphantly as she raised the arm above her head and waved it around like a prized trophy.
Being hard while vomiting was new.
“Let’s do The Hokey Cokey,” Kalani said and excitedly got to her feet.
“The what?”
“The Hokey Cokey. It’s the British version of The Hokey Pokey. It’s much better.”
“How so?”
“Because the UK version is considered public domain. Now, shut it so I can sing. You put your right arm in,” she sang, tossing Ashley’s arm onto the floor. “Hey! That’s cheating!”
Fuck. I was in love with a woman who scared the absolute shit out of me.