TWENTY-EIGHT
Splice
DAYS EARLIER
Scraping both hands through his hair, Splice inhaled hard enough to stretch the long-sleeved Henley shirt underneath the black t-shirt.
Was he hearing this shit right?
Sitting opposite him on a picnic bench out back of the clubhouse, the members used for cookouts, Axel was calmer than Splice, his silver-ringed hands laced together, Champ, the club dog, sitting obediently at his feet.
When Axel told Splice he needed to talk to him, he assumed it was about one of their properties. Either to add something else to his plate, or to ask Splice to sort out a problem with a prick not paying on time.
That was usually the one-on-ones he had with Axel. Splice was the go-to guy for discreetly or forcefully sorting issues.
But this bullshit he was hearing?
“Are you positive?”
“I got it right from Fielding. Her team has been watching Harvey for a while.”
The CEO, or whatever bullshit title the deadbeat guy who owned the Riot Brothers’ organization, has been a thorn in the Diablos’ side for a while now.
But the last thing Splice ever expected to hear was that Harvey, who was under police investigation, had been spotted several times meeting with Splice’s uncle, Vince.
“That strip mall venture Vince brought to me recently. All he’d say was it was a contact out of town, but he could vouch for them to be business partners. I told him we’d need time to look into it. Now, it’s got me thinking that contact is Harvey.”
A heavy muscle worked in Splice’s jaw as he locked eyes with the Prez. “He’s never mentioned shit to me, Axel.”
“That isn’t in question. I figured he wouldn’t be saying anything to you if he were dabbling with Harvey.”
“Vince knows the crap the Riot Brotherhood has tried to pull with us. I can’t fathom why he’d do that.”
“I’ve always had time for your uncle, Splice,” Axel stated in his deep tone. “He’s brought us some lucrative opportunities over the years, but...”
Splice waved a hand, sighing again as he ground his teeth together. “You don’t need to say it, Prez.”
But if he was buddying up with their enemy, Vince was no longer welcome at the MC headquarters.
“Only me and Chains know what Fielding brought to me. Now you. So, I’m gonna leave this with you to figure out.
I have too much going on with Scarlett to go chasing up bullshit.
” Axel told him. “Right now, it’s speculation, so find out what he’s doing with Harvey and why.
If the shit escalates, then the club gets involved. ”
“I understand,” Splice answered gravely.
It blew his mind that Vince would associate with the club’s rivals, let alone strike deals, given Vince’s history of loyalty to the MC. He saw himself more as an independent contractor, bringing them profitable business, not a member. It was a win for everyone involved.
An hour later, Splice parked in the car dealership forecourt, prowling the length of the warehouse until he reached the back office.
“Splice!” his uncle lifted his head and grinned from behind his desk. “Didn’t know you were heading this way, son.”
“It wasn’t planned.” He pulled out a chair with his boot and plopped into the seat, facing his uncle. “Need to talk to you about something.”
The older man, who was only a year older than Splice’s dad, looked so much like him that Splice would get a punch to the gut.
“Of course, I’m all ears. Is your mom okay? I only talked to Tammie yesterday.”
“Yeah, she’s fine. It’s club-related.” The soft, well-worn leather of his jacket creaked when Splice leaned forward and rested both forearms on his thighs, holding his uncle’s gaze.
“Look, this isn’t something I wanna ask or believe, but have you been having meetings with Harvey and the Riot Brothers? ”
There was no change in Vince’s expression, and Splice felt a brief wave of relief settle in his midsection.
If he had been guilty of something, Vince’s face would have shown it.
Vince had always been a stand-up guy throughout Splice’s life.
If not for Vince’s guidance after his dad died, Splice would have truly gone off the rails.
He owed his uncle a lot.
“Before I answer, can I ask why you’re asking this?”
Fuck.
A tick worked through Splice’s jaw. “Someone saw you with Harvey. You know what those cunts are trying to do to the Diablos, Vince. As someone who’s always shown loyalty to the club, I gotta know what the fuck are you doing with him and why?”
Vince took a moment, only staring at Splice, and he sat back in his large leather chair, reaching forward to open the pack of cigarettes. He lit one and blew out the smoke.
“That’s a loaded question, son. Can I ask you to trust me and leave it at that?”
“I do trust you. But this became more than just you and me. The opportunity you recently brought to Axel. Was that Harvey’s deal?”
He prayed the answer was no, but his gut twisted when Vince answered.
“Harvey has contacts that neither of us has.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Splice ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
“I don’t believe I’m hearing this. You know what he tried to do to Bash and his old lady recently.
They would have fucking drowned if we hadn’t got to them!
Not to mention all the shit Denver and Casey went through with her creep of a stepbrother. ”
Splice could have gone on and on about all the ways Harvey, his brother, and their buddies had tried to mess with Diablo’s businesses over the past few years.
“Those were isolated incidents, as far as I recall,” Vince said calmly, “and they were personal, not business-related. People have hot tempers, but don’t we all?
” he smiled. “Listen, son. I know it looks bad. The MC has beef with Harvey and vice versa, but if he’s willing to let bygones be bygones, I don’t know why we can’t set that aside and make some real money together.
It’s only something to consider, Splice, yeah?
We don’t have to lose our perspective over this.
Harvey approached me, and I gave him the benefit of the doubt and listened to what he had to say; that’s it. ”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah. I took the deal to Axel. I thought he could see past any vendetta and appreciate the chance to make more money, but Axel needed time to think it over, so I left it there.”
“Why didn’t you just tell us who you were talking to?”
“There wasn’t much to say until I knew what he was offering. He deals with European connections; it would give us a far reach than we hold now in the States.”
Splice’s eyes narrowed, hearing the nonchalant tone Vince was using, like he was trying to talk up a big game for a crocodile.
“Do you hear yourself?” he grated. “Vince, these people aren’t just the average local jerks. Believe me, we deal with enough already to distinguish the difference. These rats would cut my throat without even considering the consequences if we gave them the chance. Does that mean fuck all to you?”
“The Diablos aren’t white knights, son.”
“No, we aren’t; we never pretended to be. But what I don’t expect is that my uncle, the man I brought into the MC, the one who talked Axel into partnering with you many times, would stab us in the back.”
It was then that Vince showed emotion, and lines appeared around his eyes when he frowned.
“That’s a bit strong; you know I wouldn’t do anything to put you in danger. It was simply business.”
“Business, you know, Axel would reject as soon as he knew it was Harvey, so how far do you think it would get after that, huh?”
“At the end of the day, Axel runs a hobby club.”
Splice blinked. “Excuse the fuck what?”
“I just mean, if he ever wants to expand the Diablos to high heights, he needs to step out of his comfort zone. Doing business with people you don’t like happens.
It’s part of being in the big boys’ club.
I don’t like everyone I shake hands with, but I do it to make this place into what it is today. ”
“Vince, you might have started this dealership with my dad, but how the fuck do you think you have the contacts you do, or get the stock you do, if not for Axel and my MC? Careful you don’t bite the hands that feed you.”
Vince grimaced and stubbed out the cigarette. “I mean no disrespect, son. You know I’ve got a lot of time for Axel.”
Did he, though? Calling Axel just a figurehead of a hobby club—yeah, that shit didn’t sit well with Splice, but he kept his trap shut for now.
“I can see I overstepped by trying to do the right thing. I’m sorry, son. I will call Axel and set it right, alright?”
Splice got to his feet. “I haven’t seen Lisa all day, and now I’m already late having to sort this mess out.
” He gritted his teeth. “I will say this: it’s completely up to you if you wanna do deals with Harvey, but as far as you coming around the MC, that will stop immediately.
People don’t have one foot in each world with me, Vince. ”
“I got it. I do.” Vince stood up and came around the table, approaching until he was in front of Splice.
He frowned and clasped Splice by the arms. “I fucked up, trying to do something good for us all. But I’m not gonna do anything to put you in a difficult position.
Let me make it right, alright? I’ve got plenty of other pokers in the fire, anyway. ”
Splice nodded, hating the jaded gut feeling he was having, clanging like a damn church bell.
He strode out of the dealership, not feeling any better than when he had arrived.
It was worse because even though Vince said all the right shit and promised to make it right with Axel, Splice’s gut instinct was on red alert, wondering how long Vince had been talking to Harvey before they were spotted, and whether it was the first time he’d brought a shady Riot Brothers deal to them under the radar?
Right now, he missed his girl and wanted to put his eyes on her, so that’s where he headed after sending a text to Axel, filling him in.
* * *
NOW
This whole day could go fuck itself, Splice thought.