“No fucking way!” Alex adamantly refused to go on drug runs. “I’ve paid my dues and then some, Pop. You took everything I cared about from me, and you expect me to do you favors that are probably going to get me killed?”
A certain stillness feel over Pop and his demeanor, and Alex recognized it. He’d just gone from greedy, manipulative leader to ruthless, sociopathic dictator. If Alex didn’t agree to whatever Pop said at this point, he might as well ask someone for a gun and put it to his own head to pull the trigger. He wouldn’t live to see much more anyway. Pop would probably even do the deed himself without guilt or remorse.
Pop grinned with smug triumph, probably reading the resignation on Alex’s face, which added another layer of rage and hatred around Alex’s heart. “Like I said, I need you to make a run. It’s a quick turnaround, just across the border and into the heart of Juarez. You’ll be there and back in a day.”
If it were that simple, he would send a prospect. There was something Pop wasn’t telling him, and Alex intended to find out. If he was going to put himself on the line again, he demanded full disclosure. And he still wasn’t sure he was going to take the job. He’d have to think about it and see if he could figure out a way to protect Krishna if he refused.
“When?” he asked in a clipped tone.
“I really need it there yesterday, but I’ll give you two days. I think that’s fair. But I damn well better not hear anything about you even thinking about getting near that girl. She’s bad news, Alex. It’s for your own good.”
“Whatever.” Alex turned on his heel and left the office without another word. He was tired of hearing the bullshit, and he wanted out of this godforsaken existence he’d built for himself. He was in such a frenzy, so deeply disturbed, he almost forgot about the game of pool. He forced a smile and played out the rest of the game with relentless determination, and he ended up winning by a landslide.
He absently promised a rematch as he stalked out to his bike. He may have intended to be there late tonight, but, now, he didn’t want to be there at all and had half a mind not to go back in the morning. But if he didn’t show up, Pop would make good on his word and have Krishna killed.
There had to be a better way, and Alex vowed he would find it. Pop wasn’t the man he’d been when Alex had joined the Ashes, and a lot more people were starting to take notice. Alex just had to find a way to raise a question about his sanity and right to authority without question. The club had always been at least somewhat of a democracy. A small group of leaders voted for or against important decisions. Pop shouldn’t have absolute power, and neither should anyone else.
And that might just be his answer. If Pop weren’t in charge, things would be different right now. But how could Alex knock him off his throne without complete upheaval among his brothers? They already thought Alex had poor judgment. How would they react if he started an uprising, a mutiny against Pop?
It was something he would be thinking about hard for the next two days. He just needed some way to stop all of this madness before he was forced to cross that border into Mexico and risk his freedom and his life for a man he didn’t care to know anymore.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
Krishna didn’t recognize the number that was calling her as she climbed in her car, headed home from work. She had a test to prepare for, an apartment she’d realized was filthy when she got back from her parents’ house the night before, and two recorded games to watch, so she had called her mother on her lunch break to tell her she wasn’t coming.
But the number on the caller ID didn’t belong to her mother or father, and it didn’t match any of the other numbers saved in her phone. But it was a local number, and Krishna’s curiosity got the best of her. Just before she knew it was going to voicemail, she answered. “Hello?”
“Kris? It’s Brett.”
Well, that was a surprise, and she was glad she wasn’t driving. She might have run off the road in her moment of shock. No one from the Ashes had contacted her at all since Alex walked out her door, and she didn’t know whether to be worried or elated to hear from one of her favorite people in the club.
“Brett! This is an unexpected treat! How have you been?” She knew she sounded a bit too bright and cheery, but she was just so thrown off by his call she couldn’t control her reaction.
“I’ve been all right, I guess, but my bike’s missing you.” He chuckled, and Krishna missed him more than ever, his laugh giving her sentimental feelings she didn’t particularly want to dredge up. “Listen, I can’t exactly get caught talking to you. In fact, that’s why I’m calling you from the landline at my house. I don’t want anyone finding out I even called you. But I’d really like to get together and maybe make another go at my bike.”
It had been three weeks. Had the Ashes not found another mechanic yet? That was pretty pathetic, but it was worse that Brett had been waiting all this time when the job could have been done – with the right parts – in a couple of days. There was no excuse for the delay.
“I can’t believe you haven’t found other help by now.”
“I don’t know how you were planning to fix it, so I couldn’t just do it myself. And anyone else would want too much money and still do a shitty job. I was hoping maybe things would cool down and no one would care if I called for business purposes. But I guess I was wrong.”
Now, Krishna was confused. “What are you talking about, Brett?” And then, she remembered what he’d said a few moments ago. “Brett, what happens if you get caught talking to me?”
He didn’t answer at first, and Krishna knew automatically that when he did respond she wasn’t going to want to hear it at all. Clearing his throat, he replied in a hoarse voice. “Let’s just say I’m not going to get caught, okay?” He didn’t pause long enough for her to demand a clearer answer. “Listen, I’ve got an old friend just north of town with a nice garage at his house. He said we could work there, if that’s okay with you.”
Krishna didn’t get a good feeling about how carefully he was planning to hide their contact and assure no one from the club saw them together. Still, she missed Brett, and she could use the little bit of extra cash he had for her. She had few enough people to count as friends, and she didn’t want to discount someone going to this much trouble to keep in touch. “Okay, Brett. I’m off tomorrow. I have class in the morning, but if you give me the address, I could be there by noon.”
“You’re the best, Kris. I’ll have my friend text you his address as soon as we get off the phone. I appreciate it.” His relief took a back seat to the fact that, by having someone else text her, Brett was taking another precautionary measure. Krishna made a vow to squeeze it out of him when they were face to face tomorrow. He wouldn’t be able to turn her down so easily in person.
***
Alarms went off in Krishna’s head as she pulled up to the ornate mansion of a house, and she had two instant suspicions. Either this was a trap of some sort and Brett had betrayed her, turning on her in favor of his brothers just as Alex had, or the guy who lived here and was around Brett’s age was a drug dealer. She couldn’t imagine anyone so young owning a house that was twice the size of her parents’ and twenty years newer. It looked like a custom build, too, with stately columns in front, an archway for an entrance, and a towering room on one side that reminded her of old, Celtic castles.
As the garage door opened to reveal Brett and the man she assumed was his friend, Krishna’s first suspicion faded to the background, and her heart stopped pounding so hard. Still, she had to ask Brett, “What exactly does your friend do for a living?” She gazed around at a pristine three-car garage set up like a commercial place. It had more tools than the one she worked at.
Brett laughed and answered quietly, “Not much. It’s an inheritance from his grandmother. He does some investing now and then and lives off his savings.” That, at least, didn’t sound illegal, and Krishna relaxed. Louder, Brett said, “Kris, meet Shane. Shane, this is my good friend, Kris.”
Shane smiled and shook her hand. He was an average looking guy, with green eyes, red hair, and a lanky build that told her instantly he had an Irish background. He looked far too much like her mother’s family. “Brett tells me you’re a genius with bikes.”
With a bit of a blush, Krishna shook her head. “I don’t know about being a genius, but I know my way around them.”
Brett rolled his eyes. “Don’t be modest.” He pointed to her car “She rebuilt that by herself, and you heard it pull up.”
“Fascinating.” Shane had a sparkle in his eyes, but it wasn’t sexual or romantic interest. It held far more intrigue. “You know, I’ve got a lot of friends who want custom engine work and exhaust and whatnot for their cars and bikes, and I’ve been bored out of my mind lately. How would you feel about starting up a business? I mean, I’ve got the garage space and the funds to back it, get you any equipment and parts you need.”
Krishna blinked at him in disbelief. She’d just met the guy, and here he was, offering to invest in a business for her. She didn’t know what to say. Trying not to stutter, she hedged, “I’m working to get licensed as a mechanic now. But I like the idea. Can we consider it again a few months down the road when I have my credentials?” And maybe after I’ve gotten to know you and trust you? she added silently.
“Sure thing. In the meantime, if you don’t mind, I can make a couple of recommendations and send people your way.”
That she could handle, and she thanked him for the leap of faith before turning back to Brett and his poor machine. There was a lot to do, and she wanted to get the basics finished today, since it was apparently such a risk for Brett to be around her.
And that reminded her of the other mission she meant to accomplish today. As soon as Shane was out of hearing range, she asked Brett, “So, what’s going on? Why can’t you even be caught talking to me? I mean, is a phone call a mortal sin?” His sharp look told Krishna she’d hit close to home, and she swallowed hard. “Oh, come on. No one would actually kill you for making a phone call, would they?”
His expression grew distressed, and he wouldn’t meet her eyes. “It’s not me I’m worried about.”
How much sense did that make? Krishna searched her mind for what else would be at stake, and she gasped. “Is Pop threatening your family if you don’t follow orders?”
“No!” But Brett’s protest was too adamant for Krishna to dismiss it, and she held his gaze with a hard stare until he folded, hanging his head. “It’s you, Kris. If anyone has contact with you, Pop makes you the target because you’re a distraction.”
That was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard and, yet, she knew the threat was serious. Trying not to panic, she scoffed. “You’d think I was planted in the midst of the gang by the devil himself to tear it apart.”
With a grim nod, Brett agreed. “That’s apparently the opinion Pop is working with. Listen, Kris, I don’t want anything to happen to you, but this is serious. Most of us are working off a debt to clear up our criminal records, and the old guys are stuck because they don’t have anywhere else to go. Or maybe they don’t want to go anywhere else. But Pop is deep in the game, and he’s got a lot of contacts that don’t have a conscience. He’ll make a call and put out a hit, and these guys won’t care about the reason or who the target is. They’ll do the deed and take the money.”
She believed every word of it, and it gave her chills. Pop pretended to be such a fair, caring man and, as it turned out, he had no soul. If anyone was in league with the devil, it was Pop. Greed and the need for complete control had turned the man into a monster, and for the first time since Alex had walked out her door, she understood why. She had assumed he had a choice in the matter and had chosen the gang over her. But now, she realized he wasn’t kidding when he said it was the only way, that he had to make sure she was safe.
But another thought struck her that made her blood run cold. Pop could threaten to kill her all he wanted. But there was an unspoken truth to his ruthlessness. He wouldn’t just have Krishna killed; he would most likely kill whoever had broken the rules himself.
No matter how much she liked Brett, she didn’t want to put him in danger. “Brett, you’re risking your own life meeting me like this,” she said, infusing her words with urgency. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I just told you, Kris. You’re the one in trouble, not me. And it’s not that I don’t value you, so please don’t think I’m just throwing caution to the wind,” he said, apparently realizing how that sounded. “But no matter how hard I have to work to cover it up, I’m not going to let anyone tell me who I can and can’t be friends with.”
Krishna appreciated the sentiment, but she had to enforce the danger Brett wasn’t seeing. “Pop isn’t thinking rationally, though. And even if he’s not saying he’ll come down on you, he’s going to make a statement to everyone else. He’s determined to keep everyone under his thumb, no matter what it takes.”
With a stubborn jut of his chin, Brett told her, “I don’t care. I have resources, too.” He smiled with the most devious look she’d ever seen on his innocent looking face. “Now, can we get this bike in shape?”
Krishna nodded, relenting temporarily. But she wasn’t going to let it rest forever. She’d circle back around later, when they’d managed to make some progress on the rust bucket.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
“You did what?” Alex gaped at Brett, not sure whether he was more angry or shocked. The kid just stood there with a smug smile, and for just a moment, Alex wanted to wipe it right off his face with a backhand. Calming himself, he lowered his voice, not wanting anyone at the clubhouse to overhear them. “What the hell were you thinking?”
Brett hissed back, “I was thinking I wanted my damn bike finished, and that I missed her. Don’t tell me you aren’t thinking about her every second of the day, Alex. I can see it on your face. Besides, someone had to tell her what was at stake.”
Clenching his fists at his sides, Alex snarled, “You told her?”
“You didn’t!” Brett shook his head in shame. “You let her think you chose us over her, didn’t you? You didn’t make it clear how little choice you had. You made yourself look like a careless, selfish ass.” Brett stared at him in disbelief.
Alex turned away, gnashing his teeth at the judgment. And his own stupidity. “Did anyone follow you? Are you sure no one saw you with her?” Alex started pulling out supplies from his drawers – gun, ink, cleanser. He motioned to the chair, and Brett looked confused. “Sit down. It looks bad to stand around and talk.”
Now, the kid was excited. He hadn’t gotten a lot of tattoo work, and to cover their conversation, Alex was going to stick something basic on him for free. Everyone loved free body art, right? He pulled up to Brett’s left side, rolled up his sleeve, and started prep work. Looking down at him, Brett spoke under his breath. “I didn’t go to her place or bring her to mine, and I didn’t go out in public. I used a different phone to call her and had my friend text her the address. We met at his place. No one else was anywhere to be seen.”
Alex nodded. Brett surprised him with the thought he put into it, and he decided not to underestimate the kid’s intelligence, or allegiance for that matter. “Smart,” he commented. “How is she?” He hadn’t wanted to ask, but it slipped out.
“Betty’s all right,” Brett said louder. Alex smiled ruefully as he worked, shaving and wiping. Betty was the nickname he’d given his rusty ride. It was a good cover. “I’m having some trouble with her. But she’s determined to get running and put on a good show.”
Disturbed, Alex prepped his tattoo gun as he spoke. “Any particular part that’s giving you the most trouble?”
“No, she’s just got more personality than I counted on when I got her, you know?” Alex met his gaze and saw amusement and concern blending in his expression. “You should come take a look at her. Maybe you can tell me what I’m doing wrong. I’m working on her again tomorrow.”
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br /> Show up somewhere and take Krishna by surprise? Alex wasn’t sure it was a good idea, whether or not it was a deadly game to play. Besides, he had other business to tend, as much as he wanted to rebel against it. “I have to take a raincheck on that, bro. I have to be somewhere tomorrow.”
With an epic idea for his design, Alex turned on the gun and touched Brett’s arm with the needle. He looked taken aback, and Alex wasn’t sure if it was a painful sensation or surprise at his statement that had him so shocked. The answer came quickly.
“Where are you going?”
He hadn’t expected Alex to turn down an opportunity to see Krishna, and Alex frowned with a grunt of displeasure. “Pop’s sending me on a run.”
“You’ve got to be kidding!” Brett exploded, and Alex had to hold him down to keep from ruining his work from the start. “You shouldn’t be going anywhere. How long have you been clear of debt?”
Alex shrugged. It didn’t really matter. “Long enough to be pissed off about it.” That was an understatement.
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