by Sam Crescent
“I’m going to pay her a little visit. Scarlett turns up pregnant you don’t want the world to know it’s mine, do you?”
John hesitated. “I’m … what if it was known?”
“What do you mean?” Gunner asked.
“Forget about it. Forget I ever said anything.” John hung up and Gunner stared at his cell, more confused than ever before.
“What the fuck?”
Billy and Ford came back in. “You wanted us, boss?”
“A couple of the girls said some guys were sniffing around the toy shop. They didn’t like them. Said they kept asking questions and touching them. I want you guys to go over and check it out,” Gunner said.
The sex shop they owned was near an old industrial place. There were several different stores all within one unit. The club had snatched the building up, and the toy shop was booming. Sex sold more than anything else.
Some of the guys wanted to invest in a porn studio, but he wasn’t into that, at least not yet. He had yet to be given proof that porn made any decent money.
He’d seen the amateur crap they were selling online, and he wasn’t impressed, not in the slightest.
Once Billy and Ford were gone, he got one of his guys who could find anyone with just a name and a few details to get him an address.
Her name was Tanya, and that was all he cared about. She lived in a small apartment twenty minutes away.
With her name and address, he left the clubhouse, only to be stopped by Kent. “You need any help?”
He didn’t trust Kent. Out of all of the men in the club, it was Kent he believed was the one responsible for taking the money, and for wanting cartel business. When the matter of working for the cartels came up, it had been Kent who’d been screaming the loudest. He wanted that business and the kind of money working for them would bring. What Kent didn’t understand was the risks of such a decision.
“Yeah, come on,” he said.
Gunner wasn’t afraid of Kent, but it had been some time since he’d been with him, and it would give him a chance to talk.
“We’re not taking the bikes?” Kent asked.
“Nope. It’s been a few weeks since we took the time to catch up, you know.”
“There’s been church.”
“It’s not the same.”
He started up the car, and he saw Kent hesitate. There was nothing for him to call this fucker out other than his gut instinct. Kent climbed into the car, and he took off out of the parking lot.
“What you been up to, Kent?”
“Screwing, drinking, partying, working. Just the same old shit over and over again.”
“You don’t have a problem with the last run, do you? I know the cartels were happy.”
“We do what needs to be done.”
“You want the extra dough from the runs?” Gunner asked.
“Getting in with the cartels is smart. They’ve got the drugs, the guns, the girls, and it’s a party every single fucking day. No one touches them.”
“You mean the Feds don’t touch them. They’ve got men watching them at every single point. It’s not smart. It’s fucking dangerous. Most of the people associated with them have a very short shelf life. It’s not smart at all.” He glanced over at Kent, seeing the man’s teeth clench. “Most of the guys voted at the table, Kent. They don’t want that kind of business in their lives.”
“You’re right.”
Gunner may be right, but the way Kent was acting, that fucker was hiding something. “You ever thought about going to them? Working for them?” he asked.
“The club is my life. It’s what I wanted.”
“You want the patch,” he said.
He knew without a doubt that Kent wanted the patch, the Prez’s patch. Gunner had won this patch, and there was no way he’d remove it. Only over his dead body would anyone get this away from him.
Kent didn’t say anything else.
Parking the car, Gunner stared up at the depressing building.
“You got a new girl or something?” Kent asked.
“Just got to take care of a problem.”
“Is it a really big problem?”
He glanced at Kent. “Yes.”
Checking the number on his cell phone, he made his way toward the building. There wasn’t any security. People could just come and go as they pleased. Ignoring the looks of the people hanging out at the front, he took the stairs, going two at a time. Kent followed him.
Standing in front of the door that was hers, he knew from the details his guy had given him that she wasn’t home.
Bending forward, he picked the lock, opening it up.
The apartment was nice. There was none of the moldy smell that had been out in the hallway.
“Have a seat,” he said, pointing at the sofa. Opening the fridge, he looked inside seeing all health food, which wrinkled his nose. He didn’t trust anyone who liked healthy shit.
Looking around her apartment, he wasn’t impressed by what he saw.
Flicking his keys back and forth, he watched Kent. “You know anything about the books being doctored?”
Kent frowned but showed no other sign of hiding something. Gunner watched him closely. “What do you mean?”
“Money that might not have been accounted for.”
“I don’t know.”
He stared at Kent and knew without a doubt that this fucker was the reason. Before he could take him out, he had to have proof.
“You know if money is going missing, you need to bring it to the table,” Kent said, looking at him. “Boys will want to know where it’s gone.”
“I will.”
“Why haven’t you?”
“I’ve been working on finding out who’s taking it.”
“You got someone in mind?” Kent asked.
“I’ve got a few ideas.” He didn’t get to say anything else as the door to the apartment started to open.
****
“Do you want the cream or the blue?” Scarlett asked.
John looked up from his desk to see his wife holding two swatches of fabric. She’d come to visit him for lunch, just like she used to do. “What is this for?”
“The spare bedroom.”
“But that’s for the nursery. Shouldn’t it be a neutral color?” John watched as the smile on her face dropped and he hated seeing that look in her eyes. “Baby, what’s going on?”
“I don’t see a reason to keep the room bare anymore. I want to decorate it. We could turn it into your office.”
He stood up, and moved around his desk, pulling her close. “No.”
“Come on.”
“I said no. It’s staying as a nursery.” He pushed some hair back off her face, staring into her brown eyes.
“You’re not fair.”
“I am always fair. It’s not going to happen.”
She blew out a breath.
“I’ve got to go out of town for a week on business,” he said.
“You have? Since when?”
“One of my clients needs me to look over his books. He works in the city, three hours away. It could take a week.”
She pouted; such a cute look. “Can I come with you?”
“You’ll be bored all day, and I know you hate leaving the day care center. I’ve talked with Gunner. I want you to stay with him.”
“Wow, I’m not a child, John. I can take care of myself.”
John tilted her head back, taking her lips beneath his. “This will be the first time that I’m away from you. I don’t want you to be on your own.” Every other time he’d been away, he’d taken her with him. She had gotten the time off. This had been a quick decision, and his client was paying him triple to get to the city to help him out. “Please, do this for me.”
“I feel like a child when you want me to do this.”
He chuckled. “I know you’re anything but a little girl.” He ran his hand down her back. “I’m going to miss you. I’ll call you every single night. You won’t be alo
ne.”
“I hope not.” She looked up at him. “Now the colors?”
“No. We’re going to have a baby, and we’re going to need that room for when we do.”
“We’ve not talked about adoption. Do you want me to book an appointment? What do you want me to do?”
“I want you to not worry at all. To wait until I get home, and then we can talk about it.”
“Fine. Okay.”
He helped her into a chair, sitting next to her. He gave her the lunch she’d brought for him, opening his own to enjoy the cheese sandwiches.
John watched as she ate. All the while, she looked around his office. “You’re not cheating on me, are you?”
He burst out laughing. “No, I’m really not. I can even show you the details of the client I’m working for, if you want. What we’re going to be looking at.”
“No, it’s fine. It just seems weird that you’re going away and I’m staying here.”
“You’ll be staying with Gunner.”
“And he’s happy with this?”
“Of course he is. His boys are as well. They get your cooking all to themselves. What’s not to love? I’d take you with me, but you and I both know that Mary’s looking for a reason to get rid of you, and you don’t want that, do you?”
“No.”
“It’s going to be a week, tops. He’s got quite a few accounts to go over. I’ll call you every single night. I’ll even get Gunner to hug you tight for me.”
She signed again, this time even louder. “I don’t see why I can’t be alone. I’ll be fine.”
“This is for me, baby. I want to make sure you’re safe. Please, do this for me.”
She blew a raspberry, which he did find incredibly cute. “Fine, fine. I’ll do this for you. I’ll go home and pack you a bag, and make sure you’re all okay.”
“And you won’t touch our nursery. I mean it, Scarlett. I don’t want you to.”
“I’ll leave it.”
“Good girl.” He pressed a kiss to her head once more. “I better get back to work.”
“I’ll let you do that.”
She stroked his cheek with a smile and pulled away. He hated it when she pulled away. All he wanted to do was hold her back in his arms once again, but he knew he couldn’t do that.
He wasn’t even trying to push Gunner and Scarlett together.
A client wanted him, needed him in fact, and he had to go to help. He’d promised that he would whenever the need arose.
If Scarlett didn’t love her job so much, he’d tell her to quit, and take her with him. He knew how much she loved being with the kids. She didn’t have to work, but he couldn’t bring himself to force her to sit around home all day, waiting around for him.
Moving toward his window, he watched her leave. Once she was gone, he sat behind his desk and began working through his endless list of clients that he’d completed accounting information for. This could go from a simple quote of dealing with their taxes, to looking over their books, to any number of things.
Hours passed before a knock came at the door.
“I got your message,” Gunner said. “I don’t like being summoned. I feel like I’ve been called to the principal’s office or worse, daddy’s.”
John laughed. “I’ve told Scarlett I have to go out of town.”
“Okay. Is she happy about that?”
“No, she wants to come with me, and if I didn’t know that she’d go crazy without a job, I’d let her. I want her to stay at your house. I’ve told her you’re keeping an eye on her.”
“John, we’re friends and all that, but on shit like this you’ve got to consult me.”
He stepped past his friend, closing the door behind him. “You’ve got a problem taking care of my woman?”
“You know I haven’t.”
“I didn’t think you’d see this as one either. While I’m gone, I want you to fuck her.” John stared at Gunner seeing the muscle tick in the side of his jaw.
“I don’t fuck on demand.”
“Look, she’s not pregnant. You’ve not been around—”
“I’ve had club business to take care of. You know, I’ve got that pesky problem of a thief who wants to take my patch. I’m watching my back twenty-four seven.”
“I know. We want this, Gunner. Please.”
“I’m actually starting to think I should just put my stuff in a cup, and you give it to her to insert.”
John winced. “I want you to be part of this.”
“Man, this is … she doesn’t know.”
“She knows that I like sharing her with you and only you. I’ve given her permission as well.”
“Are you like her master or something now?”
“I want this, okay? I want you and her to be able to have this without me here. I’m going to ask her to tell me everything that happens. There’s not going to be any secrets here. It’s not like she’s cheating on me. I started all this because I can’t…” He stopped feeling the emotion well up inside him. Staring at his desk, he saw the two color swatches she’d left. “Do you know what these are?” He held them both up for Gunner to see.
“Color things. I can’t remember.”
“Scarlett wants me to pick a color so she can redecorate the nursery. She wants to turn it into my office as it’s useless right now because we’re not going to be having kids.” He saw the pain in Gunner’s eyes. “She wants babies, Gunner. I can’t give them to her. I can’t even … I won’t let her hurt for this. Please.”
“Okay, I didn’t … I’ll do it.”
Gunner stepped toward him, gripping his shoulder and pulling him close. John allowed himself the pleasure of resting his head on his shoulder, but that was all. He didn’t allow anything else, and he closed his eyes as he did it, not wanting to give anything away. How could leather and grease have such a heady combination?
He was going insane.
It was the only word for it.
“This is on her though. I won’t make her do anything.”
“I know, and I wouldn’t want you to.”
John reluctantly pulled away. “I know I’m asking for a lot.”
“Yeah, well, as friends, we’re supposed to ask a great deal of each other.” Gunner ran fingers through his hair.
“Still nothing on Kent?”
“Nope. The security feeds are showing nothing.”
“Your books are clean as well. The money has been going missing for two weeks before you noticed it. Now he knows you’re onto it.”
“I want to know what he did with that money,” Gunner said.
“Only way of doing that is by looking through his room or his stuff.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“We’re a club, man. A fucking team. I start going through his shit on a hunch and I find jack, he gets this patch, and then the only thing I recommend is leaving town. He’ll tear this entire place apart. Cartels and shit. He’d make this place a circus within twenty-four hours. He thinks this patch gives him immunity or shit.” Gunner shook his head. “He can’t have it.”
“Sleeping with one eye open?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“When I get back I want you and your boys at my place.”
“Why?”
“Because you’ve not stepped out of line. What if Kent was hoping you’d accuse him? You accuse him without any evidence that it was actually him, they vote your ass out, and he gets the patch as VP. I imagine the table was divided over the cartel problem.”
“Some were unsure, but they voted to remain out,” Gunner said.
“Then I won’t put it past Kent to try to take you out. I wish I didn’t have to go away for this shit.”
“I can take care of your woman.”
“Our woman, and I know you can.” John ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t like either of you vulnerable.”
“I’m not. I’ve got my shit locked tight. I’ll keep us good. Promise.”
“Good.” He didn’t want anything to happen to his friend. A life without Gunner it just didn’t seem right, not to him. “I better head back. I don’t like to be gone for long.”
“Think about what I said.”
“I will.”
John once again watched his friend go. It was only going to be a matter of time before Kent made his move. When that time came, John would be ready. Most of the men and women in town believed he was just an accountant who was friends with Gunner. He never bragged about the badges he’d won or his training in the military. Whenever he was asked what he did prior to accounting, he told them he went traveling. They didn’t know his experience at taking out targets, or how deadly he could become with a gun. Gunner knew, and that was why he wanted the element of surprise.
To protect his family, he’d do just about anything.
****
Scarlett stood in Gunner’s doorway, feeling a little nervous. She’d never stayed the night.
“Are you okay, Mrs. Williams?” Carlos asked.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”
“Dad, Mrs. Williams is here.” Bennie shouted over the loud music. Seconds later the music went off, and she made her way toward the kitchen where Gunner stood. He was washing his hands. It seemed strange to see him in the kitchen. She kind of liked it.
“I was cleaning potatoes. Boys, go and get your homework done. Are you ready to see your room?” he asked.
“Yes.”
Gunner took the suitcase from her and carried it up his staircase. Gunner had a nice home. It was much bigger than hers and John’s. She didn’t need a big house even though John kept trying to convince her to move. They had plenty of money, he’d always say to her. She didn’t want him to think she was after him for his money.
He opened a door to the guest bedroom, going straight to the bed to put her suitcase on it. “Carlos and Bennie are down the hall. That’s my room, and we share a bathroom.” He pointed at the room that adjoined, opening the door. She stepped inside with him as he used the other door, showing it was his room.
“Why do you have two connecting rooms? Did your wife stay here?”
Gunner chuckled. “Cherry was already long gone from my life by the time I bought this place. I’d divorced her. This place wasn’t on the market until about a month after. I snatched it up, modernized it, and here we are.”