“Yeah. We should be there in about ten minutes or so.”
“Okay. See you soon.”
After we hung up, I finished up the dishes and walked back into the bar.
“Thanks for doing those,” said Misty, when she noticed me. “You saved the day.”
“No problem,” I answered, as cool as a cucumber. “Anything for Slammer’s customers.”
“You work up an appetite yet?” she asked. “Benny should be in soon. He starts at four.”
Benny was the short-order cook and made the best burgers in town. Most people stopped in for his food even more so than for the strippers. “Actually, I’m not sticking around. As soon as Tank gets here, I’m heading out.”
“Where are you off to?” asked Brandy, walking over to us.
“Got some shit to do. What time are you finished here?” I asked.
“Six.”
“You coming straight home?”
“I was planning on it.” Her eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Adriana is coming over,” I replied, opening up my wallet. I took out a fifty dollar bill. “Why don’t you go to a movie or have dinner with one of your friends?”
“Oh, I get it – you don’t want me around when your ‘Old Lady’ comes over,” she said, her tone dripping with scorn.
“It would make things less awkward.”
For Adriana. I couldn’t care less, myself.
“Why is it so ‘awkward’, when there’s nothing going on between us?” she asked, shoving the money into the front pocket of her jeans.
“You know why, so quit being a fucking smartass,” I said, pulling the phone out of my jacket pocket. “Now, can you just give us some time alone? I’m only asking for a couple of hours.”
“Sure,” she said. “Are you calling her right now?”
“I’m thinking about it.” I looked up. “Why?”
“Just wondering.”
“Hey, Brandy, can you go and serve that table over there?” asked Misty as two new customers sat down. “While I go and have a quick smoke?”
“Sure.”
They both walked away and I called Adriana, wanting to hear her voice again. It bothered me that she’d been trying to avoid me the last couple of weeks, and yet, I’d allowed her to do it. That was my mistake and I wasn’t about to let it happen again, even if Brandy was pregnant with my child. Regardless of the outcome, Adriana was part of my future and the hell if I’d let anything come between us.
The phone went to voicemail. I left her a message and then a text, telling her how excited I was to see her later.
Chapter Nine
I stared at the text message from Trevor and it made me so furious, I wanted to break something.
I can’t wait to see you, Kitten. I’ve been thinking about you all day long.
“Not all day,” I said between clenched teeth. “You lying asshole.”
I held the phone firmly in my hand, debating on whether or not to call Trevor or just confront him face-to-face. I wanted to see his expression when I told him off, but I was also a little fearful. Fearful that he’d make a scene or try manipulating me into believing that he’d slipped up and would never do it again. That it had only happened during a moment of weakness between him and a woman he’d once loved.
“Screw that. I’m not to give you another chance,” I growled, dialing him back. I would say what I had to say and then hang up, not even giving him a chance to come up with an excuse.
“Trevor,” I said firmly, when he answered.
“Hey,” he said, a smile in his voice. “I’m glad you –”
“Listen to me,” I snapped, my hands shaking so much I could barely hold on to the phone. “I heard you earlier. I heard you fucking her and I don’t want you to ever come near me or call me again.”
He didn’t say anything for a few seconds. “Wait, what are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. You apparently dialed me by accident when you were fucking Brandy less than an hour ago.”
“What? Fucking Brandy?” he said, raising his voice. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I laughed coldly. “Like you don’t know. I heard you two! I heard her screaming your name as you banged the hell out of her.”
“Adriana, I don’t know what you’re talking about. For one, I would never bang or fuck Brandy. For two, I love you and I would never screw you over like that. For three, I’ve been in the kitchen at Griffin’s doing dishes. Why are you –”
Rolling my eyes, I cut in. “Oh, you’re good. You’re really good. I’m finished with you and all of your fucking lies, so save your excuses.”
“Adriana –”
“Stay away from me, Trevor. I mean it this time!” I shouted and then hung up.
He tried calling me back, but I ignored it.
Wiping the tears from my eyes, I grabbed my car keys and left the house. There was a strong chance that he’d rush over and try to talk to me. Beg for mercy. Lie his pants off. I wasn’t about to give him the chance.
Chapter Ten
Still stunned at Adriana’s accusations, I tried calling her back, but she didn’t answer. Enraged, I turned around and slammed my fist into the wall.
“You okay?” asked Misty, hurrying over to where I was standing.
“Do I look okay?” I growled, turning to stare at Brandy, who was watching me from behind the bar. Her eyes were filled with fear and something in my gut told me that she knew more about what was going on than I did.
“Your knuckles are bleeding,” said Misty, holding out a white towel.
I ignored her and stormed over to where Brandy was cowering.
“What’s up?” she asked, trembling.
“You. In the back room. Now,” I ordered.
She grabbed a glass and filled it with ice. “I was just making a drink for a customer. I can’t.”
“I don’t fucking care what you were doing,” I snapped. “I need to talk to you. Now.”
“Calm down, pal,” said a man wearing a monkey suit, his tone condescending. “You’re causing a scene.”
Now even angrier that this guy was putting his nose in business that didn’t concern him, I shot the stranger a venomous look. “Stay the fuck out of it, pal,” I spat, almost hoping that he wouldn’t. The rage and adrenaline pumping through my veins craved a fleshy outlet. I wouldn’t touch Brandy, but the stranger would do just fine. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“Is this your ex?” asked the man, staring at Brandy now.
She smiled weakly.
“I can see why you’re no longer together,” he said and turned to Misty. “Misty, right? Where’s the bouncer? I think someone needs to make sure this guy doesn’t hurt anyone.”
“Keep your fucking mouth shut and that won’t happen,” I said, cracking my knuckles.
“Don’t threaten me. I’m a lawyer.”
I rolled my eyes. “La-di-fucking-da.” I turned away from him. “Brandy, get your ass in back. We need to talk.”
“Settle down, Raptor,” said Misty. “He’s right. You’re causing a scene, which usually only happens at night. You’re freaking people out.”
Before I could respond, the front door opened and Tank stepped into the bar with Chopper.
“Thank God,” mumbled Misty, sighing in relief.
I turned back to Brandy. “I’m not fucking around here. We need to talk. Either we do this in the back or I’ll embarrass the shit out of you out here. Your choice.”
“Fine. I’m coming,” she huffed. Brandy looked at Misty. “Can you finish that guy’s drink? The one with the glasses at the end of the bar. He wants a gin and tonic.”
“No problem. If he decides to stay,” she answered, looking amused.
“Hey, brother,” said Tank, walking up to me. He arched his eyebrow. “What’s going on? You look like you’re about ready to kick some serious ass.”
“I don’t know what’s going on and that’s the problem,” I said,
waving to Chopper who was heading toward Slammer’s office.
“It have anything to do with what we were talking about earlier?”
“No,” I said. “It has to do with Brandy.” I looked at her again. “Let’s go. Break room.”
“You don’t have to talk to me like that,” she mumbled, heading toward it. “I’m not a fucking dog.”
She was right about that. Dogs were loyal.
Chapter Eleven
“You sure about that?” asked the president of the Devil’s Rangers.
“Sure as shit,” said the voice on the phone. “Slammer hired The Judge for the job.”
“I thought it might be something like that.” He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “And you say that he’s related to Raptor?”
“They’re half-brothers. His real name is Jordan Steele.”
“How’d you get this information?”
“Let’s just say that their mother, Mavis, can’t handle her liquor. She’s in town and made a new friend last night at Sal’s.”
Sal’s was a dive bar in Jensen, frequented mostly by junkies, dealers, and hookers.
“Do you know how to find him?”
“The Judge?”
“Yeah.”
“I might. Are you sure you want to find him?”
The truth was he wasn’t. But, he’d already lost so much and needed to re-establish his reputation. At the moment he looked like a fucking coward. “He killed Breaker. I need to avenge his death.”
“Yeah, but do you really think that you can take him out yourself? He’s not an easy guy to kill. You’ve heard the stories.”
The Judge was an exterminator. An assassin. A lone wolf. He had a flawless reputation for not only getting the job done, but never leaving a shred of evidence. There were only a handful of people who knew that he even existed. At least that had been the case before Mavis opened her yap. As far as Mud was concerned, this would be The Judge’s undoing.
“I’ve heard the stories but he’s just a fucking guy. One who bleeds like the rest of us,” he said.
His informant chuckled. “That’s just it, you try fucking with him and you might be the one bleeding.”
Mud pulled out a cigarette. “Not if I go after him first. Or send someone else. Hell, I’ll turn the shit around and put him on a hit list.”
There was a long pause. “He’s already got a bounty on his head. A big one.”
“I figured as much. How much is it?” he asked, lighting his smoke.
“A million.”
He coughed. “Really? And nobody has killed him yet?”
“There have been several attempts. One guy who went after him was found hanging from a bridge. Another was left on the front lawn of the person offering the reward. I can’t believe you haven’t heard the stories.”
“I’ve got my own shit to worry about. No time to listen to gossip. So, who’s the guy offering the reward?”
“Some big shot politician whose son was murdered by The Judge.”
“What’s his name?” asked Mud.
He told him.
“He’s a senator, or something, isn’t he?”
“Yeah.”
“I remember hearing that story on the news last year. Didn’t they think it was a car-jacking?”
“No, that’s what they wanted the public to believe. Rumor has it that the prodigy son was into child porn. For obvious reasons, the senator didn’t want the information leaked. Anyway, it may have looked like a car-jacking gone wrong, but it was a hit. Dad found out and now has a vendetta against The Judge.”
“He still paying?”
“The politician?”
“Yeah.”
“I believe so.”
Mud took a long drag from his cigarette and blew out ring of smoke. “I think I know how to draw this bastard out.”
“The Judge?”
“Of course.”
“How?”
“His brother. Raptor.”
“I don’t think they’re a very close-knit family,” replied the man, sounding amused.
“Maybe not but I’ll bet he knows how to get ahold of him.”
“Even if he does, I doubt Raptor will divulge such information to you.”
“He will if I have something of his. Something worth value.”
“Like what?”
Mud grinned. “His Old Lady.”
Chapter Twelve
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Brandy after I gave her the third degree. She crossed her arms under her chest. “Obviously Adriana is mistaken or just looking for an excuse to break up with you.”
“She doesn’t play games like that. Where’s your phone?”
Her eyes widened. “In my purse. Why?”
“I want to check your calls.”
“Really? You think I’d stoop to something like that?” she snapped, looking upset.
“I don’t know, Brandy, but Adriana is angrier than hell and I need to find out what the fuck is going on.”
“I don’t even have her number.”
I ignored her. “Where’s your purse.”
She raised her chin. “Fine, you want to see my phone? It’s under the bar. When you don’t find anything on it, I expect an apology.”
I walked out of the break room and headed back to the bar. “Misty, where’s Brandy’s purse?”
“Wait a second, I’ll get it,” said Brandy, walking around me. She stepped behind the counter and kneeled down, out of eyesight.
Frustrated, I leaned over the bar and noticed that she was checking her phone. “What the fuck? Give it to me. Now.”
Mumbling under her breath, she stood up and handed it over. “Go ahead. I’ve got nothing to hide.”
I took her phone and scrolled through both the call log and her text messages. I couldn’t find anything suspicious, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy me. She could have erased an outgoing call.
“What’s going on?” asked Tank, who was walking toward me from Slammer’s office.
I handed Brandy back her phone. “Adriana received a phone call earlier. One that apparently set her off,” I replied.
“From Brandy?” he asked.
“I didn’t call her,” she protested. “I don’t have her number and even if I did, I wouldn’t waste my time. I’ve got better things to do with my life.”
Like ruining mine, I thought bitterly.
“Why is Adriana so pissed off?” he asked, when Brandy stormed away from us.
“She thought she heard two people having sex, one of them being me.”
Tank’s eyebrows shot up. “Why did she think it was you?”
I went over our conversation and how she’d freaked out, telling me that she never wanted to see me again.
He sat down at the bar. “Does someone have your phone?”
“No,” I answered, pulling it out. “It’s been in my jacket all day.”
“Did you check your outgoing calls?”
“Tank, I didn’t call her,” I said, showing him my own call log. “And I haven’t had sex in over two weeks.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he asked, now grinning.
“It hasn’t been by choice.”
He looked at Brandy, who was bending over by the glasses and re-stocking them. “You’re really not tapping that?”
Grunting, I shoved my phone back into my jacket. “Fuck no. Been there. Done that. Won’t go back.”
He turned back to me. “Better go find Adriana then and set her right. If you’ve been keeping your dick clean for the past couple of weeks, it must be love.”
“I’m going to head out right now and try to talk to her. You need anything from me?”
“No,” he answered, lowering his voice. “Chopper is checking the Old Man’s office for wiretaps and I’m going to keep an eye on Misty. Go do what you got to do, brother.”
“Thanks,” I said, grabbing my jacket. As I threw it on, I noticed the guy with the suit eyeballing me
, a sneer on his face. I walked over to him. “You gotta problem?”
He grunted. “I think you’ve already proved who has the problem.”
I shook my head and sneered. “Why don’t you go and mind your own fucking business?”
“I was trying to until you started hassling Brandy. Someone had to say something.”
Even though I was pissed off, I couldn’t really blame him for wanting to stand up for her. From an outsider’s perspective, I probably looked like an asshole picking on a beautiful girl. It was just unfortunate that she was also a lying, deceitful whore. “You know nothing about Brandy and as far as hassling her, she fucking deserves it. If you knew anything about her, you’d understand.”
He picked up his drink. “Oh, I think I know her better than you think.”
“I doubt it. You wouldn’t be defending her if you did.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Look, do yourself a favor and stay away from her. You have no idea what kind of a woman she is or the trouble that she brings.”
“Thanks, but from where I’m sitting, your advice seems pretty biased.”
I looked at Brandy who was staring at us, an unreadable expression on her face. “So is yours, and that’s only because you don’t know her like I do. Hell, I take that back, nobody knows Brandy. Not even Brandy.”
“I doubt that. She seemed pretty stable to me,” he said, staring at her appreciatively.
“You said you were a lawyer, huh?”
“I’m a Defense Attorney.”
I grunted. “Waste of my fucking time,” I said, walking away. Not only did he obviously want to fuck Brandy, he was paid to argue away the facts and defend the guilty. Talking to him was like talking to a wall.
Chapter Thirteen
I drove over to Adriana’s place but nobody was home. I tried calling her phone again, but she continued to ignore me. Frustrated, I decided to try her at work, so I headed over to Dazzle. When I stepped inside, Adriana’s mother, Vanda, looked startled.
“Mrs. Nikolas,” I said, forcing a smile on my face.
She excused herself from the customer she was talking to and approached me.
Surviving The Biker (Motorcyle Club Romance) Page 5