by Kiki Leach
"Motherfucker, give that shit UP," muttered Tractor, tossing the papers back onto the table and returning to the bar. He poured himself a pint of vodka and tossed it back. "Throw it in the goddamn dumpster where the fuck it belongs."
"No." Coco sauntered to the middle of the room, plucked a cigarette from the front pocket of his pants and stuffed it between his lips. After lighting the tip, he pointed at each of his brothers and glared. "We ain't got anymore choices. here. outside of this shit when it comes to stoppin' these motherfuckers in their goddamn tracks. They took out their own goddamn informant 'cause he couldn't keep his mouth shut for the sake of pussy, or so we fuckin' figure." He peeked at Xavier and lifted his chin. "Your girl could be at risk for this shit now too. If he ran his mouth, they gotta know goddamn well Mariah was the reason."
"They wouldn't take her out when he's already dead and we already know what the fuck is up with our coke," he shot back.
"Brother, we know they didn't kill this motherfucker just 'cause of us -- they took him out 'cause they realized he could no longer be trusted enough to stick around. And I didn't say they were gonna take her out too, did I?" He took another hit from his cigarette and blew out the smoke. "I said the bitch could be at fuckin' risk for this shit, and she could be."
"How?" asked Scooter.
"Pimped out pussy." Tractor shoved his glass across the bar and grunted. "If they knew that asshole was willin' to snitch to have his brains fucked out by that bitch again, they knew she was lookin' to return here for a job. And with 'em havin' equal shares of ACE'S on top of her desperation for money to keep that ass of hers in school--"
"What if we could still own more of this place than the goddamn Kings?" Xavier interjected. "On paper, Rockafeller's 2% would have to come back to the Devils as he signed that shit 'fore the ink was dry on him bein' thrown outta the club."
"The law don't work that way, brother, and the shit don't matter when the Kings are why he's dead," said Prez. "I think Coco hangin' onto this shit about Wexley mighta been smart, 'cause we need the Kings cut off at the goddamn knees and can't go at 'em directly."
Tractor scoffed. "You think that asshole showin' up on campus to be some fake ass teacher in front of a class full of pussy to blow 'em outta the water after what the fuck we know and they did ain't gonna be direct as fuck? Not to mention LapDog's ass still runnin' around out there."
"We got no other choice in cuttin' 'em down," said Coco. "Every other option was exhausted long before the shit that went down out here."
"How the fuck do we keep 'em from takin' X out on sight?" he questioned. "As soon as LapDog gets a whiff of him bein' back on campus to carry more than Mariah's books and titties, the motherfucker's DOA."
"He ain't DOA if we can keep LapDog quiet -- he ain't shit." Coco looked to Cheddar and grinned. "How many pussy connections does your girl have away from Wexley?"
He shrugged. "Ain't ever asked. But random pussy ain't gonna pull that asshole off campus when his main purpose is to be the eyes and ears for their club."
"He ain't gonna be pulled off campus just out when he needs to be -- dependin' on when we can get this one" -- he flicked his thumb toward Xavier -- "checked in for a class out there."
"You want some bitch out there spikin' his shit?" Scooter questioned through a chuckle. "That motherfucker is built up like a goddamn house made from bricks -- he'd need an entire pharmacy full of shit to be put out even for a few goddamn hours."
"We've got connections for that shit, we just need the right pussy to do it for us; the kind that won't be a snitchin' problem. Whatever one he's fuckin' around with now ain't gonna work."
"So say we get this asshole drugged up like a goddamn horse and X's ass officially on campus," mumbled Tractor. "What then?"
"The original plan stands."
"Of what?" asked Tech. "Son of a bitch can't cozy up to fresh pussy with the hope of bein' pulled into the ring when we already know who's dealin' and he's got the one he wants back in his bed."
"He won't have to," said Coco. "Mariah's gonna have to expand her role beyond bein' X's dick snatcher this go-round."
"They're gonna send more motherfuckers out there now that Rocka's dead," said Scooter. "More eyes and ears -- shit'll be expected if they know or suspect X and Mariah hookin' back up."
"Genius plan." Tractor winked as his words dripped with sarcasm, and bobbed his head. "Real fuckin' genius over here, asshole."
"Alright, so we gotta work some more shit out with it." Coco crossed the room and grumbled. "Iron out the wrinkles and all that."
"I could maybe talk to Gabi," said Scooter, his eyes focused on the floor as he spoke. "We give her some info on the Kings, the members who fucked up Rocka; campus security can keep an eye out for any of those motherfuckers rollin' through if we slide 'em a few dollars and maybe pussy on the side."
"Pussy? We ain't wastin' ACE'S or permanent clubhouse pussy on some assholes that can barely catch their own cocks in the shower, let alone a few goddamn members of the Kings rollin' through their campus." Tractor trudged toward the door in a fury and jerked his shoulders. "This shit is a dumbass idea that needs to be tucked into a fuckin bed and suffocated. We need to go at the Kings with a fuckin' baseball bat and makin' this asshole into some kinda Professor X pussy magnet to snuff 'em out ain't the goddamn way to do it."
"You got any other ideas with that baseball bat, motherfucker?" questioned Coco. "'Cause I asked this shit before and you were real motherfuckin' quiet on it then too."
"He's right," muttered X. Tractor peeked at him and grimaced. "This shit needs to end and we got no other goddamn choice but to send my ass back out there to help shut it down and reroute our shit back to the club."
Tractor snickered. "What the fuck suddenly has your cock flippin' on its balls with this shit -- your girl? The thought that she could be sucked even further into it without you? Or suckin' somebody else off--?"
"Scooter can talk to Gabi," he continued. "See if we can get some kinda strangle around the rest of the Kings who might roll out there now that Rocka's out."
"They're gonna know somethin's up if they try comin' out there and get blocked on sight," said Cheddar.
"Not if LapDog remains standin'," replied Coco. "So to speak. But even if they suspect, they can't move shit without us knowin' about it first. It's why we need X out there as soon as fuckin' possible."
Scooter looked at Xavier and nodded. "You want this shit goin' down like that, brother?"
"I want this shit handled," he said. "I want my woman safe and in place with a job out here -- I want the Devils back to makin' the money we had 'fore the Kings managed to fuck it up with help from a dead man; I want ACE'S back where the fuck it belongs, within the goddamn club... Let Gabi know what's up on all fronts. Have her set me up some shit so we can get this ball rollin' ASAP."
"Alright, brother, I can do that."
"Jesus Christ, this shit is gonna be fucked," said Tractor.
"The only thing that's gonna be fucked is a loaded gavel up your ass, VP," said Prez as he pointed. "If you don't get it together already and shut the fuck up. Coco's right, you haven't come up with shit as an alternative and neither has anybody else -- my goddamn self included. Right now, we gotta play with what we got and outside of makin' sure nobody else knows about the dead prick upstairs and who did it, this shit with X at Wexley is it. Now we need to get the flatbed and bring it around back so we can drag this fucker downstairs and have him burned in Pauls Valley."
Cheddar made a face. "Why Pauls Valley?"
"Ain't nobody gonna be lookin' for this motherfucker out there," said X. "Easier to have him burned in a field with the ashes dumped on the side of a goddamn road."
Prez bobbed his head in agreement and looked to Scooter. "Let Shauna know we're takin' him out. She should still be in the kitchen downin' the rest of that vodka if she ain't passed out from it yet."
"What should I tell her about what's goin' down tonight and here on?"
"Tell her ACE'S is openin' at the regular time tonight. We'll get Rugger out here to be lead for the night and rotate these motherfuckers out 'til one works out well enough to be permanent again; let 'em know that Rocka needed to go underground for a bit to keep the Kings backed off his dick after learnin' he snitched on their shit. Half-truths are all they need to know about right now."
"And the Kings?"
"We need to learn what the fuck else they know, and what the fuck they don't."
"Alright, Prez." Scooter threw his hand against Prez's arm and turned back to X. "I'll get on the Gabi shit after dealin' with Shauna."
After watching him take off for the kitchen, Cheddar reached for his cell and dialed Kyla. "Gonna see if she knows some off-campus pussy that'd be willin' to help out with this LapDog shit and keep quiet about it for the right goddamn price."
As he took off for the back, Prez returned to X and dropped his hand on top of his shoulder. "You're sure about this shit goin' down like this, brother? 'Cause we can't stop this ball from rollin' once it's down the lane."
"Yeah..." X took in an unsteady breath and nodded. "Bein' out there to cut this shit off at the knees is the only goddamn way to go at this point, you're right; only goddamn way to keep 'em from hittin' us with a harder brick than takin' out a former member that turned into a goddamn snitch for their club."
Prez smiled at his Enforcer like a proud father and squeezed the back of his neck. "Good." He gave him a quick pat behind the head before shuffling around him and gliding toward the door.
Tractor stepped back as Prez and Coco headed outside with Big Tech following close behind, then shook his head and looked to the ceiling. "One way or another, we're gonna be fucked with this shit and you or your girl or both are gonna be the goddamn reason for it."
"If we're fucked," said Xavier, "the shit won't be on me. I ain't the one that got us here -- I ain't the one that's keepin' us here... I ain't gonna be the one takin' the fall for some shit that went down without my knowledge or the club's consent." He walked over to Tractor and stood directly in front of him. Then he leaned into his face and knit his brows. "You put a bug in Prez's ear 'bout some shit goin' wrong and bein' my fault again like this shit out here, I will gut your ass like a goddamn fish and stuff whatever the fuck happens to be left inside your goddamn mouth, are we fuckin' clear on this shit? VP or not, I'll throw my patches in the mix right along with whatever blood comes spewin' outta every limb I've already cut off."
Tractor dropped back and chortled. "Jesus, you are still fuckin' twisted--"
"As a motherfucker, brother -- no amount of pussy could ever stop me on that, yeah? 'Cause at the end of the goddamn day, I know your end goal is to land in Prez's seat. Come hell or high fuckin' water, you want that gavel for yourself... but you ain't gettin' it on my back or anyone else's within this club. Know that shit."
"I'm VP, asshole," he retorted through a sneer. "The shit is comin' to me automatically once the old man fades out."
He grinned. "Yeah, brother, we'll see 'bout that shit -- we'll see. In the meantime, we gotta dead body to move."
"One that's on your head."
"Nah. One that's gonna be inside your goddamn hands soon enough. Let's go."
Chapter Seventeen
Mariah
The roughness of a warm hand brushing across the small of my back as the mattress sank beneath my legs forced my eyes open.
"Hey, darlin'."
I rolled to my back as the sound of Xavier's softly rugged voice swam across the room like a quiet stream and smiled. "Hey..." I brushed my hand across my face and took in a breath while staring into his face through the darkness, then squint to get a better look at his expression and leaned my head aside as he bent forward. "What time is it?"
"Damn near 2am," he muttered.
"Two?" A yawn escaped me as I sat up on the bed and reached for his cut, dusting grass and flakes of mud from the leather. He stared down at himself and swallowed hard as they fell near his feet. "What happened after you left ACE'S?" I asked him.
"Handled that shit with Rocka."
"What did you do?" A sharp, unexplainable pain filled his eyes as they darted across his bedroom; he pushed his brows together in silence and shook his head. "You can tell me anything," I told him. "Judgment free zone over here -- it always has been. Hey." I swept my fingers across his chin until he eyed me again and locked his jaw. "What happened when you showed up and after you left ACE'S, Xavier?"
He sighed as if the world was ending; I lowered my hand from his face and gulped. "Few members of the Kings are the reason that asshole's dead," he said.
My jaw nearly hit my chest as my mouth fell open in shock. "What?"
"Three patched in newbies that strangled the motherfucker out there early this mornin' with his own goddamn belt; the Kings know we're onto 'em 'bout the coke."
"How the hell did you find out about this?"
"Rocka kept a camera in his office; shit was runnin' when they came in there on him... Got me on tape knockin' him out too, and the shit he tried with you 'fore I showed up."
"You watched it?"
He shook his head again. "Tech and Prez saw what happened; said they're puttin' it in a vault back at the clubhouse once they're finished runnin' through the rest of it."
"Did Rocka run to LapDog after telling me about the Kings?"
"We don't know that shit just yet for sure; Tech is workin' on what he can for now to find out."
"Where is Rocka now, Xavier?"
"Don't matter, darlin' -- Just know the asshole ain't ever comin' back."
I nodded as a quiet sigh of relief escaped from between my lips and leaned forward. "So what's next? Where do we go from here? Where does ACE'S go from here -- Where do you?"
He shrugged. "I remain in place at the club -- nothin's changin' with that shit. ACE'S... comes back to us for the time bein', but not without consequence."
"What does that mean?"
"Rocka had new contracts for his half drawn up last year; motherfucker had the Kings ownin' 49% if somethin' happened to him while he kept 2% for himself."
I guffawed and fell against the headboard. "You're serious, and it's legit? The Kings didn't plant it there for you to find and ask about in order to get you back on their territory?"
"Nah, his personal attorney confirmed it with official papers and phone calls and shit. Son of a bitch did this to throw a knife into the club -- still holdin' onto goddamn grudges in bein' tossed out."
"What exactly does this mean for you and the Kings, X -- you're partners now?"
"Yeah -- both of us gettin' half with that asshole bein' dead; but we can't let 'em know that we're onto that shit now; just like we can't let 'em know that we're onto 'em bein' the ones to take him out. We're fucked both ways and'll lose out on the coke for good."
"What do you and the club plan to do about what the hell happened out there?"
He looked to the floor as my question rattled through him and gnashed his teeth. "Scooter talked to Gabi; she's gonna see if I can make it in for some kinda last minute interview at Wexley teachin' that Home-Ec class." I pressed my lips together as my nerves suddenly shot into overdrive, and nodded. "Still need to teach pussy, darlin'," he muttered. "The shit would only be long enough for us to bust these assholes, blow 'em outta the goddamn water and get our coke back for good."
"How do you plan to keep the Kings from trying to take you out with LapDog running around out there keeping his eyes and nose open, X?"
"We're workin' on that shit too -- along with what we've gotta do in case T-Bone wants more motherfuckers out there keepin' watch after what happened with Rocka. More brothers might need to roll through for this shit, other charters and members they ain't ever seen before -- shit like that."
I reached for his face and brushed my thumb along his jawline. "I'm scared for you," I said.
"I know, darlin'..." He paused and wiped his fingers across the patches of his cut. "I ain't too fond of this shit for myself now
either."
"How can I help you?" I asked him. "What can I do?"
"Just be here," he replied with a smile. "Stay here with me."
"I'll always be here for you, Xavier -- you know that by now."
"Nah, darlin', I mean more than that shit..." He reached for my hands and pulled me onto his lap, slipping his arms around my waist and staring directly into my eyes with a softness that made me purr against him like a wet kitten. "I want you movin' in here with me for a bit -- least 'til this shit settles down."
"I--" I looked behind him and sucked in a breath as my heart rattled against my ribs. "X--"
"I need to make sure you're gonna remain safe through all this shit. I can't do that with you still at your place while I'm still out here."
"But..." I wrapped my hands around his neck and rolled my fingers between the curls of his hair. "What about Gabi staying out there by herself?"
"Scooter's gonna handle that shit if she's willin' to go along with him... But she ain't in the eye of the storm like we are."
"We? That means they know about my needing to return to work at ACE'S?"
"We think, darlin' -- don't know that shit yet either."
I pressed myself against him and nodded. "What's going to happen with that?" I asked. "Because even with all of this going on, I still need money to stay in school."
"You're gonna get your money, darlin', trust me on that shit... Whether it be dancin' or some other way, I'm gonna make sure you get paid enough to keep you in Wexley for as long as you need and wanna be out there. Promisin' you that."
I pinched my lips and scrunched my nose as he stared into my face. "I'll need to go back home tomorrow and get enough clothes and essentials to stay out here for however long."
He dropped his hands to my behind and pulled me close enough to taste the heat of vodka pouring from his tongue. "You want me out there with you?"
"You don't have to be -- I can take care of myself for the most part, X."