Call My Bluff

by Elizabeth Knox

  Joker once called the tumbledown building home. He’d grown up in the club, then swore to defend his brothers. Until that turned out to be a fuckin’ joke on him.

  “It’s supposed to be about not caring about society’s rules. Being loyal to your brothers and living free.”

  Sheena whipped her head in his direction. “How’d that work out for you?”

  Not good. A month ago, his son, Derek laid in a hospital bed hanging onto life with a bullet hole in his chest because of a power struggle within the club. Luckily, the kid survived but it was Digger who put him there, and that was one grudge he wasn’t willing to forget or forgive.

  “The living free part gets a little fucked up when you got an egomaniac like Digger running the show,” Joker said.

  Joker could handle anything Digger sent his way but using his son as a pawn in their dirty game went way over the line.

  “It’s the egomania that’s going to work in our favor.” Sheena adjusted the monitors, and a picture flashed onto the screen. It showed Daisy and Seth, another con, sitting at a table in the Raiders’ clubhouse.

  Joker peered out the window into the pitch blackness. He’d given his whole life to the club and thought that living as an outlaw biker was the only thing that mattered. Until it wasn’t.

  Joker stood as much as his six-foot four-inch frame would allow, and tried to stretch the kink out of his spine. He leaned over Tobias, the tech genius who assembled most of the equipment. The guy’s bulky build resembled a prize fighter not a computer techie.

  Joker peered at the monitors as Digger entered the picture heading straight for Daisy. Fuck, he hated seeing his girl having to deal with that scum, but she assured him she knew what she was doing, and that it was the first step in taking Digger down.

  Daisy and Seth sat in the now familiar clubhouse at Digger’s table. The first time she’d entered the rundown roadhouse the smell of smoke and beer along with gruff male voices assaulted her senses. The fear and anguish of her days as a biker chick came hurtling at her, but what she had to do now would finally put a stop to the pain. Both hers and Joker’s.

  Of course, Digger made them wait. The guy was manic about having control over every situation, big or small. Oh yes, taking down this scum would be sweet.

  A few guys milled around the bar and pool table, and some girls draped themselves over the couches, but it was only ten o’clock. Early in the biker world party zone.

  Daisy’s game face was firmly in place, but she longed for the day when this con ended. Digger, the president of the Raiders MC, was even worse than Joker described. His cold, flinty glare made her feel dirty when he looked at her. Thin lips in a permanent smirk and a bulky body he didn’t mind using to push people around. Literally. Two nights ago, when the bartender didn’t bring his drink fast enough, he grabbed the poor kid by the T-shirt and slammed his face into the bar. The kid dropped to the floor unconscious, and Digger laughed. Most times he was jacked up on something which did nothing for his already psychotic personality.

  “Hey motherfuckers,” Digger bellowed across the room. His usual greeting returned by fist pumps from his fellow bikers. Although over the last week, Daisy definitely observed some of the bikers weren’t totally receptive to Digger. They hid it well, but she’d caught the side-eye some of them exchanged behind his back, along with a general tension vibrating through the dilapidated clubhouse.

  Digger ambled over to them, all swagger and false bravado. There was not one redeeming quality about this man. From his matted hair, and gnarly beard to the stained T-shirt barely covering the hairy, beer belly protruding over the waistband of his grubby jeans.

  He plopped himself into the chair closest to Daisy and leered at her. She dressed the part of a Hollywood director in a classy mix of business casual with enough cleavage, while Seth played the geeky studio lackey. They each carried the proper fake credentials, but once Daisy mentioned Digger starring in HBO’s version of Sons of Anarchy five days ago, the con was on.

  Digger leaned in. The plastered smile on Daisy’s face tried to ignore the onions on his breath, and the body odor from the T-shirt he’d worn for the last three days.

  She leaned away slightly, but he grabbed her hand in his massive claw and squeezed her fingers. She focused on the skull tattooed to the back of his hand, and the letters etched on each of his fingers spelling out Death.

  “Shall we get down to business?” Seth pulled out his pad for note taking, and Daisy fished her little recording device out of her purse.

  He opened his fist and examined her fingers. “Nice hands. Sure would look good wrapped around my cock.”

  Daisy ignored the comment, but inwardly cringed for two reasons. The obvious of touching anything on Digger’s disgusting body, no less his cock, and knowing Joker had visual and audio in the van and could see and hear every word.

  “You see what I’m talking about?” Joker slammed his palm against the inside of the van, then glared at Tobias. “This ends now.” Joker pulled on the door handle of the van and pushed it open.

  Tobias crowded behind him. “Chill the fuck out.”

  “And let that crazy fucker say shit like that to her?”

  Taking a backseat was its own brand of hell, because Joker wanted to barge into the Raiders’ clubhouse, and blast Digger once and for all.

  He’d fantasized about all the ways it could go. Slow and painful or fast and sharp, but those dreams remained hidden in the darkness of his mind, because Joker swore to turn his life around. Be a better man, be a man his thirteen-year-old son, Derek, could respect.

  Joker flopped into the captain’s chair in the front of the van, barely controlling the hate he harbored for Digger. He’d run the Raiders MC into the ground with his shady deals and double-crossing allies, and the need for retribution lived in Joker’s soul like a cancer.

  “I can’t stand this fuckin’ waiting,” Joker grumbled scrubbing his hand over the stubble on his jaw.

  In reality, it had been three weeks ago that Digger shot Derek in the chest on a crowded subway platform. Two weeks ago, Daisy, owner of Joker’s heart, and hot as fuck, devised a scheme to take Digger down, and one week ago he’d promised not to interfere. Of course, at the time, Daisy’s sweet body was squeezing him in a way that made his eyes cross. Note to self. Don’t make decisions when you’re balls deep in a beautiful woman.

  “Daisy knows what she’s doing.” Sheena assured him.

  Truth, he trusted Daisy with his life. They’d met in Miami. Him doing a last deal for the Raiders, and her going by the name of Charlie while trying to escape a ruthless drug lord. When their fucked-up situations inevitably fell apart, they were forced to work together and rely on each other. Great if you believed in storybook endings, not so much if you were a realist dealing with vicious fuckers who never gave up.

  “Three rules of a good con.” Sheena held up her fingers. “Finesse, self-control, and patience.”

  She annoyingly emphasized the last word. And yeah, she was right, but the cramped, humid van amped up his instinct to knock down the door and throw a fist.

  Tobias looked over from the monitors. “The beauty part of this scam is it’s outrageous enough to play on Digger’s ego, but not too wild that he won’t take the bait, or suspect he’s being conned.”

  “No problem there, he’s as stupid as he is shady,” Joker said.

  Plus, the Raiders were one of the most notorious biker clubs on the East Coast, so going to the cops wasn’t an option either.

  “Normally, money is the prize, or the promise of money.” Tobias smirked. “But with this guy it seems his thirst for power and notoriety will end up kicking him in the ass.”

  Chapter Two

  “Let’s see, where did we leave off yesterday?” Daisy rescued her hand from Digger’s calloused paw and ignored his remark.

  “But of course, your hand would not be as good as those sexy lips sucking me off.”

  One of the club girls made the mistake of appearin
g at that moment. She placed a beer in front of Digger, and he grabbed her wrist, forcing her to her knees. “Show her how it’s done, Crystal.”

  Crystal’s eyes widened, but she didn’t hesitate to fumble with the waist of his jeans.

  Daisy’s stomach churned with disgust and a desire to save this poor girl.

  “Your onscreen presence will be so dominate,” Daisy spit the words out fast, hoping to distract the big ape.

  “What?” Digger growled, apparently not used to interruptions.

  “Your camera presence, it’s unique.” Daisy shot a look to Seth. “Don’t you agree?”

  Seth nodded sagely. “Definitely unique.”

  Digger still had the girl in his clutches so Daisy soldiered on. “Your persona is real and raw, very believable.”

  He’d certainly convinced Daisy he was a bullying pig.

  Digger loosened his grip, but the girl remained on her knees, watching this scene play out.

  “You think I’ll get a lot of free shit. I heard those guys from Sons of Anarchy got to keep their motorcycles.”

  “Absolutely.” Seth shifted in his seat, and Daisy could barely contain her eye roll. “Cable shows about outlaw bikers are in vogue, and HBO can’t wait to start production.”

  “It’s amazing you don’t have any training as an actor,” Daisy added.

  “Your innate flair, and instinctive gravitas will bring such reality to the part.” Seth grinned at Digger’s blank expression.

  “Get the fuck away from me.” Digger flung the girl away with such force, she landed with a thud on the hard wood floor. Digger howled with laughter, chugged his beer, then released a loud belch. “I’m gonna have bitches lining up to suck my cock.”

  The girl scurried away and Daisy inwardly sighed with relief, then clenched her jaw at his repulsiveness.

  “There’s probably a lot I could fill your writers in on too. Like the way our enemies know not to fuck with me.” Digger flung his massive arm over the back of her chair.

  Daisy leaned forward away from his touch, amazed how the promise of stardom made Digger spill club business.

  “I take out the pliers and the butane and those motherfuckers know how it’s gonna end.”

  Over the last few days, Digger enjoyed regaling her and Seth with the club’s notorious jobs and the ways they’d dealt with enemies. Exactly what they needed to take him down when Sheena and Tobias would storm in revealing themselves as DEA agents. Fake DEA agents, but Digger wouldn’t know that, and neither would his buddies when they realized he’d sold them out.

  They’d lured him in and gained his confidence. Now, they had enough information to pull the cord and subjecting herself to this cannibal would be a distant memory.

  An hour later, Joker, Sheena and Tobias met with Daisy and Seth in the parking lot of a local diner across the street from the small motel where they were all staying. Decent food, under the radar, and far enough away from the Raiders’ clubhouse. An out of the way spot hunters used in season and totally off the grid of the outlaw bikers.

  “Hey.” Daisy linked her arm with Joker’s.

  “I know I agreed to this, but watching him near you, touching you.” Joker heaved out a heavy sigh. “Fuckin’ hard.”

  “Keep your eye on the prize. We’re almost done.”

  And over the last week that was bugging him too. Daisy’s plan was good, it would definitely work, but would it be enough. Joker’s emotions were twisted when it came to Digger. The urge to settle it himself and put that bastard in the ground roared against his newfound attitude to do the right thing and be the parent Derek deserved.

  “You don’t sound very convinced.” She pulled him in for a kiss.

  The heat of her body soothed him. Like some magic potion able to calm him with her touch. He cupped her ass and leaned against the van laying her against him as he nipped at her lips.

  “Got a lot of shit swimming around in my head.” Joker hugged her to him.

  “Geez, will you two get a room.” Seth laughed.

  “Yeah really, you’re making me lose my appetite.” Tobias slammed the van door.

  Sheena patted Tobias’ bulging biceps. “I don’t think anything short of nuclear war could ruin your appetite.”

  Joker released Daisy, but she pulled him to her. “You alright?”

  “Fine.” Joker slung his arm around her shoulders as they followed the others into the diner. She’d done so much for him, and he better get his shit sorted out before it got all mixed up in their relationship.

  They settled in their booth in the back as their usual waitress, Monica, approached. It was the only place around, and after eating there six nights straight they were on a first name basis with the waitstaff and the menu.

  “Hey darlin’, lookin’ good.” Tobias beamed at the petite blonde like she was the only one in the crowded diner. “I know you know what I want, but I’ll order off the menu first.”

  Monica blushed as she did every night and Joker rolled his eyes at Tobias and his tired pickup lines.

  Everyone placed their order, as Monica scratched at her pad, then scurried away.

  “Do you think you could come up with something more original?” Joker deadpanned.

  “She’s crazy about me,” Tobias argued.

  “Right,” Seth chimed in. “That’s why every night you’re sleeping in that twin bed in our room.”

  “Ahhh.” Tobias held up his finger. “But did you ever wonder what I’m getting up to before I hit that twin bed.”

  “No,” Seth muttered.

  “Let’s just say that I never realized helping somebody close up a diner could be so much fun.”

  “Shit.” Seth eyeballed the table. “Please don’t tell me.”

  “Nah, we keep it in the kitchen. That storage closet and the big table—”

  “Geez.” Sheena grabbed up her knife and fork, then wiped them with her napkin. “I don’t need to hear this. Especially since my dinner is coming out of that kitchen.”

  “Relax.” Tobias threw up his palms. “We keep it all . . .”

  Monica reappeared with their food, and an uneasy silence fell over the table followed by mumbled thank yous.

  They all dug in happy to be diverted from Tobias and his late-night kitchen sex.

  Seth reached across the table and nabbed a handful of Sheena’s fries.

  “Eat your own food.” Sheena tried to slap his hand but missed.

  “I did.” Seth pointed to his empty plate.

  Tobias shook his head. “I don’t know where you put it all. You’re such a skinny shit.”

  “Hey, I got lean muscle.” Seth flexed his bicep. “And I had no trouble passing myself off as a mean ass DEA agent in Miami.”

  “The DEA windbreaker and the phony badge might’ve helped too,” Tobias said.

  Seth smirked at Joker. “I’ll never forget the look on your face when we stormed that room. You were like I’m fucked big time.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Joker pushed his half-eaten food to the side trying to ignore the gnawing in his gut.

  “You’re not gonna eat those?” Seth pointed to Joker’s pile of uneaten fries.

  Joker pushed the plate toward him.

  “What, you got a fuckin’ tape worm?” Tobias shoulder butted him almost knocking him out of the booth.

  “I got a healthy appetite.” Seth popped a fry in his mouth. “You’re just jealous cause every time you put something in your mouth you gain ten pounds.”

  “Not everything I put in my mouth.”

  “Please.” Daisy held up her palm with a pained expression. “Can we stay on topic.”

  Seth tapped the recorder he’d put on the table. “We got everything right here. I thought he was gonna show us where the bodies were buried. He sure takes pride in his work.”

  Even though Joker’d lived that life he’d never bragged about it. Brought up in the club by his crazy-ass biker father, it was the only life he’d known, but when his son was put at risk it was
time to get out.

  “All we need now is you two,” Seth pointed to Sheena and Tobias, “as the DEA agents, asking questions, dropping hints about the shit Digger bragged about, and it’s all over.”

  “Play that tape for his biker buddies and let them know how he sold them out for a fake television show.” Daisy smiled. “He’ll be screwed, and not in the good way.”

  “It’s all bullshit.” Joker pointed to the recorder. “Everything you got on that tape is useless.”

  “Not when his buddies hear how Digger’s been shooting off his mouth—”

  “It’s not enough,” Joker said.

  “I’m confused,” Daisy said.

  Seth furrowed his brow. “You want to cut him loose?”

  “The club is falling apart. Most of those guys are either too afraid of him or too burnt out on drugs. They’ll give him a beat down, that’s all.”

  “I thought that’s what you wanted,” Tobias said.

  “I thought so too, but now—” Joker leaned in. “I don’t want him to have a black eye and a few broken ribs. I want him to pay in a big way for what he tried to do to me and what he did do to Derek.”

  The others exchanged a look.

  “You want him dead,” Tobias ground out.

  The statement hung between them.

  Seth rearranged his silverware. “I don’t think any of us are . . .”

  Tobias cracked his knuckles. “After listening to him all week I’d be happy to rearrange his limbs, but killing somebody . . .”

  Joker locked eyes with Tobias. “I’d never ask you to do something I wouldn’t do. We have a charter club in Vegas who's been very dissatisfied with the way Digger’s been handling shit here in New York.”

  “Why don’t you get one of his club buddies here,” “Daisy said. “I’ve seen the looks they give him. It’s not admiration.”

  “It’d never work,” Joker said. “Most of them are too strung out all the time to keep it together. The last thing we need is one of them bringing us all down because they’re jacked up and shooting off their mouth. It’d be way too risky.”