by Jade Kuzma
“It’s you.” Ashton took a step forward, his eyes wide in disbelief. “I remember your voice. I remember your voice… I remember your fucking voice!”
Without warning, Ashton raised up and slammed his fist right into Joey’s head. My brother stumbled back and fell with a thud.
“Ashton!” I rushed up in front of Ashton and stopped him from moving forward. It took all of my strength to hold him back.
“It’s you! You stupid motherfucker! You pulled a job on fucking Picardo!”
My brother stayed on his back, smiling as he rubbed his head. “I guess it was pretty stupid…”
“You’re gonna get everybody killed!”
“Ashton!” I pleaded with him, putting my hands on his face. “Ashton, please! Look at me! Look at me! I’m right here! Look at me!”
The intensity in Ashton’s eyes didn’t go away but it became less of a struggle to hold him back. Eventually, he stepped back but I stayed between him and my brother.
“It’s not a big deal.” Joey shrugged, the only one of us who was still smiling. “Like I said, I’ll hit the road. As soon as I’m out of Ivory, that’ll be the end of it. Picardo won’t give a shit about one SUV. The asshole’s got enough money to buy another one.”
“Picardo’s not just anybody,” Ashton said. “The guy doesn’t think like a normal person. You ever think about what happened to the other men you pulled the job with?”
“It was a bunch of randoms. We agreed to do the job and go our separate ways.”
“You didn’t go far enough. Picardo already bodied the rest of your crew.”
Joey finally stopped smiling.
“Yeah, that’s right,” Ashton continued. “Four bodies found on the outskirts.”
“What?” I said. “How come—”
“There was no point in mentioning it to you. I didn’t think it was any of your business. Apparently, it is…”
“Shit.” Joey shook his head and sighed. “I guess I need to hit the fucking road—”
“You’re gonna get your family killed,” Ashton said. “You’re gonna get Rose killed. Your only chance out of this is to give Picardo his shit back.”
“We can’t give it back. The man who hired us gave us top dollar. Said he wanted to own personal property of the one and only Aaron Picardo.”
Ashton stepped forward. I stayed between him and my brother but thankfully, it didn’t look like he planned on taking another swing.
“Well, you’ll have to tell Picardo where you sent his ride. Otherwise, you’re dead for sure.”
“And if I do that, he won’t kill me?”
“I don’t know what the fuck he’s thinking. But that’s your only chance. Picardo will probably wanna kill me now just for even talking to you.”
Joey took a step back, his hands on his hips while he thought about it.
“What are you gonna do?” I asked.
Joey shrugged. The look on his face told me he didn’t have the answer he was looking for. “I guess I can try to track his ride down. But I don’t know if I can with Picardo’s goons in Ivory looking for me.”
“There’s something else you can do,” Ashton said. “Turn yourself in. Admit it.”
“What?” I exclaimed. “Picardo will kill him for sure if he does that—”
“He’ll kill Joey but he won’t touch you or me or your parents. Your brother got all of you into this mess, it’s only right he gets you out of it.”
“No… You don’t mean that, Ashton. There has to be another way.”
“My sister’s right. There’s another way.” My brother headed for the exit. “And I’m gonna find it.”
“Joey—”
“Don’t worry, sis. I’ve never gone through some shit without making it to the other end. I got this.”
Before I could say anything more, Joey left the warehouse. The steel door slammed shut and silence filled the warehouse again. It was quiet enough for me to feel the tension coming from Ashton.
“Ashton…”
He had his hands on his hips, his eyes closed and his face pointed at the ground.
“You can’t let Joey turn himself into Picardo. There has to be a way to save him… Ashton?”
I moved close to him and put my hand against his cheek. He grabbed my hand and kissed my palm, his eyes locked on mine.
“He’s your brother. I know you need to save him. If there’s a way, I’ll figure it out.” He pulled his phone out and dialed. He kept his eyes locked on me as he spoke to whoever was on the other line. “We need to talk.”
Chapter 16
ASHTON
Picardo and his men got everything they needed faster than even I expected. I told him I had some shit to take care of with Rose and he didn’t think much of it. When I got back to the garage, he was already working on a tuneup for a long line of rides. There was no shortage of work for us.
Work was always a distraction for me. Club business. Women. Any sort of drama, I could push it out of my head as long as I had my tools in my hand. Grant had his head down like he didn’t have a care in the world.
“That was quick,” he said, not looking at me. “You handle your shit with her?”
“You might say that.”
“Probably just wanted a quickie. You know a girl is special when she makes you drop what you’re doing so you could dick her down. Rose seems like that kinda girl.”
“Yeah…”
I went over it in my head. I knew Grant better than anybody. The man was practically my brother. But there was no telling what he’d say when I told him. There was no point in being a bitch about it though. I could keep the truth from everybody, including everybody else in the MC. Not him though. He had to know.
“You just gonna stand there or you gonna get back to work? Maybe Rose worked you out a little more than you expected…” He straightened up, a smile on his face. The longer I stared at him, the more his smile began to disappear until he had a blank expression. “You all right, brother?”
“…Nah,” I sighed. “I’m not all right. Shit’s serious.”
“No shit. You’re not the type to fuck around. With this Picardo business, I don’t blame you for being on your toes. But you gotta tell me what’s up.”
“I know. You gotta promise me something though.”
“You know it.”
“This stays between you and me. This doesn’t get out. Not even to the MC.”
Grant narrowed his eyes. I didn’t ask him to keep secrets from the club very often. Shit, I couldn’t remember the last time I did. Just from the look on his face, I knew I was getting deeper into this shit.
He sighed and wiped the grease from his hands. He turned toward the workbench, his head down with a soft smile on his lips.
“I remember when I first got into this,” he said. “Always heard those fucking panheads going up and down the streets. Back when I was younger, shit was annoying. I’d just be outside, messing around and playing like any little kid then boom! Some asshole and the rest of his club would come zooming down the street. My fucking heart would leap into my throat. Got startled like any kid would. You ever go through some shit like that, Ash?”
“I think we all did. It’s something everybody had to get used to in this town.”
“That’s right. We all got used to it. Got so damn used to it, I got anxious when I didn’t hear it. Got fascinated with bikes. Started pulling ‘em apart and examining them. It wasn’t until you taught me how to do it though. You were always better at this than me. No Ash means there’s no Smoke.”
I shrugged in confusion at Grant suddenly reminiscing. “I already know all this. Why are you telling me—”
“We patched in together. Jordan and everybody else trusts us. No secrets. No agendas. We put ourselves out there. That’s the kind of trust we put in each other. Thicker than water. Thicker than blood. Now you’re telling me you got something I can’t tell nobody. From that damn look on your face, I know you ain’t about to tell me about your sec
ret crush.”
“No,” I sighed again. “But it’s got something to do with her.”
“Of course. It’s always about a woman…” He finished wiping his hands off then turned around, leaning back against the workbench. The garages next to us were busy. The traffic on the road was steady. But Grant and I were practically alone. Anything I had to say was between me and him. “What’s up with Rose?”
I coughed to clear my throat. “It’s her brother.”
He stared at me. I waited for a response but it didn’t come. He just kept fucking staring at me. “Who is her brother—”
“The man who pulled the hit on Picardo. It’s him.”
He squinted at me in disbelief. “Are you sure—”
“I remember his voice when he was barking at you. His lip is busted because you slugged him. But his eyes… I remember his eyes. He’s got his fucking sister’s eyes. I thought I was crazy because they felt so damn familiar. Now I know why.”
“Shit…” He clenched his jaw and looked away from me. “If Picardo finds out you’re fucking the sister of a man who hit him—”
“I know.”
“Do you?” Grant walked up to me, staring me right in the eye. He was doing everything he could to hold back. “The man didn’t even need a whole day and he already caught four bodies. You’re telling me Rose’s brother is the fifth. A man like that won’t hesitate to add another one to the pile. He won’t give a shit what patch you’re wearing or how much muscle you’ve got from the MC. You can’t cross the cartel and expect to just walk away—”
“You think I don’t know that? Picardo’s already paid a visit to Rose and her parents. He’ll do everything he can to get his hands on her brother. Anybody associated with him is dead.”
“You know what this means for the MC—”
“It doesn’t mean anything. They don’t know. Picardo questions ‘em, they won’t have a clue. And that’ll be the truth.”
“I’ll know the truth.”
Grant didn’t move but I could see how much he was holding back.
“Fuck,” I muttered. “This pisses me off. You don’t know what this feels like. I told Rose everything would be all right but I don’t know what to fucking do.”
“There’s only one thing you can do. You know what that is.”
“Rose never talks much about her brother. Didn’t even know he existed. But from what I can tell, the two of them are close. She’s not about to let this go.”
“Where is she right now?”
“She’s… She’s trying to handle this herself.”
“Probably for the best. Picardo’s got business with both of you and doesn’t even realize you’re connected.”
I leaned up against the workbench with Grant right next to me. The two of us stared out into the street.
“He’s dead,” Grant said. “The longer her brother is in Ivory, the better chance Picardo is gonna get his hands on him. There’s no way out of it. Now there’s just a matter of making sure Picardo doesn’t know that we know. Otherwise, he’ll think we’re in on it.”
Grant told me the shit I didn’t wanna hear. It was the hard truth though. I closed my eyes, thinking of a way out, when the stupidest idea in the world came to me.
“Maybe there’s another way,” I said.
“Ain’t no other way. Picardo got ripped off. He’s gonna want a body.”
“I know what they say about him. I know the kind of reputation the cartel has to keep. But maybe he can be reasoned with.”
“Shit!” Grant burst into laughter and shook his head. “You really think you can negotiate with the head of the fucking Picardo cartel?”
“I’m not about to let Rose march her brother to his execution, even if that’s what the bastard has coming to him.”
“Ash—”
“Come on, Smoke. I gotta do this. I can’t do this alone though.”
I looked into his eyes. I couldn’t remember a time when I had to plead with the man. Hell, I couldn’t blame him if he walked away.
He looked to the side and sighed a deep breath. “No Ash means there’s no Smoke… Rose is really special to you, huh?”
“She’s not special to me. She’s special period. If there’s a chance, I gotta try.”
“I just wanted to be a mechanic. How come we’re always getting into some shit?”
“We’re not just any mechanics. We’re the best mechanics in Ivory.”
“Set up a meeting with Picardo. Just one more thing… You sure Rose is in a safe spot right now?”
“There’s no spot in Ivory safe for her. Not while Picardo wants her brother’s head on a stick. The only way she’ll ever be safe is if we handle this.”
“Hopefully she’s got a better idea than you.”
Chapter 17
ROSE
“The Picardo cartel has a history in Ivory, and I know as much about it as anybody else. I knew the men who were in charge. I knew all of the shit they pulled. I knew all of the beefs they had. The cartel had business right here in this very building. There’s evidence of that in the walls if you look close enough.
“Never had much interaction with the cartel these days. Don’t care to. I’ve heard enough stories to know I don’t need to get my hands dirty with that bullshit. I’m fine with where I’m at now. I take chances when I need to but the Picardo cartel…
“Aaron Picardo is a little different. Now him… the stories I’ve heard aren’t shit you wanna tell your kids. Everybody who knows anything heard about the bodies they found on the outskirts. No doubt those motherfuckers crossed a line. Hell, they probably didn’t even cross a line. The Picardo cartel had a reputation decades ago and Aaron Picardo seems to be doing whatever he can to make sure nobody fucks with him.”
The man leaned back in his seat. There was some combination of amusement and concern on his face.
“I heard a story of a man who crossed Picardo once. Not those poor bastards they just found earlier today. Another man who hadn’t taken anything from him. Heard the guy bumped into him at the bar. Spilled a drink on him but didn’t bother apologizing. I could see that. Some tough asshole sees a man like Picardo and doesn’t think much of him outside of the fancy suit and the expensive watch.
“One night though, that same asshole wakes up the next morning with a voicemail. Tells him he’s dead and just doesn’t know it yet. The guy doesn’t see the rest of the day, as the story goes. All that over a spilled drink.”
I swallowed hard before saying anything. “You don’t actually believe that story, do you? Nobody, not even a man like Picardo, would be crazy enough to kill someone over something petty like that.”
“The point isn’t whether or not I believe it. The point is not taking any unnecessary risks because there are people out there crazy enough that there’s no reasoning with them. I’m not trying to frighten you. I’m not even trying to make excuses. I’m only telling you for your own good.”
He stayed comfortable in his seat, sipping on a small glass of some brown liquor. The man was the most comfortable person in the entire building. Understandable, since he was in charge.
Hades was home to the Devils. I hadn’t been in Ivory for very long but they had a reputation for getting things done. Even things most people wouldn’t get their hands dirty with. The atmosphere in Hades Bar was calm, though it wasn’t exactly a secret the Devils got their hands as dirty as any other club.
I looked around at the banners and photos on the walls while everybody else mingled and relaxed. Sebastian Cain was more relaxed than any of them. He was a decent-looking blond. Some scruff on his chin and tattoos on his arms, he mostly looked the part of a club member just because of his leather kutte.
He stared at me from across the table, a half-smirk on his lips. “You want something to drink?”
“I didn’t come here for a drink,” I said. “I came here because—”
“You already said why you came here. Your brother had the bright idea of taking something
from Aaron Picardo and Picardo wants him dead. As psychotic as Picardo can get, honestly, this isn’t a situation I half-blame him for. You do understand what your brother did, don’t you?”
“I know. My brother made a mistake—”
“A mistake? He didn’t spill a drink or spit out his bubblegum for somebody to step on. Armed robbery isn’t just a mistake.”
I nodded softly. “It’s more than a mistake. I’ll admit that. But I know your reputation.” I glanced at the patch on his chest. “They don’t call you Venom for no reason. The Devils are available for hire. Even for people who make mistakes like my brother.”
“I have a conscience. I have morals. My MC doesn’t just go down a checklist and do anything that has the biggest dollar sign next to it. And even then, you don’t look like you have much money. This has nothing to do with any of that though.” He took a sip of his drink and smacked his lips. “The Devils had their run-ins with the cartel. It might have been a long time ago but I’m not interested in getting back into it.”
“Are you so scared of Picardo, you won’t even consider it—”
“Scared? I know what you think when you look at me. You see some big, bad biker who doesn’t take any shit from anybody. I don’t agree with the shit Picardo has done but that’s not a good enough reason for me to get involved. The best answer to your problem is right there in front of you.”
“And what’s that answer?”
“Bite the bullet. Tell your brother to turn himself in. Once Picardo gets his man, that’ll be the end of it. He only goes after people when he has reason to. Then again, you don’t look like the kind of woman who’d just let her brother walk straight into his own execution.”
The smile left Cain’s face. He didn’t take his eyes off me as he took a sip of his drink. I searched for something else to say but nothing came to me. Asking for help from the Devils was already a long shot.
“Rose.” I turned my head when I heard the voice next to me. My brother stood there, smiling like nothing was wrong.
“Joey? What the hell are you doing here?”
“I came here to talk to you. What are you doing here?”
