by Zara Teleg
“Kai, just go. Ledge and I will make sure the girls get home safe.”
Amber smiled and grabbed onto Hawks’ arm.
“Yeah, go, Kai.” She flicked her fingers in a go-away motion.
My temple pulsed as fury filled my veins.
Paige
“I’m still pissed at what a controlling asshole Kai was being last night,” I complained to Amber as we took our break in the back lot of The Ridge. I pulled a cigarette from the pack, lighting it and letting the smoke fill my lungs.
“He is, always has been.”
“I forgot, you grew up knowing the jerk.”
“He was the hottest boy in high school. He never gave me the time of day back then, thought he was king of the school. Then he joined the Stained Souls, and his narcissism got even worse.”
The heavy metal door squeaked open. Footsteps crunched toward us. Designer cowboy boots rounded the corner where we sat near the dumpsters. Angelica.
She rolled her eyes, disgust on her face as she lit a smoke and turned her attention to her phone, completely ignoring the two of us. Amber and I looked at each other, then both laughed.
“Speaking of narcissists.” I nodded my head toward Angelica, who had earbuds in. She was oblivious to us talking.
“Let’s go. Our break is over, and I don’t want to smell like garbage.” Her thumb pointed to Angelica.
The night was busy; a band played, and it wasn’t over until 2:30. My truck turned onto the drive at 3:10 am. Kai’s bike was out front. As mad at him as I was, I did kind of miss seeing him in The Ridge. I always felt like if trouble started, I had a personal guardian angel who had my back. Never in my life did I feel as safe and at ease than when Kai was around.
Why did he have to be such a jerk sometimes?
Music blared through the door of his apartment. It might have been his building, but God, he never thought about others trying to sleep. Lately, sleep had become a problem. I took a quick shower before pulling down the box I kept tucked in the closet for real emergencies, when anxiety and sleep deprivation took over. The pipe was carved from amethyst. I cleaned the canal, placing a small piece of bud inside. Lighting it, I pulled in the potent remedy and exhaled the anxiety with each hit.
I woke up to bright sunlight and repeated knocking on my door. How long was I out?
“Officer Jones,” he announced.
“Um, hold on. I’ll be right there.” My heart hammered as I looked at the box and pipe still sitting on my coffee table. I grabbed them and ran to the closet, tripping on the edge of my murphy.
“Ow! Damn it.” I held my toes, hopping on one foot, still trying to make it to my closet.
“Ms. Conti?”
“Yes, just grabbing my robe, hang on.”
I threw on my robe and closed the closet door.
“Good morning,” I said as I opened the door to the officer.
“Afternoon,” he corrected, tipping his hat.
“Yeah, I guess it is. I worked really late.” I looked across the room, where the clock displayed 12:34.
“Sorry to bother you, but I understand you had a shift last night. We had an incident, and after speaking to a few people, I was told the man involved may have been served by you. We’re trying to put a timeline together.”
I opened the door wider, motioning for him to come inside.
“I need coffee before I can think.” I cleared my dry throat. “Join me for a cup?”
“Sure, I can do that.” He sat at the table while I went on the other side, filling the pot.
“Can you give me a minute to use the bathroom while it’s brewing?”
“Take your time.” He placed the folder on the table and relaxed his posture.
In the bathroom, I could hear feet moving on the creaky floor outside, probably checking out the place.
I quickly rinsed my face and brushed my teeth. I could hear music coming from the backyard. I looked out the tiny bathroom window. Kai was working on his car. A girl dressed in way too little clothes for this time of year leaned against it while he worked under the hood. I dragged myself away, remembering my snooping guest.
I placed the steaming mug in front of him before pouring mine. Officer Jones picked it up and inhaled before taking the first sip.
“Thank you, Paige.”
“You are very welcome. Now how can I help you?” I asked and sat beside him.
What started as a barrage of police questions turned into small talk and refills. Officer Jones wasn’t the stick in the mud he had first come off as. We ended up talking for an hour and having way more in common than I thought. I was able to help him put a timeline on the jerk they caught robbing an old woman’s house. I could still hear Kai and his lady friend outside when I walked my new friend, Doug, out.
“I’ll walk you down. I never got my mail yesterday.” I followed him down to the lot. Kai watched from the garage as I walked Doug to his car.
“Paige, I want to apologize to you.” Doug’s voice was soft. “I was hard on you when I first met you and found out you were living here.” He tilted his head to the building.
“Kai and I, well, we have a bit of history. And the force and the Souls have a complicated relationship. Kai has quite a reputation. I guess I kind of judged you before giving you a chance. I’m really sorry about that.”
“Doug, please, don’t worry about it. After living here this long, I can’t blame you. But I appreciate the sentiment.”
He pulled a card from his pocket, then turned it over, scribbling on the back.
“Here’s my number. I heard you and Kai are on the outs, so if you ever need help with anything, please don’t hesitate to call me. I would love to have coffee with you again sometime.” He smiled.
“Um, I guess you can’t hide in a small town.” I shook my head, taking the card. “Thanks, Doug.”
He opened his arms, and I accepted the hug. Kai’s eyes were shooting daggers. I wondered if Doug’s hug was for me or to piss off his old friend.
Everything in my body ached. I had recently resumed yoga via YouTube, thanks to the TV Kai gave me. My lunch shift had turned into a dinner shift, and I was all too ready to go home this Friday evening.
Angelica ran late, of course, so I was there longer than I needed to be. Thankfully, she missed out on the Ramsey brothers having dinner—the tip was enough to cover my internet bill. Which reminded me, I had a hell of a lot of bills to pay this month, considering my recent shopping spree. Thank God it was payday. That thought had come twenty minutes too late. I was almost home when I realized I left my paycheck at The Ridge in my cubby. I needed to get that money in my bank ASAP.
I turned my truck around, heading back to The Ridge. When I got to the parking lot, a whole bunch of bikes were parked by the bar entrance. Wanting to avoid seeing the Stained Souls, I decided to use the kitchen entrance and got my check from my cubby.
Tracy was wiping down the bar and setting up her station. “Hey, I thought you left.”
“I did.” I waved my check at her. “Forgot this.”
“Why don’t you stay for a drink?”
“Thanks, Tracy, but I should be getting home. My shift was supposed to be over hours ago but—”
“Angelica was late,” we both said at the same time. Giggling at our jinx, she placed a glass in front of me.
“Just one?” She began pouring in the coconut rum, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice. “Extra cherries.” She waggled her eyebrows, topping the drink with an umbrella.
“I guess I can’t say no now.”
I took Sully’s usual seat, the last stool at the bar. It kept me out of sight, but I had a view of the whole room. My eyes gravitated to the table that was full of gorgeous men wearing their black leather Stained Souls cuts. I watched Kai at the table, his smile wide as he joked around with his brothers. It left my stomach in knots and an ache in my chest. He never came in when he knew I was working. Avoiding each other had become a regular thing for us. We’d gone from him bei
ng practically my best friend to us barely speaking.
Tracy replaced my drink with another. “You look like someone just stole your puppy.” She smiled warmly before filling the tray of beers.
Angelica was behind me waiting on Tracy—I didn’t even notice her. I was too busy watching Amber. She was serving the Souls table. Her arm was around Kai. She was whispering in his ear, draping herself all over him. I knew she didn’t know how I felt about him. I never told anyone about New Year’s, but she knows we’re on the outs and that he was the cause of my hurt feelings.
“Order up!” Tracy yelled to Angelica, who looked at me and then to where I was looking.
“Oh, hunny. You got it bad, don’t you?” Her tone was condescending.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“It’s written all over your face,” Angelica said.
“I don’t know what you mean.” I turned to look at the bikers’ table again. Amber was sitting on Kai’s lap, taking orders.
“Oh, I don’t?” Angelica’s voice was full of sarcasm. “Then why do you grind your jaw watching Amber hanging all over Kai?”
I could see the pleasure she was having at my apparent frustration.
“It’s none of your business, and you’re wrong anyway.”
“Order up!!!” Tracy yelled again.
Angelica placed her hand over mine. “You know I don’t like you very much, but you should know, your so-called friend has had the hots for Kai since she was a teenager. I heard she had a few nights with him over the years and has never gotten over it. Take it for what it’s worth, but she ain’t really your friend.”
Angelica flipped her hair over her shoulder and adjusted her boobs, pushing them up in her tight shirt before picking up the tray and walking away.
I slammed down the rest of my drink. Tracy got out a fresh glass. “No.” I placed my hand over the top. “I got to go home.”
“Sweetie, don’t let Angelica get to you. She’s a bitch.”
“I know.” I just rolled my eyes and put my jacket on.
“I hate to say it, but she’s right,” Tracy sighed. “Amber has been hot for Kai forever and has been jealous of anyone he becomes close with. She had a—”
Men were waving their money in the air, trying to get Tracy’s attention.
“She had what?”
“Hunny, it’s too busy. I’ll catch you up on Daisy another time. Drive safe.”
Who’s Daisy? And what does she mean?
I felt like a fool, believing Amber was my friend. I should have known better. The signs were there; I just chose not to acknowledge them.
For two weeks, I worked hard on my online CBD business. I had successfully ignored Amber and used excuses when she invited me to go out. What I needed to do was earn enough money to quit The Ridge and move out of this building. I had filled my two mail buckets with orders that were ready to go to the post office. I had made enough this week to pay my rent.
Chapter Twelve
Kai
BANG! BANG! BANG!
I thought I was dreaming when the knock sounded again. My head was pounding from too many shots last night. I squinted at the yellow numbers that read 5:00 am.
What the fuck?
“Hang on,” I yelled, pulling on my jeans. I fished a smoke from the crumpled pack still in my jacket.
Ledger had his back to the door when I flung it open.
“Kai, you got a minute?”
“Ugh, come in,” I groaned. “You know it’s technically still night, right?” I flipped the lighter open.
He walked in, and with light from the kitchen, I could see the whole side of his face was swollen.
“What the hell happened to your face?” I asked. His eye was purple, and his lip was busted. “Sit down. I’ll get you some ice.”
“Thanks, bro.” He winced as he placed the rag filled with cubes against his injury. “I think I might have a broken rib.” He pulled up his shirt, revealing that his side was purpling.
“Jesus. I hope the other guy looks worse.”
“That’s the thing. It wasn’t a guy,” Ledger said.
“It was a girl?” I started to laugh.
“No, fucker, it wasn’t a girl. Kai, you can’t tell anyone in the club. Fuckin’ Colt will kill me.”
“I don’t like where this is going,” I said as I leaned back, waiting for the story.
“Yeah, well, remember how I helped you out of a jam last year and you said you owed me one?”
“Uh-huh.” I crossed my arms, knowing I was about to get into some shit.
“Well, I might have engaged in a poker game, undercover, with a few of the Cajun Kings.”
“Oh, come on, Ledge. Please tell me you didn’t, even after Colt’s speech last week.”
“It was a high-stakes game! I knew I could take the assholes.”
“Yeah, looks like you took them, alright.”
“I did. I knocked them all out of the game. This one douche thought he could bluff me. I had pocket Jacks and he had more tells than a gossiping chick. So I called him. He and his buddy were cheating. I took them both out in one hand.”
“Did you win the game?”
He looked at me like I insulted him by even asking.
“Of course, I won.”
“The purse was 10K. Three hours later, I walked with seven after it was split. That’s when things went sideways. I was tired and hungry and wasn’t looking forward to the drive home from Torrentsville.” He switched the ice to his ribs.
“I didn’t even see the car tailing me. I pulled into the first Quick Mart entering Black Rock, I gassed up, and grabbed an energy drink. When I came out, the lot was empty, and the two Kings were leaning against my bike. They jumped me and took the cash. They didn’t know I’m a Stained Souls member; I didn’t wear my cut. I can’t take this to Colt, he’d kill me. But you help repay those assholes and retrieve the cash, we’ll split the cash. I want retribution, and you are the only man I know who can help me get it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, I’m in. But then we’re even.”
It took twenty-four hours to locate the two thugs who thought they got one over on Ledger. We told Colt we were doing surveillance on the Kings. It wasn’t a lie. We followed them back to a tiny dilapidated house next to the railroad tracks in the worst part of Torrentsville. We sat for an hour in Ledger’s Charger, making sure no one else had come to the place.
“Ledge, you got it?”
“Almost, just keep watch.” He turned the wrench again, unscrewing the terminal nut on the first bike. Pulling the starter wire out, he removed the final three bolts and pulled the starter.
“Got it. Everything still clear?” he asked, moving to the next bike.
“Yeah, but hurry up. I want to get this done.”
The place had only one light on. We jimmied open the back door, guns out, ready for action. Two steps in and the smell of old food, cigarettes, and piss was overpowering, making my stomach sour. I pulled my shirt to my nose to keep from gagging. We crept down the hall. The floor squeaked as we approached the bedroom where two men’s voices and god-awful music were coming from.
Ledge took one side, and I took the other. Mouthing the count of three, I kicked the door and both of us aimed our guns around. The two shocked men were not as shocked as we were to see their pants around their ankles and the woman they were sharing, bound and gagged.
Ledger was quick to grab their guns that both sat on an end table. “Surprise, assholes,” he said as he walked over to the first man whose hands went up.
“Dude, what the fuck?” the big guy yelled. Ledge kicked him in his gut. The girl screamed through her gag.
“You two, cover yourselves and move over to the corner, hands on your head and down on your knees,” Ledge said.
The girl just knelt on the bed, watching us.
Ledge walked over, pointing a gun at the smaller man’s head.
“This was a misunderstanding,” the other King spoke.
“Yeah, we didn’t know you were MC.”
“So it’s okay to rob someone of their winnings if they are not MC?”
“Look, man, we can forget all about this. I still have your money and another grand I can throw on top if you just walk out of here.”
“Diesel, are you crazy?” the big guy yelled.
“Kai, what do you think?” Ledge asked. “Should I just take the money and forget the beating I got for putting these two cheating assholes out?”
“Nah, man, I don’t think that’s enough.” I shook my head, aiming my gun directly between the big guy’s legs. His hands flew off his head and in front of his junk.
“Okay, okay, three grand on top. Just leave and we’ll forget all about this. Believe me, we will get punishment enough from Vicious when we come back empty-handed.”
“Shut the fuck up, Diesel,” the other man yelled at his brother.
“Well then, that will be 10K. Where can we find it, boys?”
“Under the bed. There’s a box.” He pointed to it.
“Seriously, Diesel. Shut the fuck up.”
“You know, it’s not nice to fight in front of guests.” Ledger pulled a set of handcuffs from his jeans. He cuffed the man to the radiator. And then pulled out another set and did the same to the other man.
“Vicious is gonna kill us,” Diesel said as he pounded his head against the radiator.
I kept my gun aimed at them while Ledge retrieved the box. My eyes drifted to the broken mirror with a razor blade and white powder. Next to it was a rubber band and a syringe. I looked at the girl the two men had been sharing. She had tracks the length of her arm. Her eyebrows angrily knitted together.
“Don’t worry, hunny. We will cut you loose on our way out.”
Her face relaxed as she looked at the men who had held her captive. She was probably pretty once. Her hair was a knotty blond mess, her body emaciated. Her blue eyes were dull and rimmed by dark circles.
“It’s all here,” Ledge announced.
“Okay then, let’s do this.”
