Betting on Forever

by Scarlett Black

  Snake’s voice startles me from behind, “No ‘big guy’ shit till after I eat breakfast. I almost had to leave last night,” he smirks his evil face my way.

  “God, that’s so gross, Snake!” I dig my face into Blade’s back.

  “No worries, it’s payback for all the skin slapping you had to listen to growing up sleeping next to my bedroom,” Snake shrugs and states simply, making Blade chuckle.

  “Shut up, bro, I really don’t want to talk about you and all those sluts, I really don’t.” Filling my mug with coffee, I mix in my coconut creamer.

  “Some of them were your friends, they weren’t all sluts. It was easy too. I would sit on the couch watching tv, waiting for them to come out of your room. I would invite them to sit. It was a slaughter, man. That’s how Papa gave me my road name,” his sly grin comes out. “Well, that and other things. But, speaking of friends, what’s up with Dana?”, Snake asks way too curiously.

  “Dana and Axl are together. I wouldn’t go there, Axl claimed that. You’re about a month shy trying to get with her.” Damn, that makes me happy to rub it in.

  “I don’t see her patched, I don’t see her riding his bike, explain that?”, Snake protests.

  “Axl is working on her, Snake. Dana needs a little time to come to terms with it. He found out about the Cherry Pie, and he made a scene. A funny one, but she was pissed. So, Axl has a little extra work to do. Are you for real, though? That if you went for it with her, you would go balls to the wall and want to claim her yourself?”, I ask while looking into his eyes. “Because she needs a lover, Snake, not a fuck buddy.”

  “Okay, Vegas, I hear you,” he concedes and drops it.

  Papa and Momma move into the kitchen, bringing their bags with them. “Snake, help your Madre with these bags, pack them onto the bikes.” Snake stands and grabs the bags from Papa.

  Momma pulls me into a big hug, holding me tightly. “Hey, baby girl, no goodbyes. We are going to see you in Tahoe for Thanksgiving. We can stay in for the whole week. I’ll see you soon.” She holds me close, not wanting to let go.

  “I’ll call you later and tell you about everything, we’ll talk more, Momma.” Holding her just as tight, I wish I hadn’t pushed her away for as long as I did.

  “Yes, you will.” She smiles and pulls back to look at my face. “Keep an eye on Jenn and Dana, too.” She lets go of me to say good bye to Blade. She gives him a kiss on the cheek and a hug, and on the way out, she reminds him, “Take care of my baby girl. See you both soon!” She waves and shuts her cheery cheeked face behind the door.

  “Alessia,” Papa calls for my attention. “I’ll see you at the club house in an hour,” he says to me in all his take-no-prisoners business voice.

  “Si, Papa, en una hora,” I nod my head in understanding. So, shit really hit the fan last night, huh.

  With that, we finish eating, dress and haul ass over to the clubhouse on Blade’s bike. Neither one of us wants to have the bosses waiting for us. Walking into the meeting room for Church, I’m surprised to see Tank, Axl, Stryker, Snake, Ghost, Spider and Papa sitting and waiting for us.

  “Morning, brothers, you all look like shit,” Blade says insulting them all in the process. Tugging me along to sit in his chair at the head of the table, he pulls me to sit in his lap and wraps his arms around my waist.

  Tank and Axl huff. Axl says back, “Asshole, we didn’t get to wrap ourselves around a beautiful woman and head to bed like you.” He looks around and shakes his head at the other guys.

  Looking at Blade, I question what happened. “They had to stay up all night working, baby.” Turning his attention back to the brothers, he asks, “Did we get his phone?”

  Spider sits back and starts talking. “Yeah, I just got it an hour ago, I’ll get you all the info here soon.”

  Papa interrupts, cutting to the chase. “Vegas, you’re here because last night we had a source tell us that he was working with Johnny Carmine, said that Johnny is up to some bad shit. We know he’s been working with you and your friends. We are worried about what he may know or be up to. What’s up with him?” Papa looks worried, more about what I could be involved in and not know it.

  “We met when I first moved here. We worked together on the purchase of The Black Rose. He never knew a whole lot about me personally, because I never had the same last name as you. Last year I bumped into him at the Nugget Casino. We started hanging out and became closer. As friends.” Looking around, I see that all the men have their haggard eyes on me.

  “Then he started asking shady questions. Asking if I heard of or knew of who could haul cargo. It was around a time you all came to visit. He’d seen all of you at the bar one night. Acting stupid, I said all the dumb things, like, ‘Oh, are you starting a shipping company?’. I think he bought it and dropped it. Wanting to see what else he was dealing in, we invited him to the bar a few more times. Liquored him up, till he cracked just a little. He said ‘I have big opportunities coming up moving shit, and I know people who can make people disappear or make people up. It’s the who you know in politics. You want to play in politics?’, he asked me. I cut off my ties with him later saying I wasn’t interested in dating, and he took off.” I take a deep breath to gather my thoughts, then continue.

  “And bring it to the last month when the Battle Born MC walked in asking for an appointment. He became more curious. I never planned to use him as a lawyer again after the shady shit he started asking after the sale of the Black Rose. He recently called me up, thinking he had an in, asking me more questions about Blade’s crew. I sent him some fake documents to test him, some papers for a month to month lease. My name was written in, Blade’s name was not. Well, not his real name anyway,” I say holding back my smile.

  “What name did you use, Vegas?”, Stryker questions interested.

  “Richard Dickerson?”, I shrug and tell them hesitantly, turning my head to Blade. Who doesn’t find it as funny as I did.

  “Dick Dickerson, Vegas? Really?” Blade shakes his head, letting out a small laugh.

  Tank finds it funny and so does everyone else, since they’re all laughing. “You were a dick those first few days! Anyway, I take Johnny the fake rental agreement. I tell him that my ex-husband has been poking around my bar lately, too. That I was scared he would take alimony from me. What should I do!

  “A couple of days later, he offers me a side deal and brings me the rental agreement with revisions added to it. The side deal is, a contact for a contact. He wants Blade’s partnership. I needed to be his connection for a reference, and, in return, he would give me his contact. This government contact he has can file a grievance where I can get a fake identity to protect me. They use a fake name to claim a hardship. My ex would never find me on any documentation of ownership,” I finish explaining.

  Blade’s eyes have gone dark again, but contains himself

  and calmly asks, “How would he know I’d use you as a reference?

  “He didn’t, he was willing to use me in any way he could. You see, Johnny said the contract he brought for the fake identity, if I signed it, it would protect me. What the contract also had was that I bequeathed my business to him in the event of my death. If I didn’t follow through with you, he was going to kill me. Then he’d have had a win over you, but you wouldn’t have known of it because of the fake name.” I pause again, thinking back to that day.

  “We ended up getting a different lawyer to draw up the sale for the building for Blade, and also for The Black Rose. I’ve already sold the majority of the business to Dana and Jenn. I’m just a teeny tiny shareholder on paper. They bought me out for a dollar each.

  “Dana pays me a very generous salary for bartending on a monthly basis. I’m just a regular employee with a ‘tiny’ cash monthly bonus. He doesn’t know I sold the bar. I don’t own the controlling portion of the property for him to take as he documented. I explained to Johnny that the ex took off and that I didn’t need his contact anymore. His focus was always on you.” I
shrug like it’s no big deal, and it really isn’t. I was going to sell the bar to the girls anyway. As for Johnny, James has been watching him.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Blade

  I knew Vegas was badass, but I just never realized at how far she was willing to go to play. I feel mind fucked by that story. Really fucking pisses me off that she’s playing in a game where I’m not even a hundred percent sure who the players are. Opening my mouth to rip her ass open, her old man beats me to it.

  “Mija, you should call me when dirty fuckers are playing games like this. I’m proud as fuck of you. But just because it doesn’t seem to you to affect club business, you don’t tell me? We are familia, comprendes? If you weren’t so fucking stubborn like me…” Fuego stops, taking a deep breath in. “For fuck’s sake, nina, talk to your familia! Si?”, Fuego thunders, equally proud and pissed off at her.

  The connections would have become clear had she just finished following through. My old man looks like he wants to congratulate her on a job well done. Spider, along with Tank and Axl couldn’t smile any fucking bigger. Snake just shakes his head and says, “And they gave me the road name Snake.” He lifts his chin at her, giving her props.

  Squeezing her thigh, I grab her attention, “Vegas, baby, we got to go over that fucked up story you just told. We have club business to discuss now. Take my truck back to the bar, get the keys from Solo. If you see Johnny, stay the fuck away. If you hear from him, you don’t do shit we all don’t agree on. Right?” Piercing my eyes into hers, I give her my most menacing stare because she needs to feel how serious this is.

  “Yeah, babe, I hear you loud and clear. No fun and games, don’t play around with thieves today, got it.” Vegas stands up straight, mock saluting the table and hitting her boots together.

  Tank salutes her back like a general, trying to hold his laugh back. “At ease, soldier.”

  Bending over, she kisses my lips, “See ya on the flip side, big guy.”

  Snake groans in disgust as I slap her ass on her way out and shutting the door. Standing up, Axl says, “What the fuck, dude! Just what… the…. fuck,” and starts pacing back and forth.

  The room quiets down, all of us contemplating what we have learned and what we need to do. Looking back up at the men sitting in the room, I voice my thoughts out. “First off, Johnny needs to die. When, we all are going to have to agree on. I think we need to go back and ask Johnny for help. We need his contact if we are going to figure out who owns that warehouse in Sac Town.” I rub my face with my hands.

  “Blade,” my old man speaks up, “Who is going to go ask Johnny for his contact? I don’t think any of us would be a smart move.”

  “I agree, that’s why we have to let Hawk stick around, and we have to get Vegas do it.”

  Fuego’s fists hit the table leaning forward to me. “My daughter is not your link to get this resolved, pendejo. She will not get hurt, she’s not fucking getting any more involved.” Fuego’s eyes are on fire, and he’s right, Vegas shouldn’t be involved.

  “Fuego, I hear you, man, but there ain’t no way we can snoop around those offices in time to get ahead with the information we need. Could we do it if we had time, yeah, but we are putting everyone at more risk the longer we wait. Johnny could put a hit out on Vegas as soon as he figures out who her family is.” Fuego’s face looks resigned as he sits back and stares at me. “You trust James and Hawk?”, I look between Snake and Fuego.

  “James, he’s had her back since she’s been up here”, Snake starts. “Hawk, he’ll look after Vegas, too, either one has to be with her at all times. No prospects riding around with her, and for now, you either. She has to appear to be alone and like she needs the help.”

  Stryker looks worried when he stares straight into my eyes. “You claimed Vegas yesterday, the whole club knows and seen you two together. That means, when Skid wakes up, those little club bitches, they’ll tell him everything, eventually. We have to move him, for now.”

  “Tank, I need you to put a crew together, go out on a long run. Take Skid with you, tell the men he is “the run” and keep me in the loop. Take him down south in California, to our sister chapter.” Taking out my smokes, I light one up, fear snaking up my spine along with anger as I exhale. Even though Vegas and I are in a solid place, I’m dreading not being able to be with her openly till this whole freaking mess is taken care of.

  “Axl, pull together Church after Tank leaves, so we can update the men, and get me all the info you can on Skid’s phone by then.” Frustration booms in my chest, the need for space to calm down is tearing through my skin.

  Nodding at the men, I stand and push my chair back so hard that I hear it banging against the wall behind me. Walking through my clubhouse to the front lot where all our bikes are, I stand and let the mid-morning sun warm my face. The door opens and shuts behind me, not long after I feel a hand grab my shoulder and then let go.

  “Son, we’ll figure this shit all out.” Stryker blows out his smoke next to me. “She’ll be safe, she’s strong. Vegas is a good match for you, in these moments you’ll have each other to lean on. Being the Prez isn’t easy and can feel lonely. Go to her when you need to let all this go, then come back fighting stronger. This is just the beginning, let her be strong for you when you need it.”

  Standing side by side, I can’t help but feel proud of my old man. This life would be so much harder if I didn’t have him in it. Soon, others start coming out, revving their bikes, getting ready for the long ride home. Finishing our smokes and stomping them out, we say our good byes, and they all go, leaving Axl and I outside.

  “Bro, we’ve got to take a quick ride to talk to Vegas and the girls. Grab your gear, let’s ride over to the bar.” Waiting for Axl to get ready, I text Vegas.

  Me: I’m on my way to chat with you and your crew. Can you have them all meet us there in ten minutes?

  Alessia: Sure thing ��

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Walking in through the back office of the bar, Tugg jumps up from under Vegas’ desk, running and sitting at my feet, waiting for me to pet him. Vegas’ beautiful smile has my attention while I crouch down to reach Tugg. “Hey, Tugg, what are you working on, Vegas?” Axl walks past us and into the bar area to get the others to join us in the office.

  “Some invoices to pay, nothing big, but later I have some good news. You okay, baby?” She tilts her head up to look at me. Giving Tugg one more pat on the head, I walk over to Vegas, pulling her up and out of her chair, then sitting and placing her back down in my lap. I hold her to me and smell the skin on her neck, pecking my way up to her ear. “Everything will be fine… God, you smell good.”

  Axl walks in with a grumbling Dana. “I really hope it’s important that I hauled my ass here so early, Vegas! Axl, quit laughing, damn it!” All that is being followed by a sleepy Jenn, and finally James. Jenn and Dana take the two open chairs opposite Vegas and me.

  “You guys all know of Johnny…”

  “Yeah…?” Dana and Jenn say in unison, interrupting me and looking too interested.

  “This isn’t a girl chat, so please shut it.” My patience’s worn thin and has me snapping back at the girls, which earns me a scowl from both James and Axl. Dana’s head snaps back and Jenn rolls her eyes at me.

  Vegas leans into my ear, “Blade, they aren’t the boys, and they don’t know how stressed out you are.” She rubs my chest, keeping me from snapping further. “Girls, he has some important stuff to say, let’s hear him out, yeah?” Dana tips her head at me signaling to move along.

  Closing my eyes and letting Vegas’ hands calm my nerves, I continue. “Johnny’s got his hands into some crooked shit. He wants to get into my business using Vegas if he can.”

  I continue telling them what they need to know, what Vegas told us at the club this morning. “We can’t talk about Vegas and me to anyone, as far as you guys know of us, it’s just all business, no attachments. Dana, you and Axl need to put your flirting on ice too for now.”
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  That statement has both Dana and Axl directing their angry stares at me. “We can’t have any real personal anything, Dana. He may read more into it then what we want it to be for now, okay? Until we get a handle on Johnny, life is to appear as all business to others looking in. I need James to stay around Vegas twenty-four seven, and, because part of Vegas’ scheme involved Hawk, he’s sticking around too, but only call him by Derrick.”

  Vegas tenses, turning her questioning gaze at me. “What exactly does that mean, Blade? Spill it, there is more, isn’t there?”

  “That means he’s going to appear to be harassing you when I set up Johnny to stop by, and you are going to lure Johnny in with your helpless vibe and make that deal he offered you before, so we can figure out who’s working for him. That’s all I’m telling you for now. You two,” I look back at an open mouthed Dana and Jenn, “Are going to act like you work for Vegas still, and do not say anything to anyone about anything. And if it is a MUST to respond, be as vague and blond as possible. Hand your phones over to Axl, he’s putting his number in there. Call him with any problems or questions. I do mean anything that looks strange or makes you uncomfortable.”

  A stunned Jenn and Dana look at Vegas and then to each other. Vegas stands and grins mischievously at us all. “We have some prep work, girls. We need to sync our conversation in front of Johnny when he comes. Are you bringing him to the bar, Blade?” Excitement lights up her eyes.

  “Yeah, I’ll get Johnny here to walk in, so he can see the show, you just got to sell it, Vegas.”

  “Oh, this will be fun!” She claps her hands all giddy. “When is this going down?” Vegas is practically dancing from foot to foot.

  “Don’t worry, she’s a complete maniac when it comes to a bet, or, in this case running a scam, she’s an adrenaline junkie,” Jenn states, as if this is normal behavior for a chick. I guess in Vegas’ case it is.

  Vegas claps her hands again, “Alright, boys, you got to get out of here.” She throws a thumb over her shoulder. “Bring me my sucker to bait, me and the girls are going to prep.”