by Cilla Lee
“So, Brothers as you can see we have guests our first Prospects given access to our meeting” everyone turns to look at us, but we both sit there quiet not saying a word
“I've asked Razor if we can use them to get close to Julio Reyes.”
“Why the Prospects, why not one of the Brothers” there VP says
“Razor trusts them”
“Razor trusts them is that it.”
“Yeah plus all the other Brothers were busy and these two, need to earn their patches why not use them.”
“Cause their fuckin’ Prospects,” one of them says, and Preacher laughs
“Look at them, there exactly what were lookin’ for, and Julio won't see them comin’.”
“Preacher man you sure about this” Sniper asks him
“Look I spoke to Razor at length about this, they can fight I've seen it myself and there loyal to the patch we need a fuckin’ break.”
“You gonna get Widow to help,” one of them asks
“No,” Preacher says
“He doesn't have to see it comin’,” Sniper says
“If we need Widow, we’ll call if these two don't make it” Jordan's leg slightly presses onto mine the only indication that he's nervous, I press back giving him reassurance without anyone noticing. (who the fuck is Widow) We spend the next few hours going over a plan for Jordan and I to go to an underground fighting club and see if we can make contact with a guy named Julio Reyes apparently, he owes the club a fuck load of money he bet against the club on fighter nicked named Widow Maker.
**
It takes two weeks for us to make our name in the underground club scene fighting our way up the ladder, the club moved us into a house, so no one knows we work for them. It's been a good distraction being away from Tink, I haven't heard anything and thinking more about it. I don't want to she's moved on with the douche, and I'm working towards my patch, but every time I’m in the ring it’s the douches face I see.
The crowd is loud; there are more people here tonight, the smell of sweat blood and the roars of the crowd are ear-splitting, small scuffles break out here and there all the fighters are in a caged off area at the back of the room with bodyguards standing watch
“You see Reyes yet,” Jordan asks as we get ready for tonight's fight, Preacher had sent a picture of the guy and so far, no joy. Hopefully, tonight's the night; I'm over this shit now, I just wanna head home.
Jordan's name is called, and he makes his way to the cage, I've had to set his nose twice since we've been here and I can tell he's frustrated. I watch as he steps into the cage his appointment already there bouncing around. I look at the crowd and see him in the front row with two big fuckers next to him, I look at Jordan who has already seen him, and he gives me a chin lift. I text Preacher 'JOY' code word fuckers here the reply comes immediately
'on way.'
'got two big fuckers with him.'
'that's what you and your brother are for' (fuck)
I delete all the messages and watch Reyes; he's a slick little fuck. He's got the Mexican drug lord look to him white pressed suit white shirt gold watch slicked back greasy hair and a dirty big cigar hanging out of his mouth. I make my way out of the caged area and head behind the greasy fucker gun in my waistband. Jordan's fight doesn't last long it takes him less than a minute to knock his opponent out. We've got a job to do no fuckin’ around.
Jordan makes his way back to the cage, and I watch as Reyes gets up and walks towards my brother. I follow him as he stands at the cage door looking at Jordan “Great fight tonight” he says, and Jordan looks up at him
“Thanks,” he says
“I could use a man like you, you and your brother I've heard good things.”
“Yeah like what,” Jordan asks
“Well that you both are naturals, we could make a lot of money together.”
“You want my brother and I to work for you,” he says, and I step forward
“Sounds like a plan,” I say, and Reyes turns to me and smiles
“Your brothers a smart man” Jordan smiles.
“So how are we gonna do this then”
“It's too loud in hear come to my house so we can talk.”
“Sounds good,” Jordan says
“Give us a minute will ya,” I say to Reyes, and he nods for his boys to follow him
“How we gonna play this Jaxson” Jordan asks
“Text Preacher and tell him to wait.”
“Jaxson”
“Let’s hear him out maybe it could be a win for the club.”
“Fuck,” Jordan says
“Fine” I pull my phone out and text Preacher
‘need you to wait.’
'what the fuck boy.'
'trust me' is all I text back.
“So,” Jordan says
“Look we've been looking for this fucker for weeks now he just invited us to his house how lucky is that” Jordan rolls his eyes at me.
“Fine” We make it outside, and two black SUV's are waiting, we get in and were driven to a large property just outside of town. Large gates surround the property, it reminds me of one of those houses that you see in Savannah the old-style mansions with the four white pillars out the front veranda above and below and as we get out a butler opens the two large doors. I'm impressed but I'm on my guard, and so is Jordan we know what to do count the guards look for security camera anything that will help.
Chapter Ten
Tink
Over the past couple of weeks, my life has been good; I spend most of my nights with Markus. We've become a very domesticated couple, and it's been great, work has been busy, and my designs are in more demand. I'm making a name for myself, and I'm happy, Lilly is so excited for the wedding which is in a few weeks’ time. It's just after the boys get back from their annual run to Sturgis. When Lilly told me about the run, I thought of Jaxson, and the day he came to Markus’s and seen me in his shirt. I cried myself to sleep that night holding everything in until I was in the privacy of my own room. The way Jaxson looked at me broke my heart, I know it didn't look good well I know it didn't look good. Markus had been so sweet, touching me all night holding me. He kissed me again after the first little kiss and we fooled around heavy petting was all we really did.
I'm just not ready for that next step, and Markus was fine with that, so to calm down we make ice-cream floats, mine chocolate his strawberry. As I sat on the couch though, I'd split mine all over my shirt bra jeans and knickers. Markus had been the complete gentlemen and offered me a shirt to wear while he put my clothing into the wash, as I showered I'd washed my hair. As I went to put my hair back up my headband broke, so I just left my hair out. I'd even slept in the spare room, but when I saw the look on Jaxson's face. I didn't correct him, then Markus wrapped his arms around me kissing my neck. I think Markus did it to get his own back, but I didn’t say anything, I knew what I had done was wrong. I went to the clubhouse to explain, but he and Jordan were gone “When's he coming back” I asked Oki, who was sitting at the bar.
“Don't know darlin’.”
“Will he be back before you all head to Sturgis?”
“Darlin’ I don't know, he'll be back when he gets back.”
“What's he doing?”
“Darlin’ don't bust my balls, you know I can't tell you.”
“But”
“Listen, the second I hear from him, or he gets back I'll get him to message you ok” I nod.
“Ok, Oki thanks.”
“Darlin’,” he says, and I turn back and look at him “You ok” I nod.
“All good Oki” he smiles as I make my way outside, I like Oki he may look like a huge scary black guy, but to me, he's a sweetheart. I go through the motions of life wake up work sleep is all I seem to do lately even spending time with Markus seems to becoming a chore.
*
“Tink you ok,” Markus asked me as we were sitting down for dinner, he’d picked me up from work. I looked up at him, and he was smiling at
me, I wanted more but just not with Markus. Jaxson was always on my mind, every time I sat down to draw these days Jaxson's face always came to mind. His piercing blue eyes to his strong square jawline his lips (god his lips) I'd day-dream of kissing his lips sucking on them devouring him, he consumed my every waking hour, and I knew just looking at Markus that it's not going to work out. Jaxson is what I wanted and no matter how hard I tried my hearts just wasn't in this relationship with Markus, and it wasn't fair on either of us and even though I knew Jaxson didn't want me, I couldn't do this with Marcus anymore.
“Markus,” I say placing my knife and fork on my plate
“Tink will you meet my parents this weekend, they're coming into town, and my Mom is really excited to meet you.”
“Your parents.”
“Yeah, I've told them so much about you, Mom can't wait to take you shopping.”
“Markus look,” I say but he stops me by standing up and kneeling in front of me
“Look Tink I know you’re having second thoughts about us, but I really like you can't you just try” I instantly feel like shit, but I know that Markus isn’t the one
“Markus look.”
“Please Tink, just have dinner with my parents and me” (goddammit)
“Ok,” I say feeling like shit, just this one more thing, I owe it to him
**
By Thursday I was feeling sick, Markus’s parents were coming into town, and I'd been so sick, Lilly even thinking that I might be pregnant. I hadn’t told her that Markus and I hadn't gone that far in our relationship “Hey Tink” Lilly says as she walks into my room as I'm hunched over a woman who has come in to get a peacock tattooed on her back
“Yeah” is all I say
“Um, Markus and his parents are here” I frown at her.
“Now” she nods her head (fuck) I look down at my shirt today, it's cookie monster and black jeans and my usual black and white chucks “Give me a minute.”
“Sure” I finish the shading I was doing and tell the women to go into the break-room for a tea or coffee. I fix my hair wash my hands and head out front to meet Markus’s folks. As I walk out Markus smiles when he sees me, Lilly is talking to Markus’s parents their backs to me as I approach. Markus walks to me kissing me on the lips; I feel instantly embarrassed
“Thanks for doing this” Markus whispers to me, and his parents turn and look at me, his mother’s face is of shock his father just smiles.
“Oh my, aren't you a tiny thing,” his mother says, and I look at my feet and then up at her again, she's smiling, but you can tell she's assessing everything
“Tink this is my mother Maria Carter and my father Arthur Carter” it's all very formal, and I can tell instantly these people have been brought up with money, the way his mother keeps looking at me she thinks I'm a gold-digger.
“Hello” is all I say, but Markus’s Dad holds out his hand
“Tink is it.”
“It's KC; Tink's just a nickname.”
“Well KC it's lovely to meet you, we've heard a lot about you, Markus here is quite smitten” I'm surprised by his statement, I'm mean who says that quite smitten. I smile, as Markus places his arm over my shoulders holding me tight.
“Ok so let’s leave Tink to finish work, and I'll pick her up later for dinner,” Markus says
“Sounds good,” his father says, his Mom still giving me the evil eye in a very subtle women kind of way, that if you weren't a woman, you wouldn't see it. I watch as they leave the shop, but just as Markus gets to the door he lifts a bag that was on the ground and hands it to me
“I got this for dinner tonight, I hope you don't mind” I smile and take the bag not even looking inside, he kisses me on the cheek again and leaves, Lilly's still standing there as I hold the handles of the bag tight.
“Tink you ok,” she asks me
“Did you see the way his Mom looked at me,” I say
“Yeah, I did.”
“Fucking bitch thinks I'm a gold-digger or some piece of scum on her shoe.”
“Tink, you’re overreacting,” she says, and I look at her
“Overreacting”
“Yes, she just isn't sure about you yet, give her a chance” I roll my eyes at her “So, what's in the bag,” she says, and I slowly open it, and there are two boxes inside.
I go over and sit on the sofa pulling the first box out, inside is a dress, so I lift it up and hold it to me, Lilly just stares at me. As I'm standing there, Chelsea comes in and stops “Holy shit Tink where’d you get the dress.”
“Markus,” I tell her
“Wow” is all she says shaking her head.
“What?” I ask her
“Tink that's Floral Brocade mini dress from Christian Dior,” she tells me
“A what?”
“It's just a fancy way to say that all of the silk on the dress is woven into flowers.”
“Silk,” I say, and she nods her head at me.
“Tink that dress is worth about two thousand dollars” I look at the dress and cringe.
“This is worth, two-grand,” I ask her, and she nods
“Yep”
“But it's ugly and heavy and come on look at it” they both laugh.
“What's in the other box,” Chelsea asks, and I feel nervous about opening it
“Just open it like ripping off a band-aid,” Lilly says, and I throw the dress on to the sofa. I take the lid off of the box and move the paper out of the way; I lift one of the heels up and Chelsea whistles.
“What?” I ask knowing she's going to tell me the price of them
“Damn Tink,” she says
“How much are these,” I ask
“There the So Kate pointy toe pump by Louboutin.”
“Are they expensive too.”
“Tink don't you know anything about fashion,” she asks me
“Not really the only shoes I own are another black pair of heels I got at Walmart and my chucks that's it”
“Well, now you own a pair of red souls you, lucky bitch,” she tells me.
“Please tell me they're not as expensive as the dress.”
“Not as much as the dress, those are only worth about seven hundred bucks.”
“Not expensive, I think seven hundred dollars is a huge waste of money for a pair of shoes,” I tell her and she laughs.
“Tink I love you, your so down to earth, never change,” she tells me.
“So, dinner with the folks,” Lilly says, and I roll my eyes “Are you not looking forward to it” I look at the dress and shoes
“Do you think Markus is embarrassed by who I am?” I ask Lilly
“Why would you say that?”
“Hello,” I say holding up the ugly dress, and she smiles
“No Tink I think Markus wanted to do something nice for you, so don't make this out to be anything than it is ok go out with your boyfriend and have fun” I sit looking at the dress.
“Yeah, your right.” even though I have every intention of breading up with him, hopefully, he can get a refund on the dress and shoes
Chapter Eleven
Jaxson
As we walk into Reyes house there are women walking around half naked, and it makes me think of the clubhouse, and I instantly feel homesick. A few women walk past me smiling Reyes talks the whole time about the bitches and the money he has (dumb fuck) I've counted two bodyguards that follow him everywhere, and there are another two walking around the grounds but for someone who is trying to stay low the number of women and men that are here parting is dangerous “So, you wanted to talk business” Jordan says to Reyes
“All in good time boys, all in good time” Jordan looks at me.
“Look we came to talk business not party, and if you don't want to talk business then we'll leave” Reyes turns to us both and smiles
“Men who know what they want I like that, fine if you wanna talk now follow me” we walk down a hallway past the kitchen where four guys are snorting coke of the counter. We pass a
few more doors when I hear begging, and women scream as we walk past one door and I open it; a woman has been tied to a bed a dude on top of her, and she's crying (fuck she's just a teenager)
“Just ignore that,” Reyes says
“What the fuck man?” I say
“It's just business.”
