Shaking my head at him, but with a smile tipping the corners of my mouth, I reply,
“I can’t wait until some woman comes along and knock you on your ass, Cash. And don’t say it’ll never happen because it’s only a matter of time, man. You’ve been hiding for long enough, when are you going to come out of the shadows and start living? I was there, I’ve been where you are, and until Aislinn walked back into my life, I thought that’s all I had to look forward to. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, brother, and I want that for you.”
Cash’s eyes harden instantly, flashing silver before he locks down whatever caused him to feel even a heartbeat of emotion. Because that’s Cash; devoted brother to Jump, fiercely loyal to the MC, my best friend, but at the same time, an emotional cripple.
“Not looking for that, and if it comes looking for me, I’m more than willing to take out my gun and shoot myself,” he says through gritted teeth.
“We’ve all got a story, brother, and mine is as fucked up as they come, but it didn’t stop me from letting the right woman in. Seriously, man, do you honestly think you’re gonna be happy alone for the rest of your life?”
“Did you grow a pussy in the last week you didn’t tell anyone about?” He sneers, avoiding the question. “I’ve got my brother, the MC, plenty of willing pussy, and you boys are dropping like flies to women who know how to cook so I’m good.”
“You’re a dick,” I chuckle. “And for your information, Aislinn can’t cook for shit. I’d say to save her life, but her not cooking is responsible for that.”
“True, but Beth and Avery can cook like a fucking dream, so I’ll just keep rotating between the two until I’ve outworn my welcome,” he shrugs. “Aislinn might not be able to whip up a five-course meal, brother, but she can open a beer bottle with her tits, that’s an invaluable skill, so don’t think your house is off the roster.”
Sadly, he’s not kidding. Aislinn can indeed open a bottle of Bud with her cleavage, and no, I haven’t asked how she learned that party trick. Shaking off the fantasies of what I plan on doing to her tits when I get home, I tell Cash,
“I’ve got to drop the info for the cake off to, Angie, then get home before Aislinn leaves to go out with Meg and the girls. If you don’t have a woman waiting for you tonight, I’ll be home.”
“My night’s wide open, brother. Quick visit to Rough Shod, Boss asked me to have a word with Quentin, and I’ll be by,” he says, bumping my fist.
Quentin is a new to Rough Shod, and frankly, I’m still asking myself why Boss hired him. A cocky, arrogant, serial flirt, the guy wouldn’t know what boundaries were if they reared up and smacked him in the face. The worst part is, he has no reason to be any of those things.
Lanky, maybe six-foot if he’s wearing his boots, weird ginger-blonde hair, and mismatched eyes – one green and one brown – which are creepy rather than interesting, something about Quentin rubs me the wrong way.
It isn’t just his looks, though. I wish it were that simple. The man’s renowned for being handsy, and not only with the single women who frequent the bar. If it weren’t for the fact we’re short two bartenders, a waitress, and a bus-boy at the moment, I would have made it my personal mission to have the little shit fired.
Aislinn, Meg, Bella, and Beth went out for drinks last week and ended up cutting their night short due to Quentin and his wandering hands. Not taking a hint, Quentin continued to push the limits of what was acceptable until he crossed the line by grabbing Meg’s ass.
My woman didn’t appreciate her friend being groped almost as much as Meg disliked the slimy fucks touch, which she communicated by bringing her knee up and turning him into a eunuch for the following few hours. Lucky for Aislinn the MC owns Rough Shod, so the cops weren’t called, not that any of us would have let him anyway. In our book, if a woman says no, she means it. The asshole got what he deserved.
*****
“Hi, Gage,” Jess murmurs from behind the counter. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
I haven’t seen a lot of Jess lately, and part of me feels sorry for neglecting our friendship. Before Aislinn came to town we’d been close. I spent time at her place being her guinea pig for all the new recipes she was developing and made time to check in on her at work most days. I hadn’t forgotten about her, it’s just that between spending time with Aislinn, working, training the prospects, and hunting down leads regarding Diesel’s murder, I haven’t been able to get away.
“Sure, babe. I’ll give this to your mom, then come back and see you. You taking a break now?” I smile at her, mentally adding up how long this is going to take.
I love Jess, she’s one of my closest friends, I just don’t love her the way I sense she loves me. Her quiet support, ability to listen without judgment and subtle way she shows me she cares is what I needed when I first came to town. For years, I’d been missing Aislinn and held myself back from making real friendships, so when I ran into Jess – saw how shy and reserved she was – I felt an instant connection to her.
It was as if Jess was hiding her true self behind a mask of passive wariness. I swear, Jess used to jump at her own shadow when I first met her, but over time I learned it was the element of surprise and change that led to her behaving the way she does.
Growing up with two extroverted sisters – Bella more so than their older sister Melaine – an overprotective big brother, a mom struggling to make ends meet, and the memory of her father's alcohol fueled anger, Jess’ coping mechanism was to shut down. Completely. She doesn’t talk often, rarely smiles or laughs, and doesn’t date, ever. In fact, if I hadn’t seen her at her best and worst, I’d say Jess doesn’t show emotion, period.
“I can’t be long, the afternoon rush is going to start soon, but there’s someone here I think you need to speak to,” she rushes out, nervously wringing a dish towel between her fingers.
Furrowing my brow at her, my mind catalogues all the conversations over the phone and by text we’ve had lately to try and recall if Jess said she was dating anyone.
“You seeing someone you want me to give a once over, babe?”
“No, no, not at all,” she says, shaking her head emphatically. “Just wait. I promise I’ll explain everything.”
“Hi, sweetheart,” Angie chirps, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “I’m so excited you and that beautiful girl of yours asked me to make your wedding cake.”
“Wouldn’t have asked anyone else, Angie, you know that,” I grin.
Patting my cheek in a motherly gesture, Angie smiles widely, taking the picture from my outstretched hand.
“Oh my, that’s perfect, Gage. Do you two want it exactly like this, or are there things you’d like me to change?”
If I had to guess, the cake Aislinn picked out wouldn’t have even made it onto my list. Not because it’s not fucking amazing, but because I thought women liked tall, layered cakes with flowers and shit all over them. And trust me, this cake is so far removed from that it’s not even in the same state.
About the size of a standard coffee table – we’re feeding close to a hundred after all – and rectangular, it’s covered in white chocolate icing with the Vengeance MC insignia just above the center, and a replica image of my bike beneath.
Aislinn left it up to me to choose what flavor cake it will be inside, her only stipulation is that I ask if Angie can find somewhere to write our names and the date, which is why I inquire,
“No changes, beautiful. Can you put Saturday’s date and both our names on it, thought.”
“Of course,” she mutters, taking a pen and scribbling it down.
When I see she’s written, Gage to the left of the Vengeance insignia, I place my hand on her arm to get her attention.
“Sorry, Angie, but for this, it’s Dexter,” I say gently.
Beaming at me, she nods her understanding.
“You’re a smart boy, sweetheart, and I’m so very proud of you. Your friends, my son included, would do well to learn a few t
hings from you.”
Thanking her, I notice Jess milling around the back of the diner chewing on her thumbnail. Tipping my head in her direction, I query,
“Did Jess tell you who she wants me to meet? She didn’t say anything about seeing someone, so I’m at a loss here.”
Angie shakes her head stating,
“I haven’t been here long, sweetheart. Jessie called me and asked if I would come in early to cover her break; I wasn’t supposed to be in until four.”
“It’s all good,” I reply, giving her a quick yet tight hug. “I’ll go see what this is all about and catch you on the way out.” Motioning with my hand to the table nearest the window, I prod, “Haven’t seen her before, you know who she is?”
Tilting her head at the woman in question, Angie’s face brightens when she recognizes who I’m gesturing to.
“Oh, that’s Kennedy. She’s such a sweet young lady.” Angie’s voice drops conspiratorily, “The first time I saw her was yesterday, but she’s been in for every meal since. It’s almost as if she’s looking for someone, but when I asked her, she just shook her head and said she liked people watching. I took a few minutes to talk to her before I went home last night, and her story or what she told me of it is so sad, Gage. No family. Very few friends. A job with a boss she hates. And I think she’s living out of her car.”
“She tell you all that?” I interject.
“No,” Angie admits. “I had to practically pry it out of her, but she wouldn’t give me details, just the bare basic facts.”
“I’ll get one of the boys to keep an eye out. Let me know if you have any trouble with her,” I request.
Laughing at the seriousness of my tone of voice, Angie rolls her eyes.
“I highly doubt a tiny thing like her is going to cause problems, Gage. She has to be barely five-foot, and a hundred pounds soaking wet.”
“Big trouble comes in small packages,” I warn.
“Get out of here,” she chuckles, shooing me toward Jess. “I’ve got a cake to plan and bake, and you need to talk to my daughter.”
I take her advice and meet Jess by the door to the office, watching as she becomes more tense with every step closer we get. Before I can open it, Jess grabs my hand, stopping me in my tracks.
“I want to explain first, Gage, because it’s not what you think,” she says timidly, putting me more on edge. “He came to me, I didn’t seek him out. When he told me he had information about who killed Diesel, he asked me to get you to meet him here. He says he only wants to speak to you before the rest of the MC, that he doesn’t want conflict, just to make things right.”
Not bothering to sugar-coat it, I bark,
“Do you know this guy? What the fuck were you thinking, Jess? He could be armed. Fuck, he could’ve hurt you.”
“No,” she protests. “He wouldn’t hurt me, I know he wouldn’t. If I thought you were in danger, I wouldn’t have brought you back here.”
“This isn’t about me, Jess, it’s about you. I can protect myself, you can’t.”
“I knew you would be angry with me,” she mumbles contritely. “I’m sorry, Gage, but I thought I was doing the right thing.”
Having had enough, I swing the door open and come face to face with Hells Riders President, Nix.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
~ Gage ~
“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Fuck that; kill those bastards and make your life easier.”
– Truth
“You’ve got ten seconds to tell me why you’re here before I blow a fucking hole in your skull,” I sneer, reaching for my faithful Beretta tucked into the waistband of my jeans.
Nix puts his hands up in surrender, which also has the added benefit of showing me he’s not armed.
“Fucking relax, Gage. I came to you because you’re the most level headed one. Don’t make the mistake of proving me wrong.”
“I don’t make mistakes, I make choices, and this is one I won’t hesitate to make. Now start fucking talking,” I order.
“I think I like the pretty, little thing who showed me back here,” he smirks. “She’s a bit mousy, and probably too vanilla for my tastes, but I’m all for breaking her in if she’s willing.”
A wave of anger heats my blood hearing Nix talk about Jess like that, and as much as I’d like to teach him a lesson in manners when it comes to women, now’s not the time. I need to know what he knows more.
“Either you’ve got something to tell me, or you don’t. I’ve got shit to do, a fuck of a lot more important than hanging here with you.”
Nix reclines in the chair he vacated when I walked in, crossing his legs so that his ankle is resting on his knee.
“Take a seat, Gage. This is gonna take a bit.”
Choosing the chair closest to the door with my back to the wall and my eyes narrowed on Nix suspiciously, I take in the man who heads our biggest rival. Something about Nix has always bothered me, not in the way you’re thinking, though.
For all the questionable decisions, rumors, and police investigations made into Hells Riders, Nix hasn’t been implicated in any of them. There’s no doubt he’s an asshole, but it’s the extent of how big of an asshole he is that concerns me.
Presumably, he beats women – his sister Cami included – it’s also a possibility that he’s involved with transportation for the slave trade, and Intel says he runs drugs for the Cartel, but none of those accusations have ever been proven. If he is, in fact, guilty as charged, and deeply embedded in the criminal underworld, then why the fuck has nothing ever stuck?
It’s safe to say a man like Nix doesn’t leave anything to chance, especially not if he’s taking those kinds of risks, but it still doesn’t add up. Everyone makes mistakes; whether it be trusting the wrong person, not using a burner phone, forgetting to file the serial number off a gun you used committing a crime, it’s only a matter of time before you get caught.
“It’s no secret out clubs have been at war for years,” Nix states, breaking the silence. “That was my father’s beef with Boss,' not mine, and not his. Negotiations over territory were my way to break the ice, but I’ll admit they weren’t handled well, and that’s on us. My boys are stubborn as fuck and loyal to a man long dead, but that’s only half the problem. There’s dissension, Gage, and it’s coming to a head which is why I’m here.”
“Your clubs’ issues aren’t mine, so why don’t you get to it,” I snap.
Scoffing, Nix goes on to say,
“You don’t think I know that? I’m not here to cry on your shoulder like a fucking therapist, Gage, just talking to you is a risk for me but regardless of that I’m here.”
That gives me pause to ask,
“What do you mean it’s a risk? You’re the goddamn President, Nix. If your boys take issue with you talking to someone, you’ve got every right to make it clear their opposition won’t be tolerated.”
Shaking his head, he grunts,
“Not the way it works. I’ve got six men in my corner, and twenty-one against. When I said this shit is coming to a head, I wasn’t blowing smoke up your ass, Gage. It’s part of the reason I’m here. I give it a month before the Furnace chapter of Hells Riders is dissolved.”
Fucking hell!
“Most of the brothers will find homes with another chapter, some will go nomad, and the leftovers like me and my boys will work out what we’ll do when the time comes,” he confesses.
“So you want me to communicate that to Boss then?” I push, wanting to be done already.
“Do with it what you want,” Nix instructs tersely. “The news will do the rounds sooner or later anyway. But like I said, that’s only part of the reason I’m here,” he repeats, crossing his arms over his chest.
He shows no emotion in his expression, and for the most part, his body language is relaxed. It’s only the slight tightening around his eyes, and the rhythmic tick in his jaw that give his anger and unrest away.
“I’m not even going to bother
asking you to keep to yourself who you found out this information from because there are only three men that could have told you, and two of them are involved.” Scrubbing a hand across his jaw, he adds, “All I request is that when the decision is made on how your clubs’ going to handle it, someone gives me a heads up. I want to get my boys out safe before shit hits the fan.”
“I’m not in the position to offer you those assurances, Nix,” I remind him carefully.
Nix nods weakly.
“Figured as much. I’ll send them out of town tonight.” Locking his gaze on mine, Nix squares his shoulders. “I need to make this clear, Gage. Aside from the two men involved, no one else had prior or any knowledge of what was going to go down with the exception of me after the fact.”
The sincerity in his voice and the way his eyes don’t waver from mine tells me Nix isn’t lying. Whoever is responsible for killing Diesel did so without the backing of their MC, and acted alone.
Vengeance MC Box Set - Volume 2: Gage ~ Cash ~ Knight (Vengeance MC series Book 8) Page 21
