Playboy

by Winter Travers

  “He’s not doing that.”

  She tipped her head to the side and pursed her lips. “You must be walking around with your eyes shut if you’re gonna try to deny that he’s looking at you with some major puppy dog eyes.”

  I wouldn’t go that far. “Can we stop talking about this?”

  She shook her head.

  “I think there are some other things we should be talking about. I think we should focus on Billie Jean.” Anything other than Playboy and me.

  “Barracuda and the Royal Bastards are taking care of Billie Jean. You'd be foolish to sit there and worry she wasn’t coming back home. You know she’s alive, and there’s a room full of badass men who are willing to do anything to get her back.”

  “But you’re not being foolish sitting there telling me there isn’t anything happening between Barracuda and you?”

  “The way Barracuda looks at me and the way Playboy looks at you is entirely different. I know what Barracuda wants from me, and that’s all I want from him.”

  “So nothing more could happen?”

  Leona rolled her eyes. “Quit trying to make Barracuda and me a thing in your head. I’m not saying never, but the odds of it happening are slim to none. We’re enjoying each other and then going on our ways when we have enough.”

  With that attitude, yeah, nothing was going to happen.

  “What if you and me talking about Barracuda helps me to not sit here and worry about Billie Jean?”

  Leona flipped me off. “You’re a bitch.”

  I batted my eyes. “I mean, I haven’t thought about Billie Jean since Playboy left. I’m focused on you. If you want me to stop talking about Barracuda and you, I think you’re doing a disservice to our friendship.”

  She grabbed the remote and pointed it at the TV. “How about you can talk about it but that doesn’t mean I have to? Or, you can talk about it and I’ll build up this whole grand lie about it, yeah?”

  She would do that, except I would know everything was a damn lie. I took a sip of Playboy’s coffee and cringed. “Oh, my God. It’s like he put half the bottle in here.”

  Leona grabbed the cup and took a sip. “Tastes okay to me.”

  I held up my hand when she tried to hand it back. “Keep it.” I cringed and stuck my tongue out.

  She turned back to the TV and tucked both of her legs underneath her. “Suit yourself.”

  I sat back on the couch and tried to focus on the TV. “Thank you for trying to distract me,” I mumbled.

  She tipped her glass to me. “That’s what best friends do.”

  *

  Chapter Fifteen

  Playboy

  Another 10k gone...

  “Shit with the Kings of Vengeance is set.”

  “They’re opening up a Skinz in Whitmore?” Tank asked.

  Barracuda nodded. “We pay the Devil’s Rebels the thirty grand they lost when the Kings blew up their clubhouse, charge the Kings interest on the loan, let them use the Skinz name for the new business venture, and then take a skim off the profits.”

  “We come out good in the end?” Monk asked.

  Barracuda nodded. “We come out with about fifteen K on the loan and if they manage the club well, we’ll be more than flush in the end. I talked to Nycto from Tampa and Hype in Miami. They both think it’s a pretty solid fucking deal for us and the Kings.”

  “Nycto still a crazy fuck?” Mace asked.

  “You know that isn’t ever going to change.” Barracuda ran a finger around the rim of his cup. “The money was delivered yesterday. The Kings of Vengeance are out from under the Devil’s Rebels but now we might be tangling with them with the whole Billie Jean and Memphis situation.”

  “But why the hell would the Devil’s Rebels be involved with Jester?” Monk asked. “None of this shit is making sense.”

  I sighed. “Billie Jean said she saw one Devil’s Rebels cut. Maybe they aren’t a major player in any of this. Billie Jean said she got in deep with Jester. He’s not a part of the Rebels. Two years ago, he had a run in with them himself. I doubt the Rebels would align with him or patch him in.”

  “You’re probably right.” Barracuda drummed his fingers on the table. “So, the question is, do we reach out to the Devil’s Rebels or try to avoid them?”

  “What do we know?” Tank replied. “Jester and whoever this Mac guy is are the two names we have. Jester is in drugs. He’s been dealing for the past fifteen years. Whatever he is doing with Billie Jean and Memphis has to do with that.”

  Raelyn would hate where we were headed with this, but it was hard to sit and ignore the fact that the person Billie Jean had gotten in trouble with was a known drug dealer.

  “Why the hell would those two get involved with him?” I asked.

  “Money talks, brother. I’m assuming he was paying them pretty good to do whatever it was.” Jinx shook his head. “I know Memphis was going through some shit and was picking up extra shifts at the club. If Jester came around at the right time, I’m sure whatever deal they struck was a good one.”

  Barracuda raised his voice. “We need to stop speculating and stick to what we know. We find Jester and we’ll find Billie Jean and Memphis.”

  “And how the hell are we going to do that?” Monk asked.

  “We use the one card we have. Call the Devil’s Rebels, talk to Menace, and let him know about one of his guys hanging with Jester.” A smile spread across Barracuda’s mouth. “I doubt he’d be very happy to hear that.”

  Barracuda pulled out his phone and set it on the table. He swiped a few buttons and the phone rang. No one answered, and it went to a recording saying the voicemail had yet to be set up.

  Six-Gun groaned. “How the fuck do—”

  The phone rang, and Barracuda connected the call and hit the speakerphone button. “You got Barracuda.”

  “Why the fuck are you calling me again? We got the money.”

  “Hello, Menace,” Barracuda drawled.

  “Don’t talk to me like we’re fucking friends, asshole.”

  This guy seemed really nice.

  “I just had a little bit of information fall into my lap, and I was thinking you might like to hear it.” Barracuda’s voice was smooth and cocky. We weren’t sure this was going to work, but Barracuda had to sell it.

  “I’m not interested in whatever it is you’re selling,” Menace grunted.

  “Oh, but I think you might. It has to do with one of your men, Jester, and a guy named Mac.”

  Menace growled. “My men have nothing to do with Jester, and I don’t know who the fuck Mac is.”

  Barracuda smiled. “Well, I think you might be wrong on that one. I’ve got a pretty good source telling me they saw one of your cuts at Jester’s place.”

  “Since when do you have info that involves Jester? You and I may not like each other, but we both agree Jester is a fucking cancer we don’t want to be involved with.”

  Barracuda sighed. “Well, that may be true, but Jester has a couple things that belong to us and we’re trying to get them back. Problem is, we don’t know where he is.”

  “So you want to talk to my guy that was with him,” Menace sussed out.

  “You got it.”

  “What the hell do I get out of it besides kicking the shit out of the guy?”

  “Name your price,” Barracuda offered.

  “Another ten grand should be enough.”

  The Devil’s Rebels were always looking for more money. Well, that and women to sell. Thank God they hadn’t wanted anything like that. The Sacramento chapter of the Royal Bastards was into selling the legal kind of sex.

  “I’ll have it for you as soon as you give me the location on Jester.”

  “And I’m just supposed to take your word on it?”

  Barracuda leaned forward and spoke clearly. “Have I ever fucked with you, Menace? Give me the location and the money is yours.”

  Menace grunted. “Fine. I’ll have it for you within the hour. I’ve got two guys who
have a blow problem. It was probably one of those assholes trying to score off Jester. I give you the location of Jester and I have the money in my account within fifteen minutes. For every minute you’re late, add a grand.” The call disconnected.

  “And just like that, we’ll have the location of Jester.” Barracuda grabbed the phone. “I’m assuming you’ll be willing to put up half of the ten?” he asked me.

  I nodded. I had a pretty hefty stash of money, and I was more than willing to use some of it to get Billie Jean back. I would do it for Raelyn.

  “The club will put up the other five. Depending on what the hell Memphis did, we’ll get it from her in the end.” Barracuda leaned back in his chair. “The Devil’s Rebels got forty grand of my money within two days. What the fuck is this world coming to?”

  “At least you’ll get most of it paid back with interest,” Jinx pointed out.

  “I’d much rather have the money stay with us then having to bail people out,” Barracuda growled.

  Five minutes later, the phone rang with the information we needed.

  Menace cut straight to the point. “Dumbass Carpenter was the one hanging out with Jester. I’m assuming you’re after the two girls he saw in the basement.”

  “You’d be correct,” Barracuda drawled.

  “He said the blonde was pretty beat up and being used as a fuck doll. The other one was beat up, but he didn’t think they were touching her.”

  “So where are they?” Barracuda asked. We would worry about what happened to them after we got them back.

  “Elk Grove. House on the edge of town.” Menace rattled off the address. “Now get me my money.” The line went dead.

  Barracuda looked to Monk.

  “I’m on it,” Monk mumbled. He grabbed his laptop and set it on the table. “I was hoping we were going to make the asshole wait for a second, but I’ll just get him paid right away.”

  Two minutes later, ten grand was in Menace’s account and we had the information we needed to get Billie Jean and Memphis back.

  “All right,” Barracuda drawled. “Let’s go.”

  *

  Chapter Sixteen

  Raelyn

  You can’t just leave me...

  “That was quick,” Leona whispered.

  The guys walked straight from church and right out the front door.

  Playboy was one of the last ones. He headed to me and pulled me up from the couch.

  “What’s happening?” I demanded.

  “We’re gonna go get Billie Jean and Memphis, pretty girl.”

  “You know where she is?” I cried.

  Playboy nodded. “We know where she is, and we’re gonna bring her home.”

  “Oh, my God,” I gasped. I had never heard sweeter words. Billie Jean was going to come home. “Where is she? Why did they take her?”

  Playboy shook his head. “I told you not to worry. You don’t need to know any of that.”

  “I’m going with you, Playboy. I'm going with you to get her,” I insisted.

  He frowned and grimaced. “No, you’re not. I can’t risk bringing you with us and then something happening to you.”

  “I can’t sit here and just twiddle my thumbs waiting for you to come back,” I pleaded. “I have to come with you.”

  He glanced over his shoulder. Two guys I had never talked to before stood there. “Jinx is going to stay with you and Leona while we’re gone.”

  I shook my head. “No,” I yelled.

  “I’m not going to stand here and argue with you about this, Raelyn.”

  “But why can’t I come?! She’s my sister!” The hysterics kicked in. This is what I had been waiting for, and now, I couldn’t help bring her home. “You can’t do this!”

  “Raelyn.” Barracuda’s voice boomed through the common room. “Calm your shit down or no one is leaving.”

  What did that mean? He wouldn’t go get Billie Jean? He couldn’t do that.

  “Just let me come with.” I was beyond desperate to finally see my sister.

  “Keep your ass here. We’ve already got enough trouble going on. We don’t need to add in your hysterical ass.” Barracuda folded his arms over his chest. “You come along and Playboy is going to be distracted by you. Stay. Here.”

  I didn’t want to distract Playboy. I didn’t want to distract any of them. I just wanted my sister back. “Just...” I closed my eyes and tried to calm my racing heart. I opened my eyes and looked up at Playboy. “Just bring her home.”

  *

  Chapter Seventeen

  Playboy

  Night night, fucker...

  “Tank said he’s only picking up four people upstairs. Looks like two are sleeping and the other two are by the front door.”

  “Any clue on the girls?” Barracuda asked.

  I shook my head. “He can’t pick anything up in the basement.”

  “So either they’re dead and cold or that thermal shit can’t reach the basement,” Jet stated.

  That was what I was hoping. I promised Raelyn I would bring her sister home. I didn’t want to do that with a body bag.

  “We’re ready in the back,” Tank’s voice cackled over the radio.

  We were going with the element of surprise. Jester was never going to see us coming.

  Jet, Barracuda, and I walked down the alleyway next to the house that Jester and his dumbasses were in.

  “We really just gonna knock on the door?” Jet asked.

  Barracuda shrugged. “Why the hell not? I doubt Jester would expect that.”

  “I doubt he would have expected a fucking grenade launcher either,” Jet muttered.

  “Because launching a grenade into the place won’t kill everyone inside,” I drawled. I was all for destroying Jester, but I didn’t want to kill Billie Jean and Memphis in the process.

  We walked to the front porch, and Barracuda pounded on the door.

  “We can’t even bust the door down?” Jet grumbled.

  “How about you cool your fucking jets, huh?” I suggested.

  Jet flipped me off. “Like I haven’t heard that before.”

  Barracuda banged on the door again.

  It swung open, and Jester stood there.

  Well, that wasn’t hard to get him.

  “Hey, Jester,” Barracuda drawled. “Long time, no talk. You mind if we come in for a second?”

  He scrambled to shut the door, but Jet managed to wedge his foot inside. “You’re not gonna invite us in?” Jet laughed.

  Jester screamed and tried to take off back into the house.

  I grabbed him around the neck and pushed him down onto his knees. “Where do you think you’re going?” I sneered.

  Barracuda and Jet walked in, and I pulled Jester onto his feet. “We just wanna talk to you, Jester. Why are you trying to run?”

  I slammed the door shut behind me and moved into the place.

  There wasn’t much in here.

  A large TV leaned against a wall, and there were a couple couches scattered around. “You should really try to do a little something with the place,” I muttered. “Take some pride in where you live.”

  “If ya get high enough, you can just imagine nice shit in here,” Jet laughed.

  A guy jumped out from behind the couch and tried to hit Barracuda. Barracuda managed to easily step to the side and avoid the punch.

  Barracuda grabbed him by the arm, twisted it behind his back and pushed him to the floor. “Better luck next time,” he grunted.

  “Got the other two!” Tank, Monk, and Mace appeared from the back and were dragging two guys with them.

  “I really doubted we would get a jump in these guys with just knocking on the door, but obviously it worked,” Tank laughed.

  Monk and Mace threw the two guys toward Jester, and they fell in a heap.

  It had been a couple of years since I had actually seen Jester. The drugs were not doing him any favors. He may have had a lot of money, but he had gotten into sampling his product a little too m
uch.

  His eyes were sunken with dark circles around them, and he was a bag of bones. It was amazing he was able to stand up. A slight breeze probably could have knocked him over.

  I pushed him on the floor and reached for my gun. I pointed it at his head and smiled. “Run. I dare ya.”

  I wanted nothing more than to shoot this fucker right in the face. I hated him long before he had decided to kidnap Billie Jean and Memphis.

  Barracuda sat on the couch in front of the four guys. Tank, Monk, and Mace stood off to the sides, and I waited behind the couch. Jet stayed next to the pile of dumbasses.

  “We don’t want any fucking trouble,” Jester drawled. “I don’t know what you’re even doing here.”

  “If you don’t want any trouble, then why the hell are you kidnapping women?” Mace asked. “Pretty sure that falls under the definition of trouble.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jester snapped.

  Barracuda stood up and shrugged. “Well crap, guys, he doesn’t know what we’re talking about. We must have the wrong drug dealer.”

  Monk moved and stood over the guy who had tried to take a swing at Barracuda. “Mac?” he asked.

  The guy shook his head vehemently. “I, uh, I don’t know no Mac.”

  Monk shook his head. “Well, you sure the fuck look like him.”

  “He's the guy from the club?” Barracuda asked.

  “Sure the fuck looks like him. If he’s not Mac, then he’s got a fucking twin walking around.” Monk reached down and grabbed the guy by his hair. He lifted him up and turned him to Barracuda.

  “Yeah. Looks just like the guy who took Billie Jean and Memphis,” Barracuda agreed. He nodded to Mace and Tank. “Go find the girls,” he ordered. He sat down and leaned back into the couch. “Which one of you is going to tell me what the hell is going on? Possibly be able to walk out of here without a bullet inside of you?” Barracuda drawled.

  No one spoke. The three cowered on the ground, and Jester just stared at Barracuda.

  Barracuda pulled his gun from the waist of his pants and pointed at one of the guys Mace and Tank and brought in. “Well, I’ll just start shooting until one of you starts talking.” He fired a shot and hit the guy in the arm.