Queenpin (Syndicate Book 1)

by Eden Rose

  Raul shrugs. “No, we haven’t had eyes on her since you last did.”

  I push the stray strands of hair out of my face. “We have to find her.”

  “I know, Luca.”

  “This flesh you’re talking about… I’m worried they have already started taking flesh and have Katie.”

  If Big Heavy hasn’t found Katie yet, she’s in trouble somewhere. The woman has pissed off a lot of people by getting into their business.

  Raul reaches out like he’s going to touch me then drops his hand just as quickly. “I know you’re worried. There’s nothing we can do if Big Heavy has her. If they have her, she’s either dead or pretty close to it.”

  I stop in my tracks. “Are you fucking kidding me? You’ll let Katie get the shit kicked out of her? You would let them sell her on the market like livestock? Would you do that to me?”

  “Fuck, Lucian! You know I have your back.”

  I take a look at my trusty lieutenant. A man that has been by my side through the transformation and rising of ranks. Have I been wrong all along and he’s not someone to trust? Has he been fucking around on me and telling Big Heavy lies?

  I don’t care about dying. I know I’m one step closer to death every minute I wake up. I’m more afraid of what they will do to me when I’m alive.

  I press the elevator after my rant. One of the new gangs, MS15, has been trying their best to weasel us out of making them pay what they are supposed to pay. They want the coke, I want the money. It’s really not that difficult.

  “You sure you want to do this?” Raul asks when he climbs into the back seat of my car.

  I get into the back seat just as the driver starts the car. I notice that there are two men in the front I have never seen before, but I don’t worry too much about it. Once this is over with, I can go back to the club.

  From this moment forward, I use the voice changer. “Yes, I’m sure.”

  We drive to the site where the assholes wanted to meet up. They need more stock but as refusing to pay for the product, which is not going to work well for them. I need my money.

  I step out of the car with the duffle bag ready for whatever is about to happen. Ready to get my money.

  “Where’s your leader?” One of the assholes calls out.

  I make sure my mask is on tight and the voice changer is plugged into the mouth section. “I’m here.”

  “McGrace!” One of them shouts and walks towards me with a slight limp to the right side.

  That’s the choke point in case they decide to get frisky with me. I always want to make sure I know how to outsmart them, weaknesses are the best way.

  “You dragged me out of my house… because… why? You have a problem with the bill we set up?” I bark.

  The limper stumbles a little and regains his composure quickly. “What’s with the mask?”

  “What’s with evading my questions? I’m missing something.” I feign boredom in order to keep him on his toes. This asshole is really getting me pissed off.

  “I don’t have all the money.”

  And there it is.

  I take a couple steps closer to him, making sure to walk ambiguously. “Am I running a soup kitchen, Raul?” I call out to my partner.

  “No, you’re not.”

  I reach behind me and whip out my gun. It’s already locked and loaded ready for whatever these assholes think they are going to do. These fuckers.

  “What makes you think you can re-nig on our plan? I fronted you some shit… I gave it to you without asking for more than ten percent extra and now you’re broke?”

  Raul steps behind me, careful not to touch me. He knows when I get into this mood, it’s better to leave me alone and to back me up.

  He tries to back track. “McGrace! I’m sorry. We’ll try to get the money to you as soon as possible.”

  “That’s not how this works, little man,” I murmur lightly while taking my Glock out of and shooting him in the leg. I could have taken him out, but he’s not going to give me any money if he’s dead.

  I then point the gun at the other loser who’s creeping behind the wall. “You will give this message. Do you understand? You will give the message that Lucian McGrace is done giving fucking second chances. The next time, I’m killing him. Do you got me?”

  He nods, looking down at his friend on the ground screaming in agony. I don’t give two fucks that I probably shattered his leg. Not one.

  Chapter 5

  Mason

  The driving is easy. It’s the waiting that’s hard. I keep reminding myself that the money I’m making is going to be worth it no matter what happens…

  Only if I believed it.

  Fuck.

  I hate money. Money makes people desperate and do things they never would do in normal situations. If I wasn’t so behind on my bills and about to be kicked out of my apartment, I would have said fuck no to driving.

  The man that got into the car, looked like the guy from Lucian’s office earlier. Why the fuck would he be here? Oh, yeah. That’s right. I’m driving for people who are probably doing something illegal!

  Andrew’s veiled threat about Lucian’s reputation and being in a gang, rings through my mind. What the fuck am I doing here? I’m just a chef. There’s nothing “gangster” about me.

  I bow my head after I park the car in hopes of calming down my mind. If we get busted, I’m going to prison for accessory to this crime. I might as well be out there doing whatever it is they are doing. I’m going to get as much time as them!

  That whole we wouldn’t get prison time, but jail time shit that Brad spouted off earlier… Yeah, right! We’re two white guys driving into the bad side of town. If the cops pull us over, they would think we’re druggies or looking for a hooker for the night.

  Jesus H. Christ. I’m totally going to prison for this if I don’t die first.

  Everything inside me wants to go off on Brad. What the fuck was he thinking? The one that got me into this mess when I hear a gun shot and a loud screaming. I jolt in my seat, looking around the abandoned area trying to see what’s going on, and then I remember the less I know the better I will be.

  “What the fuck did you get me into?” I whisper harshly to Brad who’s sitting in the passenger’s seat of the car.

  He shrugs and looks out the window. “Look, bro. You said you need money. I got you easy money.”

  I growl. “Yeah, I need money. I also don’t need to be an accessory to a fucking murder!”

  Brad chuckles. “No one’s going to die out here. It’s too populated to properly hide a body.”

  “You did not just fucking say that!” I retort.

  He scoffs. “What the fuck do you think they’re going to do out here, Mase? You think they’re going to double tap someone with a Glock out in the middle of Detroit’s busy district? Are you fucking crazy?”

  Bang!

  There’s another gun shot. My back straightens up really fast and I panic even more. I’m the getaway driver for a crime. I’m going down for this. Fuck the ten grand. I don’t give a shit about the money.

  I can’t spend it in federal prison!

  “There’s another gun shot, Brad! What did you get me involved with?”

  He punches me in the arm. “Will you quit being such a fucking pussy, dude? Seriously, I’m embarrassed to be here with you.”

  I look at him from my side eye, mentally willing myself to rub where he just punched me. That kind of hurt. “I’m a pussy? That’s cool. I’m in a car and a witness to a fucking murder!”

  That’s when I hear the door open to the back of the car and both of those people come back in. One of them is wearing a disguise and then the other is definitely Raul from Lucian’s club.

  I knew he was into some shady stuff. I wonder if Lucian knows he’s dealing or something on the side. Could she know and be okay with it? She seems like the kind of person who knows everything about her crew and keeps them on tight leashes no matter what.

  Even though I
just witnessed a fucking murder, I’m still going to her club tonight to cook. I’m a fucked-up person. Or am I that desperate for money I’m willing to sell my fucking soul for these assholes?

  No one says anything but the sirens blaring through the empty side streets of Detroit prove someone heard it. I don’t wait for any instructions, I pull out and begin to drive away from the alley as quickly as possible.

  I do not need to go down for this. I’d be fucked.

  “Take us to Eight Mile where the old K-Mart used to be,” Raul demands.

  I don’t look back behind me. I don’t want to know what’s going on. The least I know the better. I’m already a fucking accessory to the murder that just took place.

  Brad sits next to me and he’s pretty quiet as well. The two people in the back are quiet and don’t say anything, I’m thinking because they just committed a murder.

  The sirens get quieter and quieter as I drive us away from that area we were just in. I want to look behind me and see if Raul knew who I am, but I don’t.

  By the time I’ve parked my car and the two in the back get out, I’m feeling all sorts of fucked up.

  That was until a bag of money was dropped in the backseat and Raul saying: “You did good. Take the phone in the bag and we’ll call you when we need you. Don’t say a fucking word about this or I’ll kill you. Now, get out of the fucking car.”

  He doesn’t say anything else as he slams the back door and walks away from the car.

  Brad grabs the bag from the back, and we walk over to Brad’s car which is still sitting in the old parking lot of K-Mart. I’m just as surprised as he is that no one messed with the car while we were gone. Quickly, I put it back in “drive” and get the fuck out of here.

  “See, that wasn’t so bad, Mason. Quit being a pussy!” Brad yells and reaches behind the seats to grab the bag of money to begin counting.

  “You’re going to count it out in the open like this?” I bark looking around Detroit.

  We are not in the nice side of Detroit. There are prostitutes and pimps running around outside waiting to get a sale. If any of them were to see the amount of money being counted, they would rob us right here.

  Brad chuckles. “Why am I even friends with you?”

  “Because I’m the only one who puts up with your bull shit?” I retort.

  “Yeah. I’m full of bull shit. I’m full of bull shit with twenty grand in a bag just for driving.”

  Chapter 6

  Lucian

  Getting dressed in my club gear is about my favorite part of the day. I love the feeling of my silk stockings as they shimmy up my freshly waxed body. I love the feel of my lingerie which is hand crafted from Italy to fit all of my curves just perfectly.

  Some people would call me a savage for killing people to defend my product and money. I would call myself the mother fucking queen. With that being said, just because I’m the little gangster girl, I like nice things and I like to flaunt it.

  Growing up, my family had a little bit of money, but most of it was put into our education. My parents were immigrants and fought for us to go to school and the saddest part was, my brother and I didn’t even graduate high school.

  All throughout my childhood, my parents used to drill it in our heads the importance of needing an education if we wanted to make something of ourselves. Here I am, with a ninth-grade education level and raking in forty thousand dollars in a week for pedaling the same shit my parents fought to keep us away from.

  The silk stockings feel smooth against my skin. Coating and covering every inch of my neatly groomed body. I wouldn’t say I’m muscular, by any means, but I do know how to fight when needed. These stockings make me feel like a woman.

  What I don’t like to do is trying to find out what to wear over this. Damn. Maybe I should just move my operations to a nudist colony that way I could be naked all of the time.

  I comb through my extensive closet that I have tucked in to the back of my high-rise apartment. This is the main reason why I bought this apartment. I love this fucking closet. It’s roomy and gives me access to have a cushioned seat in the middle of the room in order to sit in while I consider this.

  The owners of the building almost swallowed their tongues when I bought this apartment with cash on the spot. I had one rule and that was the simple fact my name couldn’t be on the apartment. If someone were to come looking for me, I’m going to make it hard. There’s no telling the amount of people I have pissed off over the years to get to the top.

  My apartment has an open landscape. Nothing is boxed in and I had to knock down a couple of walls to ensure I didn’t feel trapped. I have to be able to have my eyes on the exists at all times in case I get raided.

  My closet is divided into two different sections. There is one side that is mainly professional clothing- suits, dress shirts and all of that boring shit, along with the shoes that match. On the other side, I have my club gear. It’s fitted with leather bodices and lingerie that will make people beg.

  And that’s the name of the game. To make people crawl and beg at my feet.

  I slip my feet into my red soled designer shoes, over the bullet wound on the top of my foot from a battle I had last year, and then pluck a short black dress off the hanger. Every woman needs an LBD and this one is perfect for tonight.

  Why is tonight so important? Tonight, I’m going to see if that Mason is willing to pass my tests and if he is an all right candidate for what I need and want.

  I’m tired of these boys that don’t understand the score and I need a man that will do what I want when I want it. Not expect me to be in the kitchen cooking his dinner and then ironing his underwear. No, fuck that. I have a career and a club to run. I’m not your little woman to be kept up in the apartment.

  Raul lets himself into my place and then hollers at me. “Luca! Are you almost ready? People are going to be there at any moment. I know how much you like to greet everyone.”

  He stops in front of me and I poof my hair out a little to let the controlled waves of it flow more. When he takes in my outfit, he drops to his knees in front of me. “You are so beautiful, Madam. Holy shit.”

  I grin but then firm my facial expressions. Once I have myself controlled, I raise my hand and slap him across the face. “Watch your mouth and get off your knees.” When he stands at his full height, I kiss him on his cheek.

  My suspicions from earlier are still tickling my mind. I need to make sure I can trust him. I need to make sure he’s still on my side and he’s not sharing my moves with the rival gangs. I don’t need a leak in my pipe.

  Unless he’s trying to kill me to get me out of the way.

  That would be fucked up and I would take him down with me.

  As we walk out, the heel of my shoe catches on a piece of paper that is folded up into a little square. I bend at the waist and pick up the thick cardboard stock paper.

  It’s folded neatly and on the front of it is my name written in big block letters. The writing reminds me of chicken scratch and there is nothing uniform about it. The person who wrote this obviously wrote with the less dominant hand.

  Raul grabs my clutch for me and hands it to me. “Tell me about this boy you have coming tonight. Is he the reason why you are all dressed up?”

  I bundle the note into a tighter square and stuff it in my clutch as I take it from Raul. I will have to look at it later. It’s not the first time I have received a note with this hand writing, I need to compare it to the others. “What the fuck are you talking about? I could care less about some little boy that is cooking in the party room.”

  He chuckles and we step into the elevator together. When I hit the button for the ground floor, Raul shakes his head. “Does he know what the rooms are? Has he even heard of us?”

  I mean, the man has a point to ask these questions. He owns fifteen percent of the business and that is only to make sure I have protection from the Big Heavy. Big Heavy is no joke and I can’t have them coming to my club asking qu
estions.

  Especially since I have someone running their fucking mouth in here.

  “Nah. I’m having him sign an NDA before he’s even allowed to step foot though the club doors.”

  My friend and former lover holds me by my elbows and stands right in front of me. “Look, Big Heavy is no fuckin’ joke. You don’t know if this guy will not bitch out.”

  I throw my hand in face and hold up my ruby ring on my middle finger. “You see this? I didn’t get this ring because I allowed some guy to question my moves and motives. We’ll see how he handles the club and if it doesn’t work out, we will scare him and send him on his way. You got me?”

  Raul shakes his head and his big round face softens. “Yeah, of course. Lucian, you know I got your back. Let’s go see how the boy reacts to this.”

  Does he, in fact, have my back? I’m beginning to wonder.

  Raul was a submissive for me for about six months before I had to call it quits. He was constantly thinking he could force me into having sex with him and no matter how much I beat him, he still tried. The man had no quit in him. I couldn’t fucking stand how he always tried to push up on me.

  It wasn’t as if he was trying to rape me. No, I know exactly what that’s like.

  The phantom pain from that night still strikes whenever I think about it.

  We walk to my Maserati and he opens the driver door for me. Custom designed and flown in from Italy, my new baby is perfect. Cherry red exterior with black leather interior, such a dominating appearance. I have custom rims, custom door and custom mirrors throughout the whole car. One of the things I love most about the car is the fact it is completely bullet proof. I paid extra for the designers to put a stronger body on the car to ricochet and hit the shooter.

  Yeah, I love my baby.

  There are suicide doors and heated seats. In front both of the driver and passenger seats, I have mini flat screens that are connected to the Wi-Fi. I like it so I am able to keep up with traffic and also be able to check the news.

  Living in Detroit, you would be surprised the amount of news we get here.

  It takes us about fifteen minutes to get to the club and I drive right into the secret garage that I had built three months ago. I don’t need people knowing my coming and goings. It feels like I’m in a prison with that shit and there is no way in hell that I enjoy it.