by Jade Kuzma
“It takes a special kind of man to be a prospect for the MC. You better get in while you got the chance. When the boy gets patched in, you might not get the opportunity.”
Janice bit her lip again, still pretending like she was thinking about it. She didn’t make me wait long though.
“Okay. I was just looking to have some fun tonight. He’ll do.”
“I’m sure he feels the same way.”
She didn’t bother trying to hide her smile any longer. I gave her a wink before she turned and headed to the bar. A few seconds later, Quinn and Janice were all smiles while they toasted their drinks.
“Ah, the smug satisfaction of a matchmaker.” I ignored Doc’s voice next to me. And I knew it was Doc. There was always something so pompous and all-knowing about it. “I figure you’d be the one to be hooking-up with that girl. Soon as I saw her, I thought to myself ‘oh, that one’s Teddy’s type.’”
Doc took his place next to me as we leaned up against the wall, observing the chaos all around us.
“I don’t have a type,” I said.
“You have a type. Anything that spreads its legs. That’s your type, Teddy.”
“Hey, hey, hey! I’m insulted! Just because I’m smart enough to take advantage of everything life has to offer unlike you doesn’t mean you have to call me names.”
“I didn’t call you any names.”
“You were about to.”
We shared a laugh. I shook my head and took another sip of beer. I couldn’t take too much offense to it because Doc had a point. He always had a point. The oldest man in the MC and club treasurer, Doc had all of the wisdom and experience. I had to get used to hearing his opinion on everything, even when I wasn’t in the mood to listen to it.
“What do you think of, Q?” I asked. “You think he’s got what it takes?”
“We wouldn’t have put him up for prospect if that wasn’t the case.”
“Don’t know much about him but he seems like a good kid. All that matters is he’s loyal.”
I watched Quinn as he leaned in closer to Janice.
“Well, he’s not shy,” Doc said. “That’s one thing for sure. You got any plans tonight?”
“Me? I don’t know. I’ll find someone to do tonight. You know I never have any trouble with that shit.”
“One of these you’re gonna find someone to do and it’ll get you into trouble. All it takes is one, Teddy—”
“Did you come to lecture me about my sex life or did you have something important to say?”
“Okay, okay.” He put his hands up and chuckled. “Got some business to take care of. Jordan called a meeting for tomorrow afternoon.”
“Important? What’s this all about?”
“Club business is always important. You’ll find out what it’s all about tomorrow.”
“Yeah, yeah… Why don’t you go home to your wife? She know you’re out past curfew?”
“She knows. I think after I get home, we’re even gonna stay up past our bedtimes and have a little fun.”
“Ooh, you really know how to live, Doc.” I looked away but I could still see that smug grin of his from the corner of my eye. He patted me on the arm before finally letting me enjoy my beer in peace.
The night was only just beginning in the Bone Pit. I was gonna have some fun tonight. I scanned the bar, searching for just who I would have that fun with.
Life in Ivory was good.
Chapter 3
SUMMER
Crap…
The streets of Ivory somehow felt so familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. I guess that’s what happened when you had to get away from a place you called home for so long.
As my cab rolled through the streets, I pondered all of the thoughts swirling around in my head. But more than anything else, Sage was at the front. She was all that mattered. I just never imagined it would come to this.
“This is it.” The cab driver turned around and raised an eyebrow at me.
I was so distracted I didn’t even realize my ride had come to a stop. I looked up at the sign of the bar.
The Bone Pit
There was nothing special about its design but it brought back all kinds of feelings I didn’t wanna be dealing with right now. I took a moment to gather myself before finally stepping out. I stood in the parking lot, observing all of the bikes. His bike was there, too, still the same as I remembered it.
The cab moved down the empty street, my last chance to turn around and walk away.
It’s okay. You can do this.
I headed toward the entrance and pushed the door open. As soon as I stepped inside, an unforgettable whiff of leather, liquor, and oil filled my nostrils. This was definitely an MC clubhouse.
There were a few patrons having a drink today. Average Ivory citizens who couldn’t find a better place to get away in. There was one man who was in the club, leaning up against the bar with his back turned to me. You could always tell a man was in the MC because they had those stupid kuttes on all the time. A menacing snake, the Winter Cobras logo was unmistakable.
I took a few steps forward and the club member heard me approaching. He turned around slowly and our eyes met. I wondered if he’d remembered me. A few seconds of silence and I knew he did.
Rex was one of the younger members of the MC back then. Brash. Energetic. Hot-headed. Every word you could use to describe a club member. He looked the same, except his brown hair was a little shorter. He stared at me with those intense brown eyes of his and the anxiety I felt before I came into the place grew more uncomfortable.
I swallowed to clear my throat, hoping to break the tension between us.
“Rex… Hey… I don’t know if you remember—”
“Summer. Summer Humphrey. Oh, I remember, all right.” He looked away from me with a smirk forming on his lips. He shook his head while his smile turned into laughter. “Holy shit… It’s really you.”
“It’s really me.”
Rex straightened up and took a deep breath. He looked me up and down and shrugged. “He’s out back. I can go get him. Unless…”
“No. That’s why I’m here. I… I need to talk to him. It’s important.”
“Must be. You wouldn’t just show up to the clubhouse for no fucking reason.”
“Look…” I closed my eyes to keep my composure. I wasn’t even talking to the asshole I wanted to and my emotions were getting the best of me. “…It’s really important. Please.”
“Sure, sure… I’ll be right back.” Rex turned around and headed toward the back of the clubhouse. “Yo, Teddy! You got a visitor!”
Rex disappeared into the backroom. I walked up to the bar and immediately ordered a shot of whiskey for myself, hoping it would calm my nerves. It burned down my throat and made me forget about what the hell I was doing for a second. But only for a second.
What the hell am I doing?
I ordered another shot. The bartender didn’t seem to care why a woman was pounding shots down in the middle of the afternoon. But just before I could push myself to the verge of a drunkenness I needed, someone stepped out of the back of the clubhouse.
“All right,” he said. “Where’s this chick at—” He cut himself off as soon as our eyes met.
Now him… He was exactly the same as I remembered him. The tattoos that he got just to draw women’s attention. The golden bronze tan he had to accentuate his muscles. The dark blond hair styled more perfectly than you would see from other club members. And that damn stupid leather kutte of his. That would’ve been enough for most women. But for me, it was his eyes. A brown-eyed stare that forced you to look at him. Even when you told yourself not to get distracted, you couldn’t help yourself.
He took a step toward me slowly, no emotion on his face. I might as well have been a ghost or an alien with how careful he was.
I swallowed again to clear my throat and pushed something out. “Hey.”
Just one word was enough to make him narrow his eyes at me. He held his hands out and shrugge
d. “Hey. Is that all you have to say?”
“What do you want me to say, Theo?”
“I don’t know. You disappeared five years ago and now you’re back. I figure you’d have a lot more to fucking say to me.”
“I… I know what I did. And I’m sorry, okay? But this isn’t the time for that.”
He inched closer to me, his eyes unblinking. “I have seen you in nearly five years and you show up in my clubhouse out of the blue. This is definitely the time for that.”
“I said I’m sorry. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“Why does it sound like you don’t actually mean it?”
Stay calm…
I gritted my teeth to maintain my composure. I knew this wasn’t exactly the brightest idea I ever had. More like it was the only one I had. I had to swallow my pride. This wasn’t about me. This was about Sage. She was all that mattered.
“Five years, Theo. It was a long time ago. I figured you’d be over it by now—”
“I am over it. But that was your decision to leave. You’re your own woman, Summer. You were then and you were now. So for you to come crawling back now… Not interested.”
“Wow,” I scoffed. “I see you haven’t changed. You still think this is about you, huh?”
“If it wasn’t about me, you wouldn’t be here now.”
“Fine. Think whatever you want. But I’m here for a different reason.”
“And what reason is that?”
“I… I need a favor.” As soon as I said, I realized how absurd it sounded. I just showed up in front of a man I walked out on five years ago and now I was asking him for help.
He raised his eyebrows at me, his face scrunched in confusion. “Wait… Did you just… Did you just say you need a favor from me?”
“That’s right.”
He scoffed. I suppose that was better than him laughing it off immediately. Of course, that just meant he was waiting a few seconds before laughing. Like he was doing now. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m serious. It’s important. I… I need some help. Something only a club in Ivory can handle.”
“Is that right? Well, then… You’d better get your ass to Old Town. There’s a place called Hades. The Devils got their price but they’ll handle their business for you, no problem.”
“I don’t have any money.”
“Then you’re shit outta luck.”
“Theo, please—”
“I’m not doing shit!” Theo raised his voice.
“Hey!” A voice from the back of the clubhouse boomed. The other patrons turned to where it came from. I looked over Theo’s shoulder and saw a man I recognized along with the rest.
Jordan Harris was the president of the Winter Cobras. He was the man in the charge. Dark brown hair. Well over six-feet tall. The same tattoos and muscles as his brethren. But his posture was a lot more rigid than the others. Just the way he walked was enough to command respect from everybody else.
He sauntered over toward us, his hands up. He glanced at me and smirked before turning to the man next to me. “Why the fuck are you shouting?”
“Sorry,” Theo said. “Just wanted to make it clear to this broad what I was thinking.”
“You wanna shout, take it outside. We got customers, idiot. I don’t care even if it is the broad who walked out on you six years ago.”
“Five… But who’s counting.” Theo rolled his eyes and looked at me. “Come on.”
Theo escorted me out of the bar and into the parking lot. I looked out into the streets then dropped my head.
This is a bad idea… Dammit, this is a bad idea…
I listened to the sound of Theo right behind me. I could picture him leaning against the wall, his arms crossed like he was the coolest guy in the world. Sure enough, when I turned around there he was, just like I remembered him.
I couldn’t let our past distract me. I couldn’t let my frustration get to me. More importantly, I couldn’t let his emotions get the best of him. I had to do this. Not just for my sake. Not just for Sage. But for him, too.
“I don’t know what you want from me,” he said. “But you won’t get it. I’ll be honest. It hurt when you left. That’s life though. I got over it. Whatever it is you need, I’m sure there’s someone else that can do the job just fine.”
“Would you at least listen to what I have to say?”
“…Go ahead.”
“Last night, I got a phone call. They left a message for me.”
“That’s cute—”
“The man said he took my daughter. Said if I didn’t pay his ransom, I’d pay. Frankly, I don’t give a shit what happens to me. But if something happens to her…” I swallowed to push my emotions down, not wanting to think about the worst.
The confidence Theo usually had was gone. He was just staring at me, listening in silence.
I took a deep breath and regained my composure. “I talked to the detectives. They said it was a man named Lennox Moore. They got in touch with some associates of his. Something to do with drugs, I don’t know. But apparently, he was coming down to Ivory.”
I held my hands out and shook my head.
“That’s why I’m here,” I said. “You can gloat all you want about me crawling back on my hands and knees. You can laugh at me about how desperate I am. And you’d be right. But I don’t care. She’s all that matters to me. I have to do something.”
Theo stayed leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. He looked me in the eye then turned his head to the side. “I can’t make any promises. It’s easy to get lost in a town like Ivory. You know that.”
“Thank you. That’s all I want.”
“Your daughter… How old is she now?” When he turned back to me, he looked me right in the eye.
I stared right back at him and said it without blinking. “She’s three.”
“Three… What’s her name?”
“Sage.”
“Sage…” He bit his tongue like the name he just said was lingering on it. “All right, Summer. I’ll talk to the MC and see what I can do for Sage.”
Chapter 4
THEO
Jordan was in charge of the MC. The guy got put in charge a while back, when he was still young. You might not have known it if you looked at him but talk to him long enough, you realized he had what it took to be president. The club was getting along just fine with him in charge.
Rex was the kind of young blood the club needed. The guy was cocky enough to even give me a run for my money. You needed someone like him in the MC. I didn’t have a problem with him as VP.
Doc was club treasurer. He was older than everybody else. You could tell that just by how much whiter and thinner his hair got with every passing day. I didn’t bother mentioning it, not because I gave a shit about his feelings but because he didn’t give a shit. That was enough evidence to know just how old he was.
The newest member of the club was Micah. The guy was a real straight arrow. Former military. Disciplined. I could picture the guy doing some white-collar work. But he’d already proved his loyalty to the MC enough. The guy wasn’t as outspoken as everybody else but there was no one else I’d rather want riding alongside me.
Ash and Grant were the only two patches not present. I got used to them not being around, what with them being so in demand all the time. They were loyal to the MC just the same.
We all sat around the table in the meeting room like usual. Club business was always serious but I never let it get to me. Of course, shit was different with Summer here now. She hadn’t even been back in town for 10 fucking minutes and shit was already going down.
I leaned back in my seat, my arms crossed while all of the memories I had of her came back to me. I could hardly fucking believe it.
“Something’s up.” Jordan said it with a tone to get my attention. I could tell from the look in his eyes this wasn’t just a normal club meeting. “Picardo Cartel is back in town.”
“Picardo?” Doc said. “You
sure about that? That name hasn’t been around in fucking years.”
“Doesn’t matter how long it’s been. Picardo’s got a history in Ivory. Every MC knows the shit they pulled with the West Devils back then. There are people still alive in this town who know what went down. That doesn’t get erased.”
“But it’s been years,” Rex said. “Picardo’s gotta be dead by now.”
“The cartel is being run by Aaron Picardo. Some cocky son-in-law who inherited the family business. He knows about the history same as everybody else. Word on the street is he wants to get back into it.”
“Drugs? In Ivory? After the shit that went down with the Triads and then Emerson? I don’t fuck with the pigs or the feds but if they hear a name like Picardo back in town, I know they won’t hesitate to come sticking their noses in this town’s business.”
“No shit,” I said. “I doubt Picardo wants to do something small. He comes here, he’s gonna make enough noise to get the attention from other territories.”
“It’s good to see you all understand why I’m bringing this shit up.” Jordan leaned back in his seat. He crossed his arms and looked as relaxed as you could be even though this was as serious as it got. “If Picardo is thinking about pushing weight, he knows the best way to do it in Ivory is through the MCs. Not just us. The Devils. The Reapers. No matter how much clout he thinks he’s got, he knows who he’s gonna have to talk to if he wants to do real business.”
Micah shook his head. “I don’t think the Devils will get involved. I don’t know Cain too well but I know he’s got a good thing going with his MC. Getting his hands dirty with the cartel is too much of a risk.”
“That’s right,” Doc agreed. “He already had to deal with Emerson. Picardo would be a-whole-nother monster.”
“What about the Reapers?” Rex asked. “You think those motherfuckers are trying to get in bed with Picardo?”
“I doubt it,” Jordan said. “Cunningham knows as well as anybody how messy it can get. Feds almost took his club down. And from what Kat told me, they made their money. It wouldn’t be worth it.”
“Well, then,” I said. “A juicy offer to move weight for the cartel is right there waiting for us. How can we possibly refuse?”
