"I'm saying," he started with a thick Spanish accent, "that I want this shipment to be double, because the customer wants it doubled. If you can't handle this, you tell me. I'll take it somewhere else." He shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in his chair, looking to Jayson and Marcus, who both shook their heads.
"It'll be done." Marcus nodded. "No problem." Who the fuck was he kidding, no problem?
The last run we did barely escaped the state troopers because the fucking truck was so heavy we had to skip the weigh station unless we wanted to explain all the cases of drugs and weapons we carried. The risks were getting higher with each run and all Marcus did was keep nodding and taking them on.
"The Disciples have no issue. Right, Sting?" Jayson nodded to his little brother, who was sitting next to him.
"Nope. No issues on our end." He gave a smug grin, keeping his eyes from meeting mine.
Wise man.
"Good. That's what I want to see." Bernardo swept his eyes around the room, keeping the frown he'd been nursing since he walked into the club. "I'm glad you two are working this out. I'd hate to have to cut one of you loose." He pointed to Marcus and Jayson, who each gave a noncommittal smile. Yeah, yeah, kumba-fucking-ya. "Lots of money to be had, for all of us." He tapped his fat finger on the table. "So. Where are the fucking ladies?" His lips split into a large smile, showing off his pearly teeth, and several gold ones, too.
"I have just the girl for you!" Jayson laughed and slapped the table. "I brought her with me. That's if Marcus doesn't mind, I know he's got some good pussy around here, too."
"Fuck. Who said I'd only need one!" Bernardo stood from the chair, and I watched the three of them saunter out of the room, slapping each other on the back.
"Did he say he brought-"
"Man, don't-" Tick's words were left behind as I pushed my way out into the lounge to find Lucy, dolled up to high hell, walking down another hall with a redhead and Bernardo. Marcus looked at me from across the room. His eyes held all the warning I needed. Don't fuck this up.
If I barged in, made a scene, Jayson would use it against the club. And since Bernardo would be directly affected by my fit, he'd be just fine letting the Disciples take over the whole territory. Fuck!
Massy gave me a wary glance as she passed me. "Don't worry, Mason. It could be worse." She ran her hand over her still flat belly. "You could have morning sickness." She frowned and headed toward the bathrooms.
"Shit. I'll be right here, babe." He called after her, and turned to me. "I know what you want to do, but you can't. Do you get me, man? You can't."
"This club means that much to you?"
"Fuck. I love the club, but no-Marcus has been making a fucking mess of shit for a while and this cartel deal, it's only getting worse. But we don't need an internal war right now. We need to get through a few more runs, bank the cash, and then we can figure out what to do."
"Massy know you thinking of getting out?" I kept my voice low, no need for any of the other brothers knowing our displeasure at the club.
"Fuck, who do you think opened the savings account? She's got a good head on her shoulders, and she don't want to raise our kid in this hell hole." He ran his hand over his bald head. "Man, sometimes I wish we'd listened to our moms." He slapped my chest and pointed at me with a fierce look. "Don't repeat that. Ever."
I laughed. "Fuck if I would. Your ma would never let us live it down, and mine would make my life hell. Fine. A few more runs." I kept my eye on that hallway. Knowing what was happening in there made my blood run hot. "Don't you need to go hold her hair or something?" I jerked my head toward the bathrooms.
"Nah, she gets pissed when she's puking. I just need to be there for the cleanup and the hugs. That woman has gotten clingier ever since she got knocked up."
"And you love it." I punched his arm. "I'm good. Go. I won't fuck this up. Go."
"Just hold tight, loverboy, okay?" He dodged my fist and jogged off toward his puking bride.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
LUCY
Bernardo snored. I mean loud, choking, thought-hoped-he was gonna die, snore. Rebecca, the Reapers' girl, had left an hour before, leaving me with him in case he woke up for round two. Jayson sent me a message on my new cell, which was Jayson approved and tracked, to stay put until Bernardo released me.
The only reprieve I was given was when I was handed off that bloated Mexican and Mason hadn't seen it. At least not that I knew of. He probably heard about it, Jayson would be sure of that, but he hadn't been there to witness the humiliation that had become my life.
I looked at the door, closed but not locked, and wondered what he was doing. Did he head to the bar to drown his anger? Or had he taken that blonde back to his room to soothe his temper?
I needed to talk with him. To tell him Jayson knew-Sting went straight to him. Jayson wasn't going to let up on the topic. Mason was off limits, even as a paying customer. And if I didn't comply, he'd be damn sure I'd be out of commission.
If Jayson wouldn't let us have time alone, I couldn't explain things, and I needed him to understand. Running away from Jayson wasn't just a matter of getting some money under my mattress, he'd chase me down. He didn't take no for an answer. Hell, Sting had Kerri killed for saying no-or at least he ordered it done. Jayson's weird obsession with me meant I'd have the same fate if I took off. He'd find me, and if I was lucky he'd just kill me.
But really, would Mason be any different? Sure the sex was mind blowing, and he seemed to have a good heart-at least when it came to me. But I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd be exchanging one prison cell for another. He was a Reaper, and you didn't just stop being a Reaper because you found some chick you liked to fuck. No, taking care of myself was the only way I'd live through all of this bullshit. Stay away from Mason, keep my head down at the clubhouse, and get through the next several months until Jayson let me go. He had to let me go. Sooner or later, he had to get tired of me. I'd just have to wait it out. Then my life would start again.
My resolve weakened slightly when Bernardo rolled over onto his back and scratched his flaccid dick. He mumbled something, reached his arm out toward me, but then rolled back onto his stomach. The next few months we're going to suck.
***
When morning finally rolled around, my eyelids felt like a ton of concrete had been poured into them. I'd stayed awake most of the night, trying to keep Bernardo away from me. Bernardo woke up with the rising of the sun, gave me a pat on the head, and headed out the door. Only then did I take my first relaxed breath of the night.
"Hey." Jayson peeked his head in. "Let's go." He jerked a thumb. I nodded, only too happy at that moment to comply. My bed was waiting and I planned to make use of it for the rest of the day. "You look like shit, was he that rough?" He forced a crude grin, but I could see something else in his eyes. Jealousy?
"I didn't sleep." I shook my head and walked past him. I could smell the whiskey on his breath as I passed.
The main bar area was clear, aside from one or two girls passed out on the couches. Sunshine poured into the room from the large picture window, giving the room an orange hue. I could see a few of our guys already on their bikes in the courtyard. Looking around, I wondered where Bernardo wandered off to. Not that I wanted to see his nasty ass again anytime soon, but it was early, and it didn't look like any of the Reapers were around.
Stepping out into the crisp morning air, I squinted my eyes against the bright sun. That was when I noticed the noise. I'd grown so accustomed to the sound of motorcycle engines that I tuned them out most of the time. But there they were. Mason sat on his bike, center of attention, giving out directions.
A black bandana held his hair back away from his face, and the sunglasses he wore hid his eyes from me, but I felt the moment they touched me. His muscles flexed as he held the bars of his bike. His mouth tensed, thinned out as I walked behind Jayson to his bike. The few Disciples who would be going back with us waited for Jayson's orders, while the others stayed to the side, waiting to head out with the Reapers. Thinking it smart to stay away from club business, I had no idea what they had planned, but it looked serious. There was no joking or ball busting like there usually was when the Disciples got together to ride out.