Page 22 of Blade
“Sure as fuck did.” I nodded, then lifted the joint to my lips again.
He gave me a chin lift.
“Whiskey and Plague will be here in the morning,” Ripper told Raptor.
“Plague still having issues with the cartel?” I heard Raptor ask quietly.
“Yeah.” Ripper shook his head.
“Maybe we can help with that after the dust settles on whatever the fuck is going on,” Raptor offered.
“I’m sure he’ll appreciate that, but we can discuss that later. I’ll see if one of them can grab some donuts or something on their way in,” Ripper then said.
“Thanks, brother, but we might be on the road home before they get here. We want to get an early start. Our ol’ ladies are there with the bare minimum of men,” Raptor explained.
“I understand, brother.” Ripper gripped the back of his neck.
“There may not be a connection, but it was too fucking coincidental for my taste. Something is telling me these attacks were all connected. Have you heard from any of the other chapters?” Raptor asked.
Ripper shook his head.
“Me either. But Rip, be careful. Just in case. One of the last things I found out is that Ankeny believed they had a rat. I never got a chance to talk to Venom about it more before… well, you know. Maybe do some sweeps of the property, up your security if need be,” Raptor cautioned as he massaged the back of his neck.
“Are you okay?” I heard Ripper quietly ask him.
Raptor cleared his throat but didn’t respond.
Ripper gave him a curt nod, but didn’t add anything further on the matter. “Make yourselves at home. There’s coffee behind the bar. It’s one of those fancy K-cup things that one of the ol’ ladies insisted on. We’ll see you in the morning if you’re still here. If not, you ride safe.” The two presidents shook hands, then Ripper and Powerhouse left.
Gator and Raptor told us goodnight and went down the hall to the rooms they were using. Phoenix ended his call with Sloane—or at least I assumed that’s who he had been quietly talking to. Ares had already made a quick call as soon as we got here.
“Phoenix,” I drawled, eyes heavy.
He glanced my way from the couch he was settling into. “Yeah?”
“Bro, I’m not moving from here. I’m just gonna prop my foot up on the arm of this couch.” Pain temporarily forgotten, I hit the joint one more time then stubbed it out in the ashtray next to the couch. I set the remainder on the edge for in the morning.
“Here. For the road.” Baker tossed me the baggy full of joints as he got to his feet. I caught it in disbelief.
“Naw, brother, I can’t accept this. It’s too much. The rest of that one will be fine.” I motioned to what I had left and held the bag back out to him.
He snorted and waved me off. “Son, that leg ain’t gonna be healed by the time you get back. You’ll need it. Please, take it with my blessing.”
My brow pinched in the center. “Thanks, brother. I’ll make it up to you.”
The old guy went sober. “You just make it home safe and take care of your brothers. That’s thanks enough for me.”
He slapped me on the shoulder, popped the last little bit of his brownie in his mouth, and meandered to the door.
“You watching this?” I asked Phoenix. Ares was already snoring on the third couch.
“Nah,” he mumbled through his yawn.
I shut the TV off and flipped off the lamp. Then I got myself situated and promptly dropped off to sleep.
My dreams were plagued by a beautiful blonde who didn’t know it, but she was about to be mine.
“Abandoned”—GeminiSyndrome