Page 36 of These Deadly Vows

“Not you too,” he says on a low groan.

“Do you get that a lot?” I ask him.

“No.”

“Okay then.” I don’t press him further.

“Hold up.” Carla holds a hand up in my face. “You said not you too.”

“It’s nothing, and I don’t have time for this shit.”

“Why? You have somewhere else to be?” Carla is like a dog with a bone.

“Nope. I’m afraid you’re both stuck with me until I’m given different orders.”

I roll my eyes. “Stop talking to him. Whatever you say, he’s only going to run back to Ghost to report on me.”

“Oh, he’s your bodyguard. Remember the hell we used to give Tommy?” She cracks up at herself. Tommy was old but sturdy as an ox. I gave him such a hard time. I was always trying to sneak off. Skipping school. Stealing his cigarettes when he wasn’t paying attention.

“Is she always like this?” Axe lifts a brow.

“Unfortunately,” I tease.

Carla twists toward me. “Excuse me. Don’t act like I don’t light up your life for the better.”

“That’s true. You do.” I love my best friend. And she’s right. Life would be dull without her. She’s always kept me sane. Kept me from dying while being locked in my gilded cage.

“I’m not a spy. I’m here to protect you.”

Carla fans herself. “Say that again, handsome. It’s hot.”

“Hi.” I wave a hand across her face. “Remember me. Your best friend that you’re here to visit. Not this beefcake.” I hook a thumb in his direction, and he leans over and bites it.

“Okay. I see where this is going. You’re playing with fire. Both of you.” She makes a little motion of her hand. “But you do you. I’m not judging you. Though I’ll have to break it to Carmichael gently.”

“Your brother isn’t in love with me and there is nothing happening between Axe and me. I value my life as I am sure he does his own. I’m married.”

“If you say so.”

“I do. Now let’s go upstairs, where we can talk without prying eyes and ears.”

“You ladies stay out of trouble. No jumping on the beds.”

“I know what kind of bed hopping he has in mind,” she mutters. “Tell me more about Capone and that fine, scary ass husband of yours.”

“Carla has a nice ass.”

“She’s a problem we don’t need,” I remind Capone. The Bianchi brothers have ties with the Triads. Pushing their knock off perfumes and fake designer handbags shit to tourists, but I’ve heard rumblings they’ve been looking for a new supplier for their drugs after they fell out with the Cartel and lost their bid on the cocaine they normally deal to unsuspecting dumbasses. Small time shit. Men in town on business looking for a cheap thrill. A hooker and some powder to get their party on. Drugs cut so much that they’d need three times the amount to catch a decent buzz.

They got too damn greedy.

This means there’s another player on the board. Someone else has joined the league and is funneling dope on a larger scale. It’s been showing up in our clubs. I don’t give a fuck what they do in their territory, but when they start to poach, that’s when I have a problem.

I take my seat at the head of the table after calling for church.

Every club officer files in one at a time, dropping their phones and weapons into the plastic bin outside of the door. Gunner and Grinder sit to my left. Capone to my right. Rash, Butcher, Cracker, Flash, Goat, Hatchet, Malice, and Mutant squeeze in where they can find a seat. One of the prospects closes the door once everyone is in.

Axe is here as a favor to Rebel Black, acting Prez of the founding club. His father, Slim Black, was an original member. The first to wear the president patch, before he was taken out by Grim Jones. God rest his soul. He was a real mean son of a bitch.

---