Page 48 of Loving Smoke

“What’s even more interesting is the big man himself sent them. The whole thing was a setup, but I was five steps ahead of him.”

“Nice.”

I didn’t expect any pats on the back, but Jameson’s one word answers were starting to piss me off especially since I shut down a huge fuckin’ problem, got the drop on Sandoval, and managed to get the guns delivered.

“I’m thinking some compensation is in order.”

“Compensation?”

“Yeah, I proved the Bastards can’t be pushed around, and also delivered the goods, so I’m thinking our time down here is coming to an end.”

I heard the flick of Jameson’s lighter then a deep drag off his smoke. “Your time down there will be over when I say it’s over.”

I drummed my fingers on the edge of the glass. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“It means you’re nowhere near paid your dues. You’re down there for a few months and send up one shipment and you think you’re done?”

Exactly what I thought, but I stayed silent.

“If you’ve got such a handle on the man than make a deal for regular shipments and after I’m satisfied, I’ll think about your future.”

I hissed in a breath. “And when will that be?”

“When I’m good and fuckin’ ready.”

“This is bullshit and you know it.”

“Are you telling me how to run my club, cause the way I see it, you’re a fuck up and it’s gonna take a lot more than one shipment to make me forget how much you fucked up.”

My hands balled into fists and if Jameson was standing in front of me, I’m eighty percent sure I would’ve landed one of them on his jaw.

“Don’t forget, you’re a liability so don’t be so impatient.” He drew in a breath. “And don’t ever question me or tell me how to do my fuckin’ job again. Understand?”

“Yeah.” I grunted then punched the disconnect button, tossed my phone on the table, and downed the shot Blood pushed my way.

Blood refilled my glass. “I’m guessing that didn’t go the way you planned.”

“You guessed right.” I gulped the second shot of the smoky liquid as fast as the first, and he refilled my glass again.

What the fuck? I hadn’t gotten my drink on since I landed in this hellhole. The last three months had been about work, work, and more work. Then I hook up with an innocent woman who’s all wrong for me in every way, and yet somehow we clicked—until she must’ve come to her senses and realized what I was really about.

Then for a grand finale, I hijack a gun shipment from Sandoval, and have it shipped up to Jameson with the hope my chapter prez would cut me a break and bring me and Blood back to the States. But as usual I was way off the mark and the fucker basically laughed in my face and told me to fuck off. Adding I was a liability the Royal Bastards didn’t need and as of now Tijuana was my new home.

As I relayed the conversation to Blood, Ricky entered the club and headed straight for our table his face tight and tense.

Blood held up the bottle of Jack. “What’s got your panties in a twist?”

“I got something I need to show you.”

“Ain’t that kind of a party, brother.” I kicked out the other chair with my foot. “Sit down and have a drink with the big boys.”

“I’m not joking. This is serious.”

I pushed my glass to the side. “What’s up?”

Ricky fumbled his phone out of his pocket, then swiped the screen and scrolled through his pictures. A few seconds later he turned the screen to me and Blood. “Look familiar?”

We stared at a picture of Marisol. Ricky pinched the screen to enlarge the shot. “Marisol Marquez is not her real name.”

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