Page 13 of Spice's Halloween

The smart-ass kid was someone who worked for Blister.

And just because Blister hadn’t realised the necklace was a USB stick, it didn’t excuse Spice.

“The rule is we bury bodies with no identification on them. No jewellery, no tats, no nothing. And you left this on the body?” I demanded.

“Step away, Prez. We were overwhelmed with shit a decade ago. Things got missed. Are the cops gonna dig up an entire graveyard to find a scumbag? Nah. But we wanna get the stick back anyway,” Spice said, and the urge to strangle Spice deepened.

Anger welled inside me. This was sloppy and nothing like the former VP’s standard of work. Suspiciously, I focused on Spice. He seemed almost nonchalant about this. Was the fucker hiding something?

Irate, I caught Romeo’s gaze and flicked my eyes to Spice. Romeo hid his surprise well and turned to Spice, who was glowering.

“Don’t you dare!” Spice growled out.

“Ow!” Romeo cried and held his temples.

“What the fuck?” Undertaker demanded.

“You’re keeping information from me,” I accused Spice.

“I don’t give a fuck if I’m hiding shit or not. You don’t get Romeo to read a brother. Remember, boy, I wiped your fuckin’ ass!” Spice spat with genuine anger in his eyes.

“Spice slammed up mental barriers quicker than I could blink,” Romeo complained. “That hurt running into them.”

“Wow, abuse or what? We don’t scan brothers,” Undertaker interjected, shocked.

Trust a VP to side with a former VP. Disgusted, I shook my head.

“What are you concealing, Spice?” I demanded, slamming my hand on the table.

“Prez, you want the truth? Weren’t me who fucked up,” Spice snarled.

As I started to demand who, I spotted the gleam in Spice’s eye. Clearly, according to Spice, I didn’t want the answer. Spice was hiding shit because he knew I wouldn’t like it. Fine, I’d give him that.

“If you ever try to use Romeo again to read a brother or sister, I’ll kick your ass from one end of this compound to another. And then, fucker, I’ll take your patch until you’re worthy,” Pipes snapped.

I felt a momentary shame. The boys were right. I had just abused my power as Prez.

“Don’t hide shit from me. If we can’t trust each other as a club, we have an issue,” I retorted guiltily.

“Don’t ever use one of us to check on another. Warden, that was low, and I’ll tell you straight up, I ain’t a weapon, and you won’t use me as such,” Dynamo announced.

“You’re right, and I apologise; I was out of line. But Spice isn’t being fully honest, and I hate that. Remember the last time shit was hidden and the consequences,” I stated, and everyone nodded.

“The only crap I’m hiding is who fucked up. No need for that discussion because it’s in the past and done. Now, boy, sort your head out. Pearl’s confessions screwed with you, I know. But we aren’t that goddamned bitch, and Pearl got handed her ass, Warden. You gotta overcome that cunt’s betrayal,” Pipes said.

“Fuckin’ hurts knowing Berserker went to his grave with a lie. That Berserker wasn’t aware Rosalea was his baby girl and not McKay’s. But Berserker couldn’t have loved Rosalea any more than he did. If you let Pearl’s deceit infect you, you’ll change into a mistrustful motherfucker. Your actions here just proved that,” Fists pointed out.

“Alright, I understand I fucked up. Pearl’s lies are still fuckin’ with me. She caused so much damage it’s made me a suspicious fuck,” I admitted.

“Talk to him,” Spice ordered, pointing at Wisecrack. “He’s Chaplin for a reason.”

Wisecrack nodded.

“Let’s figure out how to retrieve the USB.” Undertaker frowned. “Tell me Triple D was dumped and not wrapped. Because unwrapping decomposing bodies is unpleasant, to say the least. The wrapping keeps all the fluids, and the skin sticks to it.”

“Why the fuck did we need to know that?” Dare demanded, looking disgusted.

I snorted. “Because you might be the one excavating the body.”

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