Page 19 of Papa's Beloved

“Thanks brother. When are you two going to prospect for us?”

“We can make it two days from now. How about we come by and talk then?” Vega asks.

“Shoot me a text. Papa and I will be there,” Gambit says.

I watch the two police officers step to the side. Smoke steps up with his cart of goodies. The man’s eyes widened. Smoke looks at Cobra.

“Boss says you get the first swing.”

Cobra smiles and cracks his neck. Hell, we could put the kid in a suit and he’d look like a GQ model with his dirty blonde hairand blue eyes. The suit would hide his multitude of tattoos. Kid comes from an upper middle class family that thinks bikers are scum.

He pulls a pair of brass knuckles from his pocket with a smile. He sings Betty Lou’s gettin’ down tonightas he works the guy over. He doesn’t stop when the guy begs him to. I mean, he hasn’t even worked him over yet. I don’t believe the guy’s ready to crack. He’s crying wolf. Cobra must think the same thing. He lands a blow to the guy’s kidneys.

Cobra continues to land blow after blow, leaving the guy's face completely alone. He’s not asking him questions or responding to the guy’s pleas. Cool as a cucumber, he continues to hit him. Right hand with the brass knuckles. Left hand bare. Twenty minutes later, he stops and turns to Smoke.

“I warmed him up for you.”

The guy screams when Smoke smiles at him with those cold, dead eyes and picks up a wicked-looking blade.

Chapter 15

Papa

My mind on Nay, I head to the clubhouse with the rest of my brothers, Simmons, and Vega. I have zero doubt every single one of my brothers is behind me and Nay’s relationship. I also have zero doubt she is stressing the fuck out over it.

My woman is tough as nails, but family is her weakness. If one of my brothers didn’t think she was good enough to be my ol’ lady, it would crush her. She considers the Kings her family.

The smell of soul food hits my senses as soon as I walk into the lobby of the clubhouse. My stomach rumbles. Who knew watching someone get tortured was hungry work. I plan on participating, the first G’Dawg we get and I hope to hell it’s one of the top five.

Wizard came in earlier and said he had video of the beating and a hit on Linden. I, for one, would like to put them all on a boat and blow it to smithereens near a nest of gators. Gambit catches up to me in the lobby, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

“You look lost in thoughts.”

“Yeah, thinking of Nay, Kelsi’s brother, and Linden.”

“You have a full plate, brother. Don’t forget to ask for help if you need it.”

“Will do. Let’s go find our women.”

“I like the way you think.”

We head straight for the kitchen. Both of our women have their hands full, carrying large dishes toward Lagniappe. We eatmost of our meals in the bar. I take the tray of fried chicken from Nay’s hands and drop a quick kiss on her lips.

“Mmm, them's some sweet lips.”

She smiles and swats at my arm. “Let me go grab another tray. We’re almost done.”

“No, you and the ladies sit down. We’ll get the rest of the food carried to the bar.”

“Yes, King,” she says with a smile and a wink.

I watch her link arms with Stormy and head to the bar. Gambit and I are behind our women carrying food. Gambit tells the brothers to go grab a dish. We make quick work of getting all the food out on the massive sideboard.

When we were done, Gambit called out. “Let’s eat!”

We insist the women go first. My mouth waters as I take in the bounty before me: fried chicken, smothered pork chops, wings, collard greens, red beans and rice, mac and cheese, black eyed peas, bread pudding, and pecan pie.

I pile two plates high and find my woman sitting with Stormy, Gambit, Smoke, and Sabian. Sabian was due in four and a half months. Her belly is already rounded. I hope to one day see Nay’s belly rounded with our child.

---