Page 65 of Karma

His friend Edge seems to be thinking the same thing. I find out her name is Ariel as they exchange a few sharp words about her being here. After that she almost sits down next to the other Devils. I stand up without thinking and offer her my seat.

Joker finds my care very funny, while Grim seems oblivious to the whole scene. He’s just sitting there, trying to get Scorpio’s attention. I don’t think he’s succeeding. But all that can wait now, when we might have a trafficking situation of some sort going on here.

“I’m getting some drinks. What are you having?” I ask the girl. “A coke? Or iced tea?”

Every guy in this place, even all the ones who were half asleep at their tables before she walked in, are leering at her.

One of the other Devils, Fossil, laughs harshly. “Don’t let this one fool you,” he tells me. “She can probably drink all of us under the table. Last time I saw her?—”

“You want me to put you under the table right now?” Ruin asks him, before I can even begin wondering what the hell he meant.

“I’ll have a beer,” Ariel says in a quiet, cracked voice.

I have to get her out of here. The sooner the better. Maybe I can ask her if she wants to see my bike. That way I can find out if she’s here against her will and too scared to admit it.

But when I return with the beers, Ariel asks Ruin for some whiskey instead, which she throws back like a pro. The rest start playing cards and Grim and Psycho are talking, both still completely oblivious to the girl’s distress.

“Nothing wrong with being sober in a place like this,” I tell her.

Ariel gives me a mischievous sort of grin. “There’s a lot wrong with being sober in a place like this.”

She takes off her jacket, revealing a much too tight and revealing top for my tastes. When did I turn into such a mother hen?

The girl is growing more and more comfortable here and I’m starting to think that maybe I was wrong about her. Especially after she asks Ruin to dance with her and proceeds to regale him and everyone else in here with a show worthy of a world class stripper. Minus the stripping.

I bet every guy in here has a boner watching her and Ruin dance, and I sit back in my chair wondering how I could’ve read her so wrong. What else have I been wrong about? Joker’s sinister plan with that Devil’s Nightmare MC girl? I sure as hell hope so.

After a couple of songs they return to the table, both breathless, their cheeks glowing red.

Ariel announces she’s going to the toilet and I’m back in mother hen mode. That’s the last place she should be alonein this place, no matter how well she seems to be fitting in otherwise.

“I’ll go with you,” I offer, springing up from my seat.

Despite possibly being completely wrong about her, I still want to make sure she’s not here against her will in any way. Although it’s starting to look less and less that way. I know that soft look in Ruin’s eyes. It’s more than just lust. He’s in love with her. All guys get that look when love’s involved. Even Grim. Like right now, while still trying to get Scorpio’s attention.

Ariel and I only get two steps towards the bathroom, when Joker says, “Man, she’s got you eating out of her palm. Those Horned Riders she whored for trained her good.”

He’s speaking to Ruin, but Ariel stops dead, the pain etched onto her face hard to look at. Damn Joker and his foul sense of humor.

The whole place suddenly goes dead silent, so quiet that I clearly hear the words of the song that’s playing.

Ruin has Joker by the throat, murder clear in his eyes.

All the Lost Sons are up, ready to defend Joker, Scorpio first among them. He looks ready to kill Ruin, but I see fear in his eyes too. Fear that he won’t be able to reach Joker in time to save him. It tells me all I need to know about his relationship with Joker.

There is nothing in this world that Grim or I could say or do that would be enough to make Scorpio betray Joker. Or even go against his plans. I know it now in every cell of my body and I know there’s no use trying to talk to him about what we know. No use trying to change his mind.

But we gotta try anyway. I know that too. Grim is standing too. But I’m sure he did not just have the same epiphany I did. He’s up to help Scorpio in whatever he’s gonna do next. Ready to help him protect Joker.

Ruin let’s Joker go, promising to end him if he ever disrespects Ariel again. Then he and Ariel leave.

And a big part of me wishes he finished Joker instead, wiped the problem out that way. For all of us.

34

Scorpio

Damn Joker and his dumb jokes. He almost got killed and all he did was laugh when I told him to be more careful. I literally saw his life ending right in front of my eyes, while being too far to do anything to stop it, and he just laughed. Then he told me it’s all fine, because we’re moving to phase two of the plan tomorrow.

---