Page 26 of Devil's Dilemma

I’ve a sneaking suspicion that this time he’s going to clear the table.Damn. That will be a few dollars gone.Should have stayed at work rather than skip out to play pool.

“You know,” Beef says thoughtfully, as the last ball disappears down the hole, “I think I’ll teach Max to play. He’ll probably be better at it than you.”

On today’s showing, I don’t doubt it.

“Rematch?”

“Huh,” I splutter. “Not until I find my form.”

Beef grins, stacks his pool cue away, then slaps my back. “Beer?” After I nod, and we turn in that direction, he says, “I thought Cad might find it distracting being in the same room as Steph, but he seems to love it.”

I soon learned once the VP has decided on something, he doesn’t wait for grass to grow under his feet. Cad, he had seen, needed an office as his computers were multiplying and spilling out, threatening to overtake the clubroom. What helped was that his wife, Steph, wanted one too. Though they are looking for a house together to put down roots in Pueblo, she enjoys being in the thick of things, and Beef saw a way to do that by having her work here too. Well, all it takes is a computer and she’s set.

The old storeroom was cleared out in a couple of days, wasn’t difficult, most of the shit was old junk that could just be trashed. We got Beaver and Karl on painting it, and Sparky and Cad put new wiring and outlets in. A week after the idea was first agreed at church, Cad and Steph had moved in.

“Cad’s used to the hustle and bustle of the clubroom around him. Steph’s talking computer is probably welcome background noise to him. And he doesn’t mind her being there, she can’t exactly look across to his screen and see what he’s up to.” Beef’s old lady is blind. But when she’s in a room she knows, you’d hardly be able to tell. Her eyes look just the same as anyone else’s, she can’t see out of them is all. I don’t feel sorry for her, though. Having been around her a while, I know pity is the last thing she wants or deserves.

She always has to use a stick or rely on Max in the clubroom though. Brothers try hard, but we’re always leaving some shit lying around.

Beef grabs two beers then points to a table.

“Steph’s it for you, isn’t she, man?”

“Fuckin’ right.” Beef picks up his bottle and drains half the contents in one go. “Never expected to find her, not how I did anyway.”

I spare a glance for Max, now stretched out on his side where we’d left him. Uncaring that people need to step around him if they want to play pool. He’ll be off duty until Steph needs him. “That was bad,” I tell Beef, remembering Max lying still and bleeding on the pavement. “I thought that dog was a goner for sure.”

“Me too, Ro. Me too.”

We’re quiet for a moment, thinking back. Then I’m driven to ask, “Did you know, Beef?”

“What?” His brow furrows.

“Did you feel something for Steph—Stevie as she was then—at that point?”

He chuckles. “Yeah, some part of me knew. But I didn’t want to get into another relationship, so I convinced myself I’d just be a friend. Had gotten out of the clutches of one needy bitch, didn’t want another to weigh me down.”

“Steph wouldn’t do that.”

“Didn’t know that then, did I? Tell you the truth, Brother. All I saw was a blind girl who’d always need a helping hand. Didn’t know how fuckin’ wrong I was.” His head tilts questioningly as he regards me. “Why the questions, Pyro? You getting fed up being a single man?”

“Whoa. What? No way. Why would I want to settle down, Beef? I’ve got everything I could want. Pussy in the clubhouse, and with this cut and this face?” Putting my elbow on the table, I cup my chin with my hand. “One look at me, and a glance at my cut, any bitch would drop her panties. I don’t need a bitch to be blind.” I only just manage to rear out of the way of his punch, but Beef is laughing as well.

Then he grows serious. “Used to be like you. Used to think I could get by on casual pussy. Then I saw my brothers settling down. There’s a lot to be said for a woman who’s yours and yours alone.”

“Used to laugh at you lot in Tucson, most brothers hooking up with their women. But now it seems it’s happening here too.” I grin at him. “Think Pal must have brought something with him.”

“Infected your water?” Beef laughs. “Well count me out, unless it’s in the air. I met Steph before I’d set foot in the clubhouse.” His head moves in a negative gesture. “From what I heard, Demon couldn’t resist when he found Violet again. Pal was always certain he’d end up with Jay. I reckon you’re safe if you’re getting worried about it. It’s only Skull’s relationship that happened out of the blue.”

“Yeah, and well, there’s a woman. I’m not surprised Skull couldn’t resist. You see the tits on her, man?”

Beef chuckles. “Can’t really miss them.”

“And she can cook too.”

Beef cocks his head. “That do it for you? Big tits and culinary skills?”

He’s joking, but I give an honest reply. “Don’t know what would catch my eye. Certainly not Mel, she’s Skull’s. Would never step on another man’s toes.”

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