Page 70 of Next Level
Okay, I like her.
I get a good vibe from her, and I have a feeling we’re going to be friends.
COLLECT CALL
“Are all your parties like this?” Cherry asks next to me. We’re sitting at a table next to the pool table where Chewy and Tink are playing each other. Siren, Lazy, Cracker, and Dawg are hanging with us. The women have been chatting it up with Cherry, which makes me feel good that they’re welcoming her into the fold so easily. It makes it easier for me as I try to get to know her. When your club brothers don’t like someone, inevitably, it won’t last. The club comes first, and if she’s good for me, she’s good for the club.
Tamara has always given off a bitch vibe and has consistently sized up women around her, making them either hate her or scared of her. Cherry has held her own today and fired back when the men have haggled with her.
“It depends. We don’t usually have so many different clubs here at the same time. But we wanted them to come celebrate Sammie being found. Everyone here helped in the efforts to find her.”
Tink hits the ball, making a difficult shot, and Cherry cheers for her. That makes me happy. I like that they get along. I knew Tink was loyal to the Royal Bastards, but how she handled this shows she truly is loyal to a fault—born and raised a Bastard—always a Bastard.
A deep voice comes from behind me. “Level, a word, brother?”
I turn my head and see Joe Gianno, the head teamster at the ports. I acknowledge him, then swat Cherry’s ass so I can get up.
I kiss Cherry on the lips and let her know I’ll be right back and to stay with the girls and Chewy. Chewy gives me a nod, knowing what I’m thinking.
Dawg and I walk toward my office, closing the door behind Joe.
Once I’m seated behind my desk, I ask, “What’s up, Joe?”
“Big Betty came to me last night and told me she thinks the guys who tried to jack us were the same guys who took Sammie.”
This has my attention. “What?”
“Big Betty should probably be in here with us. She can explain it better than me, but she said they definitely were the same guys,” Joe explains.
I snap my fingers at Dawg, who is standing at the door. “Go get Big Betty and bring her here.”
Joe’s a big Italian guy who scares just about anyone who crosses his path. I’ve known him all my life. He’s a good man, but if you cross him, it’ll be the last thing you do.
I rack my brain trying to remember what Lip said about her beating them up. “Wait, I thought Lip said there were three men,” I announce to the room.
Joe bobs his head. “Yah, there were.”
The door swings open and in walks Dawg, Big Betty, and Lip.
“Is everything all right, pres?” Lip asks with concern, stopping at the door.
My theory that he has a thing for Big Betty was correct.
“Yeah, you want to come in too since you’re the one who told me about—” Lip rushes in before I even finish.
Big Betty’s blonde, short, and stocky. If you like that bodybuilding fitness fanatic, then Betty’s your gal. I like mine curvy and with some cushion for the pushing.
Big Betty lifts her chin at me. “Hi, Level. I guess Joe told you about those guys?”
Lip interjects, “I told him after the last meeting when you told all of us. Why?”
Lip obviously doesn’t know about the new intel.
“Betty thinks the guys who jacked her were the ones who took Sammie,” I say.
Lip’s face turns to shock. “What the fuck?”
“Yeah, at the meeting we were talking about how Sammie was found and they showed me the pictures of the guys who took her. It was the same guys for sure,” Betty tells us.
