Page 53 of When It Reins
Apparently, they are still trying to get to the bottom of the development business. Cheat found a corporation that is zoned for the area the neighborhood is in, but we know, for a fact, a lot of residents refuse to make the sale to get out of the way.
We don’t want some big super-mart to come in and wreck business, which is what I suspect David is up to. If he has some sort of backdoor deal with one of the chains, where he is getting a much larger cut of the funds from the build than the company he works for, this whole thing would make sense.
The lot next door looks like a simple distillery for our brewery. It was designed to look like a place we brew some of the beer that goes to the brewery in Fall Springs. It is also on top of something else.
“We found out where our little buddy has been hiding,” Mick mentions, giving me a look. “Seems like he’s moved to a motel down here and frequents this spot often.”
“The strip club? How original.” I note the neon sign above the door and the rundown building. This isn’t that close to Acton,and in fact is even close to the Wyoming border, which draws in some clientele from both states.
“Yeah, we knew he wasn’t smart, but apparently he makes his presence known here,” Loki says, eyeing the front door. “He was spotted by Clover, whose cousin works here, and they sent photos they weren’t supposed to even have.”
“One that has David in it, so we’re here to have a chat.”
Fuck. I don’t want to deal with this bullshit anymore. Now that I have the girl, which is a miracle and wish come true all on its own, I want to get her to move in with me, hide in my cabin for a few months, and only come out when it is necessary.
All things that would likely never happen, but a guy can dream.
I just want a little while where she and I can just coexist without the drama looming over us.
We sit a while longer, shooting the shit, before I get tired of it. “Why don’t we just go in there? Take him outside?”
“Well, this fucker here isn’t allowed in anymore.” Mick flicks Loki’s ear, and Loki punches him in the arm.
“Shit. What the hell do you have to do to get kicked out of a strip club?” The minute the question is out, I almost don’t want to know.
“Beat up the clientele.”
“You started some brawl with the guys in there?”
“It’s a look, don’t touch policy. Some of them weren’t following the rule.” He looks back at me over his shoulder and grins. “So I touched them too.”
Good hell. The guy is crazy. Yet, I find myself laughing at the thought of what he must have done. They must have some piss poor security if Loki was insistent on stepping in.
Finally, at around one in the morning—time I could have been spending in Juniper’s bed, or her in mine—out comes David.
We get out of the car, and I see him duck around the side of the building at the last second. Shit. “Did we get made?”
“I don’t know, but fucking grab him,” Mick yells at us as all three of us run down the guy we need.
I turn a corner just as I hear a scream, and my blood boils at the thought of what could be happening. I find shadows pressed against the building and see him looming over some poor girl.
“Help!” Her scream is all I need to hear before I grab the back of David’s shirt and yank as hard as I can.
He yells out, and the girl scrambles away. I see she’s wearing a T-shirt and leggings, probably a dancer who was heading home for the night.
Piece of shit.
“Hey, what the fuck!” he yells before his eyes finally land on mine. “Oh fuck.”
“Yeah, oh fuck is right, buddy.” I grab him and turn, pinning him to the wall in the same way he had that girl. Loki grabs an arm, and technically, interrogating isn’t my job, so I grab the other, holding him there so Mick can get to work.
“You okay, sweetheart?” Mick asks the girl, who nods her head shakily, but her tears streaming down her face aren’t convincing me that everything is A-OK.
“Go on and grab your boss for me, will you?”
“Okay.” She makes a wide berth around us and uses a door I didn’t even see to get back inside.
I turn my glare back on David and wait for Mick to start. He lights a cigarette and leans against the car that’s parked in front of where we’re holding him up. He takes a slow drag as David struggles, and before I can, Loki lands a fist into his stomach, making him grunt.
