Page 11 of Pearl
We need to get in and get out.”
My first instinct was right, it’s way too upscale to be financed by bikers alone. Yeah, maybe all of us work for the crime families in one way or another, especially one percenters, but we don’t flaunt the money around with brand new bars, the finest leather bar seats and marble bar tops. The bartender gives Carver a nod. “Good to see you. Come on around back. Better leave the girl at the bar.”
Carver gestures to the bar. “Take a seat. I won’t be long.”
I roll my eyes at the macho bullshit. Same fucking shit, just another day. They don’t want us in the business. The life, and in their beds, yes, but on their terms. Well, I have my own fucking terms and it’s not playing wet nurse to the males’ soft little egos. I walk over to the jukebox, push the button to my favorite song, and inhale deeply as it comes on, letting the music from years ago settle my nerves, and call on the strength of steel that’s gotten me here today.
I’m halfway back to the bar when a large firm hand grips my shoulder, hard. My jaw locks tight as he spins me around. “Looky what we have here,” he says, raking his eyes down my body, focusing on the tight white tank top bodice that holds my breasts in place underneath my cut.
My eyebrow arches. I glance around at the bunnies in the corner wearing little to nothing and hanging onto every word the other guys say. “Surely you have enough to keep you busy. Me and my friend are just passing through.”
The stale alcohol stench of his breath almost makes me retch. He grabs my hair and tightens his fist. “Since we’re all friends, you can come play with me.”
My feet plant, trying to keep my body from moving but his grip is solid, right down to the roots at my scalp. “What, you can’t get any pussy, even when it’s free?”
That does it, knocks him off his game. He gapes, surprise lightening his grasp, just for a second, but it’s enough to let me spin just enough to throw the weight of my body into an elbow that lands right in the groin. This fucker is toasted though. What should have taken him down just pissed him off. “Cunt! You’re gonna pay for that.”
But I’ve already got my Glock out. “Look, just stop. Go back to the babes in the corner, and I’ll be on my way as soon as Carver is done.” I already know this pointed gun probably isn’t going to stop him in his condition, and it doesn’t.
He rams at me like the big-ass bull that he is, slugging me across the face with the back of his hand. The blow knocks my breath away, and stings red hot fire behind my eye. He may be fucking protected by the family, but the asshole isn’t getting away with this scot-free. “You’re obviously protected by some family, and I fucking respect the hell out of that so I won’t kill you, but don’t think I won’t shoot you, motherfucker.”
The big guy laughs now, but not for long. Carver walks out from the back and his face turns beet red. He closes the distance in a few long strides and throws a punch to big dude’s face, hitting him hard with a set of brass knuckles and when he reels from the hit, Carver does it again and then sends the heel of his boot right into the guy’s groin.
That takes him down, right to the ground, groveling like the fucking loser that he is as Carver puts his boot on the guy’s chest and holds him there.
Two men wearing biker gear walk out from the back with a dark-haired man in a suit and all the bunnies and other bikers scramble, emptying the bar out quicker than I’ve ever seen a place empty in my life. Carver glares at the asshole lying on the ground before looking the three guys straight in the eyes.
“Ryker, Capone,” He glances at the guy in the suit. “Sorry I don’t know your name, but this piece of garbage touched someone who doesn’t belong to him. Marred her beautiful face and would have done a hell of a lot more if I wasn’t around. The lady has a better moral compass than mine. Didn’t kill him when she had the chance because he’s protected by the family.”
The man in the suit turns to the men in bandanas. “This is Carver?”
“Yes sir,” Ryker, the tall, fully tatted man wearing a black leather vest and pants says. The dark-haired man turns his eyes on Carver. “I’m Renzo Larussio. I appreciate the work you’ve been doing for us. The guys have been keeping me apprised ofthe situation with the ladies. They came and got me from the back office after you talked to them about the lady problem. I’ve had things arranged. A truck is on the way, it will follow you to the women. You two can follow it back to Arizona.”
Renzo glances at his watch. “We’ll take care of any drifters left from the motorcycle group who attacked you, and you should have the ladies back in time to make that delivery truck, alright?”
Carver nods. “Thank you.”
Larussio gestures to the man on the ground. “I take it you don’t agree with the lady. You’d kill him just the same. Even though he’s protected by the family?”
Carver looks him dead in the eye. “I would in a heartbeat. Would have if you hadn’t walked in. Look at him, look at what he did to her face,” he says, never for one minute letting the pressure of his boot up on the man’s chest.
Larussio looks around the room. “Where did everyone go? Why the fuck didn’t anyone do something?” he growls at the two bikers.
Ryker and Capone both exchange a glance. “You want the truth, boss?” Ryker says.
Renzo Larussio narrows his dark eyes. “That works.”
“Capone and I have been trying to bring the two groups closer since we patched together, and it’s getting there, but they’re still a little gun shy. This drunk asswipe is a recruit, but Capone’s had him on the payroll for a while. None of my guys want to cross a line with either me, Capone, or the family. Capone and I were going to talk about what to do with him. He’s bad for morale, a real fucking wild card.”
“And he crossed a line I don’t accept,” Larussio says, pulling out a dark black Glock and firing two bullets into the head of the bully lying on the floor, taking everyone in the room bysurprise. “Get rid of him boys. Next time you don’t know where the fucking lines are, you come and talk to me, capisce?”
Larussio turns to Carver. “You come find me when you get back to town. I have a little proposition for you. I’m usually at The Larussio on the strip more often than not. Ask one of ladies in the casino, they’ll find me.”
Carver gives the guy a nod. “I’ll do that, sir. Thanks for making this right.”
Larussio throws a hand in the air and heads toward the back as Ryker gets on the phone. “We need a thorough cleanup and disposal in the bar.”
Capone gives Carver a half smile. “Never seen this side of you, Carver. Heard you could take care of yourself, and obviously you can, but she must be some kinda special to tell Renzo Larussio that you would have killed one of his men in a heartbeat. Not everyone walks away from an encounter like that, as you can clearly see,” he says, gesturing to the man lying in a pool of his own seeping blood.
