Page 29 of Bully's Darkness
“Fine, I’ll just go out then.” I turn on my heel, ignoring him calling my name, and then I hear Taz asking to get church started. Bully disappears inside their unholy room.Typical.
I find Bria on her bed reading. She glances up then groans. “You have that look,” she complains. “The one that tells me we’re gonna get into trouble.”
“He pisses me off,” I cry in frustration. “And then I get the urge to do stupid shit.”
“Like?”
“Sneak out of here and see the girls.”
Bria grins. “They are out tonight. Lisa texted me.”
I check my watch. “And the bikers will be busy for the next hour at least.”
She throws her legs over the edge of the bed. “We better get a move on then.”
Chapter Nine
Bully
Smiler takes the floor, clearing his throat before projecting a picture from his iPad onto the wall. “Fuck me, technology has advanced,” mutters Tally. “Imagine Joker using this shit,” he adds, shaking his head with a smirk.
“My dad wouldn’t entertain a smartphone,” I remind him, “so this would’ve blown his mind.”
“Right, this is the floor we set fire to,” Smiler says, pointing out the charred remains of the lower ground. “And now, they’re living up here,” he adds, pointing to the first and second floor. “Lords did some outreach work this past week,” he continues, nodding to Lords, who stands.
“I was on the streets with the youth workers. I was right about spice being rife on the streets. Hospital admissions have risen by twenty percent since Dagger and his men have been on the scene. Arrests for public disorder from using spice have also risen.”
“And there’s no one else who could be pushing that shit?” I ask.
Smiler shakes his head. “No one else would dare, not without running it by the club. I’ve had feelers out all week, and it all points back to the Scorpions. Besides, no one else has the manpower to get that shit out so quickly apart from us.”
“Are they using runners?” asks Taz.
“That’s my next job, start shaking some dealers and see what we get.”
“I want everyone on this,” I cut in. “Take as many men as needed.”
“It still doesn’t answer the question as to why the fuck they’ve rolled up here,” says Boss.
“I think Taz was right,” I reply, rubbing a hand over my brow. “They saw an opportunity when Hawk died. Maybe they thought the club would drop into chaos with no leader.” I glance to Taz and grin. “No offence.”
“Some taken,” he says, grinning back. “But they were wrong. You’re here, and we need to make it clear they’re not welcome.”
“Smiler, come up with the plans to start banging on doors. I need to go and chase my old lady down before she goes AWOL.” I head for the door.
“You need backup?” Taz quips.
I laugh as I head upstairs to the bedroom.
I pause in the doorway. The bed is littered with discarded clothes, and Liv’s makeup is spread out on the dresser.
“Liv?” I call.
No answer.
I groan and head downstairs, praying she’s in the bar. But when I find that empty too, a sharp bolt of panic spikes through my chest. I pull out my mobile and call her.
“Hey,” she answers, light, breezy, like nothing’s wrong.
