I don’t pay his comment any mind and walk over to the makeshift bar, grab a bottle of Jack Daniels and pick up a short glass. Twisting off the cap, I start to slowly pour the amber liquid out and someone clears their throat from behind me. Turning back, I look behind me and see Mugshot. He’s in civilian clothes, not wearing his cut, which isn’t usual at all.
Cocking a brow, I take the glass of Jack Daniels and down it. Mugshot smirks. “I’m glad you took a drink. You’re gonna need it. Now put the glass down and follow me. We’re takin’ a ride.”
“For real?” I furrow my brows and look at the clock on the wall. It’s a bit past six right now and I know we’re havin’ a party around nine tonight. I really wanted tonight to be about relaxing, not club bullshit, and I’m one-hundred percent certain Mugshot has something mischievous planned.
Figuring I don’t have much of a choice, I follow Mugshot out through the clubhouse and follow him as he heads to the garage. I start to head for the bikes when he calls me over, “No, brother, over here.” Mugshot’s leading us over to the grocery-getters and picks the club’s Dodge Ram. He hops behind the driver’s seat and I open the passenger side door, getting in beside him.
“Wanna tell me what the fuck we’re doin’?” I question while he’s already put his seatbelt on and is putting the truck in reverse. By the time he answers me, he’s pulling down the lane that leads out to the road.
“We’re makin’ a road trip down to the State Park in Rehoboth. I got a tip some shit was goin’ on and wanted to check it out for myself.” Mugshot glances over to me for a second, “You’re gonna need to take your cut off, and put this on.” He reaches across from me and opens up the glove box, revealing some weird . . . hair? I think.
“The fuck is this?” I ask.
He chuckles like a mad man. “A wig, the both of us gotta wear one. We’re going undercover, brother, and you’d best keep your cut in the car.”
I know sometimes we need to take our cut off for our safety, to look like a normal pair of citizens . . . but I don’t like to ever take my cut off. It not only shows I’m proud of the club I belong to, but in some areas, it could be similar to gangs having different colors. If we’re cool with another club it’s no big deal, but if we’re not, it’s raising an opportunity to start a war. We know for a fact the Beasts of Brutality are in Lewes, so Mugshot’s running on the side of caution.
“Tell me what the fuck we’re doin’ and I’ll decide if I’m takin’ my cut off,” I tell him as he pulls out onto the road we live on. He heads in the direction for Rehoboth Beach, which’ll probably take us around fifty minutes to get there.
Mugshot huffs, “You bein’ serious right now, or are you fuckin’ with me?”
“Do I look like I’m screwin’ around with you right now?” I retort, digging into my pocket to grab a piece of gum, I throw it in and chew.
“Damn, someone’s sassy today.”
“Just tell me what the fuck is goin’ on,” I snap.
“I got a tip that the Beasts of Brutality MC is meeting with an old friend of ours.”
“Oh?” Well, now I’m really interested in what’s goin’ on.
“Yeah, so, we’re headin’ to the State Park they’re supposed to be at to meet. If it’s legit, I’ll tell Gamble, but if not, I’m not gonna say we even went out on this little field trip. She’s got too much other shit to worry about so I’m not gonna make her worry for no reason.”
I cock a brow. Is this dude serious right now? “Man, you’d better fuckin’ tell her regardless. She’s not a delicate little flower. She’s our Prez, and if it was Dog, you would’ve told him.”
Mugshot glances at me for a second and he knows I’ve got ‘em. I’m right, and he can’t even deny it. “Fine, I’ll tell her when we get back.”
Mugshot and I spend the next hour in the car getting to the State Park, barely speaking in the process. So much shit is going through my mind. Who is this friend? Why would they be coming out here? And most importantly, why in the fuck would whoever it is be meeting with the Beasts of Brutality MC?
By the time we entered the Beasts of Brutality’s territory I took my cut off, folded it up neatly and set it in between Mugshot and I. He put money in the park station’s slot and drove a bit slower as we made our way through the park. It was my first confirmation he’s never been here before.
After another five minutes and watching signs, he made a left and in the same parking lot we just pulled in, there was a blacked-out Cadillac and two motorcycles. Mugshot pulls on the opposite side of the parking lot, quick to not raise any suspicion.
Mugshot has some heavily tinted windows, so I turn and look out through my window, watching as the back door to the Cadillac opens and a man, I haven’t seen in nine months walks out. “What. The. Fuck,” I hiss.
Chapter Eight
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you
~ Maya Angelou
Flora
“Everything looks so good,” I’m not even hyping Maia or Cali up as I give them this compliment. For the most part, they’ve thrown the restaurant together and Gamble just named them the head managers of the restaurant. They’ll be working the bar on opposite shifts, ensuring that someone is always there who’s the boss. Some of the clubwhores said they’d work a couple shifts a week to get some extra money, but I wouldn’t count on them each working more than ten hours a week.
“Thank you. Now we just have to start calling a couple of the people who applied,” Maia says, while Cali makes a grossed-out face.
“I really don’t want to deal with annoying college students.” Cali makes her words abundantly clear as it comes out in an aggravated tone.
“At least they’re in college and not in high school. Plus, we hired that one older woman. What was her name?”
“Brittany,” Cali replies, but she doesn’t seem pleased. “One woman isn’t going to make up for the other three or four, trust me.”
“We’ll be fine, and if you want you can work the shifts that Brittany is on.”
Cali waves her hands up in the air in a fake excited manner. “What a joy, I’ll only have to deal with two who’re more worried about getting laid, going to call out, and are unreliable as hell.”
“Give them a chance before you judge them. You and I need to sit down and look over the rest of the resumes too, and Brittany will be coming in on Monday at five after the health department does their last check,” Maia tells Cali.
Figuring this is a good time to interject, I do. “Is everything else ready for Monday?”
Maia takes a quick look around the restaurant and nods. “I think so. There’s probably a couple boxes that need to be unpacked, but I think we’re as ready as we’re going to be.”
“Are you both excited?”
“Yeah, I mean the fact Gamble is entrusting us with this . . . it means a lot,” Maia instantly replies.