If I remember correctly, it’s the same bike he had when he was with Michelle, the love of his life. Damn, I hope I have something in my life one day that lasts that long.
Prez pulls out of the parking lot with nothing but a cloud of dust trailing behind him.
The front entrance actually has a door now. It’s heavy, metal, probably bulletproof, and in order to get in, requires a fingerprint scanner.
Normally, I’d think that would be too much, but considering what Mercy is trying to do to help women or any abused woman, I’d say the fingerprint scanner is needed. It means no one can get in unless they are approved to.
I press my finger against the scanner and the door clicks. I groan as the air conditioning hits me in the face. It’s so damn hot out.
Damn, I love the progress that’s been made. The inside looks phenomenal. The hardwood floors are polished, the bar is sleek and there’s an entire wall built behind it with shelves for liquor. To left are booths, tables, pool tables, dart boards, and even a few arcade games. It’s really coming together.
And it already feels like home.
I hang a right where the kitchen is and see Princess and One sitting on the counter with a beer in one hand and a burger in the other. This kitchen won’t be a part of the clubhouse since this is where food for the bar will be cooked. The clubhouse will have its own kitchen.
“You said you have news?” I open the fridge and take a beer from the shelf, twisting the top off and tossing it in the trash. I take a long swig, the carbonation bubbling against the back of my throat.
Princess grins. Years ago, when he got his road name, I thought he’d hate it, but he has done nothing but accept it. He doesn’t look like a princess. He’s pretty rough around the edges, but how he got his name is hilarious.
A story for another time.
“News? I have news that’s going to change Charlie’s life,” Princess states, rubbing his eyes with his fist.
“Looks like you’ve been pulling all-nighters. I appreciate it, man.” I cross my ankles and lean against the opposite counter where he is working.
“It’s okay. This is what I live for.” He pours a shot of jalapeño juice in one shot glass and Jameson in the other. He shoots the whiskey and then downs the spicy juice and slams his hands on the metal countertop. “Hell yeah! Woo! I’m fucking ready to go another eight hours.”
“What just happened?” I ask, blinking and staring at Princess as he pops a hot pepper into his mouth.
“Man, don’t ask. It’s his ‘energy’ drink as he calls it.”
“He is right here,” he grumbles. “And it works. The hot flavor keeps me awake.”
“And the whiskey?” I smirk.
“Makes me feel good,” he chuckles.
His fingers tap quickly along the keyboard. “So our man Kenneth Hastings is a real dirtbag.”
“No shit. I knew that. Is that all you found?”
“Not even a little. Alright, let’s start when they met. Looks like the pictures of the couple started when she was nineteen. Aww, see? So cute.” He turns the laptop to me and it’s Charlie and Kenneth on the beach. He’s holding what’s meant to be mine. “And happiness quickly turns to something else entirely. Pictures of them begin to emerge on social media with her having a split lip and wearing scarves- I know those are your favorite.”
I grunt in disgust and chug my beer. Maybe I need a shot of that whiskey instead, something a little stronger.
“Anyway, looks like Kenneth’s dad is a part of the firm Kenneth works at. He went to high school with Charlie’s dad too. I dug deep into that connection and found out those two hated each other. Anyway, life goes on, Charlie and Kenneth meet and suddenly Fletcher’s Construction begins to struggle financially. Here is my thought and I could be wrong, but I think Kenneth and his father wanted to take down Fletcher’s Construction since Kenneth’s dad had an issue with Charlie’s.”
“Sounds pretty immature and petty.”
One nods in agreement as he takes a big bite of his burger, a glob of mustard and ketchup falling onto his pants. “Ah, fuck.” He steals another bite of the burger and another drop falls, this time on Princess’s hand. “Shit.”
“You’re the messiest eater alive.” Princess snatches a napkin from the table and cleans his hand, then gives One a handful. “You need these on you at all times. This is an expensive piece of equipment, and I won’t let it get ruined with mustard and mayonnaise.”
“First off, mayonnaise is gross. You’ll never see me with it.”
Princess deadpans him with a ‘I don’t give it a shit’ kind of look.
“Right, which isn’t the point. Sorry, continue.” One bows, forgetting he has the burger in his hand and a pickle drops on the mousepad. “Oops.”
“I swear if you don’t get away from me, I’m going to deep fry you and feed you to the coyotes.”
I chuckle around the beer bottle and smile when I see One sliding down the counter, making faces at Princess.
Princess flicks the pickle at One and sighs in annoyance as he cleans off his mousepad. “Anyway,” he eyes One, “I think Kenneth saw Charlie as a way inside to take down her father’s company, by doing it slowly, draining the Fletcher’s dry as he siphons money, and using Charlie to do it. The link? Kenneth’s dad dated Charlie’s mom way back when but left him for Charlie’s dad. I guess he isn’t taking the rejection well. The family is a nutcase. Charlie is stuck between a rock and a hard place, but here is the kicker, she doesn’t have to be.” He stretches back on the counter and twists his neck from left to right until it pops. “The marriage license One pulled up to show you? Not real. Kenneth and his father have a few cops and government workers under their belts. You scratch their back, they will scratch yours, kind of thing.”
“What do you mean it isn’t real?” I straighten.
He turns the laptop toward me and shows me a marriage license. “See anything?”
“There’s no mark, but who cares?”
“Dude, her name is spelled wrong. Her birthdate is wrong. Kenneth never wanted to marry her, just to control her. That’s probably why he never fought her on keeping her last name. He isn’t faithful to her. He fucks like three women in his office. She’s just there for him to do whatever he wants with.”
“She isn’t married?”
He shakes his head. “She isn’t married. She’s never been married. She’s been lied to this entire time. Used and manipulated.”
“That changes everything.”
“I thought you might say that. There’s one other thing.” Princess sounds unsure as he taps the shot glass against the countertop creating a nerve-grinding clink.
“What?”
“She doesn’t know this, but two years ago she was hospitalized because he beat her to the point where she needed a doctor. She was pregnant. It was too early for her to know. She thought she was just bleeding from the damage done and he convinced her of that. I had to break into her sealed medical file.”
“He lied to her about that?” I feel sick. She deserves to know. She deserves so much more than this.