“What about them?” I ask. “Just so you know, Evelyn only agreed to marry that motherfucker because she needed his money. Nothing else. She was never his no matter what he thinks or tattoos on her fucking finger!”
“The money is the part we’re most concerned with,” Malcolm says. “And since Lowell’s been locked up, we’ve noticed there’s been a lot more of it coming in.”
“What do you mean?” Torin asks. “You think he’s been skimming?”
“Oh, he’s definitely been skimming,” one of the other guys says with a gruff bark of laughter. “And we want our fucking money back.”
“What?” I ask. “You think Evelyn has it or something?”
“That’s what we want to find out,” Malcolm replies.
“She’s not in any shape to talk right now. Your boy, Lowell, got her strung out, and she’s still going through withdrawals,” I snap at them. “You all wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
“Look, man, we barely saw the girl. Lowell kept her holed up in their apartment most of the time,” Malcolm says with his palms raised in the air. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if he was skimming product along with the four hundred thousand dollars he stole from the club.”
“That’s a lot of money to go missing,” Reece says. “How come nobody noticed it before now?”
“Because Lowell handled all of our fucking money,” Malcolm explains. “He was the one rigging the books. Imagine our surprise when we realize that we’re about thirty Gs richer this month than last.”
“Whatever Lowell did with your money, I don’t think Evelyn had any part in it.”
“Hey, now,” Malcolm starts, pointing a finger at me. “You’re the one who just said she only married him for his money, not me.”
“That’s right. She did,” I agree. “Evelyn needed the money for her mother, who has kidney failure and is on daily dialysis waiting on a transplant. That shit isn’t cheap.”
The three men exchange a look with each other as if they’re trying to decide whether or not I’m telling the truth.
“I can probably get you all proof of her doctor bills and prescriptions if you want,” I offer.
“Yeah, okay,” Malcolm agrees. “Last two years’ worth?”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“We’d appreciate that,” their president says before looking to ours. “And we don’t want to have any bad blood with the Kings. I swear, man, we didn’t know where we were even going until Lowell led us here the other day. We’ve got enough problems on our plate without having to deal with a rival MC, especially one as big as the Savage Kings.”
“That’s right,” Torin says. “You don’t want us as an enemy. Remember the last time you all backed the wrong fucking man?”
“You burned the Ace of Spades down. We remember,” one of the guys grumbles.
“And we also learned an important lesson about not getting into business with the cartel,” Malcolm adds. “Anyway,” he says with a sigh. “Try to get us those records; and if you happen to see Lowell, give us a call.”
“If he shows up here again, he won’t be leaving alive,” I warn them. “He’s a rabid dog that needs to be put down once and for all.”
The guys share another look, the two members each giving a small nod to Malcolm, who says, “Give us the proof of where he’s been spending our cash, and you can have him.”
“Deal,” I agree, offering him my hand to shake on it, which he takes with a strong grip.
The men then climb back on their motorcycles and peel out of the parking lot before Torin, Reece and I head back inside.
“Looks like that shithead has met the end of the line,” Reece mutters.
“At least now you’ve got their blessing to end him,” Torin says to me. “The Kings would’ve had your back, but it’s nice to know we won’t be making a new enemy. I’m getting too old for this outlaw shit.”
“Yeah, I’m glad it’s just Lowell and not his entire crew we have to deal with,” I agree. “I’ll talk to Rita and get them the bank records ASAP.”
“Good,” Torin replies. “How’s Evelyn doing? Withdrawals getting any better?”
“Depression or withdrawals, I don’t really know what the fuck is going on with her,” I reply. “Could one of you maybe get in touch with Sax to see if Isobel could come and check on Evelyn? She’s not doing good coming off whatever the hell cocktail that asshole’s been giving her for years.”
“Sure, man. I’ll give Sax a call and see when she can get over here,” Torin responds. Giving me a slap on the shoulder, he adds, “Try to hang in there, kid.”
Chapter Twenty
Evelyn
“Evelyn? Hi, I’m Isobel,” a beautiful woman’s face says from right above my own. I would think she’s possibly an angel except I doubt angels have blue hair. “Cedric asked me to come by and check on you, so I’m just going to take your blood pressure, pulse and temperature to see how you’re doing, okay?” the Smurf angel informs me.
“I’m awful,” I tell her. “Everything still hurts. All over. I don’t have any energy to move.”
“That’s the withdrawal symptoms. They can last weeks,” she says with a frown. “Your brain got used to getting something, and then you suddenly quit. How long were you using ecstasy and oxy before you stopped?”
“Two years,” I answer.
“That’s a long time, and it’s not going to be easy, but you can get through this. You have Cedric who loves you and is worried about you. He’s going to stick by you and make sure you come out on the other side, healthier and happier.”
“I don’t deserve him,” I mutter while she pumps up the blood pressure cuff on my arm.
“Of course you do. Everyone deserves to be loved.”
“I left him for someone else. I’m married,” I tell her, which is a surprise based on her raised brows.
“So things are a bit complicated. It will all work out,” she says.
“How do you know? Are you psychic?” I ask.
“Nope. Just a pediatric nurse,” Isobel responds, giving me a stern look. “And if you were to spend an hour with the terminally ill kids on my floor, I bet you would stop feeling sorry for yourself and be incredibly grateful for your health instead.”
“Oh, jeez. You work with sick kids?” I mutter. “You really are an angel.”
“For a while, I quit nursing. I was throwing myself pity parties too, angry at my father and god because I drew the short stick in the life expectancy category. But then I met Sax, and he made me realize that I’m pretty blessed in the love category, all things considered.”
“I think I would rather have kidney disease and be dying than having to watch my mother go through it. She’s too good a person to suffer like that, you know?”
“Isn’t that always the case?” Isobel says with a smile. “Evil bastards never get what they deserve, living until they’re a hundred while the good die young.”