Ace picked his spot because the building casts shade on that side this time of the afternoon, but it’s actually only a bit better than standing in the sun. Dry heat’s supposed to be better than humid heat, but I’m finding I hate them both equally. The air is thick with dust, the earth screaming for some rain, but I doubt it’s coming. It’s drought season.
“Hey, Ace,” I call out before I even reach him. “You got a second?”
He shrugs, nods, and takes another drag on his cigarette. The bags under his eyes are huge and black. He needs to get some sleep, but I’m not dumb enough to suggest it. Nor do I know how to start the conversation I do want to have. I’ve been planning on finding him for a private talk all day but didn’t get very far in the planning of what words to actually say.
“What can I do for you, Colt?” Ace asks once I stop next to him and a couple of moments of silence pass.
“I’m not really sure how to ask…” I say, my voice fading away as I realize that was definitely the dumbest possible way to begin this conversation.
He chuckles and offers me a cigarette. “How about you just say it. If it’s a favor you need, it’s yours. I owe you.”
“I did what anyone would’ve,” I say, and that again sounds wrong. But after a lifetime of not being acknowledged, let alone praised for a damn thing I did right, Ace’s gratitude is taking some getting used to. He lights my cigarette and the first drag cuts through my dry and parched throat like a knife. For a few moments, it’s all I can do not to start coughing.
He’s looking at me expectantly, so I swallow, decide to stop thinking, and just blurt it out.
“You’ve been with the Sinners for a while, so you know them. Do you think they’ll take care of the club girls?” I ask. “Or will they just leave them there to fend for themselves when the going gets tough for them?”
As it will any day now. We both know that.
A very dark look passes across his face, disgust mingled with the killing kind of quiet rage.
“They treated Stormi like dirt,” he says in a menacing voice. “They might treat the others better, but I haven’t seen anything of the sort, while I was there. My guess is they’ll all just run for the hills as soon as we move against them like the low cowards they are. So yeah, I suppose they’ll leave them to fend for themselves. And we won’t hurt any of them, you know that. Why do you ask?”
He’s eyeing me like maybe he already knows.
“I was talking to the girl behind the bar,” I say. “I kinda liked her. Don’t want her to get hurt or something.”
I did more than kinda liked her. I can’t stop thinking about her and these long days of doing nothing but trying to stay out of the sun have not made it any easier. I’m not even sure why. I spoke to her for like ten minutes tops, not counting the fifteen I spent checking her out before she noticed me. There’s just something about her. This perfect blend of beauty and wickedness in her face and the way she speaks.
He grins. “Brenda? She’s got a mouth on her. I’m not sure you can handle her.”
And that’s just it. I’m not sure I can either, but I want to try.
“It’s never fun if it’s easy, if you know what I mean,” I say and grin too.
His face turns serious. “She’s probably gone already. Stormi told her she was leaving. And seeing as the two of them were being held prisoner by the Sinners together, I doubt Brenda would wanna stick around by herself.”
“Held prisoner? You mean she’s not there voluntarily?” That simplifies things for me. And…
“You think she’s in danger now that Stormi’s gone?”
Ace’s eyes widen as he fixes them on me. “I didn’t even think of that. Stormi was sure Brenda can hold her own, but then again, she didn’t know the whole story.”
“So if I go and see her, see how she’s doing, and if she wants to leave, you think that’d be all right?”
I can see him struggling with finding the right answer. We’re probably thinking the same thing, namely that Cross wouldn’t be happy if I go hang out at the Sinners bar now that we’re about to move against them.
“I’ll be inconspicuous and won’t stay long,” I add.
He nods like he’s reached some sort of a decision.
“Go later tonight,” he says. “After eleven. And take some backup just in case.”
“Should I tell Cross?” I ask since even though I have no orders to stay away, I still think he probably wants me to.
“Be in and out,” Ace says. “After tonight, it won’t matter much if you’re seen there, anyway.”
“All right, good, I will,” I say, still not sure if it’s the right thing to do. My stomach is telling me it is, my dick is too, but my mind isn’t completely on board with this idea.
“I’ll handle it with Cross,” Ace says, finally answering my question. “And Stormi’s gonna appreciate you getting her friend out safe, so try to convince her to leave even if she doesn’t want to.”
She’ll want to. She as good as said so during our brief encounter. Or is that just what I wanted to hear? Am I walking into the lion’s den cock-first with no guarantee of ever getting back out? It wouldn’t be the first time. But my cock has never been this loud in saying it’s the best idea I’ve ever had.
The parking lot in front of the Sinners’ bar is only about half full when me and Blaze roll up at just past eleven. Music is blaring inside though, loud enough to be heard clearly from the road.
“Wait about fifteen then follow me inside, I guess,” I tell Blaze.
“Try to be out in less than fifteen,” he counters. “I doubt Cross wants us here, no matter what Ace says.”
Me and Blaze go way back. We’ve been best buddies since before kindergarten, and that’s probably the only reason he’s even here, doing this crazy thing with me. He’s always had my back in all the crazy things I’ve done. It’d be a very poor way of repaying that by getting us kicked out from Devil’s Nightmare MC for this stunt. If they even kick anyone out, rather than just killing them. But Cross strikes me as a reasonable man.
“Stop stressing, it’ll be fine,” I say and leave him standing by the bikes.
I was expecting a party to be taking place inside, but it’s a very subdued affair. Less than half the tables are occupied, and there’s no laughter, no loud talking. They all seem to be whispering to each other or not talking at all. Most of them turned to look at me as I walked in.
On a normal night, a night where I just stopped in at a bar for a drink and a maybe a lay, I’d turn right around at this point and walk back out. Too much tension. Something ominous is hanging in the air, thicker than the smoke filling the room.
But this isn’t a regular night. I’m here on a mission.
A mission that’s not starting off well.
The tall redhead is behind the counter serving drinks and Brenda’s nowhere in sight. I check every lap, every table, getting very belligerent looks back by the men I’m very obviously disturbing by my presence here tonight. I ignore it, pretend I don’t even see them as I make my way to the bar.