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“Planning to have Malik wait for him upstairs instead?”
He grins. “Maybe.”
“Will it make you feel better to know I have something in mind to make sure he won’t be bothering any of your girls again?”
“I can’t have someone that high-profile get roughed up in my house, Z.”
“I promise it won’t come back to you.”
He tilts his head, studying me while he considers my request. “How unfriendly we talking?”
“Brutal.”
“He hurt someone in the club? I didn’t think he had anything to do with the local crime syndicate. Too good for us lowlifes and all.” He rolls his eyes.
“He hurt someone close to me. Like you, I found out about it later than I would’ve preferred.”
“Ahhhh. Shit, I’m sorry, Z. If we’d known, maybe one of us could’ve—”
“I don’t think so, but I appreciate that.” I run my hand over my chin while I consider whether I want to ask my next question. “The girl still work for you?”
“Nah, she went back to school. The Green Street Crew scholarship fund is alive and well.”
It probably sounds like a self-serving fine line, but to my knowledge, Loco only runs girls who are there voluntarily. It’s the only reason our club’s looked the other way and allowed his “escort business” to operate in our territory. He treats them well and they bring in top dollar. The same philosophy we use running our strip club so his scholarship joke actually makes me laugh.
“Good to know.”
“You know how we do here. I like to be a blip on their radar. The benevolent, kind-hearted gangster who gives ‘em a helping hand when they expect to be slapped down.”
“Uh, okay. That’s not arrogant at all, Loco.”
He grins even wider. “Love makes the world go round, brother.”
“I’m surprised you and Sparky don’t hang out more.”
“That high-as-fuck ghost boy is welcome here anytime. You make sure he knows any girl he wants is on the house.”
“I’ll be sure to tell him.” Jesus Christ, a chat with Loco is like visiting the Cheshire cat. “Back to the former Senator. What’s his type?”
“He’s an interesting one. Tall, curvaceous brunettes are his thing. Usually they want big-titted blondes, but he’s very specific in his tastes.”
A sick feeling rolls through my stomach. I don’t want to press for more details even though I need to.
“What else?”
“Christ, Z. You want gory details? He likes choking ‘em til they pass out. Figure he must not want ‘em laughing at his tiny dick or something.”
My throat’s so tight, I can barely speak. It hurts to crack a smile and make a joke right now. “Get your psychology degree in your spare time?”
“Don’t need no degree to know how some of these sick fuckers work.” His gaze strays to the wall behind me where I’m guessing that loud ticking is coming from. “You want me to call you if I hear from him? Set up a date?”
“Have him come here.”
“Oh, trust me, I ain’t never sending another one of my girls to his place.”
“But he’s been here before?”
“Yeah, after he messed up Vanessa. I still didn’t know and I let him in.” He pounds his fist against the desk. “Fucker.”
“He hurt the girl he saw here?”
“Not as bad, but if I’d known that’s what he’s into, I would’ve provided him with a different girl. It was a little more than Nikki signed up for.”
“She okay?”
“She’s still here. I won’t set him up with her again though.” His eyes shine with murderous intent. “Maybe I will and I’ll be waiting for him instead.”
“I need him occupied for at least half an hour.”
“I’ll keep him occupied.” He cocks his head. “And if he doesn’t call?”
“Then I’ll have to figure out another way in.”
With Loco on board, I want to sit down with my brothers and discuss how things will go down.
Smoke’s bitching all those weeks ago about how we should return to the old ways has stuck with me.
Wrath, Rock, Murphy, and Teller meet me at the war room table.
They don’t need a lot of information. I wouldn’t be coming to them, asking to murder someone in Kelly’s league unless it was bad.
“That’s why she left?” Wrath asks.
“Pretty much. The government wanted her to cooperate but she couldn’t stand seeing him day after day. Or risk it.”
“Fuck.” Teller shakes his head and stares down at his hands.
“She didn’t want you taking care of it, because of how close he was being watched,” Murphy says.
“Right.”
“Explains California,” Wrath says. He’s taken this much more calmly and with a lot less skepticism than I expected.
When I question him, he shrugs. “Why the fuck would she lie about that? She gains nothing by telling you now. Assuming you’re telling the truth and you two were finally going stop fucking around, she blew up her entire life to get away from him. I believe her.”
His answer makes me laugh for a solid minute. It’s really not what I expected out of Wrath. “Speaking of blowing up shit, how about a nice, old-fashioned car bomb?” I suggest.
Rock raises his eyebrows. “You don’t want to gut this fucker personally?”
“I do, but with him under so much scrutiny, I can’t take the risk.”
“And a car bomb will be under the radar?” Murphy shakes his head. “That’ll attract a lot of attention.”
“We can wait until he’s inside…” Teller suggests.
“No,” Rock answers. “Tony says even if he’s convicted, he won’t do much time. Even if he does, it’ll be in a federal facility.”
“You fucking kidding me?” Murphy shakes his head. “Fucking government’s more criminal than we are.”
“Hell, give the guy a few years. He’ll probably get re-elected and do it all over again,” Wrath says. “They’re all fuckin’ crooks.”
“Let’s save the political discussion for later.” Rock taps the table. “Car bombing, huh? LOKI haven’t gone that route in a long time.”
Meaning no one currently in our club has any bomb-making skills.
“Rooster can do it.”
“You want to involve him?” Murphy asks.
“I trusted him enough to make him VP,” I remind everyone. “He’s had our backs down there. He’s cautious too. Didn’t bring the Shadow issue up until he had solid proof even though he knew I wasn’t happy with Shadow.”
“I don’t know him as well as you do, Z, but I trust your judgment,” Wrath says. “Besides, it’s your ass, ultimately.”
“Thanks for the reminder.”
Wrath runs his fingers over his beard a few times and flashes a sinister smile. “Car bomb’s nice. Should scare the piss out of all those corrupt fucks. They’ll assume it’s related to the trial.” He nods at Rock. “Or the lack of justice.”
“Right. That was my other thought. He’s got so many people gunning for him, there’s no reason to look my way. And like you said, it’s a method we haven’t used in decades.”
“You can’t do it anywhere someone else is gonna get hurt. That’s what got that club in Idaho in so much shit,” Teller reminds me.
“I’m aware. Trust me, brother, I don’t want any collateral damage. Just this guy.” I nudge Rock with my elbow. “Loco had some good insight for me. I think planting the bomb at his place and setting it off at the Senator’s home will be the way to go.”
“Sounds good.” Rock shakes his head. “Even if Loco puts the pieces together once it’s done, he’s sure as fuck not going to snitch on anyone.”
“Loco’s crazy, but he’s not dumb,” Wrath says. “He’ll put the pieces together fast.”
“Trust me, he’s got no love lost for this guy. He’ll probably congratulate me.”
Chapter Forty
; Lilly
The guys have “club business” to attend to so I end up at Hope’s house, helping Heidi sort through wedding stuff while the kids play together. Well, really, they play near each other. Alexa showed Chance which toys of hers he was allowed to touch when we got here.
“I like her spunk,” I say to Heidi.
“Notice it was the “boy toys” she gave him. I’ve been giving her all the gender-neutral toys and clothes and—”
“She’s a girly-girl?”
Heidi laughs. “Yup. But at least she picked it out for herself. I didn’t force it on her.”
