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Yeah, yeah, brothers are supposed to be secretive with their old ladies. Even if I don’t like it, I’d never rat him out to Heidi. That’s just not how the brotherhood works.
I glance around the building. The kids running this ring call it The Castle. It looks like a fortress from the outside. Used to be a juvenile detention facility. Pretty sure it’s the same one Teller spent some time in way back when he was a hang-around for the club.
While Jake mentioned the privileged youth, who hang out here hoping to impress their buddies or make some cash, I also see plenty of shifty-eyed youngsters. The kind who might make decent prospects if mentored correctly.
“You ever consider looking for some prospects while you’re here living out your degenerate boxer fantasies?” I ask Murphy.
“Of course, I do.” He claps a hand on my shoulder and points me in the direction of two early-twentyish guys working their way through the crowd.
“Remy and Griff run this ring. They’re honest and no bullshit. Both excellent fighters. Remy could turn pro if he wanted.”
“Do either of them ride?” Can’t join the Lost Kings if you don’t ride a minimum number of hours a year. Never been an issue for any of us because it’s in our blood. Not a lot of young guys have the desire anymore.
“Remy does. A 2014 Night Rod I helped him find.”
“Sounds about right.” Nice bike with a lot of power, but not the best for long road trips.
Now Murphy’s excited. Like most of us, he can talk about bikes forever. “It’s pretty wicked. Still mostly stock but he chopped out the rear fender, blacked out all the metal. Kept almost everything else.”
“Talk to him about stopping by or hanging around?”
“Yeah, I don’t think he has a lot of free time.”
“Won’t make it as a prospect then.” Prospects get all the bitch work and are expected to drop everything when the club needs ‘em. Harder and harder to find someone with that level of dedication.
“I’ll feel out the situation some more.”
Since Jigsaw’s new here, he should probably go in one of the first rounds. Apparently, Murphy has some pull here and Griff places him in a later fight.
“Don’t embarrass me tonight,” Murphy warns Jigsaw without his usual I’m-just-fucking-with-you smile.
Whatever tonight is, it’s a big deal. There are more matches than I’ve usually seen at one of these things. Louder music. More energy than my thirty-eight-year-old ass feels like dealing with.
Christ, this president gig has aged me twenty years.
Finally, Jigsaw’s up and he’s impressive in the ring.
“He shoulda been called Buzzsaw,” I say to Murphy.
“Shit, yeah. I feel kinda bad for giving him a hard time now.”
“No, you don’t.”
One corner of his mouth quirks up. “True.” A little more seriously, he adds, “But he’s good.”
“Your boy’s not gonna get too cocky, is he?” Jake asks Murphy in a voice so low, I almost can’t hear him.
“Why?”
“Brady’s a cop.”
“Shit, seriously?” I blurt out.
Jake shrugs.
“What happens here is supposed to stay here. Cop or not, Brady’s gotta know that,” Murphy says.
Jigsaw, thankfully, isn’t a show-off and he doesn’t fight dirty. He wins, but it’s close.
“Jigsaw!” Rooster roars, throwing his arms up in a victory sign. “Wooo!”
Then it’s Murphy’s turn. “Make me proud, Gingersnap.” He rolls his eyes at the stupid nickname he picked up at another MC’s clubhouse we’re friendly with.
As annoyed as I am with Murphy for still fighting, he’s damn talented. The asshole he’s up against, not so much.
“Is Murphy holding back?” I ask Jake.
“Probably. I don’t think this guy knows what he’s doing.”
Before each match, Griff lays out the rules to everyone. Yeah, it’s an underground match, but there are a few rules to keep things civil. I actually respect that and wonder how they handle it when people break the rules.
His opponent takes a dirty shot before the next whistle blows, snapping Murphy’s head back.
“Motherfucker.” My whole body tenses, preparing to fuck this guy up.
“Shit,” Jake mumbles. “Here we go.”
“You got his back?”
“Fuck yeah, I do.”
We wait, watching the match.
“That’s how he got Gingersnap,” Jake says after Murphy lets loose a punishing blur of shots that take his opponent to the mat.
“Yup.”
There’s a flurry of activity when the match is called in Murphy’s favor. I jostle through the crowd to make sure I’m at Murphy’s side when he comes out of the ring.
He grins at me. “See, told you I still had it.”
“Never doubted it, brother. Let’s go.”
Griff walks over and hands Murphy his money for the night. They engage in a tight, pulling-each-other in, slapping-backs kind of handshake, that Murphy normally wouldn’t allow from a stranger. Just how often is he coming out here to pick up fights?
The kid surprises me by shaking my hand too. “Thank you so much for allowing Murphy and Jigsaw in our ring tonight.”
Huh. Respectful attitude for someone his age. “No problem. Murphy speaks highly of you and your partner.”
“Good to hear.” He jerks his thumb over his shoulder. “I have to get ready for the next match. Stay as long as you want.”
He melts back into the crowd.
“Are he and Remy, like gay partners-partners or just partners?” Ravage asks.
“Who gives a shit?” Murphy growls.
“You worry about the stupidest stuff,” I add. I nod at the other kid Murphy pointed out earlier. “I’m guessing by the number of bunnies hanging off his jock, they’re business partners.”
Jake overhears the last part of the conversation and laughs. “Griff’s hard up for Remy’s little sister.”
“How ‘bout that.” I poke Murphy in the chest. “No wonder you two get along so well.”
“Shut up, dick.”
“You speak to Rock like that?”
Murphy shrugs. “He’s not a dick like you are.”
Jake crosses his arms over his chest, his gaze ping-ponging between us. “Man, this is better than hanging out with Wrath and Murphy.”
“Please tell me Wrath kicks his ass more often?”
Jake laughs. “Not that I’ve seen.”
“Hey, Jake.” I turn more serious because I should’ve said this earlier. “Thanks for that class you taught the girls. It, uh, came in handy for Lilly.”
&
nbsp; “I’m glad to hear it.” He frowns. “Well, not if someone messed with her.” He pauses and glances away as if he’s considering his words carefully. “Some of the floor choke holds, where we get inside the guard,” He must feel the heat of my glare because he holds his hands in the air, “I had the girls practice those moves on each other. But seriously, she seemed freaked out. I didn’t want to make a big deal, so I had her skip it.”
There’s that sick feeling rolling through my gut again. More secrets Lilly’s keeping. She never mentioned anything at the class bothered her.
Was it normal discomfort from trying something new or is there a more specific reason it bothered her?
And if there’s more to it, is it a secret I’m even entitled to?
Chapter Forty-Four
Z
The next day I get the news I’ve been waiting for.
“I got your man!” someone shouts into the phone when I answer it.
“Who is this?”
“Loco.” He almost sounds hurt.
“Sorry, didn’t recognize the number.” The last thing I want to do is offend him when I think he’s calling with the news I really need to hear.
“Your sicko placed an order today. I told him we couldn’t accommodate his request until later.”
“Sounds good.”
Loco won’t say more than that over the phone, so I’ll have to wait for the details.
It’s been a tense couple of days, waiting to see if anyone jumps out and slaps a subpoena in Lilly’s hands. She hasn’t left the house much.
After tonight, she won’t have to worry anymore.
“I’m sorry, Lilly, I have to go.”
Her weak smile doesn’t do a lot to hide her surprise. Can’t blame her, told her this morning I’d be home all day.
“Club business,” I offer as an explanation. It’s not quite true, but I have a feeling if I confide that I’m off to murder Senator Kelly, she’ll try to stop me.
“Is everything okay?”
