“Count’s going to let us in through the back door. He said they’re sitting in the middle booth along the left side. It’s pretty clear they’re waiting for us to show.”
“Employees?”
“Only Amber and a bartender. Count sent everyone else home.”
The back door opened, and Count’s head peeked out. “Are you ready?”
The minute I stepped into the tit show, my head was on a swivel, but I kept coming up empty. It wasn’t until I stepped into the main room that I saw them, clearly sitting in the middle booth along the left side.
There were six of them, two on each side, dressed in suits with gaudy gold watches. Glasses lay scattered all over the table. Amber was dancing on the stage, and they weren’t even facing her direction.
The men were leaning over the table, murmuring to each other. When they heard our boots stomping on the tile, their heads shot up in our direction.
“You need to get some new girls, muchacho,” a man in a brown suit said, sitting in the middle of the booth. The other men followed his lead, laughing at his lame joke. He leaned back in the booth, spreading his arms wide against the top.
“You weren’t complaining the other night,” Amber huffed before rushing to the back.
“Don’t.” Sabre held his hand up, standing directly in front of their table. The rest of us flanked him on either side. “I have better fucking things to be doing.”
“Two kids in two years. Is she even tight anymore?” The men at the table laughed, smacking each other, only encouraging the leader to continue. “The first one is the banker’s. Is the second one even yours?”
Sabre slammed the table into the man’s stomach, pushing until the man gasped for air. He let go, and the table fell back into place, only for him to shove it again. “I was going to let you walk out of here, but your buddy over there didn’t know when to shut the fuck up.” He held the eyes of the other five men. “So, who’s going to tell me what Manny wants this time?”
None of the cartel members spoke.
“What? You’re only big and bad when you’re running your fucking mouths?” Sabre reached behind him, pulling his gun from his waistband. He aimed directly at the leader’s forehead. “You’ve got one chance at this before I pull the trigger.”
Wreck said something in Spanish, spooking the leader. He started speaking rapid-fire Spanish, and while I couldn’t understand a word, his forehead shone with sweat under the lights.
“You deal with him,” Wreck deferred to Sabre, but I quickly searched Pretty’s face. His eyes narrowed at Wreck. This was one more piece Wreck had been hiding not only from him but from the club.
“My apologies, jefe,” the man said to Sabre, bringing his hands up into a praying position. “I lost myself for a second and will never speak badly about the banker’s wife.”
Sabre widened his stance, unimpressed.
“Manny wants to make a deal,” the leader talked fast. “He knows Diego is gone. Told him to leave you alone, but he became obsessed. Blonde.”
Grizz pulled out his gun, aiming at the man directly in front of him.
“He planned to come after you, but your man—blue spikes. He grows money, like on trees. Manny wants that. He’s willing to overlook Diego’s death.”
“Manny already has the Knights cleaning money.” Sabre turned off his safety.
“Krait still sells for El Sombra Roja. Took Diego’s clients.” The man held his hands up. “Manny can’t win the war if he only has money. No good.”
“I’m still not hearing why I should agree.”
“Manny overlooks Diego’s death and gets a new supplier and money.”
“Fuck. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Sabre shook his head, but the gun in his hand remained steady. “I don’t have any friends.” He pulled the trigger. Red dripped down the middle of the man’s forehead before he slumped over.
The other five men, realizing what had happened, reached for their guns. When they came up empty-handed, they bowed their heads, waiting for the inevitable.
We all fired once, watching as the men fell forward. They were dead before they even hit the table.
Chapter 26
Ashes to Ashes
