Was he hearing this shit right?
Sitting opposite him on a picnic bench out back of the clubhouse, the members used for cookouts, Axel was calmer than Splice, his silver-ringed hands laced together, Champ, the club dog, sitting obediently at his feet.
When Axel told Splice he needed to talk to him, he assumed it was about one of their properties. Either to add something else to his plate, or to ask Splice to sort out a problem with a prick not paying on time.
That was usually the one-on-ones he had with Axel. Splice was the go-to guy for discreetly or forcefully sorting issues.
But this bullshit he was hearing?
“Are you positive?”
“I got it right from Fielding. Her team has been watching Harvey for a while.”
The CEO, or whatever bullshit title the deadbeat guy who owned the Riot Brothers’ organization, has been a thorn in the Diablos’ side for a while now.
But the last thing Splice ever expected to hear was that Harvey, who was under police investigation, had been spotted several times meeting with Splice’s uncle, Vince.
“That strip mall venture Vince brought to me recently. All he’d say was it was a contact out of town, but he could vouch for them to be business partners. I told him we’d need time to look into it. Now, it’s got me thinking that contact is Harvey.”
A heavy muscle worked in Splice’s jaw as he locked eyes with the Prez. “He’s never mentioned shit to me, Axel.”
“That isn’t in question. I figured he wouldn’t be saying anything to you if he were dabbling with Harvey.”
“Vince knows the crap the Riot Brotherhood has tried to pull with us. I can’t fathom why he’d do that.”
“I’ve always had time for your uncle, Splice,” Axel stated in his deep tone. “He’s brought us some lucrative opportunities over the years, but...”
Splice waved a hand, sighing again as he ground his teeth together. “You don’t need to say it, Prez.”
But if he was buddying up with their enemy, Vince was no longer welcome at the MC headquarters.
“Only me and Chains know what Fielding brought to me. Now you. So, I’m gonna leave this with you to figure out. I have too much going on with Scarlett to go chasing up bullshit.” Axel told him. “Right now, it’s speculation, so find out what he’s doing with Harvey and why. If the shit escalates, then the club gets involved.”
“I understand,” Splice answered gravely.
It blew his mind that Vince would associate with the club’s rivals, let alone strike deals, given Vince’s history of loyalty to the MC. He saw himself more as an independent contractor, bringing them profitable business, not a member. It was a win for everyone involved.
An hour later, Splice parked in the car dealership forecourt, prowling the length of the warehouse until he reached the back office.
“Splice!” his uncle lifted his head and grinned from behind his desk. “Didn’t know you were heading this way, son.”
“It wasn’t planned.” He pulled out a chair with his boot and plopped into the seat, facing his uncle. “Need to talk to you about something.”
The older man, who was only a year older than Splice’s dad, looked so much like him that Splice would get a punch to the gut.
“Of course, I’m all ears. Is your mom okay? I only talked to Tammie yesterday.”
“Yeah, she’s fine. It’s club-related.” The soft, well-worn leather of his jacket creaked when Splice leaned forward and rested both forearms on his thighs, holding his uncle’s gaze. “Look, this isn’t something I wanna ask or believe, but have you been having meetings with Harvey and the Riot Brothers?”
There was no change in Vince’s expression, and Splice felt a brief wave of relief settle in his midsection. If he had been guilty of something, Vince’s face would have shown it. Vince had always been a stand-up guy throughout Splice’s life. If not for Vince’s guidance after his dad died, Splice would have truly gone off the rails.
He owed his uncle a lot.
“Before I answer, can I ask why you’re asking this?”
Fuck.
A tick worked through Splice’s jaw. “Someone saw you with Harvey. You know what those cunts are trying to do to the Diablos, Vince. As someone who’s always shown loyalty to the club, I gotta know what the fuck are you doing with him and why?”
