Page 94 of Devil’s Disciples

39

Baker

“This motherfucker better be legit,” I said. “If he gives me the smallest idea that he’s not, we’re walking.”

We were in Cash’s truck, with the gold in tow. Enough time had passed that it was safe to sell the gold on the black market. The man who was to give us pricing for it was a commodities trader that lived in Brentwood, an upscale neighborhood that adjoined Beverly Hills. Despite coming highly recommended by the Hells Angels local Sergeant-at-Arms, I didn’t trust the man.

Cash glanced over his right shoulder, and scoffed. “He’s as strong as they day is long.”

I coughed a laugh. “Did you just make that up?”

His eyes shifted to the road. “It rhymed. I was pretty proud of myself for making it up.”

“Been pretty proud of you too, lately.”

He changed lanes and then flipped his hair away from his eyes. “Why’s that?”

“You’ve been civil about Andy. I appreciate you giving us a little space, even if it is nothing more than a rest from your verbal assaults.”

He gave me a quick look. “A little verbal assault never hurt anyone.”

“It’s annoying.”

“I figured out a few weeks back that you’re not pumping her for information, you’re pumping her with your dick.” He looked at me and held my gaze, despite being in charge of driving. “This deal’s real, ain’t it?”

“Not sure.”

“Liar.”

“It might end up being the real deal, who knows.”

He rolled to a stop at a traffic light and then gave me an evil glare, Cash style. “It’s real as fuck right now.”

“Hard to tell.”

“Maybe hard for you to tell. You’re star struck or whatever. All of us can see it. Hell, we talk about it.”

I was glad to see him opening up about it. Curious to find out the MC’s opinion, I trudged on. “What does everyone say?”

“Nobody’s pissed. Goose said the other day if he heard anyone talking trash he was gonna start slicing tires. Pretty much stopped that afternoon.” He grinned a sly grin. “Even the playing around.”

It mattered to me what Cash thought. More than anyone, really. He was hypersensitive, and childish in so many ways. I felt a need to make sure any questions he may have weren’t unanswered. The traffic signal changed, and he inched away from the light.

“What if this gal and me get serious? What would you think?” I glanced over my shoulder, and then made clarification. “If it ever gets that far?”

“Tried to think about it, but it ain’t easy. Other’n Goose marrying that chick with the kids for a while, it’s always been us. Just us. Guess for me, it gets down to trust.” He looked at me and shrugged his right shoulder against his jaw. “And, you know me. I don’t trust anyone.”

It was the understatement of the decade. He didn’t trust anyone. Prepared to take the conversation a little further, I reached into my pocket to rub my lucky keychain.

My eyes widened.

I checked my other pocket.

“Turn around,” I said.

“Huh?”

“Turn around,” I demanded.