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I never come in on Monday, but we can’t have other people overhearing our plans to meet.
“Sure thing. Keep the change.”
I slid him a fifty with a disposable cell written on it with a washable marker. I downed my drink and stumbled out of the bar. Only five biker bars left. I have to head to each one of them and gather allies. Jared has most of this city locked up, but his heavy hand and violence has been causing him a lot of enemies. Tim was small time, but he knew the rules. Jared tried to make up his own. I had to lay the foundation for his success. Otherwise, Tim was going to steal our allies right from underneath of us. I told Jared that violence was not a language that people understand. He could overthrow all of the gang leaders, but he wouldn’t have them for long. But of course, I’m just an advisor; a helping hand. As many times as I saved Jared from himself, I should get a medal. But his survival is our survival. That’s the benefit of having a brother as the pack head. He makes the decision. It’s his responsibility. You follow orders. Lately, we haven’t had that luxury. Something had changed in him. He was impulsive. Reckless. And not very smart. I knew that talking to him made no difference, so instead I had to act. Jen was no closer to being our mate. In fact, she trusted us less than when we first met her. He involved Tim in her life
and then we suffered for it. If I were her, I wouldn’t trust us either. If I could build a group of trusted soldiers, then I was going to be able to save her when the time came. Which I know is coming. I stopped in the next bar. Scruffy blue-collar workers drink with rich men trying to prove their manhood or score cheap hookers. The floor was grimy. The bar looked like vinyl fake wood. What a dump. I sat down at the bar and ordered a shot. I was sick of drinking. If I was human, I would probably be dead or at the very least unconscious. I never understood why humans like this stuff. It makes me feel slow and numb. More than a glass of wine feels like such a waste. I turned and scanned the room. In the far corner a fat hairy guy buried his face in the neck of a woman that looked bored to tears. Her cries rang with false enthusiasm. Two seats down at the bar a bald man dressed all in black sucked down a beer. Three empty glasses sat next to him. The bartender was a greasy fellow that looked about eighty. He wasn’t going to be much help. I took the shot he plunked down and swallowed it down.
“Tell me the good news.” The bartender grinned.
“What?”
“You’re looking for help in overthrowing your brother, eh?”
“Well…um. Not exactly.” Is that what people thought? Should I be worried? What if whispers got back to Jared? Any sign of strife or weakness in the family could backfire.
“Smart thing you’re doing, pairing up with Tim. He’s got support from back home and he knows how to play the game. Your brother is strong but he’s too unstable.”
I needed to find out what he’s talking about. “That’s for sure.” I paused. People usually fill in the gaps with what they want to hear, not with what you say.
“Are you going to be around tonight when it happens?”
I have a feeling whatever it is, I’m going to want to be around now. “Of course, are you going?”
“No. I’ve got to stay here. I’m a bit old for a takeover. Might get rough. Good luck tonight.”
“Thanks.” I wanted to press his head to the bar and press him for more information, but I knew that would give away the game and I wouldn’t find out what in the hell was going on. Playing it cool was the only chance I had at finding the plan so I could stop it.
“Have a good night.”
I nodded and walked out the door. I had to find another bar. Bikers are a gossipy bunch. I just needed to go somewhere where they didn’t know who I was. Which in this town was pretty rare. There were only two bars on the edge of town that wouldn’t recognize me immediately. If I dressed differently and wore a hat, I might have a chance. The things I do for my brothers. I only hoped I wasn’t too late to stop whoever was trying to overthrow him tonight.
Chapter 26
Jennifer
I stood up in Jared’s living room and tried to assess the situation. I knew the last time I was nervous and accidentally spilled too much information about my disastrous marriage to Tim. Jared was probably counting down the minutes till he could kick me out. I figured I would make things easier for him.
“Thanks for everything. Spilling my guts helped me feel better.” I said, turning toward the door.
“That’s it?” Jared asked.
I wheeled around, surprised. Desperate for a friend, I had come and knocked on the triplets’ door, finding only Jared at home. We shared too many glasses of wine and now my head was spinning.
“I think we were just getting started,” he said. “Let’s open up a bottle of something stronger. I’ve got a proposal to solve all of your problems.”
I smiled, relieved, and ran my fingers through my hair. Frequently, my life story poured out in a rush and left me empty except for regret. “I’d like that. This weekend?”
“The night is young my dear. Tonight, doesn’t have to be over.”
Is it possible, that Jared is flirting with me? Did Wes tell him that we kissed? I found myself returning to the soft leather of the sofa. He went to the kitchen and returned with a bottle of vodka and some lime-flavored soda water.
“So,” said Jared, pouring the vodka into a tall glass, “I have a proposition for you.”
“That sounds interesting.” I took my glass from him and sipped. The vodka melted into the fizzy soda. These could be dangerous.
Jared cleared his throat. There was an unfamiliar intensity in his gaze. “I want to help you get rid of Tim, once and for all.”
That sounds awesome. “Lovely. How do you propose we do that?”
