What Doesn't Destroy Us (The Devil's Dust #1)(18)

I back off and throw my hands in my hair, unsettled by my own actions. “I wasn’t thinking. The bitch had me twisted, acting like she didn’t want me. I just...” I pause trying to figure out what the f*ck I was thinking last night. “I wasn’t f*cking thinking,” I whisper.

“This can’t be good, brother. You know this shit won’t go down well,” Bobby whispers back and walks out of the kitchen.

He is right. I feel different around Dani, I know that. But I also know she would be better off without a piece of shit like me. I’m f*cked up in the head; not right. If Bull didn’t kill me first, my way of living would devour Dani, thus causing Bull to kill me. The way I see it, Dani's a loaded gun either way.

Sitting at the table waiting for the other brothers to show, Bobby eyes me from across the wooden top. He grabs a piece of paper from the center and starts drawing on it; snickering as he scribbles. What the hell is he doing? He slides the piece of paper across the table at me, and looks over his shoulder as if he’s in middle school passing a note.

What. The. Fuck? It has a stick figure with a disproportionate cock f*cking another stick figure with big boobs and a gun to the male figure's head. I crumple the paper in my hand as he laughs; pleased with himself.

“First order of business,” Bull says as he lowers himself slowly into his chair. He looks like shit. I’m sure he partied hard last night. Bull is always one for lots of bitches and booze and he is paying for it this morning. “Bobby what do ya have to report, son?”

Bobby was sent on a run to Nevada to investigate a deal the El Locos, another motorcycle club, want us in on. They want us to run guns with them and buy their stock weapons. Not knowing much about them, Bull sent Bobby to check out their credibility and their stock and report back to us for a vote.

“Eh, they seem sketchy, a fly-by-night operation, if you ask me, Prez. “ Bobby leans back in his chair, his childish behavior vanished. “The containers they have the guns in were beat to hell, and the AK-47s have seen better days. I didn’t even want to test 'em out, they were that banged up; seems like they went through hell. Their club seems too eager to sell them, too.”

“Think they're hot?” Bull asks, wondering if the other club stole them from the competition. If they were, buying them would mean more trouble for us, something we don’t need right now. Our club has been attracting heat since a rogue prospect shot a cop a while back. Now the competition and the cops were dying to get a shot at us. Needless to say, that prospect will never be found, I took care of it personally. I knew that f*cker was worthless when I first met him.

“The shape those guns were in, possibly a robbery gone wrong,” Bobby says, scratching his chest.

Bull rubs the stubble on his cheeks as he processes what Bobby is saying. “Alright, I don’t think this is something we want to get involved in, who agrees?” Bull asks. Ayes are spoken around the table in agreement; we don’t need to make waves.

“Tie up that loose end, Bobby,” Bull says, pointing at him. ”Next order of business. Locks, any word about the girls and this Stevin fellow?” Bull lights a cigarette.

“Not a damn thing, Prez. I called out to the Ghost’s in New York and asked them to find the f*cker and follow him; see what his next move was. Nobody in the area has seen him or heard from him. Fucker is MIA.” Locks replies, lighting a cigarette as well.

“Shit, not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.” Bull says.

“Yeah, he could have gotten spooked and split town, is lying low, or he is out looking for the girls,” Locks chimes in.

“Don’t make sense to me,” I think loudly, not realizing I said the words.

“How so?” Bull asks, taking a drag from his cigarette. His eyes narrow and I'm not sure it's just the smoke.

“I just don’t get how a powerful man like Stevin isn’t heard of around there,“ I justify.

Bull nods his head in agreement.

“Considering how sloppy he was in killing those pigs in his office, I’m shocked to find out he hasn’t left a trail, either,” I admit.

“Yeah, something is fishy,” Bobby says, agreeing.

“Hmm... Find out who this f*cker is, Locks, and get back to me. I want everything, from his real estate to who he has in his pocket,” Bull announces. Usually powerful, wealthy men like Stevin have lots of people on their payroll; greedy f*ckers only wanting money. Maybe if we can find one of them we can buy some information and get a lead on Stevin.

“Let’s get the safe house cleaned and stocked up; get the girls out there. I want three men on them at all times. Shadow, I want you on Dani, she seems to like you.” Bobby snorts, at that comment; f*cker. I kick him under the table to shut him the f*ck up.

“Bobby, follow Lady around. Good luck, she’s a bitch,” Bull laughs, “and get a prospect, too. If you two need to be elsewhere you get someone to cover your spot,” he commands as he stands.

“You got it,” Bobby replies.

Bull slams the gavel down and everyone gets up to leave. I look over at Bobby who is red in the face from trying to keep his laughter in.

“What’s so f*cking funny?”

“You are so f*cked, man,” he laughs.

I throw the crumpled up piece of paper I held in my hand at him. Fucker, so glad he thinks this shit is funny.