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Kai shakes his head vehemently. “The only deal they’re going to take is if we give them our sources and business partners: the Black Wolves, the Sea Snakes, and our suppliers. They’ll be the first to fall.”
“Let them,” Drake cuts in with a flat tone. “We’re going legit, anyway.”
“Precisely. Why bother to keep paying them off when we could get rid of them?” I ask.
“Others will take their place. There will always be drugs and guns running across the state, man,” Drake tells Kai. “If we have something to offer to the Feds, they’ll be more inclined to assist us. Besides, it’s in their best interest to take the Devils out. We’d be helping them while keeping our asses out of jail.”
Kai scoffs. “And we’ve been droning on about rider’s honor this whole time.”
I get where he’s coming from. Kai was raised in this culture, much like Drake and me, except Kai has always lived within these principles, following them to the letter. His duty toward the club is sacred and above everything else—except for our bond and our friendship, of course. I have no choice but to respect that. However, I do have the option of reminding him about something else that has become equally important.
“The only way we’re going to be with Nadia is if we get Colton out of the way in a legal fashion,” I say to Kai. “The only way we’ll ever have a shot at building something with her, with or without her father’s approval, is if we destroy Colton in a manner that doesn’t drag us down with him. Right now, cooperating with the Feds seems like the only reasonable solution. I’m not saying we should do this. I’m merely positing the scenario.” I pause as I see Carla approaching. “Just think about it, Kai.”
He sees her, too. “Ah, fuck, the last thing I need.”
“She’s coming for Orry; relax,” Drake chuckles dryly.
I give them both a deadly glare. “Neither of you move from your seats, or I swear to God—”
“Hey, handsome!” Carla interjects, her nasal tone scratching my brain as I struggle to give her a dull, polite smile in return.
“Hey, Carla,” I mumble.
Her hips sway ostentatiously as she stops by our table, a bottle of beer in one hand and a phone in the other. “What are you guys up to? Plotting the end of the world?” she asks, giggling like a teenage girl. She’s either drunk or high or both. Her dilated pupils say both. “Mind if I join you?”
“We’re actually in the middle of—” I try to keep her away, but she’s already taking a seat in the booth right next to me.
Her sweet perfume makes my stomach turn inside out. “Great, we can hang out for a while,” she says. “I’m thinking about having something to eat. Is the kitchen still open?”
“Yeah, we’re actually waiting for our food,” Drake says. It’s a subtle move to shoo her away, but the woman is completely oblivious, hyper-focused on me. “You know, they make food to go, too.”
“Oh, no, I’m staying here until midnight. I’m not going home before my shift starts,” she says.
“Carla, we’re trying to discuss some—” I try again, but she cuts me off.
“I heard about what happened to Sean and the guys. I’m so sorry,” she says. Are they going to be okay? Is there anything I can do to help?”
Kai exhales sharply, a muscle twitching angrily in his jaw. “Thank you. They’re going to live; we’re just not sure how they’re going to live.”
“I’m so sorry,” she says again, then turns the camera phone on.
I give her a startled look. “What are you doing?”
“Well, given how Blackthorn Riders keep falling these days, who knows if I’ll see you again, Orry? I want to have at least one beautiful memory with you.”
I barely register the words as she turns the camera on selfie mode and leans into me. Drake and Kai simply stare at us with a mixture of befuddlement and amusement swirling in their eyes while I’m frozen with Carla’s lips glued to my cheek just as the camera flash goes off.
“There we go!” she quips and puts the phone down.
My blood starts boiling. “You should’ve asked for my permission first,” I say, my voice dropping by a thousand degrees. With everything that’s been going on, I really don’t need to worry about a former hooker-turned-stripper somehow ending up as collateral damage in our war against Colton. The minute that bastard smells the presence of a woman—any woman—he will try to use it as an advantage. And it could get this stupid bitch killed.
“Give me the phone,” I say, but she jumps out of her seat, laughing as she slips it into her purse and takes a couple of steps back.
“You’re going to have to kiss me for that.”
I’d rather slap the daylights out of her instead. What the fuck is she thinking?
Kai gets up, his shoulders broad and threatening as he looks at her. I see it in his eyes: the realization, the instant understanding of my dread regarding an otherwise harmless selfie with Carla. There are implications here that we know about, while Carla hasn’t got a fucking clue.
