Page 15 of Lucian

“Gio doesn’t have females dancing naked in his clubs, son. Thank Dio for small miracles.”

Gio grinned salaciously, earning him chuckles from both brothers. “Not yet, you mean.”

Antony tilted his head to the side, cocking a single brow. “Is that a case of arson I smell in your near future? I wonder how many burnt clubs it would take before the authorities became suspicious.”

“Or better yet,” Lucian added from the side, leaning back into the booth. “How much it would cost to pay the bastards off when they did get suspicious.”

“Good one,” Dante said, laughing.

Gio glared at the wall. “Fine, no strip clubs.”

“Thank you, son. I always enjoy these discussions of ours.”

Lucian took a quick inventory of the club’s floor and the people within view. Easily, he picked out the six men his father mentioned earlier. The well-dressed boys almost looked out of place next to all the big, muscled bikers with their denim and leather. They weren’t attracting attention, though.

Probably because these idiots were either too drunk or too high already to really notice.

The girls who were on three of the five stages did little to hold Lucian’s interest, but he took note of them for his own personal survey of the place. He didn’t mind the tattoos on their bodies, or the leather ensembles they were slowing taking off whilst grinding along the poles. The blank, high look in most of their eyes was of a serious concern.

These were not healthy girls.

At another back corner, half sectioned off by fading red ropes, three men sat with their backs to the rest of the room. Even with the shitty lighting, Lucian easily picked out the glint of metal sticking out of the back of all of the men’s jeans.

Guns, likely.

They probably had a few knives stashed, too.

“What are you holding tonight?” Lucian asked Dante.

“.22. Nothing fancy, but it’ll get the job done from twenty yards and it only gets worse the closer I get. You?”

“What else?”

“His Mark XIX,” Gio said, so sure of himself.

“The Eagle? Jesus, why do you always have to bring in the big guns?” Dante asked.

“Because,” Antony put in, smirking, “… just the sight of it alone scares people. He likes that.”

Lucian’s father knew him so well.

Antony sighed. “I’d like to not spill blood tonight, boys. Just make a point.”

“Three over in the corner in a roped off section. All are carrying, and blatantly, I might add,” Lucian said, filling in the rest for their own benefit. “I take it they are not concerned about police or getting raided. Maybe someone is on their payroll, but that’s doubtful, considering they’ve killed four cops in six months. It could be that coming in here is a last resort for cops. Likely a dangerous thing as it is. The guys were right, most of these patrons are club members. So you can bet your ass they’re all carrying something.

“Take a good look around,” Lucian continued, giving a slight nod towards the many pool tables and booths. “This place is not meant for public consumption. Tables on their last legs. Rips in all the seats. Half of the light bulbs are blown out and there are even holes in the walls. More than one brawl has gone down here. I would hate to take a black light and see what would come up. This place is a dive. The bartenders serve the bikers first, always. Even if a regular customer was standing at the bar for five minutes already. Not to mention, I’ve already seen three MC members, if the emblems on the back of their vests are any indication, take to the back with two dancers. No money in hand. And two of which went with one girl, I might add. The strippers are high out of their minds. I’d say this is probably a usual favorite of Will Vetta’s, even if it weren’t owned by his VP.”

“Yet, he isn’t here,” Antony noted.

“No,” Lucian replied, positive of that fact. “Essentially, we are in their zone, and I suggest everyone be aware of that fact now before we go any further. I suspect the customers are likely acquaintances of the club, or trying to get in. There were only two vehicles that weren’t motorcycles in the parking lot. Why else would you party at a place like this? It isn’t for those women. If something were to happen, they will not be calling the cops, and they won’t be helping us. We are severely outnumbered, but only in the numbers.”

“Good to see your head is back in place, son.”

Lucian offered his father a tight smile. “This is business, Boss. I’m always down for business.”

With only that one title, Lucian knew he had effectively closed the lid on the friendly banter between a father and his sons. It was important for the rest to know it now, too. The situation they were in was serious, and once they announced just who they were, the seemingly odd environment would instantly turn a hell of a lot more hostile towards them.

It needed to be made clear who the boss was, and what the other men’s roles around him were. It was as much a respect thing as it was a safety thing. There was a headspace all of them needed to be in, and fast.