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  “What happened, John?” Top cut right to the heart of it. “Who put in the call?”

  “Had dispatch send me the recording on my way over. Nah, it was nothing. Just some whispers. Some girl probably got scared around all the big, bad bikers.” Jeffries took his hat off, wiped the sweat from his brow, and fanned himself before putting it back on. “I was on my way over to see Muse, anyhow.”

  “The caller. Sound like a girl in her early twenties?” Top was obviously fishing.

  Jeffries waved it off, looking customarily unconcerned with the whole ordeal. He’d mastered a can’t-be-bothered attitude that deflected a lot of sensitive questions. It obviously served him well in the department because we’d never heard a peep of Internal Affairs being brought in to investigate his unorthodox friendship with a vicious biker gang.

  Clubs like ours thrived in small towns and desolate counties.

  “Probably my fault,” I cut in before he could speak next just in case Top made him get more loose-lipped than usual. There was a mangled box of cigarettes in my pocket that I fished out. I patted my other pockets but couldn’t find my lighter. It must’ve fallen out during my run. “I grabbed some bitch’s ass this morning. Her boyfriend got in my face, so I put him into the wall. No big deal. I let him go, but she did run back into the room. Maybe she called you.” I wanted to change the subject, but I couldn’t keep laying it on, or it’d look like I was covering for something.

  “That how you got that cut?” Top gave me his zippo. I offered him a cig, but he just shook his head. “The boyfriend bust out a knife?”

  “If it got that serious you’d be helping me drag a body outta here.” I snorted a laugh, then lit up. Between puffs I added, “Nah, the cut was from a little foreplay with one of Muse’s employees. Ah, fucking finally.” I exhaled a plume straight up, feeling better now that I had a little nicotine in me. I turned back to the sheriff and let my expression bleed out the last of my mirth. It was replaced with a severity that he’d best avoid being on the wrong side of for long. “The real question is what the fuck do we pay you for, Jeffries? You gotta reign in your boys better. You almost had a fucking bloodbath on your hands.”

  “Hey, hey! Them boys are fresh out of the academy. It takes time to acclimate them to the sensitive nature of things out here.” Jeffries was clearly nervous, going so far as to saunter a step away from us during his explanation. “They’re just on edge after that gas station thing that went down on the outskirts of Ingalls. Now I’m not sayin’ that was you, just… some folks have been hearin’ rumors and—”

  “They killed Bren,” Top growled in a dangerous cocktail of grief and hangover that could make any hardened badass shudder. The rawness of the memory had Top. “Let’s call it self-defense.”

  “My—my condolences. Bren was a good boy.” Jeffries took off his hat again and let the statement breathe a moment before moving on to the reason he was already on his way here when he got the call. “But you gotta unnerstand that sorta self-defense blows a lot of heat my way.”

  “Where’s this going, John?” I asked, swallowing some smoke only to blow it in the fat sheriff’s face as we waited for the other shoe to drop.

  “I swear, each batch of new boys coming out of the academy these days wants to be heroes like they see on the TV. So, uh, things are a little tense right now and, well… I’m gonna need more money to keep the boys quiet. That’s all.”

  And there it was.

  That greedy, fucking pig. Paying off the cops was the cost of doing business. Hell, we’d even integrated that fee into the Steel Veins’ membership dues. It’s just the way it was, but this greedy prick was always coming up with excuses for tax hikes, and we were getting real goddamn tired of it.

  From the expression on Top’s face, it was easy to see he was in no mood for that shit today. “How’s Lily, John?” Top’s tone held the playfulness of a rattlesnake.

  “Uh, my granddaughter?” Jeffries sudden confusion at the subject change whittled away at his self-serving bribery bravado. “She’s awright, I guess. I don’t—”

  “Still goes to Prairie Elementary, right? She’s a real cutie, John.”

  “Awright, Top.” The sheriff got the point. Inklings of fear started to shine behind his dull, blue eyes.

  “Lives with her mom on North Pracht Avenue,” Top continued. “Fourth house down on the left”

  “I get it. There’s no need for—”

  “Second floor. The room with the pink wallpaper and the Disney snowman nightlight.” Top knew how to cut deep with his threats, he could be a surgeon when he wanted to be. It was masterful to watch.

  Jeffries’ eyes opened so wide that given a strong breeze, they might just roll out of his skull.

  “You’ll get half what you’re used to from now on. You got a problem with that?”

  “Th–th–that’s fine,” Jeffries stammered, lowering his head. Given what just happened at the gas station, the sheriff had no idea if that threat was a bluff or not.

  I’d never be a party to anything like that, and I doubted Top would’ve either, but there were some Veins that wouldn’t bat an eye at killing a few kids. It was disgusting, but a few guys like that scumbag Lorenzo or the national president’s sadistic son, Rio, might even get off on it.

  “Now how ‘bout you do me, Lily, and yourself a favor and get the fuck out of my sight.”

  Before Top finished his sentence, Wyatt Earp was already retreating backwards to his pimped-out truck. He barely had his door shut before he screeched out of the parking lot.

  Jeffries knew he’d just escaped with his life.

  Served him right, pulling that shit after our brother was just killed. He’d just got extremely lucky. As amped up and pissed off as we all were right now, our MC would’ve ripped his whole department of men to shreds.

  Wouldn’t be the first time we’d had to kill a few cops.

  “Remy, gas station girl will be dealt with by the time we leave here tomorrow morning. You hear me?” Top wasn’t bluffing with Jeffries, and he was not bluffing with me. For all his many faults, Top wasn’t a liar. If I didn’t kill her, he would.

  I nodded gravely.

  One more night. That’s all the time I had to figure out what the fuck I was going to do. I’d have to get real creative real fast if I wanted Star to see another sunrise.

  “Good,” Top said, rubbing soreness from his neck and patting me on the back. “Deadeye and Rio are on their way up with the full club to pay their respects. We’re hosting them tonight. Let the boys know. We got a lotta work to do to clean up after last night’s shit show.”

  The full club was on their way? That was bad for Star. Really fucking bad.

  Muse would send some of her girls to assist, but the majority of cleaning up after the fight last night would be on us. Muse was practically going to gift-wrap Star for Top. She didn’t want any loose ends hanging around either. It was bad for business.

  I’d have to talk with her personally.

  For as much as I’d have loved to find Star and finish what we started, I couldn’t shirk my responsibilities to the club. We all had our jobs to do. Everyone in; everyone out. All Steel Veins patches were equal. After letting the boys know to pack in the guns and to start getting shit sorted for the event tonight, I left to go pay Muse a visit.

  I rapped on Muse’s office door. “It’s Remy.”

  “Come in, handsome.” Muse’s voice was relaxed but not overly pleased.

  The small office room was tidy and sparse, save for a computer desk, filing cabinet, and a small cappuccino maker above a mini fridge. The curtains were drawn, but the overhead lights were on. Muse reclined behind her desk wearing a tight, black blouse and grey skirt that had been hiked up to the point you could only call it a belt. Her panties were carefully folded on the desk in front of her and the face of one of her employees was busily buried in her pussy.

  “A bad time?” I couldn’t help but smile at the casualness of it all. I took a chair opposit
e them and watched as the curvy, fair-featured European girl in the maid’s outfit energetically went to town kissing and liking Muse’s inner thighs.

  “Nonsense, Remy-dear. It’s just some on-the-job training.” Muse smiled at me, lighting up a cigarette. She motioned for me to come in. “However may I be of help?”

  “We need to talk about your newest employee.”

  “Our little caged bird, the beautiful shining Star. Stephanie told me you stopped her and offered to relay my message to Top yourself. Being that you’re here and not him, I’m guessing the news of that girl’s escape attempt never made it to his ears, hmm?” Muse dug her nails into the girl’s scalp and maneuvered her head where she wanted.

  “I’m handling it,” I said, crossing my legs.

  “I seem to hearing that a lot from the Daniels brothers lately.” Muse’s dark, cherry lips spread into a knowing smile. “You’re— Pardon me, sugar.” Muse looked down at her apparently unimpressive employee and sighed. “Sophia, read my body language. You feel my hips? What are they saying to you? ‘Work the hood then my clit.’ I want the alphabet in French, honey, not German.”

  “It’s always inspiring to watch you work.” I pulled out my wallet and put three hundred dollars on her desk.

  “Oh, sweetie,” Muse chuckled wafting smoke from her nostrils. That’s not nearly enough for the bar’s repairs.”

  “Top will be around later to give you money for that.”

  “And this is?” Muse was far too clever not to already know, but she wanted me to say it out loud.

  “Discretion.”

  “You’re playing a dangerous game, Remy. Top has been awfully good to us over the years. I couldn’t possibly betray his confidence,” she cooed to me. Then she slapped the top of the girl’s head and scolded her in French. “What did I just say? Fais-le bien!”

  I knew the money wasn’t going to be enough.

  It never was for a woman like Muse who dealt in power. I’d have to improvise. I could threaten her, but I doubted that would work on her. I’d have to try a radically different approach. I stood up and walked toward her.

  At first, Muse looked intrigued and curious, then quickly, she became concerned when I didn’t stop.

  I grabbed a handful of the girl’s hair and yanked her face from Muse’s thighs. “Lock the door behind you,” I told the maid in no uncertain tones to fuck off. I had work to do.

  The girl hesitated then snatched a baggie of coke off Muse’s desk and ran off, closing the door behind her.

  “Remy?” Muse started closing her legs.

  I caught them and pried them back open. I then lowered my head, all the while never wavering in eye contact.

  Muse took excellent care of herself and had the body of a woman in her late twenties. I first started in on her dark thighs. Teasing, I licked her taut muscles then massaged the shaved area above her pussy with my palm, pushing into her, letting her feel the pressure. I exhaled hot breath over her clit but didn’t move closer.

  After a few minutes her hips shifted slightly, opening more and more. My tongue briefly kissed the top of her hood before pulling back altogether. I grabbed her legs and pushed them apart. I glanced up at her with such indifference that I could’ve been reading the newspaper.

  This wasn’t about sex.

  This was dominance.

  She moved in closer, but I held my distance, letting the open air nip at her tender flesh. I waited until her pussy yearned for my lips then waited longer, all the while my hands squeezing and dragging over thighs, behind her knees, and up to her hips.

  Her cigarette burned, ignored in her hand, as her almond eyes narrowed with lust and defiance.

  I traced her labia then stopped, keeping my pace inconsistent. Soft, soft, harder, fast, soft, slow, stopped, slow... I licked iambic pentameter into her pussy as my tongue recited excerpts of my favorite literature. All the while, neither of us broke the stare.

  Her eyes began to gloss, but she was still strong.

  Could I make her come?

  That was the twisted game.

  With one arm, I pressed down on her lower abdomen while simultaneously cupping her ass and jerking it forward. Her pussy flowered for me like chocolate-strawberry roses. My tongue wore long, deep groves through her clit in time with the subtle gyrations of her hips. When I cut against that rhythm and pulled away, that was when I felt her spasms. She was getting close, but Muse was a woman who was always in control – of herself and especially of others.

  Again, I brought her to the precipice just to pull back but not completely. I wanted her to still know I was there, ready to finish her off when I wanted to. I didn’t know if that was true yet, but that’s what I wanted her to think.

  Her hand found the back of my head, but it was slapped away roughly. No. I was doing this, not her. I wasn’t her vibrator. She was subject to my whims.

  I made it clear that I set the terms of her orgasm.

  Now both sets of lips quivered at my touch, but still I wouldn’t take her all the way.

  “Ow! Shit!” The cigarette she’d been holding had smoldered down to the filter and singed her fingers. She flicked it away in a panic.

  I stood up, wiped my chin, and smirked at her.

  Muse just lost the game.

  I didn’t make her come, but I could’ve.

  “Fuck! All right! Fucking let me finish!” Flustered and breathing heavily she snapped a hand over her cunt and pushed hard.

  “Finish yourself off.” I had already won. I wasn’t going to do it for her now.

  “You are a cruel and horrible man.”

  “You don’t know the half of it. News of the girl stays between us?”

  “Fine.” Muse slipped two fingers between her lower lips and started curling them as she glared at me. “Now get out.”

  “To the victor…” On my way out, I grabbed the three hundred dollars I placed on her desk earlier.

  She softly growled but said nothing.

  I let the door swing wide on my way out of her office and left it like that. She screamed for me to close it, but I didn’t bother turning back.

  Muse frantically covered up as a customer approached the front desk which had a clear view into her office. The distraction meant she might not get the orgasm she’d been chasing for the better part of an hour.

  Good, I smirked at the sound of her trying to explain herself to an incredibly surprised young couple. That’s what you get for serving Star up like an entrée at a banquet.

  Even a fire-handler like Muse could occasionally be burned.

  More importantly, that’s what you get when you fuck with me.

  Chapter Five

  …

  Star

  Hours later, I was still shaken up from Remy’s visit.

  Gloria saw how he left me and rattled off a long string of what I can only assume were curses. He was a man of extreme highs and lows, and I didn’t know how much longer I could bear it. I’d never seen anyone so diffused outwardly, yet with such boiling passion a hair’s breadth beneath the surface. Everything about him seemed like barely contained violence. Even when he was gentle, the electricity in his touch and in his intentions was unmistakable.

  With him, at any moment there could be an explosion followed by writhing bodies on the floor. Either ours – Remy and mine – or Remy's enemies.

  Gloria had brought me to a window where I watched the events with the police unfold. She had this forlorn look about her the whole time like she knew how this was going to end before it ever even started.

  I saw Remy and that monster – Top – talking with the police. I couldn’t hear anything, of course, but I didn’t need to. The way the officers were standing with their hands ready on their guns spoke volumes.

  The worst part was seeing just how easily the police were dealt with. It was so utterly unreal. At first, I wanted to run out there and jump in the back of a cruiser, but when the fat guy in the cowboy hat showed up and waved off the other cops I realiz
ed that the rules I had always been taught didn’t apply in this place.

  My last security blanket was torn away.

  Once they were gone, Gloria took my hand and moved me back into the room we were working on.

  With everything that had been happening, I half-expected Gloria to betray me somehow as well. I didn’t want to be that person. Always on edge. Skeptical of everyone.

  What a terrible way to live…

  There was no hidden knife waiting to attack me when we returned to that room, but a part of me wondered how I might take her down if there was one. I shook that admittedly growing part from my mind. I wasn’t like them.

  I was more than a rabid dog in a leather vest.

  I took Gloria’s hand and thanked her sincerely. I wasn’t sure for what, exactly, but I guess it was just for being a decent person.

  She blushed a little, smiled, and waved the whole notion away. Before long, she had the radio on and was dancing through the room again.

  I loved the way she could just accept a situation for what it was and not let it darken her world. I had so much to learn from her – much more than just that perfect blanket fold.

  After a few more rooms, Gloria had me try some on my own. She’d pop in every once in a while to make sure I hadn’t set anything on fire. She’d inspect everything over, make a few changes, then leave with an exaggerated thumbs up. The woman was adorable.

  Unfortunately, the time without Gloria’s wonderful distraction gave me more time alone with my thoughts than I would’ve liked.

  Why was I still cleaning?

  Why not? Escaping was off the table, and I had no idea where I stood with Remy. He never came back after that moment in the room together. Did I want him to come back?

  Part of me wondered if he was my only hope of getting out of here, and another part worried that he was just playing with me like everyone else was.

  I had no idea what, if anything, I could do next, so I just kept cleaning until there were no more rooms left.

  Later, when I saw Muse, I couldn’t think of her by her given name, not anymore. I thought I could trust her, and now she was going to give me back to Top and let him know how I tried to escape.