Inside the club, Digger’s door is closed. I should probably stop in and finish the conversation we were having but I need to check on Shelby first.
The flashing lights and pounding music stab my skull as I enter the main room. My gaze shoots to the booth we’d been occupying. Most of our group’s returned to the table. Shelby’s nestled in the booth between Jigsaw and Trinity.
Confident she’s in good hands, I return to Digger’s office, knocking twice before turning the knob and pushing it open.
Digger stands as I enter the room, bracing his hands on his desk. “My girl get off okay?”
“Didn’t see anyone.”
“Good.” He drops into his chair and motions for me to take one of the empty chairs on the opposite side. I pick the one next to the desk, pulling it a few extra inches away.
“We were just discussing the business,” Dex says.
“Did you say you’re light on security?” I ask Digger.
He hesitates, his gaze shifting to the left. “At the moment.”
“You have a lot of issues?”
He taps a large screen sitting on his desk and turns it slightly our way. “I keep an eye on things here.”
The screen is divided into eight squares, each showing a different section of the club. I quickly visualize the club and can count several places not covered on that screen.
“How’s Squiggy been?” I ask. “Haven’t seen that guy in forever.”
Again, Digger shifts his eyes to the left. Is that his tell for when he’s about to lie his ass off?
“Sent him on a mission with one of our prospects.”
If it was club business, that would explain why Squiggy might’ve said he was headed to Everhart. Even though we’re all part of the same organization, it’s just bad manners to ask too many nosy questions.
Fuckin’ Priest sending me here to gather intel. Digger will know where any information I pass along to Priest came from.
Time to try another approach. I ease back in the chair, casually resting my right ankle over my knee. “Think you’re heading to the Florida rally this year?” He’ll have to come pretty close to Black Venom’s territory to hit that rally. Maybe thinking about it will loosen his lips a little.
His blank expression turns sour. “Only if National’s gonna ride with us. Otherwise it’s too much headache dealing with Black Venom MC’s bullshit.”
Finally.
“I thought we were cool with them?”
“We were. Then they opened a titty bar of their own right on the border.”
“You think that’s causing the slowdown in your business? It should still be far enough away.”
“They poached our girls.”
Dex sits forward. “Lured them away or took them?” he asks in a sharp tone.
Leave it to Dex to stop fucking around and get straight to the point. If we’ve got a rival MC kidnapping women associated with our club, I’ve stepped into a way more serious situation than I realized. And I need to get Shelby away from here as soon as possible. Also means Digger’s hiding too much information from Priest. Ruthless national president or not, there’s no way Priest would’ve encouraged me to bring my girl and a whole bunch of civilians here if that sort of trouble was brewing.
“Don’t know yet. That’s why I sent Squiggy to investigate.”
“You think he might’ve kidnapped your women and you only sent one brother and a prospect to check it out?” Dex’s sharp tone slices through the pretense of this being a casual conversation.
Digger ain’t havin’ any of it either. He slams his fists against the desk and stands, leaning over as far as he can to get in Dex’s face. “I don’t know they kidnapped anyone. These bitches are flaky as fuck sometimes. You oughta know that. What’d you want me to do, send a fuckin’ army in and then find out I’m wrong? Tuck my balls back up my ass crack and ride home? Start a war and have Priest come down on my ass? Squiggy knows what he’s doin’.”
“All right. Easy.” I hold out a hand toward Digger and one toward Dex. “No one’s judging you.”
Dex side-eyes me and I pray to fuck he doesn’t open his mouth to contradict what I just said.
Digger drops into his seat. “If I don’t hear from him by the weekend, I’ll personally be lookin’ for him. I’ll call Blink to come in and back me up.”
Yeah, our national SAA would be the right person to call since they’re technically the closest charter.
Now I have to decide if I’m gonna rat a brother out to Priest or give Digger a couple days to do the right thing. Not a position I enjoy being in.
I knew nothing about this trip would be “simple.”
Chapter Forty-Six
Rooster
Finally, I’m done with club bullshit and return to the party to collect my girl. Shelby’s half-asleep with her head on Jiggy’s shoulder. Wrath’s gaze keeps scanning the bar like a caged lion trying to plan an escape from the zoo. Taking a second look around the joint, I can’t say that’s an unfair comparison.