“Hellfire MC threatened me, you all heard it,” Benny cried, scrambling to his feet.
“Didn’t hear shit, except for the fact you said how shit you felt stealing from your staff. Damn sure I heard you say how you want to pay those women back,” Miguel said, walking forward. Benny flipped and threw a punch at Chance. That was a mistake, Benny was five foot seven tops, fat as a barrel and totally out of shape. Chance, on the other hand, muscled, strong and fit. Chance caught his hand, and I winced as he bent Benny’s wrist back and there was an audible snap. Benny squealed, and everyone winced as Chance let go and Benny cradled his wrist.
“Next time I’ll break it,” Chance hissed in Benny’s face.
“I heard him say the same. Benny wants those girls to have the money he stole from them,” a woman spoke up. A family behind her nodded.
“Us too. Then Benny attacked Chance because Chance pointed out what a piece of shit he is,” a man spoke.
“Here, this is his money,” Leslie cried, rushing back into the diner with a drawstring bag in her hands. Chance nodded at Shee, who had Benny in a headlock in seconds. Chance began counting the money and handed it to Tania and Zoey. He gave them another one thousand to cover them losing their jobs. There was no doubt Benny would sack all of us.
Chance counted out the rest of the money for Kris and Carla and added another one thousand to their pile and then counted out my money and handed it over. Chance tried to give me the extra one thousand, and I shook my head.
“Give it to Leslie.”
“Babe, take the one thousand,” Chance forced the money into my hand. I needed this money but didn’t want to take from Leslie, I looked down, and my hand clenched involuntarily around it.
“Bear, Shee take the girls and get them safely to the bank with their money,” Chance said and pulled two cards from his wallet. “Monday come to Hellfire MC after midday, we’ll have decent jobs for you two.” The girl’s eyes widened, and my heart gladdened for them. I watched Shee and Bear escort them from the diner, customers were leaving left right and centre spitting at Benny’s feet as they did.
“Here lady, the rest is yours,” Chance said and handed Leslie the rest of the money. Leslie’s mouth dropped open, and her eyes widened.
“I can’t take all this.”
“Woman, if Benny owed Clio nine thousand, I can’t think how much the fucker owes you. Come to Hellfire MC, Monday, we’ll chat, but take these other two cards and give them to Kris and Carla, get them to come to Hellfire on Monday,” Chance promised. At that moment, I glanced at the clock and knew the bank would shut soon. Today was a half-day, sadly there was a funeral for a teller, so I needed to get moving. I tried to get Chance’s attention, but when Benny snared it, I slipped out and hid the money in a pocket.
I have never rushed to get somewhere so fast, it felt like I’d an arrow pointing at my head telling everyone I’d nine thousand dollars in my pocket. When I reached the inside of the bank, I breathed a sigh of relief. Tania and Zoey had been and gone with their escorts. I paid the money straight into my bank account, keeping back thirty dollars.
I’d now just over ten thousand in the bank. The nine thousand Chance had given me and the thirteen hundred dollars I’d saved. Today, I could afford to spend several bucks on a decent meal and then get a Chinese tonight. The meal could be paid for on my card and cash for my takeaway. For weeks I’d been craving one but not had the money to afford a takeaway. I needed clothes, mine were becoming rags. Spearfish had a decent discount store and two nice thrift stores. Considering I didn’t have to work tomorrow, I’d go then and see what was available.
Chance had thrown me off my stride, and I wasn’t sure where to go, home or back to the diner. Did I go to Hellfire MC to say thank you to Chance? In a quandary, I checked back at the diner, but they’d gone, and it was now closed. Well, with no waitresses Benny couldn’t keep it open. There was a restaurant two streets over that did wholesome American food, despite the drama it was only eleven o’clock in the morning.
I’d get myself the biggest burger they had and fries as a treat. After Tommy and Benny, I’d earned one. With a radiant smile, I headed in that direction. Who knew, maybe they were hiring?
???
Chance turned to Leslie and gave her two packets with the other waitress’s money. Leslie took and checked them before putting them in her bag.
“Hey, where your girl go?” Miguel asked, looking around the diner. Chance turned and saw Clio was missing. Benny scarpered silently into the kitchen as the last of the annoyed customers left. Chance frowned and felt his heart sink. Had his anger frightened Clio?
“Clio will have gone to the bank,” Leslie said, returning. She took the packet with her money. “It’s where I need to head. This is too dangerous and tempting to carry around, and it only takes one of those who were present to tell someone unsavoury, and I become a target.”
“Bear will take you, Leslie. What do you know about Clio?” Chance asked intent on discovering what he could about Clio. Leslie sighed.
“The bank shuts in fifteen minutes. How about you walk me to the bank Chance, and we can talk?” Leslie suggested. Chance gave a curt nod.
“He’s to be shut down, pass the word, Benny’s Diner is undesirable. Benny slave labours his waitresses and steals from them. Want him out of business by the end of next week,” Chance said to Celt. Celt nodded.
“Benny’s gonna get a lot of unwelcome attention,” Miguel said, waving his phone at Chance. Chance nodded and clasped hands with Miguel before leaving.
“Thanks, Miguel.”
“Go find your girl,” Miguel said with a grin. “I’ll tell Dylan to brace, Hellfire’s about to go down,” Chance snorted as he walked Leslie to the door.
“Ain’t Rapid City still in lockdown with your females?” Chance rumbled with a grin. Miguel cursed at the thought of his female sisters and cousins who were turning Rapid City upside down and into a chaotic warzone with their courtships.
“Ramirez and Ben are pulling their hair out. Drake’s as smug as a bug despite being drawn into several of their drama’s, man thinks it’s fuckin’ funny. Most of Rage have old ladies, Drake thinks the pressure’s off them, but with Hellfire going down… ah man. Dylan’s steamin’ mad, every other day we get a call one of the girls has done something,” Miguel admitted and grinned.
“Bet you damn glad you took the job here,” Miguel grinned and nodded at Chance.