“Blame James Washington, man’s opening the new club this weekend, and the girls threatened to riot if they didn’t have an invitation. Washington caved too easily. He’s roping off a huge part of the VIP section for them, especially as the Rage old ladies are coming,” Lio addressed his boss.
“Fuck, Rage old ladies are coming too? Silvie, Phoe, Artemis?” Wilson hissed the last name in horror. “Hasn’t Ace got his woman pregnant again?”
“No idea, but yeah, Rage is coming too,” Lio admitted.
“I ain’t paying overtime for your crazy women!” Wilson nearly bellowed. I was bemused by their banter, although it wasn’t helping my case.
“Drake is sending the prospects across and a couple of brothers. Chance is putting Hellfire prospects on the case too. And Dylan’s sending Hawthorne men across,” Bear rumbled, looking amused. Wilson shook his head.
“The last time the Hawthorne women were in town partying, my cells were full. You tell Drake and Chance no prospects. I want full brothers who can control those hellions. I’m not paying precious overtime to control Hawthorne and Rage women,” Wilson fumed.
“Rage?” I asked a question.
“Hellfire’s brother club. Imagine you’ll be meeting them because of the closeness of the two MCs. The Hawthorne females are wild, and the Rage women egg them on,” Wilson said, glowering. The women sounded like fun but their men not so.
“Lio, Chance needs to see you when you got time tomorrow. He was going to drop you a line. Hellfire got a lead on those drugs running through town,” Bear said to Lio, and I stared at him in shock. Was Bear giving up his own people?
“Make that meeting first thing. I don’t like shit like that. Is it solid?” Wilson asked Bear, who nodded.
“Hellfire got the evidence, so Lio can get a lock on them. Found a couple of dealers on Hellfire land, and they got warned off, but they came back. Boys will turn themselves in soon, I imagine,” Bear growled. I caught his meaning, as did the chief.
“Bear, I want names and a clean investigation. Hellfire is not going kamikaze; I’m warning you, Bear. We got enough vigilantes!” Wilson warned, and Bear nodded. I was confused. If Hellfire were running drugs, why were they handing over two dealers? Then my brain caught up. It was for one of two reasons. One to distract the cops, or second, the dealers might have angered Hellfire.
“Done,” Bear said, and I frowned at the brute.
“Got to go; the missus will have my guts for garters if I come home stinking of booze. Nice to meet you, Thalia,” Wilson said with a nod at me. I nodded back and offered a smile, and Wilson left the bar.
“Bear, I’m off as well. Take care of yourself, Thalia,” Lio said, his eyes swapping between Bear and me. I wondered what Lio thought because an unholy light entered his eyes.
“Take care, brother,” Bear said, clasping hands and shoulder bumping Lio. I waited until Lio was out of sight and turned to Bear.
“So, which is it? The drug dealers annoyed you, or are you setting a false narrative?” I asked Bear, who looked amused.
“Neither. Hellfire works with the police often. Once we discover shit, Hellfire handles it two ways. Take care of it ourselves or hand the culprits to the cops. The two dealers are pissants, but the cops can use them to help break the chain. Hellfire is clean, Thalia, something your little brain can’t understand. It’s okay; we’ve dealt with simple folk before,” Bear said placatingly, and I bristled again.
“Just admit to your club being dirty and drop the act,” I snapped.
“Hellfire has been clean for over a decade,” Bear said irately and leaned into my space. “You met Hellfire fifteen years ago; well, your bullshit would have given you a one-way ticket to heaven. Club was run by a dirty asshole back then. Chance’s father, Enigma, set up a club that was about riding and having fun. Letting shit hang out. But he was murdered by Zeus, as we now know. Chance was too young to take over, and Zeus won the vote.
Chance went to war with Zeus as soon as he was old enough and wrestled control back. Took three years to get the club clean, so you bet your cute little ass, any dirt heads Hellfire’s way we deal with it. We don’t want shit near Hellfire, and everyone knows a five-mile radius around our clubhouse is clean. You don’t bring drugs, arms or pussy our way. Any asshole does; Hellfire stops them. So yeah bitch, Hellfire was dirty, but we ain’t been for fifteen years. Hellfire works with the police and law to keep Spearfish safe because when Zeus ran us, we weren’t a safe city.
Zeus caused a war with the police, feds, everyone. Chance did his fuckin’ best to keep most of us still around out of it. And we won, blood was spilt, and bodies hit the ground, but Hellfire’s clean and staying clean. We work with Phoenix to raise money for the Trusts, work to keep the city legal, and Hellfire does other shit. So take your attitude that we’re dirty and shove it, lady. Because calling Hellfire dirty now is the highest insult you can offer.” Bear rose to his feet and glowered. I was taken aback by the fury in Bear’s voice.
“Bear…” I said, and Bear snapped his fingers.
“What I did to you was wrong, I admit and own it. Couldn’t stand the idea of Chance being cheated on and betrayed when my brother deserves beauty. Emotions over-ruled logic, and I’m sorry. But I ain’t gonna let you brutalise a man who took bullets for his MC, who got his club clean. Chance carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. Chance is not just my brother in an MC; he’s my fuckin’ brother. And ain’t no man better than Chance. Watched him get Hellfire clean, and then Chance went after Rage, which had gone through similar shit to us. Drake and Chance’s fathers died young, and both clubs went to hell in a handbasket.
We fought for Hellfire, and we ain’t proud of the shit we did. Hellfire fought for Rage, and again, ain’t proud of that shit either. We are fuckin’ proud we’re clean and can be a benefit and credit to our cities. Rage runs out of Rapid City, and we have Spearfish. Between our two clubs, shit like arms, major drugs, money laundering, women, and child trafficking don’t exist in our cities. So take your fuckin’ attitude and shove it, because woman, you ain’t alienating Hellfire; you’re alienating your sister who can see the beauty Hellfire offers.” Bear drained his drink and slammed it on the bar, and dropped a fifty on the counter. Before I could say anything, Bear stormed away in pure anger. Well, shit, I just got dealt with harshly.
???
I woke the following day, my head banging with a headache. One I’d earned, I’d spent half the night tossing and turning and going over what Bear had said and what I believed. I was a big enough person to admit when I was wrong, and Bear had given me something to think about. I wondered what Kelly had dug up and decided to read that before deciding. Bear had been furious last night and had given me plenty of food for thought.
I climbed out of bed and slipped into the adjoining bathroom. After showering, I called room service and ordered breakfast for Kelly and me before leaving the bedroom. Kelly was sat on the suite's balcony, and I greeted him before pouring a coffee.
“Did you find anything?” I asked, sitting next to Kelly and lifting my face to the sun.
“Yeah, and you aren’t going to like it,” Kelly said, cupping his own coffee.