billion book
Chapter 16 (Zero)
Chapter 16 (Zero)
“I got three extra crates of glasses, and two extra of ash strays. Think everything is about done. How
long before we open?”
I'm sitting on the empty black tampered glass of our new club.
Snake and I have been finishing off with the orders for the opening of our Night Club.
We've all been putting our weight on this while searching for any new leads on Beggar.
The Prez told us to focus on the new club and he and Killer would keep us informed on Beggar.
“Not sure, with all our time split between looking for Beggar, the club, government calling us and this
shit storm here, don't know, hopefully, end of November.”
He gets back to his tablet, and I stare at the small snakes tattooed to the side of his face.
It is a small piece from our club emblem. Knight has the same ones on his neck.
Snake lifts his head, his green eyes are light that they look almost yellow.
He reminds me of a snake. Not so much now that he cut his hair.
“Fuck, the women were bitching this morning, River doesn't want them leaving alone at night, imagine
how After and Mercy took it. I'm on my way to the station, gonna talk to Sheriff Briggs. Someone
reported an unknown vehicle yesterday coming through town, Deane checked it out and got the plate's
digits. Car's registered to some Grant Soares. Picked him up last night, apparently, fucker got a wrap
sheet to match all fucking wrap sheets.” I tell him. Deane is the deputy Sheriff in Kanla, had a thing for
River's woman, the Prez shut it down.
“That is what the pussy Sheriff thinks, he'll crap himself if he sees the first page of Killers'.”
We both laugh at that.
“What are you two on about?” Quinn walks through the open space that has only one set of chairs and
a small table where Snake sits on.
She is holding a box in her hand and her face lights up when she sees me sitting here.
“Man talk,” Snake says as he jumps off his chair and snatches a bottle of water from the counter I'm
sitting on.
“Then maybe you can put that man talk to some use and get those chairs and tables here tomorrow.”
Her brown curly hair bounces when her neck turns to him.
Snake laughs, “Yes Ma'am.”
I remember when he said that to Beggar, we were eating at the dinner table when she told him it was
bad manners to tell Whisp that her food tasted more awful than the rotten eggs he once ate during our
time in Iraq. Beggar thought he called her a man, and she told him if she grew a pair of balls she'll let
him know.
It is enough to dampen my mood, a reminder that she is still missing. Here I am moving on with my life.
“Babe, why are you frowning,” Quinn asks me as her fingers touch my thigh.
Her turquoise gaze that seconds ago was twinkling now stares at me in worry.
“Nothin'.” I touch her nose with my finger.
I made a vow to myself, I'm not going to fuck up things with Quinn because of her.
“Well in that case are you ready to leave? I have a shift in twenty.”
I can tell she wants to say more but holds her tongue.
Her long legs eat up the distance to the door and I give Spade a chin lift on my way out.
My phone rings as we get to my bike and Quinn starts putting her riding gear on as I slip it out of my
front jean pocket.
“Yo, Prez, what's up?”
“I need you all back here now, round up whoever is with you, it's about Beggar.”
He ends the call and my fever must spike to a hundred degrees to the way I'm feeling now.
It is a bad fucking feeling.
“What's wrong.” Quinn asks.
“Not now, I'll call you cab, gotta a meeting at the club.”
She understands the life and nods without saying shit. I touch her arm and rush back inside the Club.
“Yo slither, gotta go, Prez called, it's about Beggar.”
He jerks up and grabs his keys and Helmet from the counter.
“Head first brother, I'll met up.” I don't need to get told another word as I rush back out and see Quinn
jump in the cab.
My leg swings over my bike, as a dark cloud blocks the bit of sun we had today. A dark cloud for a
fucked up day.
I start up my bike, wait for the white truck to pass me then I make a u-turn and I fly through the cars
and traffic, getting onto the highway.
My mind doesn't clear, it is screaming with questions.
Her black eyes haunting me.
Her lips.
It is too fucking much.
I've moved on, but why can't my heart do the same.
Once I get to the clubhouse most of the guys are already jumping off their bikes.
Killer comes in behind me as I pull my helmet off. Since I've got back he seemed better. WELL, as
better as Killer is going to get.
He hasn't been stuck in the training room for hours. The guys are back to fucking with him and he is
back to small smiles and talking about sports.
Which is the one human thing he actually likes. With me things between us are still fucked. He looks at
me without saying a word. Before we used to be better. I saw him as a younger brother.
Since Beggar came we got closer, then she left and it all got so fucked up.
I wait for him, that is when I see it. A shiver hits me and it isn't from the air. It is from The Ghost walking
beside me.
Knight meets up with us, “Prez called, do you think he found her?”
“Hoping so.” I say to him.
“Do you,” Killer asks as he rushes up the porch steps and into the house.
Those words anger me, it is like he is fucking judging me. He is a young fucking boy who doesn't know
about life. He only knows death, so who is he to judge me.
I walk faster and Texas steps in front of me, blocking my entrance to the door. He is a few inches taller
than I. He bites the end of a match stick and gives me his fucking one-eyed stare.
“What the fuck,” I say.