“You see the doctor tomorrow, right?” Hazard asks. All of the guys have been a thorn in my side since last week, whenwhatever bug I contracted hit me out of the blue and decided to linger.
“Ten o’clock sharp,” I answer, shutting the door and firing up the ignition. Irritably, I mutter, “Then maybe you guys will let me pee in peace.”
CHAPTER
TWO
Indiana
Sittingin Riptide’s office alongside him, Slayer, Renegade, Sketch, and Kodiak we’re going over the business files. We’re in talks about expanding outside of the cemetery and mortuary service but we need to be on the same page on what we want to invest in before taking it to church for a vote.
“I think we need to buy into Nova’s firm,” Riptide announces. “He has a steady income stream and there’s always going to be a need for what he does.”
“Some of his contracts are dangerous, are we sure we want them connected to the club?” I pose the question. “Like the job he took when he rescued Chaney and Freyja from their freak of a father, for example. It tied us to the Feds where we were forced to eat crow and follow the letter of the law. Are we sure that’s a road we want to travel down? If we want to fuck someone up, we wouldn’t be able to because our hands would be virtually tied.”
“We could always be silent investors,” Slayer proposes. “That way we’re still bringing in funds for the club but aren’t in the public eye.”
“I could get onboard with that,” I muse. “I just don’t want any unwarranted attention on the club, which is why Nova turned down an officer position in the first place if y’all remember.”
“We remember. He was concerned that one of the people who employed him may not be satisfied with his work or didn’t like the conclusion of the case and come after him. And considering he’s hired by some unsavory people on top of fucktards like Marsten whose own house is dirty, I appreciate that Nova put the club first over what designation and position of authority is sewn on his cut, because he would be one hell of an officer,” Riptide replies. “Instead, he protected the Kings by declining it, even though most people he’s involved with know he’s one of our brothers. Regardless of whether we invest in his business or not, he is one of us and we’ll always have his back.”
“What other options do we have?” Renegade asks.
Sketch, who’s been taking notes, begins reading off what’s been brought to him by each of us individually. “Tattoo parlor, accounting firm, marketing corporation.”
“Two of those would cater to the old ladies, not us,” I point out. “But I wouldn’t mind investing into their interests and being a partner. A tattoo parlor would be doable and seeing as there isn’t one close by it’d bring in a lot of green, but who’d be the artist and in charge of it?”
“LoneStar and Hazard,” Slayer answers. “They’ve both apprenticed and toss ink on the side for added income. They’repretty fucking good at it too. I’ve asked them to draw me up something and book me for a session.”
“Nova informed me that Freyja wants to start an online gallery featuring her photos, we could give her the start-up funds and draw interest from her sales,” Kodiak states.
“If the club doesn’t want to invest in her future, I will,” I inform them. “That girl’s got talent which is why I bought her the equipment in the first place.”
When I saw the quality she managed to eke out of a fuckingphonecamera, I realized she had a genuine gift, so I got her the stuff she needed. Nova wasn’t happy, but he eventually understood, not that I gave a fuck if it bothered him or not. Both of those women literally endured hell on earth and since she belongs to one of my brothers, I’m going to treat her like I would a little sister.
“I’ll match you dollar for dollar,” Riptide adds.
“Same,” Kodiak offers.
“Me too,” Slayer slips in. As I glance around the table, I can’t help but feel pride as each one of them nods their heads. Freyja doesn’t ask for anything and had a horrific upbringing where she didn’t even have so much as a pot to piss in, so it’s nice to know we’ll be stepping up to the plate and giving her the chance to spread her wings and fly.
“If the club doesn’t want to help Van with her marketing firm, I’d like to become her partner,” Sketch advises. “She’s damn good at what she does and is being held back by the company she works for. Did you know they approached her and told her she’d need to start traveling for one of the clients they handed off to her?”
“Pissed us both off,” Riptide verifies. “Her working remotely is one of the reasons she took the position offered to her in the first place. It allowed her the freedom to be home with little man and earn money at the same time. She’s conflicted because she wants to be a stay at home mom, but she’s worked damn hard to get where she’s at.”
“Who wants the accounting firm?” I pose.
“I do,” Kodiak speaks up. “As of now, I keep the accounts for the club and cemetery, but it doesn’t give me enough work to fill the day. I’m bored more often than not. Plus, I’m good at it and I’ve been approached by several of the surrounding town’s businesses. What they’re offering will bring in a good profit if you choose to invest in the company I want to build. I’m good, but I’m not cheap and I’m willing to split the income fifty-fifty with the club.”
“Van and Sketch could help build it with their marketing skills,” I conclude.
“These investments would be good Valentine’s Day gifts for the old ladies,” Slayer determines.
“And the brothers?” I ask, my lips quirking on the sides as I hide the humor. “I’m all about hugs and kisses from them but if Kodiak, Sketch, LoneStar, and Hazard pucker up, I’m going to lay them the fuck out.”
“Cupid missed the mark with you, asshole,” Kodiak flippantly sneers. “Your brothers need love too.” With that last statement we all break out into laughter.
“My lips and arms belong to Zoey. And if you say otherwise, I’ll let you be the one who tells Elodie that her mommy has to share her daddy.”
