“Yeah. Fontana is rife with them. Part of the reason we’re out here in the middle of nowhere. We don’t need that headache. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do business with them. This is the order form,” he said, passing a slip of paper with the shorthand we had for different weapons. “Load up Raff’s car. Tomorrow at ten is the drop. You can’t bring Saint, though.”
“What about Syn?” I asked.
“If Saint doesn’t throw a fit about it, sure. Otherwise, maybe tap someone else. I definitely want three of you there.”
“We’re not meeting at the club, are we?”
“Fuck no. Neutral location.”
“Okay. Got it.”
“Good. Got any questions, you know where to find me. Was that Detroit I saw leaving here?”
“Yeah. Kids are sick so he’s cooking for us instead.”
“Starting to regret agreeing to go out with my crew today.”
“Eh, he’ll be cooking for church in a few days too.”
“True,” Slash agreed. “I want an update as soon as you finish the drop.”
“Will do. And if Raff and Syn want to head into L.A. for the night?”
“Fine by me if you don’t do anything stupid.”
“Slash, man, this is Raff and Syn we’re talking about here,” I said with a laugh.
“Fair. I’ll settle for not arrested.”
“Think we can manage that,” I agreed.
“Alright. I’m out. Hey, babe,” he said as he passed another girl stumbling into the common area.
She jerked back, likely taken by surprise by the scars on the man’s face. That was where he got his name, after all.
“I, uh, hi,” she called after him when the immediate guilt for her response kicked in.
“Bra is in the freezer, shoes and purses by the door,” I said to her when Slash left. “Coffee is fresh. And if you’re Madison, your friend caught a ride to town to get ready for work.”
“That’s… way too many words this early,” she said, eyes small thanks to the booze and the light streaming in from the windows.
“Coffee then,” I said.
“Sweet,” she agreed, melting onto one of the island stools.
“Ibuprofen?” I asked, grabbing the bottle out of the cabinet.
“You keep it in the kitchen?” she asked, holding a hand out.
“Hangovers are a pretty common thing around here.”
She shook two into her hand and left the bottle on the counter.
“I don’t remember you,” she told me as I passed her the coffee.
“Colter.”
“Colter… Colter… oh, the gift basket guy.”
