Arrow of Time (27 page)

“
Yes.”

“
That I’m kind of crazy.”

“
Baby, I knew that before Brick told me, but you’re not crazy in the way you think. Considering what you’ve been through you’re surprisingly normal. Which means you’re a strong woman.” With a tight grip on my ass her hoisted me up until I was face to face with him. “And I love you.”

I blinked a few times to push back the tears. “I love you, too.”

“What’s with the blinking?” His eyes gleamed with tease.

“
Shut up!” I pinched his nipple. “Don’t ruin the moment.”

“
Okay, sorry. Say it again.”

“
I love you.”

He looked closely. “Still a bit moist there, Nibbles. But you’re getting there. Try again.”

“Are you just trying to get me to say it over and over again?”

“
Nah, honestly, just thought we’d practice so you don’t get all sobby on me when I say it or you say it.”

“
You’re an ass.”

He laughed, put his arms around me and flipped us over so he was on top.

“I think you still love me, though.” He kissed my nose. “Breakfast?”

“
Yes. Here?”

“
Think we’re too early for that, so it’s better if we get out of here. And if you’re really nice I’ll take you for a ride.”

“
I’m really nice.”

I wanted a ride, clear my head a little. And I also wanted to get away from the clubhouse, Brick and all of it. I wanted it to be just the two of us for a little while.

“Okay. Shower first, breakfast and then a ride. You working today?”

“
Yeah.”

“
Late shift?”

“
Yes. Wanna come and see me sing and dance while I clean?”

“
Absolutely.” He gave me a kiss. “And I’ll take you home when you’re done.”

“
And you’ll stick around?”

“
I’ll stick around.”

-o0o-

Sunday, February 17
th

BULL WAS AT HOME,
in his kitchen, and was sitting next to Rick. He had some homework. To Bull it looked like something the teachers had come up with just to be able to give the kids homework, since they seemed to want it. Rick was at least really eager about it.

His prepay rang. It was Bear and he picked up. “Yeah?”

“Need you at the western warehouse. Now!”

“
I'll be there in half an hour.”

“
Do you have to go, dad?” Rick asked, with big eyes on him. “Is it club business?”

“
Yeah, kid. I'll see you later.” He gave his forehead a kiss. He knew the homework didn't have to be done until the next week. “Why don't you save that and we'll finish it together when I get back?”

Rick nodded and carefully closed the book and put it back into his backpack. He gave Angie a kiss on his way out.

He met up with Dawg along the road and they continued together. Most members’ bikes were already at the warehouse when they got there. He and Dawg sat off.

“
You know what this is about?” Dawg asked.

“
No.”

They went inside. The place was ransacked. There was no pot in sight, but it hadn't been much to begin with, since they'd directed most stuff to the other border-clubs weeks ago.

“The stupid fucks think we're growing it ourselves,” Brick started. “They got pissed when there wasn't much here, worked Miguel over and killed the rest of the workers. Left him as a 'warning'.”

Miguel was one of the cartel's guys, and he was in charge of the work. Most of the workers were illegals from Mexico, working off their debt. Miguel was surprisingly calm and looked up at Bull, holding a bloodied towel against his temple. He was beaten up pretty bad.

“Did you give them anything?” Bull asked, but was pretty sure he hadn't. He was a tough son of a bitch.

“
No. Just went with the stupid immigrant worker, said we didn't grow anything here, just packed it.”

“
Did you even do that accent?” Bull said with a smile. He liked Miguel.

“
I did. The way I see it, our main problem is that they even knew about this place.”

“
We have a mole,” Brick said with a sigh and looked at Mech. “Make a list, I wanna know everyone who knows about this place. Do another list with anyone who's ever at the fucking clubhouse or working at the BB and run them. See if anything pops out.”

“
On it,” Mech said with a nod.

Brick turned to Miguel. “I'm calling Roberto about this. We've already agreed to push the goods through the two other border charters, so I'm guessing he'll want you at one of those for now.”

“Probably good that you did, wasn't much here for them to get, thanks to that,” Miguel said. “What about those fucks then?”

What Miguel relayed to the cartel mattered, Bull knew that, but he was sure Brick would get to that. Miguel also needed to know they were on top of things. Which they really weren't, but it was because Roberto had told them to lay low.

“I'm setting a meet with the Águilas as soon as I find out who their mole is. I'm not walking into a room with them without knowing who's feeding them info, but,” Brick said and got up and walked towards Miguel, “when I do walk into that meet, I need free hands.”

“
Got it,” he nodded. “I'll back you.”

“
Good.” Brick took a step back. That was all they needed to know, and they'd need Miguel on their side. “Think you'll need medical attention?”

“
No. Gonna give them a call and hear where they want me, and then I'm taking off. Don't want to be seen with you any more than necessary, no offense.”

“
None taken,” Brick said and held out his hand. “Hope to see you back here once it's all sorted.”

“
Oh, I'll be back,” Miguel smiled.

He was a good guy, and he kept a tight schedule. There was no slacking; if he gave a time when re-packing was done, it was done at that time, not a minute later. They had never had any problems with him, and if there was any problem and he knew it couldn't be helped, he backed them with the cartel. On the other hand, if they fucked up, he told that to the cartel as well.

“Have the prospects clean this place up and burn the bodies,” he said to Sisco, who nodded, before he turned to Bull. “You help them, but I want a word outside first.”

“
Sure.”

Dawg and Mech walked out with them and they all halted and lit their smokes.

“Any ideas?” Brick asked and looked at them. They all shook their heads. “You sure this place can't be traced back to us in
any
way?” That part was to Mech.

“
It's owned by the cartel through a bunch of holding companies. I doubt anyone could even figure out that it's theirs.
Our
name isn't anywhere near it.”

“
So assuming that they don't know about the cartel, which they obviously don't, since they thought it was our place and that we were using it to grow, they can't find out by checking this place out?”

“
No,” Mech said with certainty.

“
Which means that someone must've specifically
told
them it was our place, thinking it was.”

That was a real problem and the ultimate proof that they had someone running their mouth where they shouldn't.  Someone who knew this was a place they used, but didn't know it wasn't in their name. Which limited it a little bit.

“The Àguielas obviously don't know much about our business at all,” Dawg said. “I mean, we sell in Arizona, but not much. Most of it goes up north, so I don't get why they even give a shit about us.”

“
We have good stuff. They were probably after the plants,” Mech said with a shrug. “They figure we're a small crew and it's easy to push us out once they had an equal product.”

Mexican gangs usually spent most of their time taking out each other and all gangs, no matter where they figured their roots were, wanted in on pot. It was one of the easy money, low risks drugs that you didn't need to be a chemist to make. If they thought the Marauders were growing their own plants, it was probably the plants they were after, so they could grow it themselves. It was a good theory, at least. Bull was getting really fucking fed up with them, though. And mostly he was fed up that they couldn't do anything about it. He wanted to feel that something was being done.

Mech and Wolf took off, and he was left with Dawg and Brick.

“
How much does Edie know about our business?” Brick asked Dawg.

“
Whatever Mel or you have told her. She knows we're dealing pot, Vasco told her about that, but she didn't know about this place.”

“
I'm not saying it's her!” Brick said “Jesus! She wouldn't do that.”

After looking into her background, which basically involved googling, since she'd been all over the news after she popped her dad, Bull would have to agree. It didn't seem likely at all, so he was wondering what the fuck Brick was after.

“So what are you saying?” Dawg asked and glared at Brick.

“
I'm saying that it's better if we keep her out of it for a while, and when you're not at home, she stays at our place. I don't want her alone in that shitty neighborhood.”

“
I will.” Dawg put on his helmet. “She wouldn't talk to anyone.”

“
I know. That's not why I brought her up. I want her safe, and she's not even talking to Mel at the moment. Not answering calls or texts and she needs to.”

“
I'll talk to her.”

Once Dawg was gone he turned to Brick. “You don't really think it's Edie?”

“
No!
Fuck’s sake, I was just trying to get her into the conversation smoothly.”

“
Very smooth, prez.”

“
Fuck you!” Brick laughed and nodded towards the warehouse. “Make sure they get rid of those bodies”

“
Absolutely.”

He watched as Brick took off and then walked inside to make sure the bodies disappeared.

-o0o-

It was almost morning when Dawg walked into Edie’s apartment. It had been three days since that party at the clubhouse and two days since he told her he loved her. He didn't think that Brick really thought that Edie was the mole, but just suggesting that she would run her mouth pissed him off. She was smarter than that.

Brick bringing it up was probably more because he wanted Edie to talk to Mel. It was the family thing again. Families argued and yelled, but didn't shut each other out, and Dawg agreed with that. Especially since he needed her to stay at Mel's if he was gone. He took a quick shower and then crawled into bed next to her. He quickly noticed that she was naked and pressed himself against bare, perfect ass.

“
Hey,” she mumbled and turned around, throwing a leg over his hip.

“
How’s my girl?” He asked while placing light kisses all over her face.

She licked the moth on his Adam’s apple. “Horny.”

“Need to say something first.”

“
What?” She groaned.

“
You need to talk to Mel. You can’t shut her out. Just talk to her. If she keeps being an ass, yell at her, argue with her, but don’t shut her out. Family doesn’t do that.”

She leaned back and looked at him. “I’m not horny anymore.”

“I can fix that once we’re done talking.”

“
We’re done talking,” Edie said and turned around.

“
Okay, baby, now you’re shutting me out.”

“
I know.”

“
Edie, stop being so fucking childish. I’m trying to help here. I’m the one she’s talking shit about! I just don’t want you to lose your sister.” Edie stayed still and silent. “Edie?”

Still no movement and not a sound. He looked at her back for a while and then he’d had it. He was trying to fucking help. Like he’d said, it was him Mel was badmouthing, and he tried to be above that to make sure they stayed friends, and now she was shutting him out. He was so fucking tired of her silent treatment, he’d gotten enough of that from her the previous months when she ignored him. He couldn’t take it. Not today. It was just a too shitty day for him to take this.

“You are
seriously
not going to talk to me?”

When she still didn’t say anything, he got out of the bed, pulled on his jeans and picked up the rest of his clothes.

“Fine! You know where to find me when you wanna talk.”