MC: Brighton (2 page)

I watch her walk into the Bakery and still can’t believe she’s going out with me. Rich told me to take her to the Seafood Shack. It’s not formal but it’s not McDonald’s either. I’m still wondering what the fuck I’m supposed to do after that. I follow her on surveillance in the Bakery then back out. What the fuck is she doing sitting with Jake? I look up at the boards. Nothing is happening, so I focus back to my monitor. Jake stands up and sinks his cup in the trash bin ten feet away. Fuckin’ show-off. He walks away and Penny calls out to him, making me wish we had sound out there. He says something back, smiling at her. She smiles and I’m fuckin’ pissed. What the fuck is going on?

“She’s telling him she can’t go out with him because she’s seeing you. Relax, Brother,” Rich says from behind me.

I look at him to see if he’s pissed about me watching her. “You know this?”

He smiles. “Yeah, I do.”

Fuckin’ guy is always smiling. “Okay.” He sees too much already, so I close the feed down and get back to work.

“You run from the minute you walk in until it’s quitting time every fuckin’ day. You can take a minute to watch your girl without thinking you’ll get shit for it.”

“She’s not my girl and I’m done,” I tell him, hoping he’ll drop it.

He laughs. “She will be and I think this is just the beginning, not the end, Brother. It’s always a fuckin’ war when the Officers take an old lady.”

“What the fuck? I haven’t even gone on the first date with her. You’re jumping the gun here, Brother. I don’t know what to do on a fuckin’ date. She may not want a second.” I’ve been on three fuckin’ dates in my life. They were all before the Club and not one ended up as a second date.

“Call Patches, he’ll get you a list. Follow what he says. The fuckin’ guy knows what he’s talking about. He helped Bob with Amanda and he keeps Tess happy with us. Do that now. We have a meeting in half an hour.” He turns and walks over to Sticks’ console.

Fuck, I pull my phone and call Patches. He doesn’t laugh and says he’ll send the list right over. Now I can focus back on work. My job has been tracking and following the flesh traders. They’re getting smart and moving around quicker than we can track them. I spend time tracking then, sending IP addresses to the Club Kids, then grab the pages from the printer so I can make it to the meeting with the updates for the last couple of days. I run in, handing out pages, then I sit, taking a breath in and letting it out slow.

VP comes in, not looking happy. Shit. I think about what’s been going on and relax. I shouldn’t even be on his radar.

He looks right at me. “Safe today.” He turns and looks at Rich, not saying anything, but Rich smiles and nods. This used to freak me right the fuck out, but now I just wait for what’s next.

Little Ben and Darren come in, followed by Bob, Tiny, and Geek. Once they’re seated, Rich sits and VP starts. “Got trouble comin’. Need everyone focused on Joey and the women. What you’re workin’ on goes to Club Kids for trainin’. Baxters doin’ same thin’.” He looks at Rich, nods, and walks out.

Rich smiles and stands. “I guess that’s the new plan.” We all chuckle. He looks at Darren and signs, “Darren, I need you to keep the Club Kids working on the trafficking ring. Make sure little Ben knows where you are with that at all times. It’s back-burnered here, but we’ll schedule what we can for one day a week. I need to know what day that would be so I can get Tiny’s Brothers and HS on that schedule.”

“Thursday is the highest action day we have lately, meaning over the last month and a half,” Darren says and signs. Little Ben nods in agreement.

“Tiny, little Ben, get the Brothers and Security on a Thursday schedule for that. I’ll get HS paired with your Brothers and the PD and Baxters up to date with the changes.” He types it out on his phone, then looks at Bob. “We need extra Security on with the women. Add HS on them in the yard, their regular Security in the backyard is fine. I’m adding HS to the backyard Security starting today. Little Ben, get with me after the meeting and I’ll give you the changes.”

Little Ben smiles and slides a tablet down to Rich. “Thought you might say that. Taylor made me a form for your changes. Seeing as they happen all the fuckin’ time, it will be easier to keep up with you.” We all laugh, including Rich. He nods to Geek and sits down.

Geek stands while he puts the changes on the tablet. “Digs, you’ll be working with me when you’re not on an OPs. I dropped some files on your desktop. Do what you do best and get me all you can on these pussy politicians.”

“Fuck, I hate politicians.”

“We all do, fuckin’ slimy bastards. You’re digging until I know what the fuck they’re eating for breakfast.” He sits back down and I throw him chin.

We wait for Rich to finish typing. He slides the tablet back to little Ben. “Fuckin’ smartass, but it’s a good form.” He stands up again. “Who is ready to move into Security IT?”

Little Ben looks at Darren. He signs back, ‘You just took Brantley and Taylor. Leaves me with Ricky at second, Victor, José, Billy, Diego, and Niko.’

Little Ben looks at Rich. “After that I have just little ones, they’re not ready for the consequences of the job. You looking for good or to borrow?”

“For good. I have one leaving HS IT at the end of the month. He’s moving up north. Hammer has a job for him and it puts him closer to his wife’s family. The father had a stroke last month and needs help,” Rich tells him.

He looks at the table then up at Rich, signing while he talks. “Darren needs to keep Ricky at second. Christian has shit going down next month and he’ll need him for that and his regular monitoring for Security. Diego is probably the best we have, but putting this on him doesn’t feel right. Take José.” Darren starts signing and little Ben puts his hand up, stopping him.

Darren drops his hands and looks at Rich. “Darren doesn’t agree with you,” Rich says.

“I’m aware of that. He doesn’t have the information I do. We’re scheduled to meet for dinner,” Little Ben tells him. These fuckin’ kids know their job better than some of the adults that work here. Besides being head of Security, he’s High Security when needed and an Officer. He’s in charge of the Little Brothers. With Jessie, who’s in charge of training PD and the Brothers moving into Security, and Darren, who’s in charge of Kids Club and the KC IT, at his side, he actually runs a Club within the Club. Not one fuckin’ Brother ever questions his decisions.

Rich nods and looks at each one of us. “Any questions?”

“Yeah, is this because of Jake? Fuckin’ Baxters and MC going through shit has got to be a woman. I’m spread fuckin’ thin keeping this old lady shit from shutting us down,” Geek says. A tampon flies across the table, landing in from of him. We all laugh while he rolls his eyes. “Fuckin’ Brothers. Every fuckin’ time we’re at war a woman is involved. Stick with the whores and we’re safe.”

Rich looks at me with a smile. “Digs is up.”

“Fuck! Not fuckin’ likely!” Everyone looks my way, son of a bitch.

“Got a list from Patches. He’s next.” He laughs and Geek groans.

“IT! Fuck!” Geek growls out. “I need another in IT for this shit. Who the fuck wants
his
ass?”

Another tampon flies. “Penny,” Rich tells him like it’s a done deal. I haven’t even had a fuckin’ date yet. I’m not saying shit, there’s no fuckin’ way a tampon is hitting me or I’m talking about my upcoming date at a fuckin’ Security meeting.

I give Rich a look and he puts his hands up in surrender. “Brother, they need to be prepared. We all know the pattern. We’re
not
going to be taken by surprise.”

I throw him chin. He’s fuckin’ right, but I’m not talking about this with everyone sitting here.

Little Ben says and signs ‘enough’ and everyone looks over.

Darren looks at Rich. ‘Lily is back. She’s going to Brown. Little Ben has been seeing her.’

“Fuck, this is bad,” Bob says.

Little Ben gives Darren a look, then looks up at Rich. “Nothing more than friends,” he says.

Rich nods. “If you have nothing else, I’m out.” We know where little Ben is at all times, but we don’t talk about it. He knows this and throws chin before Rich walks out.

Geek snags Darren on the way out and I head back to work. Geek is my direct supervisor, but I work for HS on a daily basis. If he has nothing for me, my chances of pissing anyone off are slim. These fuckin’ guys all threaten my balls or life constantly and I never know when they’re kidding or serious. I’m at control for the OPs and see what they do. I’ve seen the billboards blow. VP almost got Danny killed taping Pres to a frame and I had to help lower Geek from a third floor window where he was hanging duct-taped to his chair. Being a Brother doesn’t give you immunity from their crazy.

I get lost in my digging. Bob makes me jump a foot high, slapping my back. “Let’s grab a beer.”

“Fuck, you scared the shit out of me! Next time tell me when you’re behind me, asshole.” I close down my tabs and lock my files while he laughs.

“I was talking to you, you didn’t hear me. It’s late, let’s get out of here.”

I look at my watch. Shit. “What are you doing here so late?”

“Mandy’s at the shop and Joey and Ally have the twins. I have an hour and a half.”

“Cool, where we going?” I ask, pulling my bag across my shoulder.

“The Club. I need to check on something up there.

Great. I was headed there anyway. We take the ten minute ride up and walk in to a fuckin’ brawl. Driscoll and Bull run in with Colby right behind them. Bob wades into the middle of the fuckin’ crazy ass Brothers, while the HS guys peel one after another, pushing them out the door. I wait against the wall, watching HS lay the drunken Brothers out or throw them out. Danny, Rich, and Tiny show, making it more entertaining. There’s got to be fifty Brothers still egging it on or fighting. I watch Danny flip toward Bob in the center and Tiny smash two drunken Brothers’ heads together. That’s going to hurt tomorrow when the dumb fucks wake up.

Driscoll sends a Brother flying toward me and I hold him up and away from me. He turns swinging. Shit, I duck and hit him with an uppercut, laying him flat. Thank God he’s drunk. In minutes everyone is calm and the fight is done. I almost laugh at Danny and Rich buying Brothers drinks. They’re fuckin’ crazy, every fuckin’ one of them. I go up to the bar and grab a beer beside Bob.

He looks at me. “Laid the Brother out with that uppercut. Nicely done, Brother.”

I throw him chin because there’s not much to say. I took the training everyone else does, but I’m an IT geek, I don’t need to use it for anything but making sure I don’t get hit when one of these drunken brawls happen.

Tiny laughs. “He’s fuckin’ Badass. What did you expect?”

I throw him chin while they laugh. I have never been in a fight, so I don’t really know what to do. I just react to situations the way they taught me to.

Bob takes care of his business with Geek and leaves, followed by all but Bull from HS. Jessie comes in for a beer, then heads to his room with a whore. I watch Darren run through the side hall toward Jessie’s and smile. They’re just like Pres and Danny. If Pres knew, he’d flip, turning into the kids’ book chicken with his arms flapping and hair all a mess. It’s funny to watch, but I know enough not to say anything. He’s as crazy and deadly as the HS Brothers, he’s just better at hiding it. With Tiny, Danny, and VP at his back no one fucks with him anyway. That’s a lot of fuckin’ crazy to get through just to get to him.

I look around and see Flo. Shit, not my go to girl, but she’ll do. I buy her a drink and walk it over to her. “Got you a drink, Flo.”

She looks up from the lap of a new member and smiles. “What do you want for that drink? Your new Brother here doesn’t know how to treat a lady like the other Brothers.” She’s not pissed, so she must be kidding.

“You buy her a drink and ask if her mouth’s too busy to suck you off,” I tell him. He nods, not looking sure about what I’m saying. Flo takes the drink and swallows half, then unzips and pulls me out. The Brother looks shocked, but I’m not stopping her. No one else gives a shit. She’s moving against him, but I don’t want to see that, so I lean my head back with my hand in her hair and close my eyes, picturing Penny sucking me off like a pro. They’re moaning, but I tune them out and watch the flashes of Penny as I picture her naked. She’s built like an athlete, but I don’t see her going anywhere but at her shop and house. She has the longest fuckin’ hair and I can’t wait to wrap it in my hands. Her red, bow-shaped lips were made for my dick. Clenching my jaw, I come down Flo’s throat. She’s moaning, bringing me back to where we are. I pull away, getting me back to straight and hand her the glass, then kiss her swollen lips. She’s fuckin’ the Brother but stops again for me. “Thanks, doll.” I walk away to her laughing. Before I leave, I slide the Prospect behind the bar twenty for Flo’s tip jar and tell him to make sure the Brother leaves her something. He’s a new Associate, so who the fuck knows what he’s been told.

“Roger.” I grab my headset and let them know I have their six. I like working with them. Danny and Bob are a good team and make it easy for me if Rich gets called away. They’ve both been trained to run Ops and can handle things themselves, they just need to know what is coming at them. Rich hands me an address and I pull the feeds before they get to them, letting them know they have PD coming up but he’s ours. The smartest fuckin’ thing we ever did was get Brothers on the force. I wish Casper could have seen how that worked out. He was a good fuckin’ Brother that died too young. He would have loved to see his PD wearing our cuts and being trained by Jessie and the Club Kids. I think he’d be proud his daughter is seeing little Ben too.

Danny and Bob get to the address with no problems. I watch them climb the porch. The camera doesn’t show more than the steps, but I can hear them pounding on the door. Rich is scanning all the boards.

My monitor flashes a message from Darren.
Truck tagged yellow barreling toward LP1.
I wave my hand. “Rich.” I look at the boards and see where they put the yellow tagging on the truck for us. I love their program. They can color code tags for unidentified vehicles. It makes surveillance easier to keep track of outsiders.

He looks at my screen, then at his HS roster. “Get me Driscoll and Colby coming up behind them.” I connect to them and pull the feed to where they are.

Me: “HS11 & Piston, you’re on with HS Ops. I need you on Main, headed toward fifth. Green truck, RI plates speeding toward LP1 & B3.”

Driscoll: “Roger, Mc Ops.”

Rich: “LP1, HS11 is coming up behind you for a truck headed your way.” I hear yelling and grunts coming from Danny and Bob’s mics.

Danny: “Roger, LP2, we’ll be clear in about three minutes.” There’s a scream then a shot.

Bob: “Pussy shouldn’t scream like a girl.”

Danny: “Clear, LP2. We need Cleanup on aisle 7.”

I call into Cleanup and send them to the address.

Rich: “This was supposed to be quick and easy, LP1. You were just talking to the fuckin’ pussy.”

Danny: “He didn’t want to talk, he was running to the john to dump the start of the meth lab he’s got going on in the living room.”

Rich: “Fuck, get VP in here and cameras up over there.” I text VP and have a Security tech head over to get a feed in the house. “LP1, a tech is on the way to get video inside. Cleanup is on the way.”

Danny: “Roger, LP2.”

I watch the boards as Cleanup One and Murphy make their ways to the house. VP comes in and I keep looking forward. I talk when I’m needed but stay off of his radar. Rich tells him what’s going on. I wave them to the boards where Colby is beating the fuck out of the pickup driver. They stop talking and watch.

“Like him with Driscoll?” VP asks.

“Yeah, they make a good team.”

“Chet doin’ okay as lead?” VP asks. I know he’s watched surveillance. He’s logged on more than I am.

“Yeah, I’ve got nothing but good on him.” We watch Colby lay out the pussy.

“Got a good right hook,” VP says, making Rich laugh.

I see a new feed come in and tell them, “We’re live.” The tech places a camera so we’re looking down at the room, probably on a cabinet. The house is an open floor plan, so we see the dead guy’s legs off to the left. The center of the room has a long table with a ton of shit on it. He really was setting up a lab and it’s in the middle of a good neighborhood. My fuckin’ house is three streets away. Pussy’s got some balls, or had some balls.

They go back and forth with Danny and Bob for a good ten minutes. The tech gets the second feed so we can see all the shit on the table, then what the pussy was carrying. Once they’re done, Rich has me call Peter at PD. One of our Brothers shows to get the drugs and Ops is out.

VP is still here. This makes me nervous. I clear everyone and then open the information I dropped down before the Ops ran when he finally says something. “Want you closer. Danny’ll check for somethin’ in the backyard. Not likin’ pussies settin’ up that close to you.”

Fuck! I like my house. I like not being so fuckin’ close to the crazy ass Brothers that live in the backyard. I look at him, trying to figure out how to say it without getting shot. “Not an option, tellin’ you, need you closer. Need to see whose gettin’ close. Too fuckin’ valuable to lose to a fuckin’ oversight.” What the fuck can I say? I throw him chin. He complimented me and didn’t pull his gun out.

Rich laughs and I give him a look. He’s got the perfect house, right where he wants to be. “I’ll talk to my dad. He loves you. He’ll make it good, Brother. Maybe there’s something around Sticks.” I roll my eyes at him. I work with Sticks but that’s it.

“He threatened to rip my arm off and beat me with it last fuckin’ week!”

They laugh, walking away. Fuckin’ Brothers.

There’s no way I can get into digging now, so I pull up the list Patches sent me. He even put directions on it, making me wonder how he knows all this. Tess moved in with them right from the beginning, they didn’t date her first. Maybe they do this stuff when they take her out every week.

“Digs!” I turn around to Bob smiling as he’s walking up to me.

“What?”

He laughs. He’s never been happier. Rich says Patches gave Bob a list too. Maybe there’s something to this. “I didn’t want to scare the shit out of you again.”

“Danny here?” I ignore his smart ass smile.

“He had to check on a house for VP.”

Fuck! “He told me I had to move to the fuckin’ backyard with the Brothers.”

He looks at me for a good thirty seconds. “You’d be safer there.”

“My house is surrounded by cameras, I wear tracking everywhere I go, what the fuck could happen to me?” I raise my arms and remember Tiny was in earlier, so I put them down quick.

He’s not smiling. “Digs, a lab was set up a couple of blocks away from your house. Just because you’re in the yard doesn’t make you safe. You are the only tracked Brother
not
in the backyard.”

“That’s bullshit! Colby, Driscoll and Bull, Doc, Alan when he’s with his girl. None of them are in the backyard.”

“They’re all HS and you know what he means. You think we all like living on the compound? It’s a price you pay, Brother,” Rich says, coming up behind Bob.

Shit. “You love living there.”

He nods and smiles. “Yeah, I do, but we don’t have much of a choice, do we?” Fuck! He’s right, the women’s safety is the issue, but I’m not a fuckin’ woman. He laughs. “Look, you’re the last one to move. VP had no problem with you being on your own until today. He knows shit we don’t and thinks it’s time. If he didn’t think you could handle yourself, he wouldn’t have let it go all this time, but something’s changed and he wants you moved right away. You can go ask him if you want details.”

Like that’s going to happen. “When the fuck am I moving?”

“Three days. Dad thinks he can get it done in two, so he can schedule your move on the third.”

“Jesus!” I wipe my hair back. I’m moving in three days and I don’t even know what to feel here. They thought I could handle myself before, but something changed that. VP is a scary motherfucker, but he’s usually right with shit like this. “All right, I don’t have a choice. There’s no point in fighting it.”

Bob slaps my back. “You’re right, Brother. The minute you don’t show in your new house, VP would have us hunt you down.”

“You can’t say shit like that to me! I said I’d go, you don’t have to throw the threats at me.”

“Just fuckin’ with you, Digs. Relax, Brother,” Bob says, while Rich laughs.

“I was relaxed until you two got here.” I turn back to my list.

“Patches sent you a list, follow it. I did and it worked out,” Bob says from behind me.

I turn and look at him. “You followed it? Penny isn’t even close to Amanda. She’s not outgoing, she’s like a wallflower in the background all the time.”

They both start laughing. “You think you’re not? Brother, you sit in the background everywhere you go, trying not to get noticed, yet you’re the fuckin’ guy with all the answers. She’s the perfect match for you,” Bob says.

“When did everyone decide I need their help in
my
fuckin’ life?”

Rich has a serious look on his face. “Look, Brother, you can act like you’re controlling what’s going to happen or you can be prepared and react to situations coming your way with our help. We’ve been through it and you’ve had front row seats to every fuckin’ matchup during the wars. This isn’t new and it isn’t private. You need to follow the list and be prepared. Let us know what’s happening so we can keep you and Penny safe.”

They are unbelievable. “I haven’t even been on a date with her. You’re way off, Brother,” I say softly.

“When you get to the sex, that doesn’t mean you drop the list. Follow it all the way. Patches will give you new ones a couple times a year,” Bob says like I never said anything. They’re crazy. I just nod at him.

“Let’s go for a beer, he’s not going to listen. You staying?” Rich asks.

“Yeah, I need to read the fuckin’ list.”

I watch them walk to the door. “Follow it!” Bob yells before the door closes.

I’ve read the list at least fifty times already but can’t believe all the shit on it. I can do this, I just don’t know if Penny is the right one. She’s so fuckin’ innocent and sweet. I want that, but I want that rough and hard. I want her begging me to fuck her face, begging for my dick to hit deeper. Fuck, I’m getting hard just thinking about it. I read the list again, print it, shut my console down, then call over to Security and let little Ben know I’m out.

“Good luck on the date, Brother. Did Patches get you the list?” he asks.

“Does everyone get the fuckin’ list?”

He laughs. “I don’t think so. I know Jessie and Darren did, and I got one.”

“Yeah, thanks, Brother.” I hang up before he can say any more. The last thing I need is advice from the Little Brothers. Even if it is little Ben, I’m not about to put my shit up for debate by every member.

*  *  *

I’m so relieved when Tess finally leaves. She’s so sweet and I love her, but she makes me nervous with the visions and knowing things before I tell her. My hair is up in a French braid and my makeup is done, but I’m just standing here looking at the clothes Tess picked. She said it’s what I need to wear, but I’m not so sure about the skirt. It’s a short jean skirt and the blouse is silk that fits tight on my chest with a band right under, then it flows down, but it’s not long either. There is no one to yell at me if it’s too short, so I pull up my big girl panties and get dressed. Once I get the heels on and look at myself, I’m stunned. My legs look longer than they are and I look confident and grown up. Wow, Tess was so right! I’m excited now for Digs to see me.

I clean up the room and have enough time to clean the glasses and dishes we used before the doorbell rings. I’m smiling when I open the door. “Hi, Digs.”

He’s looking at me like he’s surprised. Without jeans and sneakers or a flowery dress, I do look older. “It’s going to take everything in me not to touch you tonight. Fuckin’ good look on you.”

Wow! He likes it and I get a tingle knowing that he wants to touch me. I want to fan my face, so I must be blushing. “I just need to get my purse.” I turn and hurry away, almost slipping in the heels. Fiddlesticks! I hear him make a noise, but I don’t turn around. I need a minute to collect myself.

When I get back to the door he’s standing inside, making me stop short. He’s big and looks strong. My mind jumps back to Lenny and I take a breath. He’s not going to hurt me. Tess said he’s not going to hurt me. I keep repeating it in my head and make my feet move. “What the fuck? If you don’t want to go, just say so.” He’s not yelling, but he’s not happy either.

I pull my eyes away from his chest and look at him. I have to be honest and tell him. That’s what Anita says we’re supposed to do when we’re nervous. “You’re not as big as the other guys, but you’re bigger than me. When I saw you I got nervous. I want to go.” He nods and I look away. He’s going to think I’m too crazy to take anywhere. I don’t get it. I wasn’t this nervous going out of the town with Jake. Digs is taking me right down the street.

“Look at me, Penny.” I look at his face again. “You want to get takeout and eat here, I’m good with that. You want to go to my house and eat, we can do that too. We can sit by the water where there’s cameras to make you feel safe. I don’t give a fuck where we eat, but I’m hungry and you look like that.” He waves his hand at me, making me smile. “We need to do something or I’m going to start eating you right here right now.”

Holy Moses! “No, we can go. I was just nervous.” I look away and walk closer, trying to breathe normal. I’m not sure I don’t want him to start eating me. I shake my head. I am crazy. What am I thinking? He grabs my hand and pulls me into him. I look up and hear the whoosh of my breath leaving my lips. It’s like slow motion. He’s bending closer to me and I can’t move. His back bows as his face is getting closer to mine. I can’t look away and I don’t move a muscle until his lips are on me. My whole body feels tingly, then his tongue is in my mouth and I’m on fire. My arms go around his neck and I want to climb up his body, but he’s got his arms all the way around my waist. I can’t do anything but stay plastered against him. He growls in my mouth and I snap out of it. Holding my waist, he kisses my lips then straightens, watching me. “Um, thank you.”