“Beau isn’t here yet,” Brooks says, taking a seat across from me.
“Where the fuck is he then?” Nix asks the table, his mood growing more volatile with each minute he has to wait.
“He had a pick up, but Tiny says he’s yet to show,” Brooks explains.
Beau, like all the boys, is required to show up on time, but for some reason, we can’t get a hold of him.
“Well, someone better fuckin’ find him.” He sighs, but I can see he is worried. I’m not worried. Beau is a smart man, secretive, but smart. Besides, it’s not like Beau fucks up regularly.
“I’m worried about him,” Sy speaks up. “He’s getting attached.”
“He’s fuckin’ Beau. He doesn’t get attached,” Nix counters.
“You didn’t see him with Mackenzie. I’ve never seen him like that before.” Sy says, and I think back to all the pickups I’ve been on with Beau. He does get attached but never like Mackenzie. Mackenzie was a woman Beau and Sy saved last year. After one too many hits from her fucked-up asshole husband, she reached out for help and tried to get away. Only being the daughter-in-law to a dirty mayor made it hard for her to do that. That’s where we came in. The Rebels and Tiny set up a meet. We were to come in, and get her out without being seen. Only things got fucked up, and when the boys were finally able to get her out, it was after her asshole husband did a fucking number on her. The boys were seen and it brought heat to the club. Her husband knew it was us and started a campaign to bring the Rebels down, going as far as threatening Holly at glass point. He was arrested after Sy was done with him, but the dirty fucker got off on probation. We’ve had our eyes on him, making sure he doesn’t get any ideas, and so far, he hasn’t pulled any shit.
“You think this new gig is getting to him?” Nix asks. The club has taken on a big role in helping Tiny get women out of abusive homes, Beau being the main guy who handles it.
“He’s holding onto something which might be too close to home. I think the business with his sister fucked him up. He’s reliving it over and over, and he’s gonna fucking snap. I can see it,” Brooks says, giving his opinion.
“He’s late for one meeting. He probably has a perfectly good reason. Let’s not fuckin’ lose our heads.” Nix shakes his head. I agree. Beau might be attached to this, but he would never jeopardize the club. He just wouldn’t do it.
“Hunter, head out to the meet point. Keep Tiny updated.” The rookie stands and nods, leaving without a word.
“Let’s start. Got fucking shit to do today. So how’s Liquid? You get the staff all sorted?” He turns to me. I know he is going to kill me with my staffing issues. It’s the only fucking drama I have with the joint.
“Got a new girl.” I nod.
“You gonna fuck this one?” Sy asks, trying to get a reaction.
“Fuck off.” I scoff, knowing I won’t. Not now when my head is fucked up with Bell. But I’m not telling them that. “Just because you three are fucking whipped.” I nod to the remaining three left at the table.
“We’re not fuckin’ whipped,” Nix snaps, his expression letting me know I’m pissing him off.
“Hey, I’m just saying. I’m not tied down. Don’t have to deal with a tired wife, screaming kids. It must be hard. No wonder you’re all cranky fuckers.”
“Shut the fuck up, Jesse. You got no idea.” Nix rubs his face.
“I know the pussy I get never says no.” I throw in, watching his jaw tick. I laugh, knowing I’m pushing, but I’m out of sorts after what happened with Bell last night and I need to feel like the old me. The one that believes the shit he’s saying.
“Jesse, I suggest you shut the fuck up, right fuckin’ now,” Nix warns, but it’s what I do. I fuck with him and watch him lose his shit. It’s our thing.
“What’s the matter, boss man? Your dick not getting wet?” My ass leaves the seat as Nix’s hands find my cut.
“Whoa, whoa.” Sy tries to pull Nix off, but the look in his eyes shows he’s about to snap. I don’t think he can be talked down.
“Too far?” I ask, throwing him the smile I use when I know I’m in deep shit.
“Get the fuck out and go find Beau.” He pulls me up by my cut and pushes me toward the door.
“Got ya, but I just want to say, I didn’t know Kadence was holding out on you.” I deliver one final blow, fixing my messed-up cut.
“Jesse, I swear to fuckin’ Christ, get the fuck OUT!” His fist comes down in front of him. I shrug, laughing as I leave.
Fuck, even stirring shit doesn’t make me feel better. I walk through the club more messed up than I normally am. What the fuck has Bell done to me?
ME: How are you feeling?
I decide to send a text to Bell as I make my way inside Happy Chef and take a seat next to Tiny. I probably should call her, since it’s been six days, but I’m still pissed, and a phone call isn’t on the cards.
“Hey, Tiny, you seen Beau?” I ask, waving the waitress off. I’m not here for lunch. I’ve been searching for Tiny all morning and I’m starting to get pissed at Beau for fucking with my day.
“It look like I’ve seen him?” he responds, taking another bite of his burger. Tiny is a huge man, despite the name. Standing at least six-foot nine, the man could outweigh Beau and me.
“You see him around, you tell him Nix wants to see him.” I stand, knowing he won’t give me anything. He’s pissed off, with good reason too.
“You see him tell him he’s not getting info on the Paige girl until he pulls his shit together.”
“You got word on Paige?” I stop and turn at her name.
“Might have a lead,” his reply is cryptic and I know how this works.
“I’ll get you what you need,” I offer, prepared for anything. The police are at a dead end. We need everything we can get.
“I need Beau to get his shit together. He missed the drop off today and it’s not the first time he’s slipped up.” Shit, the guys were right; this gig is fucking with him.
“Tell me what you need. I’ll get it to you,” I promise. He eyes me for a minute before nodding.
“Going by police records, they suspect a guy named Gary Innis. I checked him out and word on the street he’s been bragging about supply and demand of young teenage girls. Seems he’s got a taste for collecting girls.” My stomach drops at the thought. Jesus, there is no way I can tell Bell this. “My connection says the local girl here got the top bid. They don’t work with names, but we got the town, age, and time of disappearance.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah, not the news you were hoping for, but we got a lead, so now we work to take this fucker down.” I nod. He’s right. Assholes like that don’t deserve to be alive.
“Get your cop brother to find what he can on a guy named Markus Bates.” He slides the file to me.
Markus Bates. The man who could have Paige. Fuck.
“I’ll contact you when I have more.” He stands and drops a few bills on the table. “You also sort out that other brother of yours. Fucker’s getting too personal.” He turns and walks out.
He’s right. It seems Beau is getting too close, but knowing Beau, there’s no telling him. He needs to come out of this one on his own.
“What the fuck were you thinking, Beau?” Nix shouts as I walk back into the clubhouse thirty minutes later. A small woman with a messed-up face sits on the sofa with a baby on her lap.
Jesus Christ, another kid?
“You think I would leave her there?” Beau answers, more pissed than normal.
“It’s the fucking Warriors, Jesus Christ.” Brooks shakes his head.
“Please tell me she doesn’t belong to a Warrior?” I ask, taking a seat at the bar, trying to catch up with everything.
Hunter nods at me and I know shit just got fucking serious. The Warriors have been a problem that the Rebels only got under control in the last year. I can understand why Nix is blowing his top. The last thing we need is them finding out the Rebels just took an old lady from one of their men.