Forever, стр. 52
“Who, Jeff?” She waves a hand at me. “I blocked his calls and deleted him weeks ago. I think I’m going to head to bed. I probably ate too much junk. I’ll see you in the morning.”
With that, she slides off her stool and gives me a hug and kiss on the cheek. She’s gone before I can ask any more questions or think about what’s really going on with her. I’m left with my bowl of cereal and my own thoughts.
Chapter 24
Pay Up
Owen
“Good evening, Mr. Mason,” the bouncer says as I move to the entrance of the club.
I nod and grunt.
Exhausted is beyond what I am right now. I’m annoyed, tired as fuck, and I miss my woman. I didn’t know I could miss someone this much. It’s been three days since I left Eva at the clubhouse pissed off.
So far, I have shit. No one knows anything. For the most part, I think that’s true. Just one person has me believing otherwise. That’s why I haven’t returned home.
Something stinks in the Mayor’s home. Not the Mayor in South Carolina, no, his ass was clueless, and I believe it. The Mayor of Georgia is the one I’m finding an issue with. The more I think about it the more I know his ass is up to something.
Mayor Finch has been in for quite a grip with the club for about a year now. He knows King is going to come knocking for that bread sooner than later. Helping someone bring down the club would be in his favor.
Finch has no morals and he’s a sniveling piece of shit. I also know one important fact about that motherfucker. Finch has a nasty tell. When he lies, his right brow twitches.
That shit was a twitching mess last night, when I paid him a visit. That’s why I’m on my way to see a friend. Clayton Hennessy may not be a brother of the Lost Souls, but he’s like a brother to me. We met in college as roommates. Clayton helped me smooth out my rough edges to get through the doors Cage was counting on me to break through.
Clayton and his family have connections. If you so much as breathe in the South East, North East, or East Coast Clayton knows about it. Anywhere else, he’ll have access to the information soon enough.
Clayton and I have an understanding. Ask what you need, act as if the rest doesn’t exist. It works for us. Has for the last decade or more, no need to change it now.
“Welcome back, Mr. Mason,” a pretty brunette with a tray of drinks in her hand says as I walk into the club. I’m positive I once knew this one biblically.
I look into her hazel eyes and confirm, I indeed once fucked her. She has a come-hither look as she lets her gaze roam over me. Not Eva, not interested.
Hell, I can’t even remember this one’s name or how long ago we fucked. Clearly, she didn’t leave the impression I so obviously left with her. Ignoring her flirtatious looks I keep moving.
Dressed in a tailored black suit and black dress shirt with the top three buttons open, I move through the club Clayton and I silently own together. I’ve learned it’s always a good idea to have my eggs in more than one basket. Not that I don’t trust King and the Lost Souls. I just wanted something to call my own.
King is the same way. He and I both actually have businesses outside of the club together.
After Cage died, we always wondered what truly happened that night. We knew who we could trust and who we needed to keep an eye on. We also knew we needed a nest egg in case we needed to regroup.
I spot Clayton up in VIP and head straight there. Although, this isn’t a Lost Souls business, I have hired Diggs’ Security firm to handle the place. I don’t trust anyone else.
Clayton stands with a smile on his face as I reach him. He pulls me into a big bear hug. Not many men can dwarf me. Clayton comes pretty close.
The ginger is a jolly red giant without the perpetual jolliness. He’s the guy who everyone is drawn to, it doesn’t matter that he’s brooding most the time. He has a way of talking and moving that makes people gravitate to him.
When Clayton smiles your way, you move because it seems like a gift he’s bestowing. I have seen it work on women and men alike. I’ve been amused more often than not to watch him in action.
“It’s good to see you,” Clayton says as he releases me and nods for me to take a seat. He goes to wave over one of my usual girls, but I hold up my hand for her to stay put.
Again, I’m not interested. If it’s not Eva, I want nothing to do with her. The busty blonde pouts and turns back to her seat, looking deflated. I’ve already forgotten her. When I look at Clayton, he has his brow lifted at me.
I shrug my shoulders. “Things have changed,” is all I say.
Clayton looks me over and smiles. “Is the wife back in the saddle?” he asks, but I know he’s about to answer his own question and a few I’ve come to get answers to. “I hear she has ruffled some feathers. I can’t believe she has unraveled all you’ve done for her.
“Mayor Finch has been looking for a way out of his debt to your circle.” Clayton pulls a face. He never likes referring to the club in public. “He had nothing, not until your crazy wife went barking up some of the wrong trees. This is less about your brothers than it is about her. Miguel is coming for her ass. However, he does seem to have a bit of a problem with