I noted Lisa’s apparent discomfort with this situation and decided to let it go for now, but Harlow would be telling me what the fuck was going on; I would make sure of that. “Fine, go. I’ll wait here,” I grumbled and let them go.
While they were gone, I organised for our food to be bagged up to take home. I paid the bill and had just settled the food in my car when I got a call from Griff. “Scott, need you at the clubhouse now; got some trouble here between Marcus and Blade.”
“Fuck. I’ll be there soon.”
I hung up from him and called Harlow. “You going to be long?” I asked when she answered.
“About five minutes, we’re just at the convenience store down the road.”
“Did you walk there?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Shit, Harlow, it’s not fucking safe to be out walking at night by yourself.” I knew that Stoney was tailing her tonight but shit could have still gone down.
“Bloody hell, we’re fine. Don’t get your panties in a knot,” she said, and had the hide to sound pissed at me.
“Wait there. I’m coming to get you,” I muttered, and hung up my phone without waiting for a reply.
A couple of minutes later, I was really fucking annoyed when I met them half way between the restaurant and the convenience store. “I told you to wait there for me,” I almost yelled at her.
“And I told you that we were fine,” she said calmly, but she was glaring at me, challenging me to argue back.
I stewed on that for a minute before blowing out a long breath. “Christ, woman, why do you have to argue with nearly everything I say?”
“I don’t. I only argue with the things you boss me around about,” she stated firmly.
“Seems like you argue with everything, babe.”
“Seems like you boss me around a lot.”
Fuck. She had her hand around my dick and she didn’t even know it. Hell, I hardly knew it, but I could damn well feel it.
“Harlow, we need to get back to the restaurant,” Lisa interrupted us.
Harlow shot me that look again; the one that said don’t question anything. I raised my eyebrows back at her; I was totally fucking clueless as to what was going on here but I kept my mouth shut.
“Okay, honey,” Harlow said to Lisa and they started walking towards the restaurant. I followed them, and when we got there, Harlow indicated for me to wait outside while they went in. Again, I followed her direction. While I waited, I received a text message.
Griff: How far are you?
Me: Ten minutes out.
Griff: Hurry up.
Me: Working on it.
I had started pacing by the time the girls came back outside. Lisa seemed calmer now; Harlow had somehow made that happen. Watching them walk towards me, I took in Lisa’s smile as they chatted; the smile I’d hardly ever seen on her face. She caught my eye and directed that smile at me.
Smiling back at her, I asked, “All sorted?”
She nodded but didn’t say anything.
Harlow agreed, “Yes, but Lisa’s still hungry. What happened to all that food you guys had?”
“They packed it up for me and it’s in my car. I’ve got to head out to sort something out. Are you able to take Lisa back to my house and stay with her until I get home? I shouldn’t be too long.”
Before Harlow could reply, Lisa asked, “Why am I staying at your house, Scott? I can just go home.”
I shook my head. “No, your Mum’s not in any state to look after you so you can stay with me tonight.” I was worried about her and wanted to keep an eye on her tonight.
Looking at Harlow, I asked, “Can you do it?”
“Yes, it’s no problem,” she replied.
I gave her my address and house keys. “I owe you,” I said, as I took the food out of the car and passed it to her.
“Yeah, you do,” she agreed, and winked at me, taking the food out of my hands.
As I drove away, I watched them in my rearview mirror; chatting and laughing together. Something settled in my gut, something I’d never felt before. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but I was damn sure I wanted this thing at the clubhouse over as quickly as possible.
Chapter 15
Scott
I entered the room and Blade hit my sight. Motherfucker. He couldn’t be trusted. Why the fuck was I the only one who saw that?
“Scott, glad you could make it,” Blade greeted me as he stood up; cold eyes glued to mine.
I stopped in front of him, and said, “If I’d had more notice you were coming, I would’ve been here sooner.”
Neither of us moved; distrust and contempt thick in the air.
Griff broke the silence. “Blade’s changed his mind; he’s not willing to halt his distribution into Black Deed’s territory.”
I snarled at Blade, “What the fuck is your problem?”
Blade held my glare. “Black Deeds pissed a lot of people off under Nix’s control. Those people are more than happy to consider a new supplier. If the business is there, I’ll take it.”
“You’ve got no fucking idea what hell you’re bringing on yourself and your crew with that kind of decision.”
“My crew can hold their own.”
“You’re fucking delusional. Black Deeds will call in other chapters and favours; you won’t know what the fuck hit you.” Jesus, he was a dickhead and I was fast losing my cool. I knew he’d been bullshitting Dad when he agreed to pull back.
Griff knew my bullshit tolerance level and stepped in. “Scott’s right. Black Deeds’ power runs deep. They’ll smoke you before you even know it.”
Blade’s face contorted in anger. “Why don’t you let me worry about that and you stay out of it? This has got nothing to do with Storm.”
My anger had been walking a tightrope and that rope just fucking snapped. “This has got everything to do with Storm. Bullet’s asked us to get you to pull out, and if you don’t we’re in the fucking middle, and on Bullet’s shit list.”
“Not my fucking problem,” Blade snapped.
My fist was itching to connect with his face, however at that moment, my father joined the fray.
“It is your fucking problem,” Dad thundered; anger bubbling out of him, “And I’d appreciate it if you’d factor us into your fucking decision. You don’t need those coke dollars to survive, so do us all a favour and back the fuck off.”
Blade flinched. It was hardly noticeable but I was studying him, so I saw it. The hard set of his jaw was back in place straight away but he’d been affected by the way Dad spoke to him.
He glared at Dad. “I’ll say it one last time, I’m not giving in to that scum. I can’t believe you’re worried about him. Storm’s positioned well; your club can take him if need be.”
Dad stepped forcefully towards Blade, his heavy boot thudding with the impact. “What you don’t get, son, is that there are times to invite a war, and times to do every fucking thing you can to avoid it. We don’t want a war with Black Deeds. You go ahead with your plan, it’ll be inviting problems between you and me.”
Again, Blade flinched. Interesting; he hadn’t been expecting that.
“I’d say our meeting is done,” Blade declared, moving to leave. Tension clung to everything in the room and silence filled the space while we watched him go.
“Fuck!” I muttered, running my fingers through my hair.
“Fuck is about right,” Dad agreed, looking at me. His face was a picture of stress; the lines of age etched deeply in his skin, and the worry barely hidden. “We’ll just have to wait and see how Bullet takes this news.”
“You do know where this is headed, don’t you?” I asked him.
“Of course, I fucking do. Any fool can see that,” he snapped.