Shane and Rowdy rode into the bar’s parking lot, and carefully backed their bikes into a spot facing the entrance. It was obvious that they’d parked for a quick getaway, should things go bad.
After shutting off their engines and stowing their gear, Shane pulled out his phone to send a quick text while Rowdy carefully scanned the area for suspicious activity.
“Are you sure about this guy, Shane?” he finally asked. “We’re a long way from any help.”
Shane sensed his wariness, and shot a glance in his direction. “Yes. Jingles is solid, and he controls more territory than any of our other customers. We need him to buy from us.”
“Whatever you say.” Rowdy wasn’t reassured, and continued to assess the area.
Five tense minutes later, the bar doors swung open. Three black men stepped outside. The middle one was tall, but he was dwarfed by his huge companions who were nearly as wide as they were tall. They lumbered menacingly behind him, and carefully scanned the parking lot just like Rowdy had been doing.
Shane broke into a wide grin, and crushed the leaner man in a tight hug. “Jingles! It’s damned good to see you, man!”
Jingles’ smile widened as he stepped back. “Damn, Shane! I see you’re still working out.”
Shane laughed, and nodded. Then he glanced over at his partner, and nodded for him to join them. “Rowdy, I want you to meet Jingles. He’s the smartest guy I’ve ever met, and he saved my ass a few times while I was away.”
Jingles waved aside the compliment. “You saved mine a few times, too, Shane,” he quietly protested.
When Rowdy stepped forward to shake his hand, the two giants moved to intercept him. Jingles quickly motioned for them to stop. “Relax…he’s cool.
“Sorry,” he added, warmly shaking Rowdy’s hand. “My guys are protective, and it’s been crazy around here lately.”
“Mexicans?” Shane demanded, while Rowdy kept his eye on the disgruntled bodyguards.
Jingles scanned the parking lot, then nodded. “Yeah…fuckin’ spics are everywhere, and they don’t like the idea of competition. Know what I mean?”
Shane nodded his sober agreement. He’d expected problems when the club had shifted from merely distributing drugs to actually manufacturing and distributing their own. They might only be focusing on Crystal Meth, but it was the most popular and profitable drug in the area. The Mexicans who’d previously supplied Jingles didn’t like losing customers…and they were about to lose a lot of them.
“The club’s set up a meeting with them,” he told his old friend. “We’ll see if we can work through the problem. I’ve got an idea that I’m sure will make everyone happy.”
Jingles snorted. “What percentage are you offering them?”
“None of your business, buddy,” Shane replied just coolly enough to make the other man back down. “Your price won’t change; that’s all you need to worry about.”
They eyed each other for a long moment; then Jingles calmly nodded. “It’s business, Shane. As long as you have the better product at a lower price, we’re all good. If that ever changes, though, we’re going to renegotiate. Cool?”
“Cool.” Shane sounded pleased.
“Yeah.” Jingles nodded confidently. “I knew you’d be good to do business with, Shane. Knew that when we were in the joint together. You always did what you said.”
The biker lifted one shoulder in an easy shrug. “Easier and safer that way.”
“You’re right about that.” Jingles grinned. “Anyway, your shit sells fast…really fast! I already got customers begging for more. Hell,” he added with a sudden laugh, “I got new customers begging for your shit!”
Shane’s smile widened. “That’s good to hear.”
“Yeah, it is.”
Then the black man glanced at them both, and suddenly looked grim. “You realize that offering the Mexicans a percentage may not be enough, right?”
Shane’s eyes narrowed. “What are you saying, Jingles?”
“What I’m saying,” he clarified, “is that the Blades are taking over a territory that’s right in the middle of the Mexican drug distribution network. I know you think it’s just one drug, but Meth is their most profitable drug. They aren’t going to like the situation, no matter what percentage you give them.”
“We can deal with the Mexicans,” Shane said firmly. “We’ve been working with them for a long time, and never had any issues.”
“You’ve never taken anything from them before,” Jingles retorted. “The game changes when one side starts losing shit. Just watch your ass, that’s all I’m saying. And work your magic with the Mexicans…otherwise we’re going to be too busy dodging bullets to make any money.”
“I hear you, Jingles,” Shane assured him. “I hear you. I’ll be meeting with them soon, and our business will be up and running smoothly before you know it.”
Jingles seemed to accept that, and lit a cigarette. “Listen, I want to increase our shipments fast. But I’m still not happy about paying you first and getting the drugs later.”
“It’s for everyone’s safety,” Shane reminded him. “Besides, you didn’t mind when I was giving you the free product, did you?”
That made the black man snort with amusement. “Naw, you’re right about that. Fuck it…we’ll do it your way,” he agreed. “Three days, right?”
“Yes,” Shane replied. “You get delivery within three days, probably sooner. But three days is the window.” Then he aimed a serious look at his friend. “My people are just dropping the shit off, Jingles. That’s it. You got any problems with the amount or quality, you take it up with me. No one else. Understand?”
Jingles glanced back at his two hulking bodyguards. When they nodded, he did, too. “We got it.”
Shane wasn’t finished. “I’m serious, buddy.”
“Damn, Shane, I said I got it!” Jingles took a long drag, then blew a smoke ring. “Why, who you got delivering for you, a supermodel?”
Shane and Rowdy exchanged quick glances, then burst out laughing. “You’ll see,” Shane promised after pulling his gear back on and revving his motorcycle. “Just don’t fuck with them, okay?”
“Yeah, okay.” Jingles smiled, then made a quick shooing gesture. “Now you two white dudes get outta here. You’re ruining my reputation!”
“Your reputation can’t get any worse!” Shane quipped.
He waved as Rowdy shot down the road, then followed him. They caught the highway a few minutes later, and followed it to a friendly biker bar. After they’d greeted several friends, they took a seat at the bar and ordered beers.
“That went well,” Rowdy commented after taking a long drink of his beer. “Not what I expected. How’d he pick up the nickname?”
“Yeah, Jingles surprises most people,” Shane agreed. “He’s a chameleon…doesn’t talk or act like he’s from the street, but he can switch his personality instantly. They underestimate him because he’s thin and scrawny, but he’s a lot stronger and faster than he lets on. He’s also very smart—college-educated—and always thinking two or three moves ahead of everyone else.”
“And the nickname?”
Shane laughed. “He told me he used to wear all these necklaces around his neck when he was growing up. He was so skinny that they jingled. His friends stuck him with the nickname.” Then he grew serious. “Later on, his boss put him to work doing the same thing you do for the Blades…eliminating trouble. The guys in prison who knew him said he became something of an urban legend. The last thing a victim would hear were the necklaces, because they jingled when he walked.
“It’s probably bullshit,” he admitted, drinking deeply himself. “But that’s what I was told.”
“Sounds like you two were close in prison,” Rowdy offered.
Shane shook his head. “Not at first. We shared a cell when I first arrived, and we didn’t have much use for each other. But we had one thing in common: hatred for a group of Italians who targeted both of us.” Tension vibrated through his voice as he remembered those awful days. “They made a move on Jingles in the yard one day. I saw it developing, and warned him. A few weeks later they tried for me, because I was his cellmate and new to the prison. He did the same for me—and after that, we watched each other’s backs.”
“I thought the club protected you in prison,” Rowdy exclaimed.
“Protection only goes so far,” Shane frowned. “This group was seriously connected inside, so they didn’t care about my protection. Besides, there weren’t enough of our guys in there to provide the kind of protection I needed.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah. It’s something the boss and I are working on. We need better alliances for our folks in prison.”
Rowdy agreed, but he was more curious to learn the rest of the story. “So you two watched each other’s backs?”
“Yep. I also learned a lot from him, including how to set up and properly organize a drug operation. I never would’ve been sent to prison if I’d known half of what he does. He’s smart, and he’s got some serious connections here and overseas.”
Rowdy’s eyebrows rose. “Wow. He still surprises me, though.”
“I thought he would,” Shane nodded. “He’s ‘good people,’ and he stays focused on the business. He doesn’t get sidetracked with other issues, and he never uses drugs himself.
“His only vice,” he added with a sudden laugh, “are women. White women specifically…blondes and redheads.”
“Ahhh, now I get it,” Rowdy chuckled. “That’s why you kept reminding him not to fuck with our mules.”
“That’s right. Crystal’s just the first, and I wanted to make it clear with him now. We should be able to find others like her, too. Meth helps a lot.”
“You da man,” Rowdy said sarcastically. Then he grinned again. “You miss fucking Crystal?”
“No.” Shane shook his head. “She was great in bed, but I’ve got someone else on my mind.”
Rowdy tipped his bottle up, and finished his beer. “Yeah? Who?”
“Raven,” Shane replied quietly.
“Yeah? Well, it’s about damn time!” Rowdy exclaimed. “Fuck, Shane! What took you so long?”
“I just said I was thinking about her, Rowdy,” he snapped. “That’s it. Now let’s get back to Crystal.”
“Sure thing.” Then Rowdy grinned. “Can I make my play for her now?”
“Hell, no.” Shane caught the bartender’s eye, and motioned for another round. “Not yet. Once she quits her other job and gets settled into making deliveries for us…then she’s all yours, buddy.”
“Fuckin’ A.” Delight brightened the other man’s face. “I’m sick of waiting!”
“You can even have her husband watch if you want,” Shane laughed, and took a long swallow of his beer.
Rowdy chuckled. “I still can’t believe he’d let another man fuck his smokin’ hot wife. What a fuckin’ loser.”
“I used to hear about guys like him in prison,” Shane admitted, “but I never believed it.” He shook his head in bemusement. “I do now.”
“You two used to be friends, right?”
Shane sighed. “Yeah. We were when I first got out of prison. I thought about becoming a civilian, and we hung out a lot during that time. He’s a nice guy, but…”
“But he’s a pussy,” Rowdy interjected.
Shane ignored him. “…but now that I’m back with the club, Tim doesn’t belong in my world.”
Rowdy shook his head in disgust. He couldn’t even imagine Shane as a civilian, and Tim wasn’t worth the time of day. Who the fuck wants to be an accountant?
“Crystal belongs, though, doesn’t she?” he smirked.
That made Shane laugh. “Yeah, man! She’s a serious party girl, and she’ll make a great fuckin’ mule.”
“And after that?”
Shane shrugged. “I can’t see anyone making her their old lady. And there’s not much future in stripping, especially if she’s using regularly. Besides, once the Meth takes hold, I don’t see her lasting more than a few years—three or four, tops.”
It was an all-too-common fate, and Rowdy soberly nodded. “Yeah, but then what?” he demanded. “We haven’t quite come around to that part of our operation.”
“That’s one thing you and I still need to solve,” Shane said quietly. “What the fuck do we do with the mules once the Meth takes over, and they’re no longer reliable?”
“I don’t know, Shane,” Rowdy grumbled. “You won’t let me solve it for you.”
Though he didn’t dwell on it, he knew his own reputation, and he’d earned every bit of it. But Shane was even tougher and far more dangerous. He was just so quiet and calm that no one realized it. Rowdy knew better. He’d seen it firsthand, and had even stepped in a few times to keep Shane from killing someone. He still surprised Rowdy, and even scared him sometimes.
Crystal’s a perfect example.
Even a moron could see what would happen to her once she got hooked on Meth. Shane had been friends with Tim, and had fucked Crystal for a while…but he had absolutely no reservations about addicting her to Meth, using her as a mule, and then cutting her loose. Her future as a Meth addict was extremely dark, but that didn’t seem to matter to Shane at all.
Now that is fucking cold, he thought with a suppressed shudder.
No hint of his troubled thoughts emerged when he asked, “When’s the next batch going to be ready?”
“A week,” Shane quietly replied. He glanced around the bar, then met Rowdy’s curious gaze. “Crystal will take over, and Raven will stop…for good.”
“Our sexy mule’s finally ready?”
Shane nodded, and sipped more of his beer. “I’ve got Raven helping her along, so she should be ready by next week. If not, I’ll offer her more money upfront.”
“Cool.” Rowdy considered that for a moment, then smiled. “You hit up Raven yet?”
“Nahhh.” Shane shook his head. “I told you I’ve been thinking about her, but it’s hard to get past her old man.”
“Dude, he’s not going to see daylight for at least another fifteen years.” Rowdy pointed out, then looked carefully at Shane. “You’re more comfortable with other club members fucking her?”
“No, not really,” Shane admitted.
They were silent for a moment, then Rowdy slapped his hand on the bar. “Tell ya what. Why don’t I occupy Crystal, and you can focus on Raven? I’d really like to spend some quality time with her.”
Shane considered it, then nodded. “Not a bad idea.”
“It’s a fucking great idea!” Rowdy smirked. “Her husband can wait outside the door and listen, though. I’m not letting that fucker watch me bone his wife. He’s probably a closet homo, and I don’t want him staring at my dick!”
Shane burst out laughing. “He’ll probably love that even more!”
“Fuckin’ pussy,” Rowdy said contemptuously.
“Civilian.”
Rowdy laughed, and lifted his beer mug. “Same thing.”
Their cute waitress winked at him as she walked by carrying several drinks. “I’ll be right back, guys,” she smiled. He watched her go, and let his mind drift to more pleasing thoughts and challenges.
“We’ll be here,” he promised, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
“No, we won’t.” Shane’s abrupt decision startled him. “We’re leaving.”
“What? Why?”
“We need to get back and brief the boss,” Shane replied, and set down his empty glass with a firm click. “He’ll need to know what Jingles said about the Mexicans.”
“That can’t wait until tomorrow?” Rowdy demanded. His eyes were still locked on the waitress.
One quick glance told Shane why his friend wanted to stay. Amused, he shook his head. Rowdy would never change.
“Rowdy,” he said loudly enough to break through the biker’s rapt fascination. Then, when Rowdy finally glanced over at him, he added, “There are girls at the clubhouse.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Sighing, Rowdy downed his beer. As Shane rose, he laid money on the table and then, after a quick glance at his partner’s back, he jotted his name and number on a napkin. “There’d better be.”
Crystal and Raven waited near the back door for Joe and the bouncer to escort them to their cars. Their shift was finally over, and they’d both made over $2,000 in stage tips and lap dances. It had been a good night, and thanks to Raven’s pill, Crystal had made it to the end of the shift.
She was still brimming with energy, and trying to talk Raven into going to a dance club. “C’mon, it’ll be fun!” she pleaded.
Raven firmly shook her head. “Listen, bitch,” she said playfully. “I didn’t take anything tonight, and I’m tired. I’m not going to go dancing. Jesus, I feel like I gave a hundred lap dances tonight.”
“Awww.” Crystal pursed her lips in a sexy pout. “You’re no fun.”
Raven glanced at the beautiful blonde, then checked the hallway to make sure no one was coming. When Crystal cocked her head in confusion, she stepped closer and whispered, “Why don’t you come to my house tonight? I’ll show you some fun.” And she slowly ran her hand down Crystal’s back, then squeezed her ass.
The drug had made her unbearably horny, and Raven was so sexy! She’d wanted to be with her for a long time…actually, she’d wanted to experiment with another woman ever since high school! But she’d never dared to make the first move until now, with the Meth swirling through her, making her feel so alive and powerful.
Quickly she kissed Raven hard on the lips, then stepped back and nodded.
“Why don’t you text Tim,” Raven advised, “and tell him you’re too tired to drive all the way home tonight? I live halfway between here and your place anyway, so you can just follow me back. He won’t worry if he knows you’re staying with me.”
That was a good idea, so Crystal pulled out her cell phone and ran her fingers over the keys. Joe and the bouncer walked down the hallway just as she finished, and escorted the two girls to their cars. They stood watching until Crystal had followed Raven out of the parking lot, then headed back inside and began shutting down for the night.
Crystal giggled a little as she carefully drove through the night. She’d have to tell Tim tomorrow about…well, whatever happened between Raven and her tonight. He’d probably share her excitement; he was a quiet little freak, and she loved that about him. It was even more unexpected because he’d always been so reserved in high school.
What did Raven say? It’s always the quiet ones. Wow, was she right!
Once he’d confessed some of his fantasies, she’d been more than happy to make them come true. The fact that his fantasies had allowed her the chance to fuck Shane had been an added bonus. The big biker was absolutely gorgeous, fantastic in bed, and dominant, which she secretly loved.
He hadn’t minded letting Tim watch, either.
It’s over with Shane, she reminded herself. It was fun, but it’s over. He’s Raven’s now.