happen when I want it to.
“Later, Gem. Take care of yourself, yeah?” I say once we’re at the back door. Her other dipshit guards are hovering by it like distressed parents on prom night.
“Gem?” she pauses to ask.
I nod. “You’re a motherfuckin’ diamond around here. A rare one.”
Alice blushes and leaves. I hate to see her go, but damn, what a fine ass she has.
Chapter 6
Focus on the step in front of you,
not the whole staircase.
- Homebody Club
“You gonna fill us in, Prez, on who that was the other day?” Powerhouse raises his brows, calling me out. It’s cool; I’d be fuck all if these guys didn’t keep me on my toes all the time and hold me accountable. Of course, he’d notice Alice and that big commotion I put on the other night when the brothers got her to the club. She’s far too fucking sexy not to pay attention to—that much I know for sure.
“This isn’t church business, fucker. You could’ve asked me when you saw them the other night.” He’s askin’ about Alice because of Maddy. I know it. He probably saw the resemblance, and it has him thinking.
He grunts, looking to Blow.
“What?” I bark. “Blow, you gossiping like a bitch about me, brother?”
He shakes his head and huffs. “Fuck off me, bro. House came to me, and I told him it had to do with the strippers.”
“Ah.” My knuckles rap on the thick wood table before us. “Explains it, then. No wonder Powerhouse is being nosey.” I meet my brother’s gaze, seeing the concern for what it is now. “Your bitches are safe, brother. The club is straight. Old man BJ ain’t got shit to worry his flaccid dick over.”
His jaw unclenches, and he nods—grateful for me setting him at ease. He’s like a motherfucking junkyard dog when it comes to those damn dancers. “Good. Who was she, then? And who were the suits? Those were the same johns I was telling you about before. They’d been around the strip club but didn’t cause a stir. I thought they were just passing through.”
Blow snaps his fingers. “That’s right! Those were the same fuckers nosin’ around, asking questions. I thought they were familiar but couldn’t place them, but you nailed it.”
Whiskey interrupts, a bit of sarcasm coating his tone. “Prolly ‘cause you were tweaking. You’ve never been good with descriptions when you’ve been snorting product.” He taps the side of his head. “Gotta stop burning up all those brain cells, kid.”
Blow shrugs. “Have to escape the bullshit somehow, brother.”
We leave it alone after that. Ain’t none of us trying to dig into Blow’s demons. That’s his shit to live with.
“She came here for Maddy.” I finally fill everyone in, though I’m sure they’ve already guessed, for the most part. “Alice is her older sister, and the pack following her around was her bodyguards.”
Plague lets out a low whistle. “Must be somebody, if she’s got private security.”
I take a swallow of beer before continuing. “Their father is Senator Compton.”
The brothers gaze at me, lost. None of them have any idea who the fuck stick is. I didn’t realize it either until I thought long and hard on it.
I continue. “He’s nothing to Texas. No surprise you haven’t heard of him. He’s making waves in the Midwestern area. The name only clicked with me because I rode up to see Gamble. I’d passed a shit ton of political signs and that motherfucker was painted over most of them.”
“Fuck!” Blow yanks at his hair. He realizes that he’s been in bed with a senator’s daughter. Not only fucking her but feeding her copious amounts of drugs, and this could fall back on him to bite him in the ass.
“Sounds about right.” I flash him a glance, nodding my agreement. “Alice is in town searching for Maddy. According to her, little sister likes to up and run on occasion, and this is nothing new for their family. Alice was sent by their father to bring Maddy home before she ended up in some real trouble. Maddy’s managed to stay under their radar for longer than usual, so the old man’s losing his shit. Understandable, considering it’s his daughter and all.”
Whiskey complains, “This could bring heat on the club—motherfuckin’ bad heat.”
Plague bobs his head, keeping whatever thoughts he has on it to himself.
“She assures me that her father wants to keep all this as quiet as we do. He’s one of the few senators without a public scandal tainting his name, so