this, but if he’s shutting down, I need to find him before he drinks himself to death.
“Void’s a complicated beast. I’ll find Eva and send her down.”
“I’m fine, honestly. I like my own space. There’s something about this place that has me calm.”
Ivy likes living with the dead. She’s one twisted fucker, even if she doesn’t fully comprehend what she’s saying.
“There’s a room upstairs if you ever want it, but for now, you’re welcome to stay down here. Just remember, there might be times when we have to use it for ‘other’…” I use air quotes, “… reasons.”
She nods matter-of-factly, turning back to her television effectively ending our conversation. So, I spin, heading off to find Void. Making my way to his bedroom, I don’t bother knocking. I walk in and he’s sprawled out on his bed with a bottle of whiskey in his hand as he stares at the ceiling vacantly.
Shit.
I shut the door. “Pull your fucking head in. Only one member of this club can have questionable behavior at a time. I’ve filled that quota. I need you to be the sensible damn one.”
Void brings the bottle to his lips, taking a long gulp. I walk over snatching the drink away from him, a small amount spilling from the top. He groans as I slam the bottle on his desk, then turn back to face him. “Void, stop! Like Ivy, don’t like Ivy. I honestly don’t give a flying fuck. Just don’t fall apart right now. The club needs you. I don’t know what’s coming our way, but I’m putting contingencies in place for everything. A hand at our backs if trouble comes knocking. Cash flow with the help of Trixie and Venom. Everything’s falling into place, but I need my VP to stand beside me, not fall to the floor in a damn heap.”
“She’s too perfect, Nycto.”
“So, this is about Ivy?”
He sits on the edge of the bed rubbing his face in frustration. “I can’t be the one to tarnish her.”
“Then don’t! Walk away! Don’t go back down there. Let her live her life, and you live yours, but, brother, if she’s making you feel something, then isn’t that… something?”
His eye twitches. “You said Venom? What’s the Prez of Ankeny helping us with?”
Avoidance. Typical Void.
“We’re buying some weed, and Trix is gonna make some gourmet munchies for us to sell.”
A slow smile crosses his face. “You gonna sell them to the tweenies?”
I chuckle. “More than likely. At festivals. On the streets. Voltage is delving into Trixie running a café and whether we can do some kind of online thing with her baked goods being distributed from that café.”
“That sounds risky.”
“Will probably be dark web, I’m assuming.”
“Makes sense. How do we afford to keep purchasing from Venom, though, especially if profits don’t roll in right away?”
“Here’s the clincher, we’re gonna build a lab next to the Brick Cell and grow our own crops. So, until they are viable, we’ll use Venom. If we purchase semi-mature plants, it shouldn’t take too long.”
“You’ve thought of everything.”
“Hopefully. Now, I need my VP on board.”
He dips his chin. “I’m with you.”
“So, get out of bed. Stop your wallowing, and let’s get this club back into action.”
The Next Day
It’s just after lunch, and everyone’s bellies are stocked full of Trixie’s Mexican Fiesta Friday feast. She does this once a month—goes nuts on all the best Mexican food for lunch. We make a real day of it, so I’m glad Eva was able to share this one with us.
She’s currently over with Trixie and Pepper talking about God only knows what. I’m amazed at how well she fits in here. She’s walking around like she’s a part of the family. Even when she found out I lied to her and she fell apart, she still came back. She’s strong, it’s what makes me sure she belongs here—her resilience. The fact everyone respects her without question helps as well.
Voltage slides into my side distracting me from my obsessive viewing of Eva as he pushes his iPad across in front of me. “Venom’s confirmed the shipment will be here within the next day or so.”
I check out the message on the screen saying exactly that. “Good. Then we can get everything underway and start bringing in an income.”
Crow steps in behind me slapping my back. “This is a good move, Prez. Being the eldest member here, I’ve seen this club go through so much. Our club involved with Andrés was never the right move. It was