Page 18 of Remorseless

“I just need the details of the bet.” Digger slid the phone into an interior pocket of his cut. “What’s the deadline?”

“Nyx’s initiation,” Narci said with a smirk. “It’s the week after Valentine’s Day.”

Val stood, dug in his cut and pulled out folded bills. He threw them on the counter. “I’m out. You motherfuckers don’t know the can of fucking worms you’re opening.”

Mort was done, too. He was already more involved than he wanted to be. “I’ll walk with you, Val.” He walked from behind the bar and glanced around the club. “Pray that you never need to find out just how much fucking influence Meggie have over Prez,” he said with disgust. “You’ll ending up begging her to intercede.”

“I know sheyour‘Meggie girl’.” Jealousy rang in his words. “You drank her fucking Kool-Aid and believe the hype.”

“We did, too,” Narci admitted.

“We still believesomeof it,” Torrin added.

The big motherfucker called Tiny straightened. “But some of our bitches who aligned with Meggie told us she was so furious because Prez hid what he did for Torie from herandrefused to put a stop to the check he gave her despite Meggie demanding he do so.Andall her sons were in on it.”

Mort kept a straight face, regretting his role in that fiasco.

Digger looked at Mortician. “No matter what you say, Mort,Prezproved he don’t really give a fuck what she say if he don’t agree with her.”

Chapter Three

January 27th

Since moving the corporate office of the medical lab to Hortensia, Johnnie rarely went in on Sundays. His proximity to home made it easier to go in earlier and stay later without the worry of a two-hour drive each way facing him.

Working on weekends and staying beyond six didn’t happen much anymore. After twenty-five years, the lab ran like a well-oiled machine.

The décor here was just as opulent as his office in Long Beach had been. Kendall and Megan went all out once he chose the new location. He’d had to foot the bill, but it didn’t matter. He loved the lavish Italian furniture, crystal chandelier, ornate mirror, and gleaming hardwood. Just as he made a point to use his earnings as CEO to purchase his and Kendall’s Navigators, his luxurious surroundings reminded him thathe’dchosen to be more biker than businessman.

He’d hadchoices.

The doorbell buzzed. Nothing as elaborate as the Westminster bells like Kendall used for the doorbell at their house.

The screen on Johnnie’s desktop flared to life. Stretch set it up to where he got alerts on all his electronic devices whenever either bell rang.

Recently, he’d mentioned the setup at the dinner table. Mattie promised she had an easier way. Keeping to his new attitude as a girl dad, asMattie’sdad, he agreed to give her a shot at making his life easier.

Whatever she did awakened his computer the moment his visitor pressed the buzzer. She’d discovered his weaknesses, too. Specifically, his lack of a camera inside his private office.

He’d ignored her.

The buzzer sounded again.

The man awaiting entry served as a prime example of why surveillance in his office wouldn’t be a good idea. Bland greetings in view of the other cameras hid whatever took place behind his closed office door.

Standing, Johnnie adjusted his tie and walked from behind his desk. He opened his coat, took out his phone and pulled up Mattie’s app.

“I’m in my office, Pounder.”

The name still blew Johnnie’s mind. Shaking his head, he pressed the button to allow the motherfucker entry.

Leaning against the edge of his desk, Johnnie folded his arms. A moment later, Pounder opened the door. His appearance startled Johnnie. Dressed in an expensive suit and wearing glasses, Pounder in no way resembled the biker he’d met yesterday.

“Close the door, fuckhead.”

Pounder complied, leaned against the door, and casually brushed his coat aside, revealing his gun.

Tension settled into Johnnie, and he gritted his teeth. Straightening, he mimicked Pounder and revealed the holsters on each side of him.