Page 19

Touching Grass

G rizz

We needed to recruit, but that wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have with Sabre.

We’d always seen the big picture the same way, even if we hadn’t agreed on the path forward, but it was too dangerous right now to let the outside in.

Recruiting came with its own challenges, and Pulse had proven that we couldn’t trust anyone, but the club bonds were being stretched too thin.

I was the one everyone called to fix something, but if the club businesses kept growing, I was going to need help.

Normally, it wasn’t a problem, but I couldn’t be in two places at once.

I’d changed out the lightbulbs in the stage at the tit show, rehung a bathroom door in the diner, and now, I was in the new garage Count had just bought, trying to figure out how best to hang cabinets, and it wasn’t even noon.

“I thought you said it was move-in ready, Count.” Grease made a circle in the middle of the garage, staring at the blank walls. “This is literally a garage, not an auto body shop.”

“No, I said, I got a good deal on it. We wouldn’t need to buy anything else for at least two years, and I already have a plan for that.

The owner wasn’t excited about selling to an MC, so I told him if he sold us this one, in a few years, we’d buy the rest. He’d be able to sleep better at night knowing that we weren’t doing nefarious things. ” Count’s spike’s shook.

“Is this a handshake deal?” I asked.

“Fuck no. I’m insulted.” Count pouted. “How could you think so little of me, Grizz? Damn. I can’t spend money without a club vote, and I made sure it’s in the paperwork Emily drew up.

In two years, we get a crack at the rest of the land.

Unless things get crazy, we’ll be okay until we can remove the soccer mom shop from the restorations. ”

“What if things get crazy?” I pushed the issue.

I shouldn’t have doubted Count, but standing in the empty garage made me rethink his sanity.

The club’s vote was to buy Grease a bigger garage, but we had failed to implement checks for efficient spending.

Count had never been wrong before, but this place was going to take a lot of work and funds.

“Show me the money.” Count’s blue spikes shook again at the thought as he rubbed his palms together.

“You’re sick, man.” Grease covered his face with his hand, laughing behind the mask.

“There are only two things that make me hard,” Count said, holding up a finger. “One, money. I could wrap it around my dick and die a happy man.” He raised a second finger. “Two, my woman.”

“You don’t have a woman,” I reminded him, not being able to hide my smirk. It wasn’t a secret that Count would eventually claim Kelly, if she’d have him.

“It’s only a matter of time. She won’t be able to resist my charm.” Count shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest, the muscles in his forearms popping.

“You haven’t even seen her since the lockdown went into place.” Grease joined in, digging at Count.

“That you know of.”

“You stalking her?” I asked, instantly losing my good humor. I wasn’t sure if we were going to have a problem. If he was, I’d have to tell Sabre and pray the Old Ladies didn’t catch wind. If they did, Count was a goner.

“What do you consider stalking?” Count smirked.

“Fuck. Does she know you’re watching her?” I didn’t like where any of this was going.

“It’s not stalking if I’m looking out for her safety. She has a lab that lets out late and doesn’t live in the best of neighborhoods. I grab a prospect, and we watch her from the time she leaves the parking lot ’til the time she gets home.”

I rubbed my temples, easing the headache forming. “When are you going to man up and claim her? It’s only a matter of time before this backfires on you.”

“He’d actually have to speak to her,” Grease deadpanned.

“I speak to her.” Count wasn’t backing down as his brow furrowed.

“Okay, when was the last time you had an actual conversation with her that didn’t involve a grunt?” Grease shifted on his feet, preparing for a fight. No one wanted to challenge Count, but we wouldn’t back down either.

“Good point. I have to work on that.” Count smacked Grease on the shoulder.

“So, this place needs paint first.” I brought the conversation back around to why the three of us were standing in the middle of an empty garage. “We can get the wise men to do it as long as you don’t look too closely.”

“Man, it still has to look presentable. I have whales that are dying to get scheduled, but we don’t have enough space and people. I know Sabre likes to keep everything in-house, but I may need to hire from the outside.”

“We know that the old garage doesn’t have a workflow, or whatever the fuck that’s called. If you had a better setup, would that make you faster, Grease?” I was shooting shit, just thinking off the cuff, but I might have been on to something.

“What we really need is stations, like if we had one section for soccer moms, another for the bike repairs, and then the whales in the back, away from everything else. Those people are neurotic, and I don’t want their babies mixed in with the chip-infested SUVs.”

“If Iron Shield Design takes over the layout, how much are you paying?” I asked Count.

I’d just gotten back to the clubhouse when Count had walked into the main room with Meredith’s employee paperwork.

He had sat with her while she read it, ensuring it accurately reflected her offer before signing.

I had thought little about it, but as I’d watched her sign her maiden name, I got angry.

Meredith was my wife, and she should have my name.

As soon as this fucking shit with the cartel was over, Cyph was going to fix that.

“I need a proposal, but if she included a reasonable hourly rate, I can make it work.” Count’s lips twitched, knowing exactly where I was going with this.

“Hang on, Grease. I have an idea.” I pulled out my phone and dialed.

“Hello?” Just the sound of her voice gave me peace, and I closed my eyes for a second.

“Hey, baby, I need a favor.”

“You got straight to business. This must be serious.” Meredith laughed.

“Here’s the deal: I’m standing in the new auto body shop Count bought Grease and the boys, but it’s literally an empty garage.

” I shot Count a look, but he didn’t even humor me with a smile.

“If this space is going to work, it’s going to need a layout that keeps everything separate.

There’s only one person I trust to design this to their specifications. ”

“So, you want to use me for free labor, like I have nothing better to be doing?” she asked, her tone showing her displeasure.

“I didn’t say free labor, so don’t give me that shit.

Count said he’ll pay the design firm a regular standard rate.

” I gentled my tone, hoping she would understand.

“Baby, you’re the only one who can take Grease’s vision and actually make this place work.

Without separated work spaces, they’ll slow down, and the custom restorations bring in a shit ton of money. ”

“Alright. I’m not busy, anyway,” she huffed.

“Don’t think I don’t know you’re working on the banquet center, but this is a top priority.”

“Who the fuck told you that? No more animal channel for him.”

I had to get her back on track, or Dead was going to feel her wrath, and he hadn’t been the first one to tell me. She’d fallen asleep one night, mid draw. “What do you need while we’re here?”

“Just pictures, preferably wide shots, and if Grease could give me a general idea of what he’s looking for, I can do the rest.”

“Alright, baby. You okay?”

“Yeah, but I’m getting a little anxious not being able to leave. It wasn’t so bad when I didn’t want to. Not to say I do, but I can’t.” She sighed through the phone.

“No, I get it. You can go out in the back if you want to, and I’ll see about maybe going on a drive or something.” I was humoring her, and we both knew it, but I put the thought on the back burner for now. Saying goodbye, I hung up the phone.

Turning towards Grease, I was about ready to tell him what Meredith had said when my phone rang again. Looking at the call screen, I saw it was Thunder. Why the fuck is Thunder calling me?

“What?” I answered.

“VP? It’s the prospect.” After Pulse, no one was interested in getting to know the prospects until they could prove they were actually going to be patched. We had four in the rotation, and they all went by a letter.

“Why do you have Thunder’s phone?” I hadn’t dropped my suspicions yet.

“Aunt E had a physical therapy appointment today, and we’re sitting in the lobby waiting for her, but there’s a black SUV with black tinted windows in the parking lot. Thunder has a volume problem, and he didn’t think you’d answer if I called from my phone.” The prospect’s voice shook.

“Fuck. What are they doing?”

“Nothing. They backed into a parking space, so they’re facing the front door, but they haven’t moved. We think there’s at least two men in the front seat, but we’re not sure.”

“Tell Thunder the two of you are to keep Aunt E within your sights. Don’t go outside. I’m on the way.” I hung up on him, immediately dialing Twig. “Where are you?” I asked when he picked up.

“Cleaning the Playroom.” He was going to love me. Cleaning the Playroom was the worst punishment Sabre could think of. There was no guarantee what bodily functions you were going to find, but when it was quiet, the enforcers were stuck doing it.

“The cartel showed up at Aunt E’s appointment. I want you to grab Berry and head over there. You’re going to tail them, and hopefully get something.” Twig hung up on me, but I didn’t take it personally. They had to move quick if they were going to get into position.

My last call was to Sabre, and I didn’t even bother to say hello. “Do you know about the cartel? I already sent Twig and Berry.”