Page 78 of Volatile King (The Kings of Wayward Academy #6)

N ash

Pulling into the MC clubhouse parking lot, we sat there in silence, staring straight ahead.

There wasn’t a motorcycle to be seen, but then again, it was winter, so I guess they wouldn’t want to ride around in the snow.

We’d gotten dumped on last night with a solid eight inches of the white shit, and every one of the trucks in the parking lot still had those drifts blanketing the vehicles.

The building had been an old discount tire store with a garage and a bar next door. At some point, the MC had converted it for their use. It had looked dirty and rundown for as long as I could remember, and the building needed work, but the lights from inside glowed brightly in the dark.

“Did he say why he wanted to see you,” Liam asked.

“No.”

“And he’s never had you meet him here at their clubhouse before,” Liam asked as he checked his firearm.

“No, he hasn’t, and you can’t bring that in,” I said, looking at the gun.

“I already don’t like this, and now you want me to go in there unarmed?”

“Do you really think they aren’t going to search us? Better to start without the threat of weapons.”

“Or it shows strength,” Liam countered. I turned my head to stare at him. “Fuck.”

He opened the glove compartment and tossed the gun in before slamming it closed.

The wind was howling as we climbed out of my truck, the cold air biting right through my leather jacket. We approached the front cautiously, watching for any signs of a threat, but all was quiet on the snowy street. I grabbed the handle.

“For the record, I think this is a bad idea. And if you get me killed in here tonight, I’ll haunt your ass,” Liam grumbled behind me. I smirked, but I really didn’t think that Snake, the MC Prez, would call me here to kill me…at least I hoped.

I yanked open the door, and we were greeted by the biggest, burliest man I’d ever seen in my life. He stood blocking the way to the entrance with his arms crossed and eyes hard. Music was pounding through the walls like a dance club.

“Hey, I have a meeting with Snake. He’s expecting me,” I said.

“Name?”

“Nash, and this is Liam.”

“Any weapons?”

I shook my head and showed that I had nothing in my pockets or stuffed into the waistband of my jeans.

“Alright, follow me,” he said, and opened the door.

We were immediately assaulted by loud rock music, laughter, and smoke that wafted out, looking for an escape.

Despite all the rumors I’d heard over the years, I hadn’t been ready for what the inside of an MC would be like.

It was as if someone had mashed a sports bar, a pool hall, and an X-rated strip club together.

Bikers were fucking girls up against walls and on tables, while people talked around them like this was normal.

One of the guys was playing cards while a girl in short jean shorts and no top sucked him off.

The bartender was a woman who looked like she could crush a man’s skull.

She was the only one who paid any attention to us, glaring as we passed.

“Think I need to up my game at Volatile,” I said, jokingly to Liam.

The corner of his mouth lifted. “I will pay money to see you tell Ren that.”

That made me smile as I pictured just how livid and jealous that would make her. Fuck, I loved it. I had issues.

We followed the wall of muscle through the heart of the action.

This place was insane. My father had prepared me for business conducted in an office with suits, or on a golf course, not this.

Even the meetings I had with Edmundo were done in private, with a million and one guards around.

But this…this was hardcore in a whole other way.

Our escort led us to a door in the back of the room. We walked through, and then he locked it behind us. The sudden silence was deafening. We went from full chaos to a quiet Sunday Mass. I’d actually love to see the look on a priest’s face if he walked in here.

Our boots echoed along the hallway. He stopped and opened a door to our left, revealing a set of metal stairs heading up.

“After you,” he said.

Liam and I shared a glance that said we were unsure, but had come this far. The thundering of our feet on the metal stairs would let anyone know we were coming long before we arrived.

At the top was a large storage area with metal cages that housed enough weapons for an army. Each enclosure had a massive lock. There was no stealing from this place unless no one was here and you had time to spare.

Male voices streamed out from the room ahead of us, breaking the silence.

Despite the door being open, our guide knocked to announce us.

“Your guests have arrived,” he said.

“Thanks, Bones. Show them in.”

Bones stepped out of the way to let us inside before closing the door and leaving.

Four men, each of them dressed the same, were situated around the room. Was the MC uniform jeans, shit kickers, and a t-shirt with their leather cut? The only one I recognized was Merlin, or Drew, as it were. Liam tensed when he saw him. He didn’t like his sister dating the biker.

The guy I assumed was Snake sat behind the desk with his feet up. I hadn’t expected to meet a man only ten years older than me. He was clean cut, his hair styled back away from his face, but his blue eyes screamed that he would eat my soul for breakfast and then chew on my bones for a snack.

The office was plain with a single desk, a few comfy chairs, and a low table. The walls were painted black, and the only pictures were framed images of motorcycles.

“So, you’re Nash. Merlin mentioned that you were young, but you’re practically a baby,” Snake said, and I ground my teeth.

“At least you have some fire in your belly.” Snake smirked and continued goading me.

“It’s in your eyes.” He looked at Liam. “Both of you.” He got up and came around the desk only to lean back against it with his arms crossed.

“Did you just invite me here so you could insult me?” I held his stare, and his lip twitched.

“No, but I’m enjoying watching you seethe and try to hide it. Don’t ever play poker,” he said, laughing. Then, Snake pointed to Liam. “Him, on the other hand, I wouldn’t try my luck.”

“Smart,” Liam said, flatly, and Snake smiled.

“I didn’t expect stand-up comedy tonight. You think I’m young, but you don’t seem much older than I am. How did you end up in your position?”

“It’s a simple story, really. I watched my mother die in my arms, then found out my father arranged it.

Got tossed in foster care and was accused of rape by my best friend and did ten years in prison.

Every day was a fight just to stay alive,” he snarled like a rabid dog.

“While doing my time, I was recruited by an MC as their enforcer cause I love to see people die excruciating deaths. Then I got out and married the bitch who put me in prison in the first place.”

He smiled, and I had no idea if he was joking or not.

“I’m telling Raine you called her a bitch,” one of the other guys said.

“Don’t you fucking dare, or I’m calling Naomi and telling her where she can find your ass,” Snake said. Everyone laughed except the guy he threatened. “I’m sure she’d love to know where you disappeared to with her bank access.”

Liam and I looked at one another. He seemed just as unsure as I was if Snake had been telling the truth.

“For the record, that’s all true, just a shortened version. I didn’t rape the girl, but that tale is much longer and more complicated. And my old lady is not a bitch, but at the time I thought she was.”

Snake pushed away from the desk and came to stand in front of me and Liam. We were the same height, and it really felt like he was sizing me up.

“That’s good to know, or I would’ve had to kill you and take over your club,” I said.

He smirked and then laughed hard.

“I think we are going to get on just fine. You already know Merlin. That asshole over there is Roach,” he said, pointing. “And that’s Mannix, my Vice President.” I nodded to each of them.

“Why am I here? I doubt it’s just for a meet and greet,” I said as he walked over to the small bar against the wall and poured himself a drink. He held the bottle up in offer. “No thanks.”

He finished and went back to his desk, where he sat down and put his feet up.

“You’re right,” Snake said, sipping on his drink.

“I brought you here because it has come to my attention that you have a deal with Louis Kessler to use his docks in Ashen Springs.” His words made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

“Don’t look so surprised. I’m not just another pretty face,” Snake said, grinning at me.

He hadn’t invited us to sit, but things had just gotten interesting. I crossed the room and took the seat in front of him.

“What of it?”

“I need a meeting with Louis,” he said.

“Is this for the mommy or daddy issues?”

Snake smirked and then laughed. “Now that was funny.” He sobered. “Neither. I need access to his property.”

“In Ashen Springs?”

Snake looked around the room before speaking. “No, in Seattle.”

I didn’t know that Louis had property that close. This was a very interesting conversation indeed.

“We need to travel there soon to clean up some trash. Unfortunately, where we will have our polite discussion happens to be smack in the middle of Kessler’s land. He has lots of real estate out that way. We need to set up camp for a few days, but we aren’t there to encroach on his territory.”

“Okay…so why don’t you call him and ask him directly?”

“Well, now we are getting to the reason I need you, Nash. Louis is uninterested in taking my calls, but you’ve managed to do the unthinkable.

You did what no one else could and brokered a deal to use his docks.

I find this fascinating, and I really want to know how you fucking did it,” Snake said, sounding legitimately impressed.

I smiled and settled back into my seat.

“I may have his ear, but what’s in it for me if I reach out to him for you?”

“I assume that doing it out of the goodness of your heart won’t suffice.”

This time I laughed. “Would you do it for that?”

“Not a fucking chance.” Snake finished his drink and set the glass down on his desk. “Alright, Nash…tell me what you want.”

I looked around the room and thought. Making more money would be nice, but so would a favor, and both would be…fantastic.

“Right now, you’re getting a twenty-five percent discount on all ammo purchased. Reduce it to ten, and I want a favor to be named at a later date.”

“I told you he had brass balls,” Merlin said, earning a chuckle from the other guys. But I kept my eyes on Snake.

“That’s a pretty steep ask, Nash. What do you think, Roach?”

Why MC guys had such strange fucking nicknames was a mystery. Did they choose their names or were they chosen for them?

Roach stepped forward, rubbing his chin as he flipped through a small black book. From the brief glimpses I caught, the pages had numbers scribbled all over them. He pointed to something on the notepad that only Snake could see.

“Ten percent but no favor,” Snake countered. I smirked.

“How about this…fifteen percent and I get my favor, but you can’t say no to whatever it is.

And unlike the protection detail at the hospital, you won’t charge me triple rates after.

You tried to rob me blind in my time of need.

I’ll always remember that.” Snake smirked, his blue eyes sharp, but he didn’t argue.

“In return, I won’t just get you a meeting… I’ll get Louis to agree.”

Snake’s eyes widened in shock, something that didn’t seem to happen to him often.

He leaned his arms on the desk, the dark tattoos standing out despite the shitty lighting.

He wore several rings on each hand, and all were large except for the simple black band on his wedding finger.

I picked up the framed photo on his desk, and his eyebrow rose. It was Snake with a beautiful blonde.

“Is this your wife?”

“That’s my old lady, yes.” He held out his hand for the photo, and I passed it back.

“You’re a lucky man,” I said.

“I am. How’s your wife,” he asked, and there was no bravado or insincerity in his tone.

“Better, she’s still recovering. But thankfully, she’ll be fine,” I said, and Snake sighed.

“I like that you look out for your own. In that way, we are very similar. I’ll take the deal, but we won’t kill feds or women, so keep that in mind,” Snake said, and pointed at me. “But…you’ve promised access. The deal is off if you don’t make that happen.”

“I will,” I said, standing. “I always get what I want.”

Snake smirked and shook my hand. Now, I had to make a call to Louis, and not only get the MC what they wanted, but swindle my way into a better deal.

A single chip could be played in so many ways.