Page 33 of Minus

Viper’s lips formed a slight smile, but his eyes burned with anger. “I have to apologize. Clearly, I didn’t quite make the impression on you gentlemen that I had intended.”

“Now, don’t be too sure about that,” I said. “If your intention was to show us that you’re a psychopath that mutilates his own people due to his own personal fuckups, then let me assure you, message received. Wouldn’t you say, Clutch?”

“Roger, 10-4. I read ya loud and clear, good buddy.” Clutch turned to me and smiled. “Hey, remember when we were little kids and we saw Smokey and the Bandit on TV, and for like a month we were obsessed with being truckers?”

“We drove the nuns crazy practicing CB slang—”

“Clearly, you don’t understand what’s happening here,” Viper said, raising his voice.

“I’m pretty sure it’syouthat doesn’t quite get the picture here, amigo” I said. “The Nine Ball may be your place now,not that I’d brag about that, but the Saints will burn it down with you and all your crew inside of it, if you so much as touch us. You don’t have the numbers or the muscle to start a war with us, so you’re gonna wanna back the fuck off.”

Viper seethed but said nothing. He knew I was right.

I continued. “As for business, the only thing we came to talk about involves two duffle bags containing three million dollars in cash. That money belongs to Cutter and the Burning Saints. We have information that tells us you may have come across this money in error. If that’s the case, we want it back by noon tomorrow. We will, of course, be happy to provide you with a finder’s fee once the money is retuned in full.”

“And, if your information is incorrect and I don’t have your club’s money?”

“Then Cutter would greatly appreciate you locating it and retrieving it from those that do. If you deliver it to him by noon, the aforementioned finder’s fee still applies.”

“I see,” Viper said, once again smiling. “And, what if I didn’t come across your money in error, as you said, but instead willfully took it from the Burning Saints?”

“Then, you’d be one dumbass motherfucker,” Clutch said, his fists balled at his sides.

“Perhaps,” Viper hissed. “But what if I, theoretically of course, had stolen the money for a very good reason?”

I took one step toward Viper and before I could get closer Crush pulled his gun, aiming it at my chest. I casually showed him my hands and backed up. One single step.

“That’s enough, Crush, put that gun away. These gentlemen and I are only talking.Hypotheticallyof course.”

“You see,MisterViper, that’s where you’re dead wrong,” I said. “We’re very much speaking in real terms about real money, and if you keep jerking me around, you’re gonna have arealfucking problem.”

“Then let me be perfectly clear with you,Amigo. I not only took Cutter’s money…I’ve already spent it.”

“Is that a fact?”

“Yes.” Viper smiled wide. “Just now, in fact.”

“On what, exactly?” I asked.

“Your full, undivided attention.”

Minus

Iwas thankfulto find the hotel gym was open twenty-four hours a day. It was just after three a.m. and I was still wired from the meeting with Viper. Having a gun pulled on you tends to cause a bit of an adrenaline spike. I was going to need to work off some of this energy if I was going to get any sleep at all. I put my earbuds in, turned the treadmill speed up, and tried to clear my head of all things club related. The treadmill faced a glass wall overlooking the Portland cityscape. I was the only hotel guest in the gym, so I’d left all the room lights off and ran in the soft glow of the city lights.

In truth, the only physical activity I wanted to be doing involved Cricket. In fact, I wanted to do just about everyphysical activity possible with her. Time had not lessened my desire for her. I’d been able to stow my feelings away while I was gone, but they’d never died. It’s not like I sat around pining for her but living a somewhat isolated life kept me from ever having anything close to a relationship. I certainly never met anyone like her while living in Savannah.

As my pace matched the rhythm of the music, my thoughts began to drift, and focused solely on Cricket.

“You sure, Cricket?” I asked, her soft body pressed against mine in my room at the compound.

“Are you?” she challenged, cupping my dick over my jeans. “You’re the one who seems all squirrelly about it.”

“Fuck,” I rasped.

She ran her tongue over my pulse as she slid her hand under the waistband of my jeans and down my already rock-hard cock. “I want all of this.”

I nodded, kissing her and sliding my tongue deep in her mouth. This was our third time sleeping together, and she’d begged me to go ungloved. I’d never fucked anyone without a condom, but Cricket wasn’t just anyone and I wanted it more than I was willing to admit out loud.

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