Page 42 of Cognac Secrets

“Weeks,” he said with a nod. “Not months.”

“How much they asking for this piece of shit again?” He named the figure and I let out a low whistle.

“Now that ain’t what you’re gonna get it for,” he said.

“How do you know that?” I demanded.

“Oh, I think we can find the owners and sweet talk ‘em a little.”

He sounded so casual and I felt my lips curl in a feral grin.

“Is that what we’re calling it?” I asked.

“I do believe that’s what we’re going with, yes,” he declared.

I barked a laugh.

“Well, alright then,” I said. I named my number and he looked at me a bit skeptically but nodded.

“I think I can do it.”

I looked up at his profile, as he was staring with keen eyes at the dilapidated wreck in front of him. Oh, Hex had plans. I could see it. I could also see the benefit in having a brother next door and in being so close to the club…

Yeah, this would work… it felt tight, with the state of things, like we’d need to pull off a Hail Mary pass to get this done without incident – especially with the Bayou Brethren breathing down our necks.

…shit, it honestly felt like folly trying to take on a project of this magnitude with them as a factor along with everything else we had going on.

“You know an agent?” I asked and he nodded.

“Oh, I surely do. I’ll give a holler at ‘cha when I get in touch.”

“Alright, sounds good,” I said, but I knew I sounded skeptical.

Hex chuckled and clapped me on the back.

“It’s about time you made a move into something more permanent around here. Put down some roots. I’m happy to help, brother.”

I took a deep breath and let it out slow.

“I’m grateful for the support and the shove in this direction, it just seems real fuckin’ daunting with all we got going on.”

“Fortune favors the brave,” he said and I nodded, the blue, sun faded, shredded tarp up on the roof flapping as a breeze stirred.

“Jesus Christ, I hope you’re right about this,” I said and he grinned.

“I’ll take that bet any day that ends in Y and twice on Sunday, boy.”

I snorted.

“You and your Tennessee straight from the holler bullshit,” I said laughing.

“Hell, that ain’t from the holler,” he said. “That’s just my accent. I just pulled that outta my ass.”

I laughed for real then.

“Man, fuck you,” I said and Hex grinned as we stared at what was probably going to be my new house.

Holy shit.

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