Page 47 of Paladin's Hell

Chapter 17

Paladin

In Tucson everyone knew my main job was watching out for Jayden. Most days I’d take her to school, bring her home. In between times I’d turn my hand to whatever needed doing. Part of me would welcome having a real job, a place where I could make a contribution by working alongside my brothers.

Naively, having expected little would change, that I’d still have a job looking out for the girl I’d had responsibility for, for so long, I’d promised to see Jay today. But my plans went awry when first thing this morning, Hellfire had teamed me up with Taser, and directed me to the strip club. I could hardly fuck off and see my girl, not when the prez had assigned me a task. When I pick up my phone to send a quick text, I notice I’d missed one from her sent last night.

Jay: Can we talk?

Shit. She’ll think I’m ignoring her. Not much I can do about that. I send the message of explanation.

Pal: Got shit to do. Will try and see you later

Jay: Fine

I might not have a lot of experience with women, but even I know when a female says things are fine, they’re likely to be anything but. There’s nothing I can do about it. Whether she likes it or not, Jay’s got to learn the club comes first. Always. I frown, realising while she might know that on an intellectual level, she hasn’t experienced that before. Previously keeping her out of trouble had been club business. Now she’s in Pueblo, she no longer takes priority, or not in my new brothers’ eyes.

“Alright?”

Taser’s waiting by his bike. He must have seen the expression on my face when I read the text. I just nod and go to my ride.

Taser’s about ten years my senior, he’s heavily tattooed and sports a thick beard, maybe to make up for the thinning of the hair on his head. He’s got chiselled features though, large eyes with eyelashes girls would probably lust over. I hadn’t been introduced to him last night, maybe he was working all evening. I’ll have to check what my hours are going to be, might make it hard to see Jay when she starts school during the day, and I’m working at night. Still, got some time yet to figure that out.

We pull up outside a brick building, it’s down a side street off the main drag. An unlit neon sign above it, pictures outside leaving no doubt of the scantily clad, or naked women, customers will find inside. I stand back as Taser opens up the building. He gives his version of a tour as we enter.

“Bar over there, stage, private rooms and girls’ changing facilities down that way.” A wave of his hand punctuates each word. “Manager’s office over here.”

As Taser flicks on overhead lights, the place looks seedy. As if he reads my mind, he laughs. “Might not look much now, but the low-level lighting is all that they need at night, and covers a multitude of sins. I’ve mentioned to Prez I’d like to spruce it up a bit. Could do with a lick of fresh paint. But I doubt the customers will care. It’s what’s on the stage people come here for.”

I raise my chin. Much like Angels back in Tucson.

“I want to do a stock check of the liquor today. That will be your job, so I’ll show you how to do that. Ever done it before?”

“Helped out,” I say truthfully. “But not had the responsibility.”

He swings around, his head tilted to one side. “Were you really a full-time babysitter?”

“Pretty much,” I respond, though my teeth are gritted. Looking after my girl was no chore.

“Prez won’t let you get away with that here.”

“Hopefully there’ll be no need for it.”

He nods. “Right. Doors open at eight pm, we stay open until five in the morning. You okay with being nocturnal?”

Not what I was hoping for, but I’ll do whatever I have to. Somehow I’ll make it work. “Sure.”

“We’re open Tuesday through Saturday. We can alternate. Be easier on both of us, but Prez likes someone to be here. Of course, brothers are always popping in, so you won’t be lonely. I usually use the daytime to get shit done. Place gets busy at night.”

He’s given me the details, but I’m wondering whether I should prompt him we need to investigate what Cad had seen on the security footage. But what do I know about which things take precedence? In Tucson, we’d have leapt on any threat immediately. Taser is obviously not giving it such importance. Maybe they don’t have to be so on edge here.

At that moment, his phone rings. I give him privacy, wandering over to check the place out. Wondering whether there’s a redecorating budget, there are improvements needed I can already tell. And, a cleaner to have a word with if I’m not mistaken. I decide to ask for a rundown of the staff just as Taser comes over.

“Right. That was Demon asking if we’d checked out back yet.” He frowns. “VP seems a bit agitated, sounds like it’s urgent for some reason. Better get on with what he wants. You comin’?”

It’s a rhetorical question, what else would I be doing? I follow him down the corridor he’d pointed out earlier, past bathrooms emitting a predictable odour of disinfectant, then a storeroom, and out through a back door. He leads me around the corner where there’s a dumpster. “Cad picked up an asshole on the security recordings from last night right here. Need to see if we can spot what he was doing.” He points up above my head. “That’s the camera that picked him up.”

“Was he waiting for one of the girls to come out?”

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