Page 32 of Phantom
“We got more in common than I thought, kid,” Nick replied. “My mom stayed away from booze, but that was probably because my dad lived on it. He used to beat the hell out of me and my older brother. Gave my brother a hemorrhage to his brain that killed him when we were just teens.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“The crazy thing is, I still find myself admiring the man. Is that dumb?” He chortled. “Beat the ever-loving shit out of us, but I still regard the day that he told me he wanted to take his place at the club someday as one of the best days of my life. When he died…” Nick’s fingers squeezed into the cards he was holding, causing them to crinkle a little. “That shit tore me up.”
“He was your dad,” I responded. “Maybe he wasn’t the best one, but he wanted big things for you. That’s enough for a kid to love their dad.”
Nick nodded. “I think so.” He laughed a little harder. “Listen to me, pouring out my heart to some kid I barely know.”
It was time to throw caution to the wind. “Why are you doing that?” I held up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that you are, but what did I do?”
“I’ve been trying to figure that out myself, if I’m being honest.” He laid out a couple of spreads of cards and discarded one of two remaining in his hand. He was close to winning. “I just get this feeling about you. I got it the second I laid eyes on ya. This club. It’s been in my family for generations. My grandad started it, then my dad took over, now me. It’s part of the Nicholas bloodline, but I’m at an impasse because I could never hand it over to Taylor, and I’d give my right arm to hand it over to Tess, but the boys would never go for it. I can only flex so much muscle as president. When it comes down to bylaws and votes, the odds just aren’t in her favor.”
All the distant sounds completely faded out, and I just watched Nick. The game didn’t matter anymore, and when I didn’t start my turn, Nick didn’t push. “She can’t go up?”
“Not by normal means,” Nick responded, “but, if she were, I don’t know, married to the president, and she was VP, they could run things as a team.” Nick’s eyes flew up from his hand and locked into mine. “I’ve just been waiting, CJ. Waiting for Tess to bring along someone that made me feel like they could hold her up. Give her the door she needs.”
When I opened my mouth to respond, no words came out. We barely knew each other. How could he offer me everything he had? “Um.”
“Now, look, I’m not telling you what to do. Shit, it’s all up to Tess at the end of the day because you and I both know she ain’t going for no patriarchal, giving-her-away bullshit.”
“No.”
“But if she did pick you, and you picked her, I’d be happy with that.” I didn’t move or speak. Nick waited a long time, just watching me patiently, but when I didn’t say anything else, he nudged my hand. “I’m just spit balling, kid. Don’t worry about it. It’s your turn.”
“Why?” I finally managed to mutter out.
Nick shrugged. “Because I think I can trust you. With my club and my kid. Whatever your relationship with those things might be.”
“I can’t make any promises about my… involvement, but I can promise you this.” I made sure to look Nick right in his eyes as I spoke. “I promise I would never do anything to hurt the Knights or Tess.”
Nick stabbed a finger at me. “It’s that resolve, right there. You showed it to me back when we were working on the bikes, too. That’s what got me thinkin’, ‘Maybe this kid’s the real deal.’ You seemed so sincere, and honestly, I can’t remember the last time someone made me a sincere promise.”
Though it didn’t feel like the conversation had reached a natural conclusion, I took my turn, and Nick took his turn, and we let the conversation lay to rest. After a few hands of back and forth grabs for points, I somehow managed to win, prompting Nick to growl, “Beginner’s luck.” He waved a hand. “All right, you can go back to her. I know she’s itchin’ for you to get back.”
“Thanks.”
The laugh that came out of Nick at that was a mix between a grunt and a sneer. “Don’t thank me, just don’t make me regret this.” There was a hint of bass behind his words that hadn’t been there up to that point.
“I won’t squander your or Tess’ kindness.”
“Good. Oh, and, uh, let’s keep this little chat between us, huh? I mean, I know you’re gonna have to tell her something, but save her the gory details.”
I nodded. “Of course. She wouldn’t get any benefit from knowing them.”
“Right.” Nick started to collect the cards and shuffle them. “All right, kid, I’ll see ya around.”
“Yeah.”
My mind was a haze as I turned around and left the warehouse, slightly unsure of what had just happened. Wherever it came from, or whatever feeling Nick had developed about me, it was all too complacent, and it made me sick to my stomach. Less because of what he said, and more because, as he said it, I found myself longing for it.
I navigated the kitchen and stepped out from behind the bar, where Tess was sitting at the same table where I’d left her, drinking a beer and talking with Avery. As soon as I reached the table, Avery stood up, patted my back, and walked away, and Tess leaped up from her seat.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
“Yeah. I’ll explain more at home.”
Lockjaw went nuts as Tess and I crossed the threshold into her house after taking the short ride home. I scanned the room, fully expecting it to be destroyed, but apart from some manic energy, the dog was just fine, and so was the house. Go figure.
