Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 105803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Annie pops her head in. “Everything okay?”
I tell her what just happened.
“Funny, he was moaning about something blue last night. You don’t know what it means?”
“No.” I push back against the fear whipping up a firestorm inside me. “He said I might be in danger.”
“Do you think you are?”
I frown. “I don’t know what’s real anymore.”
Empathy softens her face. “It could be the combination of the medication he’s on and his injury. He’ll make more sense when he comes around. Until then, try not to worry.”
I nod.
But not worrying is a lot easier said than done.
The hours tick by in silence. Annie pops her head in from time to time to offer comforting words but nothing eases my pain.
In fact, as the minutes pass by, I grow more unnerved and more annoyed at my situation. I’m worried about my uncle, and it’s eating away at me.
So I mentally take it out on the best person I know.
Beast.
He might be paying for all of this, and for that I am grateful. But he is using me like a pawn in a chess game. Parading me about as his lover and moving me about on the chess board at his whim.
I think about him pulling me onto his lap this morning and the thickness of his cock rubbing against my panties as we kissed like we were starving for one another, and heat spreads across my cheeks.
He is demanding and inconsiderate.
And I’ve had about enough of it.
CHAPTER 21
BEAST
In Church, I update the rest of the club on Opie’s analysis of the synthetic phantasia. Thirteen pairs of eyes focus on me from around the table.
“If we want to stop the spread of this obnoxious drug, then we need to cut it off at the supply. We need to show whoever it is that they can’t come into our town and spread dysfunction to our townspeople.”
“If it’s the Psychos, you think they’re the brains behind this, or do you think there is a bigger fish in the pond?” Bear asks.
“It’s too early to tell,” I say.
“Do we think the Psychos are even capable of setting up something like this?” Axe asks. “Dumb cunts aren’t too fucking smart.”
A chuckle of approval moves around the table.
“Axe is right,” Viking says. “What’s the likelihood they’ve set up a manufacturing operation? That costs money.”
“Doesn’t mean they’re not manufacturing it,” Lars says. “They’d only need someone to fund it. Unless they’ve been able to cash themselves up, which I doubt.”
“If they are, then it’s not in their piece-of-shit clubhouse. It means they would have a warehouse somewhere.” And if they do, I am going to burn it to the ground. I look at Lars. “We start tailing the Psychos’ comings and goings. I want eyes on that clubhouse and when someone leaves it, I want to know where they are going and what they are doing, and who the fuck they’re doing it with.”
If the Psychos are manufacturing this synthetic phantasia, then one of them is going to lead us to where they are doing it.
The room rumbles in agreement.
I lift my gavel but Viking speaks up.
“Before you bring the gavel down on Church, let me remind everyone about the Twilight Barbecue tonight,” he says. “You know my old lady has run this thing for the last couple of decades, so I expect all you fuckers to show up and give her and the other old ladies your full support.”
Internally, I groan.
With everything going on with the Psychos, not to mention my bride to be, I had forgotten about the Twilight Barbecue.
Every year, the Knights put on a carnival barbecue night. A place for the townspeople to eat and socialize with the Knights and each other. There’s a barbecue tent, a chili tent, and cotton candy, popcorn, and corndog stands. After eating, families can ride the couple of carnival rides we have assembled and enjoy a live band. It’s an annual fundraiser with the proceeds going to the children’s hospital. The Knights have held it for more than thirty years. It keeps us in touch with the townspeople. Keeps them on our side. Much to Mayor Boney’s disgust. Because it doesn’t help his campaign against us.
But with so much happening, it feels more like a pain in the ass right now. But not holding it would break tradition.
Not to mention, Viking’s wife would break my balls if I don’t show.
Besides, bad timing aside, it’s good for the town.
It’s also a good opportunity to flaunt Belle as my wife to be.
As the room clears, Viking gives me the same shit-eating grin I’ve seen on his son’s face a lot. “The girl you were with last night? She was a surprise. I thought what they were saying about you having a girl in town was just rumor.”
“Get to the point, old man,” I say.