My spirit.
Losing him changed me.
Chapter 10
—Uno
Sitting at the bar, I’m waiting for Boogeyman to arrive and tell me what the fuck he has on Stephanie. I take a drink of my beer and hope it is something to get rid of her ass for good. I’m tired of being unhappy. Sick of the games we play. Sick of the fucking secrets we hang over each other’s heads.
“Did you hire that chick? She was fucking smokin’.” Cyrus slides me another beer across the counter and I pull out a twenty to put back in the till.
“The fuck you thinking? Hell yeah I hired her but don’t you dare breathe a word about it. We need her to get this place making money again.”
“I got you.”
“Good,” I say with a grunt.
Boogeyman finally shows. He joins me at the bar and accepts a beer from the prospect. After taking a long drink, he says, “We should discuss this in your office.” I can tell by his tone and demeanor he knows whatever he has learned is going to piss me the hell off.
“Alright.” We take our beer bottles into my office and Boogeyman pulls a blunt out of the inner pocket of his cut and lights it up.
“You’re gonna want a few hits of this shit first.” He hits it a few times, nearly coughing up a lung as he passes it to me. “Just remember don’t shoot the messenger.”
I take a few hard tokes, preparing myself for the worst. “Get on with it.”
“I don’t even know where to begin.” He shakes his head and reaches for the joint. “Stephanie picked her mother up and I followed them to the medical clinic by the hospital. At first nothing happened but then she got out of her car and walked around. I got out of my truck and crept around to the side of the building in case she went inside. Anyway, a cop approached her, and I could hear every word. Did you know when she was younger she had an abortion?”
My fists clench. “When?”
“Didn't hear a date but the cop said he drove her home that day from what I gathered. He hit on her and she told him she is married but then the fucker told her he knows that, and he knows you are in the club. Bastard is turning her to be an informant. You know what that means.”
Hades will kill her. “Is that all,” I growl.
“No. She drove her mother home and they appeared to get into an argument and she went back to your place. She stayed there a while then she got in her car and left. Tailed her to that cheap motel at the edge of town and guess who showed up. The fucking cop. I don't know how else to tell you this, brother, so I am just going to say it. She fucked him.”
My head drops into my hands. She’s fucking done it this time. Angry tears burn in my eyes. I never thought she’d take shit this far but there is no saving her now. “Where is she now?”
“She went home after.”
“Does Hades know?”
He shakes his head and snuffs the joint out. “Not yet. But you know I have to tell him.”
“Yeah I know.”
“You going to be okay?”
“Yeah. It’s just fucked. Twelve years down the fucking drain. I loved her.”
“Hey, man. I know I give you shit and ride your ass, but for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”
“Do me a favor. Let me go with you to talk to Hades. I don't want to plead for her life or any of that bullshit, but I have a punishment for her that is far worse than death.” I glance at my watch. It’s early morning and Hades will bite my head off if I call him right now. “Let’s toast.” We go back out to the bar and I send Cyrus and anyone else left in the building home. I go behind the bar and grab a bottle of our finest whiskey.
“Ding dong the cunt is dead,” Boogeyman singsongs and takes a drink.
“To my freedom.” I raise my glass and drink.
Boogeyman goes to take a piss and I pull my phone out and send a text.