Stout (Men of Lovibond 2)

SINCLAIR BRECKENRIDGE

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

“Thanks for coming, Sin. I really appreciate it.”

I’ve known Hewie since I was a bairn but I didn’t come to court to act as moral support. I was sitting in as Rodrick’s assistant so I could observe the way he bends the law to the brotherhood’s favor. He’s a master, well known by all for his ruthless measures, as I will be when I take his place as solicitor for The Fellowship. This means I’ll be Hewie’s defense attorney in the future, but not today.

“You were stupid and sloppy. Will you do us both a favor and make smarter moves when I step into Rodrick’s shoes?” And more importantly, when I take my father’s place as leader.

“This won’t happen again.”

“Good. See that it doesn’t.” I’m certain there won’t be a recurrence after Abram and my father are finished with him. “Atonement is scheduled for tomorrow.”

Hewie unknowingly brought an undercover agent into The Fellowship but we were lucky. Intent to sell heroin is the only charge they were able to bring against him. It could’ve gone much worse had the agent made it deeper but he was an anxious rookie, ready to jump on a bust.

“Whatever Thane and Abram choose as my punishment will be better than spending another night in that jail. The walls felt like they were closing in around me.”

Everyone knows Hewie has a thing about small spaces so I’m guessing he’ll get to spend the night in a tight, dark space after he takes a merciless beating. “I’ll come back for you at seven in the morning. Tell your wife you have a job and you’ll be gone a few days.” The last thing we need is her reporting him as missing.

Sterling brings the car to a stop in front of Hewie’s flat. “I’ll be ready when ye return.”

Dumb bastard. He’s never paid retribution so he has no idea what’s in store for him. I guess that’s a good thing.

* * *

I have Sterling drive to Duncan’s Whisky Bar so I can meet up with my two best mates, Leith and Jamie, for a drink. The three of us are as close as any three pals can be. We’ve known one another since we were bairns and share far more than our involvement in The Fellowship. Together, we’re the future of the coalition. But we aren’t equals. I’m the one who will step into the role of leader.

Leith snaps his fingers at his head server, Lorna. “Bring Sin his usual.”

“How’d it go with Hewie?” Jamie asks.

“In our favor, as always. The prosecution didn’t have shit, thanks to some dodgy police work. It should never have gone before the High Court but we all know how it made it through.” The authorities believe they can take The Fellowship down bit by bit, no matter how small the piece. “All the charges were dropped so Hewie’s legal problems are over, but he has atonement in the morning.”

“Who’s his enforcer?” Leith asks.

“Sangster.” He’s the meanest son of a bitch in The Fellowship. He finds entirely too much pleasure in carrying out punishment. I strongly suspect he’s a sadist.

“He can do some real damage. I don’t know why Thane and Dad keep him on as an enforcer. It seems more hurtful to have him damaging our men, rather than punishing them,” Jamie says.

I know why Abram and my father keep Sangster on. “They think the threat of being maimed will make the brothers more aware of their actions and careful to avoid mistakes.”

“Sangster crippled Potinger while carrying out his atonement last month.” I’m sure Jamie knows firsthand the damage that enforcer can cause since he was the one to initially treat him. “I had to send him to a therapist but it isn’t helping. I think it’s permanent nerve damage.”

“It’s a damn shame. Potinger will be useless if he never walks right again.” Leith quickly turns to look at me. “You know I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

“Of course not.” I shrug it off. I don’t want this conversation to turn into one about my injury so I steer it back toward Hewie. “I think he’ll go easier this time since he knows the elders are watching.”

“I hope so—for Hewie’s sake,” Jamie says.

“Geneen came in last night with McLain,” Leith informs me. “You gonna do something about that?”

They know I don’t give two shits about Geneen but they find it disrespectful for her to come into the bar with another brother. We had a few fucks over a couple of weeks. He’s welcome to my leftovers. “She’ll tire of this game once she realizes I don’t care.”

Leith waves his hand toward the back of the club where the barmaids pick up drinks. “Lorna’s working late tonight. You should take her into the storage room if Geneen comes back. That would show her you’re not concerned with her anymore.”

I stopped tasting Lorna’s nectar years ago. Since then, she’s been passed around by almost every brother in this place, so I have no interest in ever having her again. I prefer a woman who hasn’t had every dick in the room inside her.

I admit it. I’m a selfish bastard. Even if I’m not interested in a woman for the purpose of a relationship, I don’t want any of the brothers to have had her before me. What she does afterward is not my concern. “I’m looking for something a little fresher.”

“Leith has something fresh—an American lass.” Jamie laughs. “She definitely hasn’t been touched by any of the brothers.”

r /> Leith slams his hand on the table. “No one puts a finger on her. If anyone gets a piece of that fit arse, it’s going to be me.”

“Good Lord, Leith! An American?” This isn’t good. Dad and Abram won’t be pleased. “You can be such a dobber sometimes.”

Leith knows he’s to only hire local girls within our circle. Taking in a stranger we know nothing about is a foolish move since members of the brotherhood frequent this bar. “I can’t believe you’ve brought in an outsider. The elders won’t approve.”

“Don’t worry. The lass is in Edinburgh on a temporary basis. Her employment won’t be long-standing.” And her life may not be either, thanks to him.

“You have to get rid of her,” I argue.

“She can be very persuasive.”

“Persuasive, as in she had sex with you?”

“Not yet.”

“Did she promise you sex?”

“No.”

Damn fool. “Tell me you were steamin’ when you hired her.”

“She needed some quick cash. I can pay her under the table and she’ll move on in a few weeks. No worries.”

No worries, my arse. “There’s a reason you only hire a lass with a connection to The Fellowship. This one could become a problem for the brotherhood. If that happens, she’ll be sleeping with the fish. You’ve done her no favor by employing her. She’s been placed in the middle of a dangerous situation and has no idea.”

“You’ll understand why he hired her when you see her sweet arse,” Jamie says.

“I don’t care how fit the American is.” Leith should know better than to think with his dick.

“There she is,” he says. I look over at the barmaid’s station and see her from behind. Her chestnut brown hair is pulled into a messy pile on top of her head. She’s wearing the typical Duncan uniform—a short plaid kilt and tight white blouse tied above her waist.

She spins around while holding a tray of whiskies over one shoulder and smiles at Leith. She doesn’t give me so much as a glance when she walks by to deliver drinks to the table behind us. “Good-looking, eh?”