19. Wrath

Chapter Nineteen

WRATH

G age had wrapped up closing down Cassidy's for the evening with a grumbling appetite in his stomach and Three Stack Diner had the best grease-laden breakfast, especially at one in the morning. Bonus? It was located two short blocks from the club, making it an easy option for late-night chow.

He pulled open the glass door to the twenty-four-seven diner, the little brass bell chiming to announce his arrival as he did so. It was empty as hell in there. A lone waitress was rolling silverware at the breakfast counter, chairs were neatly tucked in at vacant tables, and you could hear the faint music of the local radio station playing.

The only occupied table was a large horseshoe-shaped booth, filled with several guys all appearing in their late twenties to mid-thirties. All of them trusted friends he had made throughout his business ventures, most visiting from across the river in Jersey.

"Damn, bro. Could you move any slower?" Devon griped at Gage who was easing out of his seat behind the wheel of his naked Wrangler—doors and top all completely removed.

Pulling out a lockbox from underneath the driver's seat, Gage retrieved a semi-automatic and tucked it into the back of his pants. He shot a glare over at his buddy who was coming along on this…business opportunity.

Jax climbed out of the backseat over the rear wheel well and jumped down onto his feet. "That's what happens when you get your dick tattooed." He had been the one person Gage had trusted his secret to, and it seemed it was a poor choice in judgment.

As Jax spilled the beans, it earned him the middle finger from Gage.

"Look, I'd like to see how quick you two are when your dick gets stretched out like goddamn salt water taffy and needles jammed into it for over an hour." Gage griped at his friends before joining the other two guys, Isaiah and Hunter, waiting on the sidewalk outside of a rundown rowhome.

Hunter raised a brow. "What are we talking about?"

"Gage had the bright idea to tattoo his dick," Jax smirked, finding any opportunity to spread this entertaining information amongst their group.

Isaiah cringed. "You know, I heard of a guy who did that and he ended up with a permanent boner for life."

Devon shook his head. "Do I even want to know what you even put on it?"

Gage pulled out his phone double-checking the address of the house they were supposed to be at. "You that interested in my cock, Dev?"

Laughing, Hunter shared his thoughts, "It probably says ‘My Best Friend'."

The rest of the crew joined with a few chuckles.

Rolling his eyes, Gage retorted, "Says the guy who still lives in his mom's basement and has struck out on the past five girls."

As the five of them took up space there on the sidewalk, a young blonde woman carrying a small bag of groceries approached. She had the sweetest smile as her eyes landed on Gage.

"Excuse me." She slowed her steps as she waited for them all to make space for her to get by.

Without delay, Gage stepped back. When his eyes met hers, he no longer gave a shit about the lingering discomfort of his healing cock. This girl had the most angelic voice he had ever heard and it stole his words straight from him. His hand shoved Jax back to help make room for her to walk by.

An older woman still in her robe from the house next door came out onto the rickety front porch and shouted, "Rose! Did you remember my cigarettes?!"

While Gage was distracted watching the woman walking by them, Jax leaned over, smacking Gage's stomach with the back of his hand. He whispered, "Bet you'd like to impale that pussy with your swords…Vlad."

Interrupting his flashback, one of the men flagged Gage down like it wasn't obvious where they were all seated in the otherwise unoccupied joint. All of them were raucously chattering away with one another like a bunch of frat boys after a night of drinking and debauchery.

Once one of his friends noticed his arrival at the edge of the table, the rest of them all greeted him. Several of them shouted out, "Vlad!" welcoming him with giant smiles and laughter.

Rolling his eyes at his nickname that persisted over the years, Gage shook his head and took a seat at the unoccupied end of the booth as several guys scooted over to give him more space. After his pals found out about the three swords tattooed on his dick, he never was able to live down the nickname of Vlad the Impaler.

In total there were five of them seated here, Gage included.

Everyone had their own beverages and plates in front of each of them. Flagging down the waitress sitting at the counter for a cup of coffee, Gage shared in a few laughs at the jokes casually being tossed back and forth.

Jax, the friend he had known the longest, was sitting across from him. He caught Gage's attention. "How's business, man? I'm surprised you switched things up from the titty bar to just another nightclub."

Cradling the lukewarm cup of bitter coffee in his hand, Gage leaned back and shrugged. "It was time to switch things up." He lifted the mug to his lips, drawing in a mouthful of the stale beverage. Maybe it was just another nightclub to outsiders, but he liked to think that its kinky spin carved out a uniquely valuable spot for itself in the Big Apple. So far, the rebrand was paying for itself in spades.

The man to his right, Devon, shook his head and jumped in on the conversation, "Damn, dude. You were surrounded by pussy all day long, why would you give that up? I couldn't do it; I live for that shit."

All Gage could do was shrug. He knew damn well that he could have been drowning in women and it still wouldn't have satisfied him the way Layne did.

"I know that look," Jax said as he smirked at the revelation. "Fuckin' bastard found himself a keeper."

Isaiah, the guy at the far end laughed, "Nah, no way. Our Vlad? Pssh, I'll believe it when I see it. She'd have to be one of those innocent and naive starry-eyed aspiring actresses that move into the city every summer." Mockingly, he spoke in a high-pitched feminine tone, "Do you really think I have what it takes? Will you practice this kissing scene with me?" His voice dropped the imitation as he laughed.

Trying to deflect the inquiries into his personal life, Gage fired back at his friend. "Yeah, and when was the last time you got laid, assbutt?"

That got a series of elbow jabs, snorts, and chortling all around the table.

Jax's eyes drifted back to Gage. It seemed that everybody else was easily tossed off the scent by Gage's switch in gears, but not him. Though kudos to Jax that he had the good sense not to steer the conversation back.

After a few more minutes of bullshitting, Gage was prompted by his former roommate, Hunter. "So, you told us to meet you here to talk about business or some crap. You going to clue us in or what?"

Gage ran his fingers through his short blonde locks, it was now or never. "I'm having a Grand Opening party for the nightclub. I need extra security, people I can trust with my life." His eyes stared at every one of his friends there at the table with him. The heaviness of his gaze communicated just how serious he was.

While Gage knew people who were willing to help in this unsavory business and had helped him previously with Layne, this was different. Things were too close to home and hell if he was relying on just anybody to keep his girl safe.

All the guys shared looks amongst themselves, but it was Jax who spoke up first. "Whatever you need. You just tell me when and where."

The rest of his friends nodded in agreement, echoing the same sentiments. Isaiah was quick to reassure Gage he would be there to have his back, "If it weren't for you, my ass would have gotten jumped by those bikers at that bar in Atlantic City. I got you, bro."

Knowing he had to come clean with a few more important details, Gage shoved his now empty coffee mug away from him. "It's not me I'm worried about."

Jax declared his now confirmed suspicions, "I fucking knew it. It's a piece of ass, isn't it?" Feeling smug about his intuitions being on target, he smiled proudly.

Gage's eyes narrowed at his friend's assumption that this was over a one-and-done lay. "She isn't a piece of ass, and she can't know that you're there to keep tabs on her." He would never hear the end of it if Layne knew he was bringing in fresh faces to keep watch over her at the party in addition to himself and Joey. He'd like for the three of them to actually have a night to enjoy themselves without worrying about Liam's sick games.

Devon lifted his brows curiously. "It's one chick. No offense, Vlad, but it doesn't look like you've skipped the gym recently. So why do you need four of us to watch just one of her?"

That made Gage chuckle. Fuck, if these guys even knew how he would have difficulty trusting a goddamn army to keep Layne safe these days.

"It's complicated, just trust me when I tell you I will need you all on your A-game," he explained.

Slapping his hand on the back of Gage's shoulder, Hunter joked, "Aw, trying to make sure the little woman stays in line? You're getting soft on us."

Gage groaned; at this rate, he was going to need to protect his asshole friends from Layne if they behaved like this at the event.

He pulled out his phone and brought up a picture of Layne, laying it down on the center of the table so they could all lean in to see who needed the added insurance of safety.

The photo was a selfie he had snapped of them together while in the hot tub in her backyard one night. Her brown hair piled high on top of her head with a few strands hanging down loose around her face. The fluorescent pink straps of her bikini top contrasted sharply against her pale skin. Her left hand rested on top of his chest as she leaned in against him, pressing the side of her face up against his for the snapshot.

Each of the guys gawked as they stared at the beauty in the picture, a couple of them giving whistles of appreciation.

"Damn man, I'd want to protect that, too," Devon commented.

Jax leaned in closer before giving an aggressive sigh combined with a groan as he noticed a small detail. "Oh, come the fuck on, man." He pointed at the pic, specifically at Layne's hand that had her engagement and wedding bands on display. "Tell me you're not banging some guy's wife."

Shrugging, Gage was obviously unbothered. "I told you it was complicated. He's not who I'm worried about, he's well aware of everything that's going on. It's her shithead brother that's the problem."

"You screwing the brother, too?" Isaiah blurted out. Before Gage could correct him, Hunter smacked him upside the back of his head on Gage's behalf. "Ouch! What?" Isaiah initially looked confused as to what he said, then gave a goofy grin. "You never know who wants to be impaled by the mighty Vlad."

In disbelief of Isaiah's commentary, Jax muttered to himself while consuming the rest of his coffee. When he finally collected his thoughts, he gave a resigned sigh. "How much of a problem is the brother? Are we talking about a guy who talks big or one who brings all his low-life friends to come play?"

The memory of the pocketknife sticking out of Layne's leg and the bullet hole in Joey's chest had the emotions running hot through Gage's veins. Trying not to bend and snap the silver butter knife in both his hands that he hadn't recalled picking up, Gage's words came out strained. "The type who deserves the wrath of every damn horror in hell."