22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Lacy

Seeing Josh standing in the Raven’s bar sent red-hot anger through me. I had promised Drake that I would let him control the situation, but it killed me to see him standing there so defenseless.

What I was about to do, I knew in time Drake would forgive me. I knew he would understand, even though he would probably be upset. But, I couldn’t think about that now. Josh had gone too far and now, he needed to understand he was messing with the wrong family.

I checked the address in my phone one last time as I pulled up in the parking lot. It had been a long time since I had seen this place in person, and though Chuck no longer owned the dirty biker bar on the other side of town, his goonies still called it home.

I pulled my car into a parking space and noticed I was the only car in the lot filled with bikes. The bar looked worse than I had remembered. I got out of my car and took a step inside. It was dark and wreaked of body odor and stale beer. How anyone could come in here voluntarily was beyond me.

As I walked inside, all heads turned my way. It was very clear that I was way out of my element here and they all knew it. A few guys licked their lips while others leaned over and whispered to their friends. They all made me sick and I just wanted to get this over with and get the hell out of that shit hole.

Finally, I spotted what I came for. Sitting at a table in the back of the run-down bar, was Josh. His yellow teeth smiled at me and I fought back the bile that was rising in my throat.

I pulled out a chair and sat down across from Josh. All eyes in the bar were locked on me and I never felt so dirty and unsafe in all my life. I held my phone close to my chest. I might be brave but I wasn’t entirely stupid. I had 911 already pulled up on my phone. One wrong move, and I would have the police here in no time.

I had also left a note for Ivy. Knowing she was at school and wouldn’t get it until later tonight gave me time before anyone else would find out what I was up to. And, if this went bad...well, she would know where I was.

I pushed those thoughts out of my mind as I focused on Josh. “Thanks for agreeing to meet with me,” I said, trying to hide my disdain for him.

Smiling, Josh looked me up and down. “I have to admit; I was a little surprised to hear from you. Your boyfriend is a little mad at me right now,” he said, his voice taunting me.

“Well, can you blame him?” I asked.

Josh folded his hands in front of me and acted as though he were considering what I was saying. “I can see why he is upset, but honestly, he’s taking this bad-boy vibe a little too far. Don't you think?” he asks.

“Are you serious?” I ask.

I am trying to keep my composure, but this guy is trying so hard to push me over the edge.

“Look,” Josh says, leaning forward and narrowing his eyes at me. All traces of the fun and teasing guy long gone. “I offered your boyfriend a great business deal. It is not my fault he didn’t ask specific questions about what all he was protecting. Now, we have a business arrangement. If he doesn’t like it, then he needs to just get over it. The Raven’s tore my family apart. Now, I will ruin the Raven’s if they don’t agree to do what I say,” Josh seethes.

His warm breath blows in my face and the stench of stale cigarettes makes me cringe. I bite my bottom lip and can taste the blood seeping into my mouth. It takes every ounce of my inner strength not to slap Josh across his rat face. How dare him!

“You must be out of your mind,” I state, clenching my teeth as I talk. “Your cousin, Chuck, almost killed the Raven’s. Their bar is still mending from the fire and Aspen still struggles with trust. You lied to Drake and told him you needed security to protect your truck drivers. Drake thought you were running a legitimate company. You never told him drugs were involved. He has too much integrity to ever get involved with anything like that. We don’t owe you anything. Why don’t you just leave all of us alone?” I ask.

I want to scream and cry, but I can’t.

Josh sits back in his chair and folds his arms across his chest. He eyed me carefully, and then glances behind me for a brief moment. “So, you consider yourself a Raven?” he asks.

I am not sure what he is doing, but I am growing nervous now. A few guys get up from their seats and start making their way toward us. I gulp down my emotions as I struggle to pretend to be the badass bitch I came here pretending to be. He wants me to be afraid of him. I have to stand my ground.

“Yes, and I will do anything to protect my family,” I say.

“Does Drake know you are here?” he asks.

“No. And he doesn’t ever have to find out I came here. I am asking you now to stop this now. Just leave the Raven’s alone. If not, I will take this straight to the police,” I say, holding up my phone, which was recording, that I had stuffed in my pocket.

Josh’s eyes go straight to the recorder and then he snaps his fingers. What happens next, was like a blur. Before I could react, two men grabbed me by the arms and forced me to stand.

“What the hell,” I cried out.

Josh leaped out of his seat and grabbed the recorder out of my hands. Then, he shoved a white towel in my face and I struggled to breathe as I fought against him. The world around me began to grow dark and the last thing I saw was Drake’s face in my mind.