Chapter 9

NINE

SMOKE

I am livid. My girl is upset and crying because some asshole decided that he could take what was rightfully hers.

It’s not even about the money. The meager thirty grand she will be getting from this sale is nothing compared to my bank account, which she will have access to once she is my old lady.

It’s the principle. She did the work. She tried to remain professional. They are being dicks because she is a woman. I can’t stand it.

“What’s wrong, boss?” Gunner asks.

“Those fuckers she works with are trying to trick her out of her commission. I think it’s time we go show this town that the Saints are here and what that means.”

Gunner whistles, getting the brothers’ attention.

“We’re riding for Prez’s old lady. Let’s go,” he calls out.

“She isn’t my old lady yet,” I tell him.

He laughs. “Yeah. Okay.”

The ride to her place is short. I was able to make a quick call along the way, though.

See, I don’t know much about real estate, but Kelly explained to me that while her boss owns the building they work in, he isn’t a broker. So he has to file all of his listings under another broker. One who is technically the boss of them all.

I hoped I never needed it, but I had his number on standby. He is also on his way right now.

Walking into her office, I frown when I see her at the front desk again.

“Jax,” she whispers, coming to greet me.

I press a kiss to her forehead.

“Where are they?” I ask as my brothers fill in around me.

“No. Don’t. It’s not worth it.”

I glance down at her. “You are.”

Barry walks out then, stopping when he sees us. “What are you doing here?”

“I have a bone to pick with you and your boss. Why don’t you go get him?” I tell him.

He pales, but does as I ask.

As they step back into the reception room, the broker steps in behind me.

“Mr. Raming, what are you doing here?” her boss asks.

“I got a call from my friend, Smoke, about some shady business going on here. So, Frank, what is going on here?” he asks.

“Nothing. Kelly here completed the sale with this gentleman, and I’m not sure why he is back. Was there something wrong? If it is something Kelly did, I can fix it.”

I scoff. “Kelly is fucking perfect, you nimrod. You told her she couldn’t have her commission. Now why is that?”

“What? I didn’t. You’re a liar. Look at them, Mr. Raming. Look at how they are dressed. They ride those motorcycles. These men are no good, and they are here to intimidate us. I don’t even know what they are getting out of it,” Frank tells him.

“Smoke, do you have anything you want to add?” Mr. Raming asks.

I didn’t get a chance to tell him everything. I only told him that I was a cash buyer and that shady shit was going on. He heard cash and the amount I was willing to spend and decided I was his best friend.

Money changes everything for people. He sees me the way Frank sees me, but he also sees the dollar signs so he could give a fuck about what I do with my time. He just wants me happy.

So what he is really asking is what he can do to make me happy.

“This fucker disrespected my girl, and I don’t appreciate it. I want him to admit what he has done and has been doing. Then I want them both fired. Either that or we are gone,” I tell him.

Frank is sputtering now. “What? No, you can’t do that. Who do you think you are? I don’t even know your girlfriend. Why would I disrespect someone I have never met? He is setting me up.”

“What did I do wrong?” Barry mutters.

“So you didn’t walk in on our meeting with Kelly and try to poach us? Nor did you tell her to give you our account after the sale was already made? As for my girl, you are looking at her.” I push Kelly in front of me.

She is frozen now, staring at Frank and Barry with me and my brothers at her back while Mr. Raming stands off to the side.

“I knew it,” Barry starts. “I knew you had to have done something to entice them to pick you. Was it hard opening your legs for a sale? No wonder why Frank isn’t giving you the commission.”

I step in front of Kelly. “Yeah, you want to say that to my face?”

“Shut up, you baboon,” Frank hisses, realizing now he needs to do damage control. “It is quite unprofessional for an agent to have relations with a client. We don’t allow that here. That only proves that I did the right thing.”

I glare at the man in front of me. “I dare you to say another word. I have been dreaming about what I want to do with you. It’s not good, I can promise you that.”

“Oh yeah, tough guy? You going to beat me to death in front of cameras? You will go to prison. In fact, maybe I should call the cops now. Rid this city of your scum. We all know that money you used to buy that land is blood money. I wonder what they would say to that.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “Why don’t we call them and find out? How many skeletons are you hiding in your closet, Frankie boy? Want to find out?”

“Stop. Please, all of you, stop this nonsense.” Kelly steps up, her hand slipping into mine.

The tension starts to leak out of me.

I was ready to kill that fucker where he stands, but one touch from her, and I can feel myself letting go of some of that anger. The part that makes me reckless.

She grounds me.

“Yes, why don’t we stop this nonsense? Young lady, can you tell me what happened here? I would like to hear it from you,” Mr. Raming asks.

I feel my girl go stiff next to me, but I squeeze her hand.

You’ve got this, dollface.

Kelly

I didn’t expect the man to call me out. I have never met Mr. Raming. I only knew he existed because Frank once complained about not being approved for his broker license and needing to use his brother-in-law’s to start this business.

Smoke is doing his best to protect me, but he doesn’t realize that they are related. It’s unlikely that he will choose me over them.

I’m okay with that, though.

The man wants to hear from me now, and he is staring expectantly. I don’t want to do that. I don’t like the spotlight.

Yet Smoke drove over here without hesitation to have my back. He is willing to fight these men for me.

So I owe it to myself to speak up. To have my voice heard. Even if it doesn’t lead anywhere.

“What Jax, I mean Smoke, said was true.” I change his name out for the one the man used. “When they came in, they were clear they wanted me to be their agent. I don’t know why they chose me, but when Barry saw us, he tried to poach them. Even Frank came and tried to reassign them. After the offer was made on the property, Barry tried again to steal them from me, but I didn’t waiver. The sale was completed this morning. Frank sat me down and explained to me that the commission was going to him. It says in my contract he can take any portion of my commission as he pleases. I hadn’t noticed that detail, otherwise, I would have never signed it. I know I was naive when I started working here. I only wanted a chance to sell properties and earn a good living. I should have been more diligent. Still, what they are doing isn’t right, sir.” I look him in the eye as I finish the last part.

“Is it true that you started relations with this man after he came in?” Mr. Raming.

“It is, but it had no effect on the level of professionalism that I gave this sale. I could not predict that I would fall in love with the man, but I still remained professional here at work. In fact, I told Smoke that I didn’t want him to come here and cause issues.” I look up at Jax. “I’m glad he did, though.”

He winks at me before glaring at Frank and Barry once again.

“Frank, you know better than this. You know that you are only allowed to keep a certain percentage of commission from her. Why are you acting like this is all new to you? This is why you can’t get your broker license. You are too much of a crook. A sexist one from what I can tell.” He shakes his head, turning to Jax and me. “Listen, I can’t fire him. He owns this place, but I can remove my support and take my broker license with me. I would also like to offer you a position at my other real estate office in town, Sunstate Realty. You would be a full agent. No more answering phones and filing. You would have an assistant and an intern to help you with all of that.”

“What? You are pulling her from here?” Frank is outraged.

“I would shut your piehole before someone in this room decides to shut it for you,” Mac says, cracking his knuckles.

“Hmm, I’ve wanted to rearrange his face since I met him,” Gunner adds.

I smile, trying to hide it. These men are here defending me. Not even a single worry about going to jail.

It feels a lot like family.

My family.

“Thank you, Mr. Raming. I would love to accept on the condition that I have a right to leave if I feel I am being mistreated,” I tell him.

“I will make sure that gets added to your contract. You will have your commission by the end of the day. Now if you all will excuse us, we have some business to discuss.” He looks at Frank with anger clear in his features.

I quickly grab my things, smiling when I realize I never have to come back here again. Jax takes my purse and small bits of personal items, stashing them in his saddlebag. Then he helps me with my helmet.

“Thank you for coming,” I tell him.

He smiles, kissing the tip of my nose. “Always, dollface. I told you. You’re not alone anymore.”

“I’ve never been happier to not be alone,” I admit to him.

“Want me to take you home? We still have a lot to do at the new property, but I can come by and see you later.”

I shake my head. “I want to see where our new home will be. Take me with you?”

“Of course.” He presses a quick kiss to my lips before getting on the bike.

The ride is a short one, and I’m sad for it to end. I enjoyed being plastered to my man’s back.

As he helps me off, I realize I never asked him a very important question.

“How did you get named Smoke?” I ask.

“It’s a road name. Everyone gets one when they get accepted to the club. They thought it was funny to name me after the wisps of air floating around. Especially since my brother’s name is Ghost. So it’s as if he can’t be seen, and I’m only a whisper on the air,” he tells me.

“I didn’t realize you had a brother,” I tell him.

He nods. “He’s the president of the Boston chapter.”

“Do you get along?”

“Not really. I wanted to be the leader. There wasn’t room for both of us, so he cast me out.” He sounds sad as he says it.

“Did he cast you out, or did he open your cage and give you permission to find your own way? Sounds like to me he knew that you would never be free up there, so he did the only thing he could. Besides, you would have never met me if you had stayed there.”

He looks at me thoughtfully for many seconds. “You’re right. Maybe I should thank him.”

“I think you should.”

He laughs, picking me up over his shoulder, making me squeal. “First, I think I should show you our room.”