1GRAYSON ‘GRIFFIN’ BLAKE
Iwalked into the sixth floor of the casino, and my brows rose. Damn. The cleaning staff we employed was on it. Some of the best we’d ever hired by the looks of it. No one would have guessed that the common area of the seven floors that made the clubhouse had a party that got out of control last night.
No longer did the space have beer bottles and food containers strewn all over the place. Not even a single glass sat anywhere. It was clean and smelled of warm cinnamon and apples. Probably from the wax warmers the staff usually turned on when they attacked the space to return it to a habitable space.
I gave chin nods a couple of the guys, some newly patched in and some prospects. When my eyes caught my best friend, Stone, I relaxed. He had gone on a bender, and the last time I’d seen him, he was having a damn good time. But it looked like that good time had come at a price. Sitting on one of the recliners he preferred, he looked like death had warmed over and was about to take him. My eyes rose to my hairline, and I had to press my lips together to stop from laughing at his dumb ass. We were both too damn old for nights like that.
If I remembered right, he’d had a blonde on one knee and a redhead on the other last night as they gave him a show whilethey made out with each other right there on his lap while he’d chugged down a bottle of whiskey. Whiskey I’d tried to warn him about hitting too hard.
But Stone never fucking listened.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I asked as I approached. His usually bright blue eyes seemed a little dim as he stared back at me, dark circles under his eyes.
“I think I caught something,” his deep voice rumbled before he groaned. Jesus, the Viking-looking motherfucker looked like absolute shit.
“Like what?” I stopped, not wanting to get closer to him if it was contagious.
“I don’t know.” He coughed and cleared his throat. “Some of the dancers last night had a cough.” He shrugged.
“And you still hooked up with them?” I guessed with a chuckle. Not that Stone was fazed by it. The guy liked to get his, and the ladies loved the giant, bearded guy. Who wouldn’t? Stone was easy going and charming. Until he wasn’t.
He shrugged, neither denying nor confirming, but that wasn’t new, either. As much as he liked to get his, he was not the type to kiss and brag. Instead, I watched as the poor sap wiped his clammy-looking forehead. If I was right, his skin had turned to a green shade I didn’t want anything to do with. I wasn’t a germaphobe, but I wasn’t aching to contract whatever bug his giant body was fighting.
“You think you could check if I have a temp?” he groaned, his voice raspier than usual.
“What? How?”
“Take my temp, dude. Do I feel hot?”
“Motherfucker, I’m not going to touch you.” I put my hands up in innocence.
“Why not?”
“I don’t want to get whatever you have, that’s why! Ask one of the prospects.” Soft groans rose behind me, and I smirked. The prospects were such little bitches. There was something about this batch that didn’t have me at all excited about getting them patched in.
“Cruz-a-mondo,” I called behind me. The skinny young kid stood and walked over without hesitating.
“What can I do for you, Griffin?” he asked.
I heard chuckles behind me. It was the two fuckers laughing at Cruz who irked me the most of the group of guys who were trying to become the newest members of the Steel Sinners. Something about those two rubbed me the wrong. way I’d talked to Stone about it, and we had decided to keep an eye on ‘em.
“Here.” I took out my wallet and handed him a two hundred-dollar bills. “Go out to the pharmacy. Get some essentials for Stone, yeah? Nyquil, Dayquil, cough drops, and canned chicken noodle soup. Saltines. Gatorade. All the shit needed to get this fucker feeling better.”
“Got it. I’ll be right back, Stone. I’ll be fast,” the young kid said.
“Don’t kill yourself,” Stone muttered, and Cruz nodded before he hurried out. I sighed and extended my hand so my palm could rest on Stone’s forehead.
“Jesus, man, I could fry an egg on you,” I noted. The guy was burning up. As much as I hated it, worry started to grow in the pit of my gut. I wasn’t a sentimental fucker, but Stone was my best friend. A brother from another mother.
“You better not fucking try,” he muttered, making my lips twitch.
“Jenkins and Turd Head,” I called out and heard long-winded sighs behind me. “Come over here,” I ordered before turning my attention back on my buddy. “What would make youfeel better, Stone? Vicks on your feet?” I suggested, and Stone’s eye’s lit up.
“Wouldn’t hurt.” His lips quirked up. “Maybe an omelet, too… with toast.”
“You heard him, fuckers. Get to work,” I said with a don’t-give-me-shit tone.
“Who has to touch his feet?” Turd Head asked. I rolled my eyes.