Eagle grinned. “By the way, Army’s offered help if we need it.”
“I’m sure he did. He’s been wanting to be a rock star for a long time.” The men laughed. “Brutus and Skull are down too. We may have to use them because I don’t wanna spread the guards out too thin on this gig. We need to be taking care of several other contracts too; she’s not the only one.”
“I’m working on that. I just hired the three guys you approved the other day. That should help. When do we start the babysitting?”
Sangre chuckled. “Tomorrow. The band has a show at Trailside tonight, so I’m gonna head over there and check them out. Do you wanna come?”
“I’ll think about it. Why the hell are they playing if she’s so scared?”
“Exactly. Maybe she knows she’s not really in danger.” A knock on the door stopped their conversation. “Come in.”
A guy in his early twenties opened the door. His brown eyes darted between Sangre and Eagle. With shoulders slumped and a tentative look crossing his face, the young man stepped inside the room.
“What can I do for you, Jon?” Sangre asked. Jon was the son of one of his dad’s friends who worked with him at Reland’s Candies. Sangre hired him as a favor to his dad. One of the main problems with Jon was that he was timid around people, so he usually put the young guard on graveyard shifts or at posts where there wasn’t any interaction with the public.
“I was just wondering if you need me to work the new gig.” The guard lowered his eyes.
“The new gig?” Sangre said.
Redness crept over Jon’s cheeks. “The Iris Blue one.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame.
“I haven’t done the scheduling for the job yet. Eagle, Cueball, and I will handle the first few days until I assess the situation. I may need you to do a couple shifts, so I’ll let you know.” Sangre put his hands behind his head and smiled. “Eagle told me you’re a fan of the band.”
Jon bobbed his head. “Oh yeah, I love their music… they’re awesome. Isla Rose is one of the best vocalists. She can do rock and blues like no one else. I’ve been following them on Instagram for the last few years. It’s hard to believe they’re in Alina. Man, I can’t wait to check out their show tonight. I never thought I’d see them live.”
Sangre ran his eyes over the guard. The way he gushed and rambled on meant he’d be ineffective for the job. He needed men who didn’t give a shit who this Rose chick was or what band she was in. He couldn’t tie up Eagle and Cueball with this twenty-four seven gig in case they were needed at the club, so he was dreading having to put some long hours in watching a woman who was probably making up the whole thing.
“I’d be honored to protect Isla Rose. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to harm her. I’ll make sure she’s safe.” Jon narrowed his eyes, and Sangre saw his body stiffen.
“I’ll let you know. Anything else on your mind?”
Shaking his head, he stepped back. “I just wanted you to know I’m here to help any way I can.”
“Good to know. Thanks, Jon. I’ll probably see you at Trailside later on. I’m going to check out the band too. Close the door on your way out.” Jon turned around and pulled the door shut behind him. Sangre breathed out through his mouth. “He’s definitely not gonna help out with this job unless we’re totally desperate.”
Eagle laughed. “I’d say he’s a rabid fan. I’ve decided I’ll join you tonight to see what all the fuss is about. I love hard rock and the blues. Maybe they’ll kick ass like AC/DC.” Eagle stood up and jerked his head back. “What? Stop looking at me like that.”
Fixing his gaze on Eagle, Sangre shook his head slightly. “To even hint that this chick and her band could remotely come close to AC/DC is fuckin’ blasphemy.”
“I’m not saying they are, I just meant they may give a good show. All right, I’m gonna check to make sure everyone’s going to be where they need to be, then I’ll see you at the clubhouse.”
“Is Manuel handling the phones tonight?” Sangre asked, pushing his chair back and rising to his feet.
“Yup. If anything’s fucked up, he’ll call you. Later, bro.” Eagle left the room.
Sangre grabbed Iris Blue’s folder off the desk and placed it in the file cabinet, then grabbed his keys and headed out to the parking lot. Minutes later, he was speeding down the open road in the direction of the clubhouse. Like the majority of the single members, Sangre lived at the club. He had a room on the second floor since he was an officer; he’d been treasurer for the past four years, and he took his position very seriously. The previous treasurer, Rooster, practically had the club in bankruptcy, and it took a lot of effort and tightening of the reins to bring it back around. Because of his efforts, the Night Rebels MC had a strong cash flow, and Steel had been talking to him about opening another business in addition to their other dealings: Lust Strip Bar, Skid Marks Bike and Auto Shop, Get Inked Tattoo Shop, Balls and Holes Pool Hall, and New Leaf Dispensary.
The new prospect, Ink, opened the iron gates, and Sangre rode into the parking lot and parked his Harley. The savory and sweet aroma of hickory and apple wood, coupled with the piquant scent of chili pepper and smoky cumin, wafted around him when he entered the main room. He saw Army and Skull sitting at one of the tables with plates of ribs, mashed potatoes, and coleslaw in front of them. He went over to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down, stretching his long legs in front of him.
“Hey, how’s it going?” Sangre asked, glancing at their plates.
“Not bad. The ribs fuckin’ rock.” Army picked one up and bit into it, barbecue sauce slipping down his chin. Grabbing a napkin, he wiped his mouth. “Did you start the gig with that rock star chick?”
Sangre picked up the bottle of beer one of the prospects put in front of him. “Not yet.” He took a long pull. “I’m going to check out the band tonight. You interested in meeting me at Trailside?”
“Hell yeah. What time are you gonna be there?” Army picked up another rib.
“Around nine.”