“Give a message to Lover Boy. The River Demon’s and their reign over Noir Valley is numbered.” He slams the roof of the car. “Oh, and tell him, Delaney sends his best.” then he and the others turn and ride down the street.
*****
“You’re cutting it fine.”
I watch as another car pulls into the parking lot of Demon’s Lair. Like most nights, the compound is packed. Then I glance at the punters in front of me as they walk up the gangplank. When they reach the top and turn towards the casino, I turn my gaze to Copper and smile. “There’s another hour before you sail”
Copper scratches his nose, “That might be true. But we close the gates in ten minutes.”
“I’ll remember that the next time.”
Copper nods. His brown eyes piercing. “Talk to Alex about the rules of the riverboat.”
My smile to Copper is tight as I climb the gangplank. The inside of my head pounds. Everyone is using me as a message board for Alex. When I reach the top, I turn to the deck where Alex’s cabin is. The chatter coming from the casino sounds inviting and I’m tempted to change and join the crowd, but I’m not in the mood to face Alex just yet. I need a shower to help clear my head of Jono’s jibes. The cabin is just as I left it with my clothes scattered everywhere. It’s not as though I’ve brought a lot with me. It’s simply the cabin is small with only one wardrobe. Okay, the wardrobe is practically empty with three pairs of jeans hanging inside it. The three-drawer chest of drawers only has one free drawer and I fill it with my underwear, then move Alex’s tee-shirts into the same draw as his socks and fill this drawer with my tops. Four pairs of jeans and three dresses later, I have the wardrobe full. A quick glance around the cabin brings a smile to my lips, at least the bed is cleared.
With the cabin in some sort of order, I head for the club’s private room and like the night before, there are several bikers and several club whores partying. A quick scan of the room shows no sign of Firebird or Eve and I head over to the bar, settling on one of the stools. Through the bar’s over large mirror on the wall, I can watch the room, especially the main door.
“A beer.” Candy said.
I glance up at the blond and nod. She was working the bar the night before. “Thanks, Candy.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
“Used to what.” I take a long sip of my beer. Relishing in the cool liquid as it slides down my throat.
“The abandonment. Left to your own devices while they work the casino.”
“Don’t you work it.”
Candy chuckles as she pours herself a beer. “Before Firebird, the women worked most nights. Now we work a shift pattern. And if this new enterprise TJ’s working on takes off. It’ll be all change again.”
“You were with the River Demon’s before the casino.”
Candy nods. “Started off as a house mouse. Shit. That was about fifteen years ago. I was fourteen and new to Noir Valley. Life was shit at home and Cherry took me in. Stayed with her until she died. Hooked up with Smokey, her old man, for a few months after she died. Then I drifted into the life.”
“You ever thought of getting out.”
Candy shakes her head. “Now, Firebird’s running the women, I’ve about another ten working life years left. Then I’ll find myself an old man to settle down with.”
I frown as I scourer my memory for some information. “Wasn’t Smokey Kit’s Pa.”
“Yeah.”
“You ever fuck Kit.”
“Sure have. Did the old man and son at the same time a couple of times.”
I splutter as the beer I’m sipping slips into my lungs and my eyes waters. “Father and son together.”
“Yep.”
I glance around the room and find Kit; he’s sat at the back of the saloon and a couple of the whores are dancing for him. Kit is quiet and, as the club’s Chaplin, doesn’t spend much time in Noir Valley, traveling from one charter to the next. Visiting the prisons to offer comfort and advice for those who need it. “You think you know it all. And you learn something new.” I push my empty bottle towards Candy, and she passes me a new one.
“You know I’ve fucked Alex.”
I take a sip of my beer and nod. “Apart from Firebird and Eve, who hasn’t he fucked.”
Candy chuckles. “The men.” One of the biker’s shouts Candy over and she places another beer in front of me, then strolls over to him. Her smile in place as she sashays her hips at him. This isn’t my first time on Demon’s Lair or in the saloon, and like last night, I’m spending it on my own. The other couple of times I was here, I had Poppy for company, and we had explored the riverboat as the saloon and the casino were out of bounds to us. I continue to watch the room through the mirror. It’s early, and the party is only just starting. In a couple of hours, it’ll be more of a sex fest. I stayed last night. Watched as several bikers had taken turns to fuck one of the women. Then watched one of the bikers pulled out a tattoo gun and ink the woman across her lower abdomen. Then he’d escorted her around the room, flashing the tat to everyone. ‘Property of the River Demons.’
Candy returns, drinking from a water bottle.
“Is the room soundproof,” I ask.
“Why do you ask?”
“Well it got rowdy last night. And I guess tonight
