What do you think would happen if Floyd were to meet Riddle's mother?! Cuz I just read your Mama/Papa leech Headcanons about meeting their sons crush. But what if it’s reversed? Riddle's mother Meeting Floyd? (I would also say Yuu's parents meeting Jade, but unfortunately, that won't be happening)
“Wow, I thought Lil Goldfishie was a stick in the mud, his mama has a whole branch up her—” *gets kicked in the groin*
I have very mixed feelings about Riddle's mother, in that with the context we have right now she's a bitch and if I ever see her it's on motherfucking sight. But she must love her son still, right? Is she harsh because he wants to set Riddle up for success, but only knows the way she was raised? Is she scared of her kid getting hurt or failing, and so she tries to shield him from all possible harm? Is she so hyperaware of all the dangers in society that she feels the need to keep him in a little bubble, knowing in the back of her mind that making mistakes and getting hurt is part of growing up? A good mother would never want to see their child ever get hurt if it were up to them. I mean, she must care for him in some way, but how? In the manga or novel (not sure which) they mention that she fought back against the school to keep him in, but was that because she wanted him to have the prestige of NRC in his background or because she wants what's best for him? She homeschooled him herself to the point that he's an immensely powerful mage already as a teen, so she could've hypothetically kept doing the same thing, right? Is she a mother that truly cares for her son but suffered the same childhood, but she “turned out fine” so it must be fine? Or is she just a bitch, lol. Either way, she is emotionally and affectionately neglectful and doesn't realize it at best, and emotionally and psychologically abusive at worst.
I have a lot to say on the topic of Mrs. Rosehearts, about her parenting, the cultural differences of child-rearing that EN players and JP players might have. This post talks about it in depth, but I can say more on the topic later.
In regards to Floyd meeting Mrs. Rosehearts, probably against Riddle's wishes or while he's distracted, the poor guy is set up for disappointment. While it's implied that Mama Leech is overprotective and that she calls very often, if not daily, to check in on her sons, they still had enough freedom growing up to get into shenanigans and hijinks. I mean, they beat up a sturgeon and took some of its scales to fashion into earrings like a trophy. And they both speak very fondly of her, so Floyd is going into meeting Mrs. Rosehearts with the expectation that she might be a bit stuffy. But, she raised Riddle, his crush and favorite human! He's strict and mean at times, but he cares a lot for his dorm and is super diligent, she must be like that too!
But she's so…critical. She looks at him unamused, very standoffish, but is polite. He guesses. He can see where Riddle got his strictness from.
“Hello. Who might you be?” She probably didn't expect to have some random student, not even from her son's dorm, come up to her. He was...tall. Towered over her, and based on the color of his hair and sharp teeth, most likely wasn't human.
“Huh, you're not as red as my Lil Goldfishie is.”
She blinked and frowned, resisting the urge to chastise the strange fellow for his informal tone and rube behavior. Not her son, not her problem.
“Pardon? Do you often speak to your elders like this?” she asked, eyeing him as she turned away to watch her son give orders to his dorm as they managed an informational booth.
“Yeah, why not? They're just people. Not like I'm being rude or anything” She would strongly disagree. “You're kinda prickly, like a lionfish.”
“W-what?” She changed her mind, someone needs to put him in her place. “Now listen here, young man, it's quite rude to call people anything other than their na—”
“They're real mean, ya know. Venomous, a nuisance, can't even mess with it cause it has a bunch of spines—oh! Imma call you Mama Lionfish.” The young man snapped his left fingers like he made a revelation.
Mrs. Rosehearts had learned to control her temper, but she still had her moments, Her face been bright red, her lips thinned, and she opened her mouth to start berating the young man.
“Floyd Leech! What did I tell you about calling people names?” A tall, slender women came up to them, pale skin and hair hue similar to the man in front of her. She wore a cream-colored dress and matching blazer, adorned with gold and pearls, and a matching wide brimmed hat. She was followed by Riddle, who looked a mix of anger and concern.
“Never do it in front of people, yeah, yeah.” The man named Floyd pouted, but brightened at the sight of Riddle. “Oh hey Lil Goldfishie! What's uuuup?”
Floyd jogged over to Riddle, halting him midstep as Mrs. Rosehearts noticed Riddle almost bristle, trying to sidestep and get around Floyd. He was failing.
“I apologize, you know how boys can be!” The woman in front of her also towered over her, though not nearly as much as her son did. “My Floyd doesn't mean anything by it, he just a silly boy.”
The blue haired woman laughed, then abruptly stopped, narrowing her golden gaze as she thinly smiled.
“You're the man's mother, I assume.” Mrs. Rosehearts replied, smoothing out her skirt and clutching her hands together. “He's very...spirited. He's from the Leech family? Is it safe to assume that your the Leech family matriarch?”
The other woman's sharp toothed smile grew as she nodded. “Yes. It's not often that I come to the surface. But it's wonderful to know that I'm as—oh—well-known, on the surface, as under the sea.”
Mrs. Rosehearts wouldn't use the word 'well-known' as much as she would infamous.
“Yes, well. I would just remind your son to not so blatantly call people names to their faces.” she said, clenching and unclenching her fist in an attempt to sooth herself. “I'm not sure what your customs are under the sea, but up here he would be considered a riffraff.”
For all her talk about politeness, Mrs. Rosehearts forgot herself at time and let things slip out of her mouth faster than she processed. She knew she pressed a button when Mrs. Leech's smile disappeared.
It was only for a moment, but with the blank face and the way her gold eyes bore into her, it felt like her body and soul were being grasped by something dark and violent.
Then that feeling was gone as Mrs. Leech smiled again and closed her eyes, tilting her head.
“He'll be fine, I'm sure he'll find his people. After all, it seems he's already found someone in your son.”
Both women moved their gazes to the pair, now bickering. Well, Riddle was, the one called Floyd, was just swaying on his heels as he grinned and make a comment here and there. Each one after the other seemed to fluster her son further, his cheeks growing in color as they spoke. Most people who knew her son would assume that the red was attributed to his rage, and it mostly was. But (fortunately or unfortunately, she couldn't decide) her son was much like her. It wasn't rage that made his eyes dart away each time their eyes met for too long. It wasn't rage that made him scuff his foot every so often. And it most certainly wasn't rage in his eyes.
Mrs. Rosehearts cleared her throat, turning away from Mrs. Leech and walking to her son.
“I don't know what you're implying, but I must be going now. My son and I still need to tour his dorm.”
Mrs. Leech watched the other woman walk away, sighing.
“Oh, what a disdainful woman. And her son is so lovely too…she really is like a lionfish.”
“Yeah, it's a good nickname for her, right Mama?” Floyd came bounding over, stretching his arms. “Is' too bad she's a stuck-up, gonna real annoying if she's my mother-in-law.”
“Hm, I'll just have to overcompensate then and be the best Mama for you and the little Riddle!” Mama Leech clapped her hands excitedly, sighing in bliss at the thought.
“Oh, it will be so wonderful to see the family grow big...oh! By the way, Floyd.” Mama Leech walked away, Floyd following after diligently. “I might have mentioned a little 'something' to him about your cute rambles about him. He was so cute, all red and flushed when I said you're positively infatuated, calling him cute and—”
“Aw what! Mama!”
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7. Who Do You Belong To?
Barbarian. Biker!Jake
18+ minors get lost.
A/n: This was out a lot later than I wanted it to be, but nonetheless, it’s here!! My life has been a whirlwind lately and I had to take the time to slow down and get this up! I also have something else coming up that I’m excited to share with you guys so be on the lookout for that. Let me know if you’d like to be added to the taglist, thanks for reading, and enjoy the ride!
Content Warnings: Explicit language, fighting/ arguing, Jake & reader being a *lil* toxic, explicit sexual content, rough/ angry sex, fingering (f!rec), unprotected sex, dirty talk, mentions of criminal activity, violence, blood, mentions of death…
Word Count: 4.5k
A few nights later, Jake was showering in anticipation of a celebratory night out with the club to mark the finalization of their plan. The following day, the gang would ride up to Washoe, the location of Bobby's casino, to at last set their plan into motion. He’d invited you to join, but you declined. Despite your fondness for the guys, you preferred not to spend too much time at the tavern unless you were working, for personal reasons, of course.
Opting for a quiet night at home, you settled in, most likely going to curl up watching Golden Girls while awaiting Jake's return, likely a little too drunk and eager to burn a hole in the floor with you. Currently, you sat on the bed, occupied by nothing in particular while the tunes of Guns n' Roses played softly through Riley's old CD station—Jake's favorite music for getting ready for a night out.
The tranquility was interrupted by the chime of Jake's phone, a familiar prelude to many a turbulent evening. His phone lay on the nightstand beside the bed, and you initially ignored the first notification. However, as the phone continued to buzz, you grew curious and glanced at the screen. Expecting to see a message from one of the other Barbarians with details about the night's events, you were taken aback to see a girl's name prominently displayed on the screen.
Compounding your surprise, Jake’s lack of a phone password allowed you unrestricted access to the message contents, a privilege you soon regretted.
Sitting at the edge of the bed, you couldn’t resist the temptation to read through the messages.
Layla:
Hey Jakey…
Missing U…
The final message was not a text but rather a provocative picture of Layla, her upper half barely covered by a sheer blue fabric
Sheer fury began to take over, a side of you few had witnessed. While most knew you as the reserved girl with a multitude of secrets, very few were privy to the short-tempered, fiery aspect that emerged when you were truly angered. You had always tried to keep this side hidden, wary of appearing vulnerable again.
Yet, whether it was passion or another emotion, the sight of those messages on Jake's phone, especially after everything you two had been through in such a short amount of time, propelled you into the bathroom, shower be damned, to confront him.
With phone in hand, you flung back the plastic shower curtain with a force that made Jake start.
"Jesus, Cherry," he exclaimed, "you scared the piss out of me."
Ignoring his protest, you thrust his phone toward him, “who the fuck is Layla?"
Jake felt his heart plummet, and he struggled to hold back a curse. Truthfully, he hadn't thought about Layla since his time in New Mexico, let alone communicated with her. Those texts were an anomaly, yet they were undeniable evidence on his phone, leaving Jake with little room to deny it.
He shifted uncomfortably under the shower's stream, running a hand through his wet hair. "She's uh... she's a dancer I met in New Mexico."
"Did you fuck her?" Your question cut him off before he could finish his sentence.
"What?" His tone carried a genuine sense of insult, as if you were foolish for even posing the question, despite the glaring evidence before you.
"Did you fuck her, Jakey?" You tossed the endearing nickname back at him mockingly, fueling his rising anger.
He knew the question was justified, especially with the evidence you held in front of you. Yet, a part of him had hoped you saw him differently, like you’d expressed a few weeks prior in your bathroom. He believed you saw him in a better light.
“I didn’t fuck her, Cherry, okay?” Jake turned off the water and reached for his towel from the wall rack, “the guys went to the strip club after our meeting. I got a little wasted, she came back to my room for a private dance and some drugs, and I crashed out. She just gave me her number to keep in touch, but I never used it.”
If that were true, you couldn’t remain too angry with him. It sounded like something you might do on a wild night out. In fact, it eerily echoed a night from spring break years ago. Yet, the wounded part of you resisted believing him.
“Bullshit,” you spat, pivoting on your heels to exit the bedroom once more.
Jake stepped out behind you, towel draped loosely around his waist, his hand holding it in place.
You were tossing his belongings around, on the brink of hurling them out onto the lawn. Whether he returned to Rex's or crashed at Ace's, you didn't care; you just wanted him gone.
"Un-fucking-believable. You live in my house, lay in my fucking bed every night, and still have the audacity to go fuck some stripper? You're disgusting," you yelled, your voice echoing loudly, disregarding the paper-thin walls that made it likely the neighbors could hear the commotion.
"Would you chill the fuck out?" Jake shouted back, his own anger escalating at your accusations.
"You're a liar!"
"I didn't fuck her!" Jake's voice resonated, silencing you instantly. However, your rapid breathing persisted as you locked eyes across the room.
In the heat of the moment, Jake let slip words he instantly regretted. Locking eyes with you, he said, “and so what if I did? We’re just two comfortable strangers fucking. You’re acting like we’re together or something. You’re not mine, and I’m damn sure not yours.”
He saw the hurt flicker across your face before it morphed into an angrier, more spiteful expression.
“Well, that means I can go fuck Nicky, right? Since we don’t belong to each other?”
Having sex with Nicky was the furthest thing from your mind; you were merely trying to wound Jake as deeply as he’d hurt you. You didn’t care how low you had to stoop, you’d do anything to shield your fragile emotions.
And Jake understood this, he knew you didn’t mean what you said since he was aware of your brief history with Nicky before his return to Genoa. He also knew that you knew about Jake’s strong dislike for him, though you didn’t realize the depth of that animosity. Despite understanding your intent, Jake’s upset remained undiminished.
Jake advanced toward you with a furious intensity, his anger so palpable that, under different circumstances, you might have been afraid. He didn’t pause as he closed the distance between you, continuing until he had you backed against the wall, looming over you.
“You better watch your fucking mouth, Cherry,” he warned, and you couldn’t deny that his venomous tone sent heat coursing through your body and stopping right at you center. You glared at him, taking a deep breath before a cocky smirk appeared on your face, “you seem mad, Jakey,” you hissed the nickname again.
You tried not to pry your eyes away from his to watch the droplets of water roll across his skin and down into his towel, so you stuck your chin up in defiance, not willing to back down.
Jake chuckled, “you haven’t seen angry.”
In all honesty, Jake was enjoying seeing you seething like this, it was definitely a turn on he was pleasantly surprised and excited to see.
In an instant, his lips crashed onto yours, a sudden and forceful advance that had your back slamming against the wall. The kiss was anything but gentle— rough and charged with anger as Jake held you pinned. Initially, you responded to his familiar allure despite the circumstances. However, reality quickly set in.
Pushing him away, you watched as he staggered back a few steps. You stared at him, a mix of disbelief and lingering exasperation in your eyes, while his gaze held a complex intensity, one that seemed to be torn between wanting to rip your head off and wanting to plow into you.
Breathing heavily, you locked eyes in a standoff that seemed to stretch on for a bit too long. Finally, unable to resist any longer, your bodies collided once again, this time with equal force from both sides.
Everything was quick, Jake’s loose towel falling from his waist, him hoisting you up against the wall, all the while your mouths never parting. Your nails clawed at his back as you devoured one another, his teeth biting at your bottom lip every time you dug them in.
He pulled away for a moment as he brought the fingers of his right hand up to your mouth, pushing against your lips in silent demand. Your lips parted slowly, and Jake wasted no time dragging two of his fingers across your tongue. A shudder coursed through your body, and a cocky grin began to spread across Jake’s face.
“You’re disgusting,” he mocked as he tilted his head up at you. You wanted so badly to be angry with him, but you couldn’t deny the throbbing between your legs from his smug words and his hard cock pressed against your thigh.
All you could do was dig your nails into him again, which caused a breathy laugh to float out of him. The fingers that were once resting on your tongue began finding their way beneath your lounge shorts and cotton underwear. You were admittedly ashamed for Jake to have found you already wet with need.
He swiftly pushed your underwear to the side before sinking his fingers inside of you, causing your hands to go slack and your mouth to fall open.
“Not so mean now are you, Cherry?”
You moaned in response, deciding to no longer fight the way your body was begging for him. His movements were calculated as he watched your face contort, capturing a particularly high pitched moan of yours in another clumsy kiss.
He continued his movements, using his other arm to keep you held firm against the wall, but before your body could completely settle in the feeling of his fingers stretching you out, he was removing them. You let out a weak moan at the loss of sensation, but couldn’t pout for long before Jake was yanking your shorts away from your body. It was awkward, as he refused to let you down, and you were forced to maneuver this way and that to get them down with his help, but he was oh so determined.
“You couldn’t give this sweet little pussy away even if you wanted to,” he grunted into your ear as your shorts and panties finally fell from around your ankle and to the floor. Jake used his free hand to stroke himself, his tip rubbing against the inside of your thigh as he did so, “you know she belongs to me.”
As much as you wanted to argue against his words, you knew you couldn’t. Instead, you stared into his eyes as he slid himself inside of you to the hilt, staking his claim over your body.
“Tell me,” he goaded as he reveled in the feeling of your nails digging into his shoulders again and the sound of bliss escaping your body. “Tell me who this pussy belongs to.”
Rather than thrusting into you, Jake grabbed you by the base of your ass and began bouncing you onto himself, displaying his strength in a way that was sure to send you to your end quickly.
“You,” you cried out shamelessly, letting your head fall against the wall, “it belongs to you Jake.”
He smiled in satisfaction, but clearly wasn’t finished.
He let you go once more to grip your face, forcing you to look even deeper into his eyes, “who do you belong to, Cherry?”
“I belong to you, Jake.”
In that moment, for however long it lasted, you meant what you said. You liked the idea of being his, only his. You enjoyed the way he was staking his claim on you. Although he knew your threats were empty, he seemingly felt the need to show you where you stood with one another.
Satisfied with your heeding, Jake let his instincts take over and began rocking into you steadily, allowing you to chase the high of your climax.
“Oh my god,” you rasped, holding onto him for dear life. You could still feel a bit of residual anger in his thrusts, and it only made it feel that much better.
“That’s right baby, take your dick.”
You knew that his words were intentional. It was his way of solidifying his loyalty to you without having to say so much. It was such a Jake thing to do, but damn if you didn’t love it.
It was then you realized that you’d more than likely been hasty in your accusations. Sure he might have gotten a little crazy one night in New Mexico, but you didn’t think he slept with someone else.
There was an understanding between the two of you far deeper than either of you would ever be able to express out loud. But in a way that was true to your relationship, the sex always held the truth.
With a few more pointed thrusts, you were calling out his name repeatedly as you crescendoed over the edge.
“God you look so fucking good when you do that,” he shook his head before tightening his grip on you as his end began to take him.
He slid out of you just as he began to spill, catching it in his hands with a deep groan that cause one last ripple of electricity to race through your body.
His forehead dropped on the wall next to you, and you let the sound of his deep breaths bring your pulse back neutral.
“Fuck that bonfire,” he muttered before looking up at you, “we’re gonna smoke a joint, and we’re gonna do that again.”
You went at it for three more animalistic rounds before eventually drifting off to sleep, entwined beneath the covers, the music still playing softly in the background long after you both succumbed to slumber. The following morning, you shared your now customary breakfast together as if the events of the previous night had never occurred, before Jake departed to attend to gang matters.
He arrived at the tavern just after noon, finding the front bar area deserted. However, as he made his way to the back meeting room, he was met with a buzz of activity and excitement as the club prepared to ride out to Washoe Lake where Bobby's casino was located.
Ace spotted him almost immediately, as if he had been expecting his arrival. Pushing through the crowd of leather-clad figures, Ace approached Jake, offering his customary pat on the shoulder.
"There you are," he greeted, his tone casual, “missed you last night. Where were you?"
Jake resisted the urge to smirk, opting for a nonchalant shrug instead, “got caught up with the old lady," he replied, nodding in your direction, eliciting a chuckle from Ace. "You know how it is."
Shaking his head in amusement, Ace mused to himself, "Puppy love."
“Well look,” he insisted, “we just got the all clear from the spotters. Scene is neutral and Bobby is a sitting duck.” Jake nodded in confirmation as Ace continued, “lets go ahead and head out so we can fill before we hit the road.“
Ace called out to gather the attention of the men in the room before signaling for them to roll out. The men began filing out the back door to the dirt parking lot, starting their bikes and filing out one by one.
It was tradition for the guys to fuel up before a ride, even if Washoe was only a half hour drive north of Genoa. And even if their bikes didn’t really need it, every member at least put a gallon in for “good luck” of sorts.
Not only that, but on their way out, they would fill up at the same exact gas station every single time, and had been doing so for the last 30 years.
The Barbarians had been good friends of the family that owned it, and of course, they never complained about the amount of business these meetings brought to them.
Their arrival was always signaled by the monstrous roar of fifty plus bikes pulling up around the pumps, anyone who was filling up before quickly vacated to allow the gang to convene in their seemingly sacred spot.
This time was no different, Jake leaned against the pillar by one of the gas pumps as his bike filled. He watched as the men talked amongst one another, waiting their turns to fill and then wait for departure. It was funny the way he felt so at home but yet still so out of touch with the men.
He caught a glimpse of Nicky amongst the crowd, talking to Frogman and another newer member named Stryker, noticing how he seemed very into whatever it was he was talking about.
After almost half an hour the gang set off, Ace, Jake, Steeljaw, Madcap, and Ski Ball held up the front line, but Nicky wasn’t too far behind, this irked Jake. He knew Nicky had been a member just as long as he had, but he still felt like he didn’t deserve to be so near the head of operations in the way he was. ‘Brother’ or not, he didn’t trust him.
Luckily, before he could really let his thoughts consume him, taken away by the ride on an open road, the group was veering off the main road off onto the route that led them directly to Bobby’s casino.
The casino wasn’t fancy by any means, it main appeal being that it sat just off of Lake Washoe and had quite the view from the main game room. Other than that, it was pretty standard as far as casino’s went.
As far as the crowd, it was always a mix bag. During holidays there was always an influx of well-off people looking for an alternative to the glitz and glam of the Vegas strip. In addition to that were it’s year round middle to old age tourists, also with enough money to waste at a casino. Most of its regulars though were older, washed up men and women in debt up to their shoulders and hardly anything to live for.
Thanks to good intel and proper preparation, the Barbarians were able to breach Bobby’s casino with little to no disturbances. The gang glided through the modestly packed game room, the few people in attendance watching silently, too intimidated to utter a word. Instead, they continued to play their hands and wore out the machines, funneling their money into Bobby’s pockets, and soon, into the Barbarians’.
Bobby was caught completely off guard by their arrival. Before he had a chance to flee, Ace, Jake, and several other long-standing Barbarians stormed his office, while the rest of the gang waited outside the doors for any of Bobby’s men who might try to resist.
It was evident that Bobby was rattled by their presence. Nevertheless, ever the slimeball, he had an ugly, sly smirk plastered on his face as he addressed the group.
“To what do I owe the pleasure, boys?” he greeted, kicking his feet up on his desk. His eyes scanned the group, and before anyone could answer, his gaze fell on Jake with surprise.
“Ho-ly shit,” he scoffed in disbelief, “Jake? Man I haven’t seen you since-”
Jake held up his hand to cut him off. “We can save the pleasantries, Bobby. This isn’t a family reunion,” he said in a clipped tone. “We’re here on business.”
Still wearing his smirk, Bobby cast his gaze over to Ace. “What kind of business?”
Jake rarely saw Ace lose his cool and always admired his composure. However, it was evident that Ace’s patience with Bobby was thin. The club was under a lot of pressure, and they had no time for games.
“Don’t sit there acting clueless like you don’t know you owe us a fuck ton of money. You’ve been cheating us for years, and it may have slid under the radar when Rex was around,” Ace said, taking a step toward Bobby’s desk. Bobby quickly sat up in defense, “but now, we’re here to collect what we’re owed.”
Bobby’s face turned a shade redder, anger boiling beneath the surface. He knew he’d been cheating the Barbarians out of serious money, but he had thought he was clever enough to avoid any repercussions.
The realization that his scheme was unraveling made his clean-shaven head almost steam.
“What are you trying to say?” he seethed, leaning forward with a mock innocence.
Jake, his patience wearing thin, stepped closer. “What we’re saying is we’re setting up shop here,” he said, his voice hard. “We’re taking over operations and financials until we get our all of our money back and then some.”
A tense silence settled over the room as they awaited Bobby’s response. He glared at them for a long moment before a mirthless laugh escaped his lips.
“The fuck you are.”
Apparently, Jake and Ace weren’t the only ones fed up with Bobby’s arrogance.
Steeljaw, never one to hold back, came barreling forward, his large fist connecting solidly with the side of Bobby’s face. Madcap, as if waiting for a cue, lunged forward and landed another blow.
A brief scuffle ensued but ended quickly as Jake stepped in, snatching Bobby up by the collar of his shirt.
“I guarantee, Bobby, we can show you a whole lot better than we can tell you,” Jake spat. “Besides, we aren’t the only ones you owe.”
Bobby’s bleeding face turned toward Ace, confusion and fear mixing in his eyes. “What the fuck is he talking about?”
“The EDS,” Ace said casually, knowing the name would strike a different kind of fear in him. “The Barbarians are in the hole with them. And if we’re in the hole, so are you.”
For the first time, Bobby looked genuinely terrified. He knew the Barbarians could do damage, but the EDS was a different story entirely.
“Don’t get me involved with those guys. They’re fucking crazy. High-profile killers.”
Jake nodded, his grip tightening on Bobby’s shirt as he leaned in. “Exactly, so let me make myself clear. You, your casino, you belong to us now. Completely. Every dollar that passes through this place gets filtered through us before you even get to touch it. All your loyal men who have been helping you pull this off? We’re replacing them.”
Blood dripped from several spots on Bobby’s face, but he still had the nerve to object, “you can’t do that.”
“Hey man,” Ace chimed in, his tone a warning, “this is only meant to be temporary, but we can make it a permanent gig if you want.” He shrugged, “can’t be no Bobby Thompson’s Casino without Bobby Thompson.”
Jake stared at him, his eyes cold, “are we clear here?”
Bobby smirked, despite his injuries, “you’re so much like your daddy, you know? Just like him.”
The comment enraged Jake. Still gripping Bobby’s shirt tightly, he punched him once, then twice. Bobby crumpled onto his desk, coughing and clutching his face.
Jake glared down at him before Ace ushered him out of the room, “come on, kid, we’ve got business to handle.”
Bobby’s men rushed in as they exited, but they knew better than to retaliate. After all, they belonged to the Barbarians now. Once in the hallway, the men began dispersing to handle their different jobs, while others lingered, waiting for orders.
“We’ll probably need to stick around for a while, make sure everything is in order so we can get the ball rolling. You cool with that?” Ace asked.
Jake, still fuming from Bobby’s words, nodded and tried to regain his composure. “Yeah, I’ll hang back. I’ll just call Cherry and let her know.”
Amid the muffled conversations in the hallway, Jake heard Nicky scoffing behind him. Jake knew Nicky had been listening in, and he still had steam to blow off.
He turned to face Nicky, quickly closing the distance between them, “something to say, Nicky?”
Nicky, hot-headed as ever, met Jake with equal aggression, as if it had been brewing all day.
Before the two could escalate, Ace stepped between them, and Ski Ball moved forward, ready to intervene if needed. “Not right now, fellas,” Ace said calmly, “we’ve got too much important business to handle.” He turned to Nicky, “go ride with Fleet and the guys to secure the warehouse location.”
Nicky looked like he wanted to object, but Ace’s stern look made him turn and obey. Not without one last sneer at Jake, though.
Ace waited until Nicky was out of sight before removing his hand from Jake’s shoulder. “Let’s head up to meet Alejandro’s people. They should be here now.”
He turned to leave without waiting for confirmation, instead muttering, “why do we even keep Nicky around? He’s nothing but dead weight, a loose cannon waiting to go off. He’s the main reason Jaxon got killed.”
Ace followed closely behind, his voice low to keep the conversation between them. “You know you can’t keep putting that on him.”
Jake scoffed, “right, I should just blame my dad for putting him in that position in the first place.”
“Hey,” Ace’s voice was firm, stopping Jake in his tracks. Both of their faces were serious as they stood in the empty, quiet hallway, Ace ready to speak his mind on a conversation he so often avoided having with Jake.
“That night haunts us all, Jake. Jaxon’s death haunts us all.”
A sigh escaped Jake’s lips as he finally let his true emotions show, something only Ace ever really saw.
“He was my best friend, Ace,” his voice cracked.
Ace looked genuinely sympathetic. He’d been there through both of the boy’s upbringing since the very beginning, so he was aware of the type of bond that they shared. He also knew how much it devastated Jake when Jaxon was killed.
There was a certain type of comfort that Ace had to reserve for another time, so instead, he offered Jake something else. Something a lot less comforting and a lot more real.
“Jaxon isn’t the first person to die in our line of occupation, and he won’t be the last. You’ve seen that wall at the tavern, it’s full of fallen men. Yes, it’s unfortunate, but it’s a part of the life. You knew it when you joined the club,” he paused and stared directly into Jake’s eyes, “and Jaxon knew it too.”
As much as Jake wanted to argue, he knew Ace was right. But still, it didn’t make the situation any better. And more still, Jaxon’s death could have been avoided had it not been for Nicky’s recklessness and his father’s indifference.
Without another word spoken between them, the men made their way back to the main game room where Alejandro’s men sat at one of the bars, waiting just as they expected the to be.
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