Shy shifted from ass in the couch to ass on the edge of it and Hop took his feet but hung back.

They did this because that was an insult. Heidi’s life was worth a lot, but Chaos giving up what they’d given blood for, which meant giving in, giving up, and letting filth infest their turf was asking too fucking much.

Brock, who had more experience in a very real way, living among scum like Valenzuela when he was undercover for the DEA, stood. “This is a waste of time.”

“Don’t be hasty, detective,” Valenzuela urged.

“Then make an offer that isn’t bullshit,” Brock shot back.

Valenzuela smiled. “I give you the name, you give me Monk’s fights.” He looked to Tack. “And a marker.”

Shit.

Fuck.

Owing Valenzuela.

Joker hoped like fuck Tack did not give that.

And they didn’t have the fights. The boys had voted it down. They’d let Monk swing.

Weirdly, Valenzuela didn’t know that.

Brock sat back down.

“You been talkin’ to Monk?” Tack asked.

He shook his head. “He says that goes through your fighter,” then he tipped his head to Joker.

Goddamned shit.

They’d let Monk swing and he still was using Joker’s name to keep his shit free of Valenzuela.

“You got the fights,” Tack gave him something they didn’t have, which meant it didn’t cost to give it. “No marker.”

Valenzuela shook his head again but said, “No marker, then I’ll take the two miles.”

“That’s off the table, seein’ as you showed disrespect by startin’ the way you did.”

“Then no name unless there’s a marker,” Valenzuela volleyed.

“Right,” Tack shot back. “Marker with conditions. No bitches. No drugs. No felonies. Nothin’ fuckin’ illegal. Which means no enforcement. No transportation. No muscle.”

“This leaves selling cookies, Tack, and I don’t sell cookies,” Valenzuela returned, his voice turning impatient.

“It leaves you havin’ a month of Chaos turnin’ the other way. And you wanna jump on that, Benito, and I know you get me,” Tack retorted.

Joker knew Valenzuela got Tack. Brock and Mitch were there for that reason.

Chaos was keeping their patch clean.

They were also keeping tabs. Anything they heard was fed to the cops.

Valenzuela just couldn’t know what they were—or weren’t—hearing.

The truth was, the majority of lowlifes on the street were scared shitless of Valenzuela, which meant Chaos usually got dick.

But Valenzuela didn’t know that.

“You do know,” Hank butted in, “that I’m listenin’ to this bullshit as a courtesy to men I respect. But I’m also the investigating officer on the homicide in question. So if you know a name, make your deal real fuckin’ quick and say it or you’ll be in handcuffs for obstruction of justice.”

Valenzuela’s mouth tightened and Joker dropped his head as he fought back a smile.