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“We should take this job more seriously,” I add.
I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince myself or them at this point.
“You take it more seriously,” Fossil snaps, sounding like a child.
My phone starts buzzing in my pocket and I’m glad for the distraction, because I was about to do something childish too. Like get into one of those fist fights with him that I spent last night breaking up.
It’s Ariel and I have to read her name off the screen three times before I believe it. She never calls. She never even texts.
“Ariel? Is something wrong?” I ask as I pick up with a wide smile on my face that I have no chance of preventing.
She breathlessly invites me to some cat trapping thing that sounds like the last thing I want to do. But I agree to it right away, still smiling like an idiot. And then I ask her what she’s been up to, and get more information about feral cats in return, which is not something I ever thought I’d be interested in. But I find myself asking questions. Just to keep her talking.
Fossil and Archer stare at me intently, but I turn my back on them and it’s enough to make me forget they’re even there. I like talking to her very much. But today, it’s like I need to talk to her. But eventually even my questions stop producing much by way of answers and I have to let her go.
“Ooo, was that your girlfriend?” Fossil asks, trying to sound like a little girl, I suppose, and it’s gross.
“What’s her name?” Archer coos too.
“That’s none of your fucking business,” I snap.
“But we know what it is,” Archer says. “Ariel. You said it.”
“Shut up.” I don’t want them soiling her name with their voices.
“Is she the Ariel that was a world class whore trained by Horned Riders MC?” Fossil asks.
My throat’s so tight with rage I can’t even tell him to shut up again.
“That’s damaged goods, dude,” Fossil adds. “You gotta do better.”
My fist connects with his mouth before I even decided to punch him. He swipes at me too, because the guy’s always ready for a fight. But he has no chance against me. Never did. Before I know it, he’s on the ground, dust and blood spilling everywhere as I kick him as hard as I can. Archer is shrieking in my ear to stop as he tries to pull me off him. He has no chance of succeeding.
All the rage I’ve kept bottled up the last few days is finally erupting. At being given this stupid job with these assholes. At messing everything up with Ariel. At hearing Fossil call her a whore. It’s like boiling lava spewing out of me through my kicks.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Edge yells into my ear.
Together with Archer they manage to get me off Fossil.
He rolls on his side, blood pouring out of his nose and mouth, making a puddle in the dust. I kick him in the stomach one last time for good measure.
“Don’t ever fucking call her a whore again,” I yell at him. “Better yet, don’t ever fucking say her name again.”
For all the blood matting his beard, his eyes are clear and full of hate as he glares at me.
“Don’t fucking tell me what to do,” he slurs. “I’ll call her a whore because that’s what she is.”
I almost manage to break out of Archer’s and Edge’s grip and give Fossil another beating. But Edge succeeds in dragging me away.
“You need to calm the hell down,” he hisses into my ear. “Don’t let them provoke you like that.”
I rip my arm out of his grasp. “You fucking try it.”
Then I stride to my bike and peel out of the lot, the dust choking me. I wish tomorrow was here already. I wish I didn’t have to come back here tonight and make good with Fossil, but most of all I wish Ariel wasn’t exactly what Fossil accused her of. A whore. Made that way against her will. Damaging her so bad I don’t know if I can ever reach her.
8
Ariel
