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“The kid wanting the ’06 V-rod said the bank won’t loan on the bike. Wants to know if we’ll carry the contract.” She scooted away from her computer and grabbed a sucker from her drawer.
Blade gruffed. “Tell Romeo. That’s his baby.”
“You know he’ll say yes.”
“Yeah, but it’s not like the guy would be dumb enough to try to fuck us over. Have Dozer in the room when he signs the contract.”
She headed into the other room, and Lili squealed a moment later. No one could convince me these guys weren’t good for her.
Now that we were alone, Blade said, “I owe you an apology for yesterday.”
I slid my hands into the front pockets of my jeans. “Tempers were running hot.”
He nodded, and with his palms braced on the edge, he leaned back against the desk. “I don’t know what life was like for you and the Crawlers, but my club was on self-destruct, too. My old man was strung out on heroin, in bed with the cartel, and my mom couldn’t make it a day without her meth pipe in her mouth. Wasn’t like that when we were kids.”
I couldn’t say the same. I’d known what I was getting into when I prospected for the Crawlers. And I’d known when I couldn’t live like that anymore.
“If you take his patch,” I said, “he’s going to go out bad.”
“But is he going to go quietly? Am I making an enemy out of him?”
Honestly, I didn’t know. “Bullet and Vega are Hellers. He’d never turn his back on them.”
I couldn’t say the same thing about myself. They hadn’t betrayed him. And he’d definitely view my going to the board as a betrayal.
“Does he know?”
I shook my head. “Not that I know of and not from me. I haven’t been around much.”
“Neither has he. I’ve asked Cruz to watch him in the clubhouse.”
I cocked a brow.
“Yeah, I know. But I’m trying to keep you out of this. Cruz doesn’t mind the heat.”
“You don’t need to worry about me,” I said to him as we returned to the shop. I’d made my choice. Lili and the Hellers were my family. Jaymi was mixed in with all the good shit that had come into my life since leaving the Crawlers.
Lili sat on the counter with a sucker in her mouth, playing a game of Would You Rather.
Jazzy sat on the counter next to her. “Would you rather eat a bug or swim with sharks?”
Lili sucked in a breath and leaned toward Jazzy. “I ate a cricket. It was gross.”
Romeo worked on a bike chain a few feet from where they sat. “Would you rather be able to fly like a bird or live under water like a fish?”
Lili tilted her head as if she was considering her answer. “Can I be a shark?”
“Lilibug.” Her gaze snapped at me. “Ready to go?” She jumped down from the counter and grabbed her helmet off the floor. She was still wearing her jacket, gloves, and backpack.
“Is mom going to be mad about my helmet?” She held it tight to her chest as we left the shop.
“She won’t be mad, but you know she doesn’t like you on the bike.”
She skipped along beside me. “She hates your motorcycle.”
“I know, so you can probably save your motorcycle and MC stories for your friends at school.” I swung open the door to Stormy’s dance studio. A couple of moms waited on the bench for their kids.
Stormy paused in her moves. “Hi, Lili. Hurry, you’re late.” She winked at me. “Change into your flats,” she said to Lili.
