AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Why?”
He frowned. “Why what?”
“Why is it an honor?”
“Because you’re Prez’s woman.”
“I think you’ve been misinformed. Colt and I barely know each other. I’m staying here until Zip can get my truck and I can get out of town.”
“You can’t drive a truck with your wrist the way it is.” He nodded at my arm. “You know that, though.”
“Yeah, I do. About that other thing you said? I’m not Colt’s woman,” I insisted.
He looked at me long and hard. “Prez is not a man who invites women to his home. You could’ve stayed at the clubhouse. Or with Zip.”
“Heard about that, did you?” I asked in amusement.
What the hell had Colt told his brothers? What was I missing?
“Can I ask you a question?” I asked, wanting to change the subject.
“Sure.”
“What made you decide to become a Blue Angel? I mean, what was the appeal?”
He paused for a moment and leaned over to rest his elbow on his thigh. “I didn’t have a lot growing up. Dad has chronic back pain and he’s on disability. He spends it all on booze and pills. Mom does the best she can, but she works at the Winn Dixie—a cashier. There was never enough, but we made do. Shopping at thrift stores, coupons, that sort of stuff.
“Last year, my eleven-year-old brother came home from school with a black eye. He got into a fight because some kid called him trailer trash. We grew up in a trailer, so I know what it’s like to be taunted at school, you know? Kids are mean. They hear their parents say shit. They repeat it even if they don’t know what it means.
“I asked Silas why the fight started. You know what he told me? The kids were making fun of him because his jeans were too short and they could see his socks. He didn’t tell Mom about having outgrown his pants because he knew there wasn’t money to get him new ones. Not at the rate he was growing.” He shook his head. “As a member of the club I can provide for my brother.”
“You could’ve joined a different club,” I said, my heart breaking for the little boy that had been picked on. “Why the Blue Angels?”
“Because of what they do for the community. I knew if I joined the Blue Angels, I wouldn’t be earning a living in a normal way that people understand. Not a respectable nine to five. There are risks that come with being in the club, but what’s life without a little risk? But this is more than that. The reward is more than just financial security. I’ve got a family now, one I wasn’t born into, one that’s been made. And I can take care of Silas.”
I pondered his words. “What about your brother? Are you going to let him grow up in this world?”
“As opposed to…”
I blinked. “A world without bikers?”
“So he can learn what, exactly? Listen, it’s easy to judge what you don’t understand. It’s easy to judge what doesn’t fit into a conventional box. But here’s the thing. Our world isn’t normal. It isn’t widely accepted. And that’s okay. You just have to live your life and follow your gut.”
“How old are you, Cheese?” I asked.
“Twenty six.”
“How’d you get to be so wise?”
He smiled and looked down, appearing bashful. “Life’s too short, Mia, to live it for anyone else. Just remember that.”
Nodding, I got up from the chair to head back inside. “You can come in, you know. Hang out, watch TV.”
“Thanks.” He smiled, looking too boyish to be a biker. “But I’ve got my orders to stay outside.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to it, then.”
I had plans to leave him alone, but I wanted to take a shower before Joni showed up. And to do that, I needed someone to Saran wrap my cast. That had been Colt’s job. A sudden stab of loneliness at his absence caught me by surprise.
