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I do as my brother says and get in the truck, and he gets behind the wheel. He turns his hazards off, and then the two of us take off. I hope my brother’s right. I hope Ben won’t be such a total ass to other people because saying that sort of shit to the wrong person could get him killed.
“So, why didn’t you tell me you were coming into town?” Hammer asks as we pull out of the airport and onto the main road.
“I wanted it to be a surprise. I haven’t seen you in a few months, and it really messed with me a bit. I miss you, Hammer. Being home . . . well, it isn’t the same without you there.”
Hammer nods, and I think it’s in agreement. “Are you off work right now? I mean, you took some vacation time to come down here, right?”
I shake my head. “Actually, I didn’t. I quit my old job, and I’m doing something where I can travel as little or as much as I want. So, I don’t know if you remember, but I told you I was making a YouTube a while back.”
Hammer nods a couple of times like he’s trying to remember what I’m talking about. “Is that the thing you were doing after hours?”
“Yeah, it’s what I was doing on the side while I gained some momentum until I could leave the job I had. You know I never have all of my hands in one bucket, and this was the career move I wanted to make for a really long time.”
“Okay, so, uh, what is it?”
“I’m a content creator.”
“A content what?” Hammer laughs, and I’m used to this sort of reaction. He thinks it’s all fun and games and that it isn’t serious at all.
“A content creator. So, I have a YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and all of that. My job is to create content, so for example, every Tuesday, I post a video about tacos, reviewing the best places to get them, history about tacos, etcetera. It kind of goes on and on. I typically post a lot about food, food blogs, and reviews about places to eat. I go to places that have a lot of raves about them, like for crazy cool milkshakes and burgers. It could really be anything.”
“And you get paid for this?” Hammer asks me skeptically.
“Yeah, I got my first paycheck last month, and it doubled what I was making at the other place.”
“Shit, that’s awesome, Jada,” Hammer tells me, and I feel pride swell in my chest. It was a big deal to make this career move, and I really do feel like it’s finally paying off. “So, why did you have to surprise me? You know I hate that shit more than anything else.”
I do know he hates it, but I thought he would’ve liked me coming down here. “I thought we needed to see each other, especially since mom passed. It was just . . . so fucking hard. We lost dad, and then not even a month later, she passed too. I swear it was a broken heart. She was healthy otherwise, but I think living without dad was so hard on her.”
“I think you’re right.” My brother has never uttered these words to me before. To say I’m shocked would be an understatement, but I’m glad he agrees with me. “Um, you got a place to stay, like a hotel or somethin’?” Hammer asks, quickly changing the subject.
I shake my head. “Yeah, I’m gonna stay at a Motel 8 outside of Los Angeles. The Yelp reviews looked decent.”
“Nu-uh. I ain’t gonna have you stayin’ at a damn Motel 8. They’re sketchy as fuck. You’re gonna stay at the club. Even if I have to throw a prospect on the couch, I’m gonna do that.”
“Hammer, it’s no big deal. I can stay at—” With one stern look from my brother, I stop speaking.
“I said what I said, and I’m not gonna change my mind, Jada.” My brother is just as stubborn as our father was, if not more.
It takes us about thirty minutes, but we both arrive at the Satan’s Raiders MC clubhouse. Hammer drives down the alley around the back and parks the truck, then grabs my luggage, and the two of us walk in through the back. We head downstairs, where the main area is, and we sit and chat for a bit. After a while, Hammer takes me upstairs to where the rooms are for the club members and takes me to what he says is a guest room, but as we approach, the sound of something being cut rings out, and the door’s open.
“Uh, that’s where I’m supposed to be staying?” I question him, and Hammer puts up his hand while he goes to check it out.
“My man, Sarge, what’s goin’ on in here?” Hammer asks someone inside the bedroom.
“I’m redoing the flooring and the bathroom. Breaker’s been on me about it for a while now. Why? What’s up?” the man answers him back.
“My sister’s in town, and I thought she could stay here in the guest room.”
“Shit, brother. I’m sorry, this won’t be ready for another week at least,” Sarge tells him, and a man walks by with a cut on. It reads ‘Agony’.
“You’re gonna have to sleep on the couch for a bit, man. My sister’s in town and needs a place to rest her head,” my brother tells him, and just as he’s speaking to Agony, footsteps are coming up the stairwell.
“Dude, I don’t take orders from you, so I don’t have to do shit,” Agony sassily tells my brother.
“You might not take orders from Hammer, but you know the pecking order with me. Clean your room up and make sure it’s presentable for this lovely lady, and make it quick,” a man’s deep voice comes from behind me, and with every word he speaks, there’s an authoritative tone behind it all.
I swallow hard and turn to face the man who’s just given me a place to stay, and I’m taken aback a bit. “Um, thank you so much. I’m Jada, by the way.”
