Page 54 of Dirty

I’d stopped in the shop on my way to the remodel project in La Jolla. As always, Pee Bee and Crip were there, solving the world’s problems one beer at a time.

They stood at the far end of the shop by the workbench. I switched off my bike and coasted through the empty shop, rolling to a stop directly in front of them.

“What’s shakin’, motherfucker?” Pee Bee asked as I climbed off the bike.

I pulled my hat down tight and shrugged. “Just taking care of business before I get to work. What are you two fuckers up to?”

“Waiting for 10:00 to roll around so we can have a beer without feeling like a couple of alcoholics,” Pee Bee said.

“Couple hours of boredom first, huh?” I pulled the envelope from my back pocket and handed it to Crip. “Here.”

“What’s this? Early Christmas card?”

“$1,200. From the night we brought the girls in here. For the violation of the bylaws. Been meaning to get by here and pay it, but I’ve just been busy.”

He pursed his lips, took a long breath through his nose, and shook his head. “Take it back. I just wanted to make a point in front of the fellas. What you did was against the bylaws, but it wasn’t wrong.”

“Rules are rules,” I said. “I broke ‘em, and I demanded the others break ‘em, too. Keep it.”

“Let’s get one thing straight.” He looked at each of us. “I catch either of you two without your colors, I’ll have your respective asses. That night? It was necessary. For the sake of protecting the club. Personally, I’d have done exactly what you did.”

He handed me the envelope. “Put it in your pocket.”

“Appreciate ya,” I said.

He gave a slight nod. “How’s she doing?”

“Who?”

“The fucking girl you went to get. Alejandra, or whatever her name was.”

“Alexandra.”

“Whatever. Alexandra. How’s she doing?”

“Good.”

“Glad to hear it. She looked like hammered shit the night she was here, that’s for sure. Felt sorry for all those girls. Cocksuckers that did it got what they had coming to ‘em, that’s for sure.”

“Didn’t plan that, either,” I said. “Tried to just take her and go, but the prick threatened to kill my entire family. After I shot him, there wasn’t much else to do but kill the rest of those pricks.”

“Fuckers needed killin’.” The veins on his tattooed neck bulged. “Sons-of-bitches raping little girls.”

I nodded in agreement. The thought of it angered me to no end.

Pee Bee nodded his head toward the open garage door. “Got company.”

“Who the fuck is that?” Crip said through his teeth. “Either of you two know this bitch?”

I turned toward around and upon seeing her, a sigh shot from my lungs. Lucy’s car was parked in front of the door, and Lucy, still dressed in her scrubs, was taking long-legged strides right toward us.

“It’s Alexandra’s mom,” I said. “Name’s Lucy.”

“Looks like Lucy’s mad as fuck,” Crip said.

Before I had time to do anything, she was in front of me, waving her arms and screaming.

“Seriously, Adam?” she seethed. “Seriously? My daughter?”