Page 16

Demi

“Nine thousand, five hundred and seventy-two dollars,” I whisper, counting the bills for the third time before tucking them into the envelope.

My fingers shake as I seal it. Almost ten thousand dollars.

I’ve been working my ass off for the past week and a half, morning and afternoon shifts at Mel’s Diner, then nights at The Underground serving drinks.

The tips at the fight club have been insane.

A couple of nights I’ve made as much as seven hundred dollars.

The idiots get wasted while watching the fights and don’t pay a lick of attention to how much cash they’re tossing around. Not that I’m complaining.

I slip the envelope into my purse and pull out my phone. Dad’s been avoiding my calls since I saw him at The Underground, but I try again anyway. It rings a few times before going to voicemail.

“Dad, it’s me. I have the money. Almost all of it. Please call me back.” I pause, tempted to add “I love you” but the words stick in my throat. Instead, I say, “Be safe,” and hang up.

There’s only four days left until Frankie’s deadline, and my father is still in the wind. I don’t know what I’m going to do if he doesn’t call me back. It’s not like I know how to get in touch with the gangster myself. The thought alone is terrifying.

My phone in my pocket starts vibrating.

McKenna: Lunch? I’m dying for tacos. Meet at Loco’s in 20?

I smile despite my worry over my dad. Kenny always knows when I need a distraction.

Me: On my way

I type out before grabbing my keys.

The second I step outside the clubhouse, I spot Rookie, my assigned babysitter for the day, crouched down beside his bike. He straightens when he sees me heading towards Klutch’s truck.

“Morning, sunshine,” he calls, flashing a grin that probably gets him laid on the regular.

I lift a hand and wave. “I’m meeting a friend for lunch.

” I hate having a shadow but I know it’s not his fault.

He’s doing what he was told. Klutch explained how the prospects have to put in their time if they want to become a fully patched member.

I get it, earning trust from the club and showing that you’re dependable, but some of the stuff Klutch said the sponsors make the prospects do is kind of crazy.

Poor Rookie had to sleep in a coffin next to a dead body once.

Something about proving he could do what needed to be done. I cringe at the thought.

“Cool. I’ll follow you.”

I force a smile. Having him shadow my every move has gotten really old. Klutch insists it’s necessary, but it’s starting to make me feel like a prisoner.

“Thanks,” I reply dryly, climbing into Klutch’s truck.

With my shadow in tow, I pull out of the clubhouse gates.

Twenty minutes later, I’m sliding into the cracked leather booth across from McKenna at Loco’s Tacos.

We stumbled upon this place a few years back and now it’s our favorite hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint.

Their enchiladas are divine which is what I order when our waitress comes over. “And a Sprite to drink, please.”

“I see you still have a babysitter,” McKenna notes when the waitress leaves. I glance over my shoulder at Rookie who is seated at the bar. He insists on being close enough to watch me, but we both know it’s only an illusion of privacy.

“Yeah,” I sigh.

“So, what’s new?” Kenny asks, diving straight in like she always does.

“Nothing much,” I reply, shrugging my shoulders. “I’ve got almost all the money now for my dad.”

Her eyes widen. “Seriously? That’s amazing!”

“Yeah,” I frown, “but I can’t find him anywhere. I’m starting to really worry, Kenny.”

Her face softens as she reaches across the table to squeeze my hand. “He’ll turn up, babe. He always does.”

I nod, not convinced but grateful for her optimism. “What about you? How’s work?”

McKenna’s face darkens, her lips pressing into a thin line. “I quit.”

My brows shoot up. I wasn’t expecting that at all. “You quit? Why? I thought you and Pee Wee were really hitting it off.”

“Fuck him,” she snaps, then immediately softens. “Sorry. I’m just... pissed.”

“What happened?”

She stabs at her water with her straw. “He’s married.”

I sputter and cough, choking on the sip of Sprite I just took. No way I heard her right. “I’m sorry, what? Did you just say he’s married? How do you know?”

“I found a fucking wedding ring in his desk drawer yesterday,” she says, her voice tight with anger. “When I asked him about it, he didn’t even have the decency to lie. Just said his wife’s back in Rochester and they have an ‘understanding.’” She makes air quotes around the last word.

“Oh, Kenny.” My heart aches for her. I know how much she liked him. “I’m so sorry.”

She waves a hand dismissively. “Whatever. It’s not like we were a thing anyway. I just thought he was hot.”

She can say that all she wants but I know her better than that.

“Still,” I say gently. “It sucks.”

“Yeah, well, men are trash. What else is new?” She forces a laugh. “Enough about me. What’s up with you and your sexy biker? Please tell me something good is happening in one of our love lives.”

Guilt twists in my stomach. I feel bad admitting that things with Klutch are amazing while she’s masking a broken heart. “We’re... good.”

Her eyes narrow. “That’s it? ‘Good’? Come on, Dems. I need details to live vicariously through.”

I can’t help but smile. “Fine. He took me to meet his parents on Sunday.”

Kenny’s jaw drops. “Shut. Up. Meeting the parents already? That’s like... serious.”

“I know,” I admit, feeling my cheeks warm. “It was actually really nice. His mom is this tiny force of nature who works as a charge nurse at Saint Luke’s. She said she’d vouch for me once I get my nursing license.”

“Wait,” Kenny interrupts. “You told her about nursing school?”

I nod. “It just came up while we were cooking. She was so excited, started telling me all about the hospital and offered to help me get a job there after graduation.”

“So you’re still planning on going to school?”

“Of course,” I say firmly. “As soon as this mess with my dad is sorted.” No way in hell am I going to let my father’s screw-up derail me again. This is the last time.

Kenny studies me for a moment. “You really like him, don’t you?”

I bite my lip, trying to suppress the smile that forms whenever I think about Klutch. “Yeah. I do.”

“God, you’re glowing. It’s gross.” She laughs, shooting me a wink. “What’s he like when you’re alone? Is he still all broody and intense?”

“Sometimes,” I admit. “But he can be sweet too. He brings me coffee in bed.”

“Coffee in bed?” she waggles her brows. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”

I flip her off and laugh. “It’s not a euphemism for sex, shit head.”

“Hmm.” She takes a sip of her water. “Well since you brought up the sex. Still mind-blowing?”

“Kenny!” I hiss, glancing around to make sure no one heard her.

She grins. “What? You walked right into it.”

I roll my eyes but can’t stop the blush creeping up my neck. The sex with Klutch is beyond anything I could have imagined. Every night, sometimes twice, he blows my mind. He takes me apart and puts me back together again. I’ve lost count of how many times he’s made me come undone.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Kenny says smugly.

The waitress arrives with our food, momentarily saving me from Kenny’s interrogation. As we dig into our plates, I catch her watching Rookie at the counter.

“What?” I ask.

A mischievous glint appears in her eye, one I’ve seen many times before. Usually right before we do something stupid. “You said you’re sick of being followed around?”

I lower my voice. “God, yes. It’s like having a puppy that never leaves your side.”

“So let’s ditch him.”

I nearly choke on my rice. “What?”

“Come on,” she urges, leaning in. “For old times’ sake. Don’t you want a few hours of freedom?”

I glance at Rookie, who’s now fully engrossed in conversation with the busty blonde who’s ignoring her tables. The thought of a few hours without being watched is tempting.

“Klutch would kill me.”

“Only if he finds out,” Kenny counters. “I seriously doubt your shadow’s going to rat himself out.”

I hesitate. Kenny senses my wavering resolve and presses on.

“We can go check your apartment. See if your dad’s been there.”

That gets me. I’ve been desperate to go back to my place, but Klutch has been adamant that it’s not safe. But if my dad’s there...

“Okay,” I whisper. “But we have to be quick.”

Kenny’s face splits into a triumphant grin. “Leave it to me.”

She pulls out her phone and starts texting. Twenty minutes later, there’s a commotion at the front of the restaurant. A woman in a tight dress walks in and makes a beeline for Rookie, slapping him hard across the face.

“You bastard!” she shrieks, causing every head in the place to turn. “You said you’d call me!”

As Rookie stammers, confused and red-faced, Kenny grabs my hand. “Come on. Let’s go!”

We slip out through the kitchen, ignoring the cook’s protests. Once outside, we break into a run, laughing like idiots as we dart down the alley and around the corner.

“Who was that woman?” I gasp as we slow to a walk, a couple blocks away.

“My cousin Tara,” Kenny replies, still giggling. “She works at the bodega around the corner, and she owed me fifty bucks. Now we’re even.”

“You’re terrible,” I say, but I’m laughing too.

“I’m a genius,” she corrects. “Now come on, there’s a bus stop two blocks over.”

As we hurry toward the bus stop, I feel a lightness I haven’t felt in weeks. For a moment, I’m not the daughter of a gambling addict or the girlfriend of a protective biker who thinks I need a babysitter. I’m just Demi, having an adventure with her best friend.

The number 42 bus arrives just as we reach the stop. We climb aboard, drop our fare in the box, and find seats near the back.

“I can’t believe we just did that,” I say again. Klutch really isn’t going to be happy if he finds out.

“Like old times,” Kenny grins, bumping my shoulder with hers.