Chapter 5: Q & A - Spin

It’s the second morning that I’m here five minutes to seven, and I text Loyalty that I’m outside. Again, she gets into the car and looks completely drained… Does she sleep?! “Morning, beautiful. Starbucks”? She keeps looking forward with her eyes closed as she nods yes! We pulled into the Starbucks drive-thru and I ordered her drink and my coffee. After she takes a sip, I ask her, “you okay”?

“Yes”, she says immediately, but pouts and follows it up with a “no”! Uh-oh, this can’t be good!

“So which is it, Loyalty?” I said to her.

“No, why were you in jail”? I was not expecting that question this early in the morning. Why do people talk about things that are none of their business like it is?! I take a deep breath and sip my coffee, “well”?

“I murdered my father”, I tell her honestly. The bastard deserved it. I’m not ashamed of what I did!

“How long were you in jail for that? I mean, you’re not that old”, she says. Does she think I’m old?!

“I was given five years, and I was out in a little over three”, I tell her as I continue looking straight ahead at the road and not at her reaction. “He was abusing my mother and she took her life because of it, so I took his. And because it was considered a domestic situation, I was given a shorter sentence than what’s typical for the crime I committed”, I find myself explaining.

“So you murder your father and inherit his gang? How’s that work?”, the inquisitive little queen that she is.

“There is a code we bikers live by. My father violated that code and by that same code my actions were considered justified”, I told her, since she'd learn about it sooner or later anyway. “That, and I had already been running the crew for a few years at that point”!

“For a bunch of bikers, you’re hardly ever on them”, she says. Being a biker is so much more than riding them, but even we know how weather limitations work.

“It’s cold and wet, we’re not reckless”, I tell her.

“Was all of your money earned illegally?”, she asks still in her morning monotone. That’s a little harsh. Where is she going with this?!

“No, most of it is more legitimate than what the community around us would like to believe. I own the mechanic's shop, the diner, the pub, the apartment complex that used to be a rundown hotel, and I even own that laundromat in town. All legitimate businesses”. When we stop in the school parking lot, I say, “I want to take care of you. Provide for you like a man is supposed to. I know this is overwhelming, so come to a barbecue on Friday at the house so you can meet my crew and see how we live”!

“I was going to go to a sleepover with Meme on Friday”, she says, almost like she’s asking permission. If that’s the case, no! I like her friend Meme, but that doesn’t mean I like the situations she gets Loyalty in.

I find myself chuckling as I answer, “hasn’t going places with Meme gotten you into enough trouble”?! She rolls her eyes so I add, “fine, invite Meme along and sleep at my house instead”!

“You’d let me bring Meme?”, she says, shocked at my invitation.

“If it means you’ll come willingly with an open mind, and try to enjoy yourself”, I tell her as I shrug.

“I’ll ask her and let you know later”, she says, shocking me that she’s considering it.

We got out of the car and I grabbed her hand to walk with her across the lot. Her friend is waiting with my crew at the door for her. I turned her to face me and kissed her lips before leaving her there with them and heading back to my car. She didn’t even fight the kiss. When I turned back, she was still there. Her back is to me. Meme has looped their arms together and Gabe has his arm over her shoulder. Kid better watch it before I break it off! Then again, she just let me smooch her up in front of everyone, they all know she’s my woman now!

I head to the garage, and I’m elbow-deep in grease when Gabe texts me. Loyalty had a minor freak-out over her lunch account, and I meant to tell her about it before I dropped her off, but was sidelined by her questions. He tells me she’s got questions about the statuses and codes of the crew. That’s a good thing, right?! Doesn’t that show her interest?!

I turned my attention back to my work when I got another text from Loyalty this time. She says she and her friend will stay over this Friday, and I crack a smile. I wiped my hand to text her back and let her know Gabe would take her home after school today, because I’m still nowhere near done, and I’ll see her in the morning. Another hour later, I text Gabe to see if he needs money for anything Loyalty might request, but he says she’s good and just wants to go home!

I have to remind myself to find out what she wanted to know and what he’s told her so far! After I finish for the night, I head to the house and hunt Gabe down. When I drop onto the sofa next to him, he sighs. “What did you tell her, Gabe”?

“Nothing really! She had some basic questions and I answered them”, he says.

“Like?” I pressed.

“Why does my jacket say Prince when yours says King and the other guys don’t say anything. What a broad is”, he says.

“Why would she wanna know that?” I asked.

“Just something she heard someone say. She wanted to know what you do all day while she’s at school. That was pretty funny. And I think she’s interested in learning to ride, but she is obviously a control freak because she also asked about having her own bike”, he says.

I laugh and say, “she’s crazy. She’s so small she’d need a custom bike”!

“That’s what I told her”, he admits as we both break into laughter over it.

When we’ve composed ourselves he says, “I think she was serious though. She’s good for you Spin. I get that she’s young, but man is her skin thick and her head hard. Good luck breaking that one”!

“So you ain’t crushing on my woman?” I asked him.

“Not even a little”, he says. “I’ve known Lala for years. Never really spoke to her before now, but she’s too smart for me. I’m surprised she didn’t apply to college and shit! She’d probably get a scholarship to wherever she wants to go”!

“Well don’t put ideas in her head”, I tell him. “I want her right here with me, not some fancy school with Richie Rich pursuing her”.

“Doubting you can win her over?”, he asks more sarcastically than anything else.

“No, I already threatened everyone and everything she loves, she won’t step out of line”, I told him.

“She’s physically attracted to you, you know. Have you ever thought of just not being an asshole?”, he says.

“I don’t even want to know what led to that conversation with her, so just don’t”, I tell him as I get off the couch and head to my room to shower the grease off of me. His words did make me feel good though.

As I lay in bed, she was all I could think about, so I text her ***Good night Loyalty***

***gn Spencer*** she says back and I have to laugh at her using my real name.

***Only you get to call me that my queen***

***ditto my king*** Wait, what?! Did Loyalty really just call me her king?!

***Sleep, I’ll see you in the morning***

She doesn’t say anything else and I stare at her last message until I fall asleep!