Chapter 2: LYON

After Jared returned from running her home I called him into the office. I had a few questions I needed answered.

He was still all smiles and excitement, which led me to believe, there was more going on with them than he was saying.

"What's up, Colt, you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah come in and sit down."

I studied him as he sat across from me, and his relaxed posture as he slouched in the chair.

"You sure she can handle working around here, Jared, this place is not your everyday run of the mill office."

"Don't worry man, she'll be fine, just let her get settled in and she'll be a great asset I promise."

"Why're you so into this girl? I thought you weren't interested like that."

"Nah man, she's like my kid sister, it's just, she's had a hard time lately, and I just want to look out for her, ya know. We've always been tight. Our fathers are like brothers man."

"Okay, if you say so. I heard you getting into it with Jennifer before, how'd that go?"

"Seriously, what did you ever see in that tarantula bro, she's like toxic."

"Don't I know it. You think if I knew she was schizo I would've gone there? You know these women, they show you one face when they wanna get their hooks into you, and then when you least expect it they turn into blood sucking leeches."

"Did she scare your little friend?"

"Nah, Kat's not as much of a wimp as you seem to think, she can hold her own..."

"Coulda fooled me..."

"That's just for now until she finds her way, but trust me, Kat's an okay chick, and she knows bikes."

"What do you mean knows bikes?"

"She used to work on my first ride with me in the summer when she'd come to visit. I even taught her to ride when she was like fourteen."

"So, what's her family situation, and why isn't she in school?"

"She finished high school, and she's taking some time off before college."

There was something there. The way he shifted his body when I asked changed his whole persona. What the fuck could be the issue with school?

"Alright man, if you're sure, then we'll give it a shot. How's she getting here in the mornings?"

"I'll bring her until her truck is ready. Her old man and mine are still working on it, and it should be another week at the most."

"As long as she has a ride."

I let him go since there was nothing more to discuss, and plus I had shit to do. I had clients coming in later to pick up their shit, and two new bikes to get started.

I put her out of my mind for the rest of the day as I went about my busy schedule. A bike shop was a noisy-ass place with men doing six different things at once while calling out to each other for different parts and tools.

Nothing like the showroom where the finished product was showcased. Jennifer might very well have had a line up of clients with deep pockets, but like I'd told her, I didn't want any part of them if they were her buddies. Her circle was just not my cup of tea.

Social climbing socialites who had nothing better to do than cause conflict and mayhem at every turn. Mama's boys with their two hundred dollar haircuts and their whiny asses, no thank you. My bikes were for riding, not showpieces.

At end of day we went our separate ways, since it was a Tuesday, riding day was usually the weekends unless we had something special lined up. Most of my guys had families that they needed to get home to.

That was one of my only stipulations. That any man with a family had to put in the time, because if you neglected your family I couldn't expect anything good from your ass, so you had to show me that you were man enough to man up.

Most of our activities were family oriented, unless we were going to kick some ass, then we left the ladies at home. A fight was no place for a female, and women's rights could go fuck themselves if they thought differently.

I had about ten God children because we're a clannish bunch. The women were close, and they were always planning shit. Everything revolved around food, I guess that's what happens when you have kids.

I paid my guys a better than decent wage because I could afford that shit and because they deserved it. Any one of them knew they could come to me at any given time for help because that's how I roll. Some of the wives even called me when their men weren't doing their shit. I have a mother and two sisters, fuck that, no one in my crew was screwing over his old lady on my watch.

If a dude wasn't holding up his end of the bargain, and he couldn't be talked into seeing the error of his ways, then he was out. If the wife stayed with him, then that was on her, and if she decided to cut the dick off, then the rest of us looked out until such time as she got back on her feet.

Thank God we'd only had to do that twice, but a couple of lawyers in the crew were good at getting those women what they needed for them and their kids out of the scumbags, so it was all good.

Women weren't cast out just because their men were out. Once a part of Lyon's Crew you were family, man, woman and child.

My phone rang just as I was about to climb on the back of my Dodge Tomahawk V10 bike.

"What's up mom?"

"Is that any way to answer the phone son?"

"Hello mother, how are you today?"

"Smart ass, are you coming to dinner or not?"

"Is today Tuesday, and did you not make my favorite roast and potatoes?"

"You know I did, Colton, now what time shall I expect you?"

"How does seven thirty sound? That'll give me enough time to get cleaned up."

"Sounds lovely dear. Are you bringing anyone?"

"Like I've told you every time you've asked that question since I was twenty one, no, now stop pushing. When I meet someone, you'll be one of the first to know."

"That doesn't make sense. My friend Charlotte, you remember Char, you know she likes to dabble with the cards though she shouldn't, well anyway, she swore to me that you were going to meet the girl of your dreams today."

"Sorry to disappoint you and Madame Laveau, but no such luck."

"I don't know why I listen to Char in the first place, her predictions never hardly ever come true, though there was that time..."

"Mom, if you want me to be there sometime this millennium, then you're gonna have to let me go. You can regale me with stories of Char's sorcery over dinner, okay beautiful?"

"Oh alright, you didn't defile your body any more since I last saw you did you?"

"Mom..."

"Okay-okay, it's just I despair of what you'll do to yourself next, and please for the sake of my sanity be careful on that death trap you like to get around on. I don't know what's wrong with that perfectly nice Volvo I got for your last birthday."

"I'm not a sixty year old virgin..."

"Colton Anthony Lyon, you watch your mouth."

I could hear the laughter in her scolding, good old mom, you gotta love her she never gives up.

"See you soon beautiful."

I rang off and went home. It promised to be a long night at the Lyon's dinner table, mom took her crack pot friend Char's words as gospel, and she will nit pick me to death about every female I met today.

If she only knew that the only female I met today was a timid little thing that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

***

I was ready for her the next day at seven thirty. I'd spent way too much time last night dwelling on her, and how she would fit in here, not to mention, trying really hard not to picture her face every time mom mentioned Char's predictions.

I put all of that out if my head as I awaited her arrival. I needed my head examined for even going through with this.

This person will be working very closely with me, and I'm a hard task master. I like things done a certain way, and if they weren't, I wasn't always too kind in showing my displeasure if you know what I mean.

I could be a motherfucker when it comes to my business, and if this chick turned out to be a thin skinned broad who cries and gets emotional at the drop of a hat, then she was fucked.