Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 117752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
“Don’t bother. You’re not welcome there. Not now, not ever.”
Her jubilant attitude vanished. “We have some things we need to talk about.”
“We don’t have shit to talk about. I’ve done my time; you’ve done yours. I don’t want to talk about old times. They weren’t good. Have a good life.” His hands went to his handlebars.
“Has Stud told you that Star—”
“That Star is my kid? No. He didn’t have to. I saw the birthmark. I may have been a drug fiend when I was with you, but my head is clear now.”
“You hate me because I married Stud. Baby, don’t be jealous. I never fucked him once.”
Calder gave a harsh laugh. “That doesn’t surprise me. You’re not Stud’s type. I couldn’t believe it when he wrote to me when you got married. When he sent the picture, I knew why.”
“He didn’t leave me a choice but to marry him. When the cop busted you for buying and Bobcat implicated me for setting up the buy, I would have gone to prison, too. When I told Stud that I was pregnant and wasn’t going to have my baby in prison, that I would have an abortion first, he made me marry him.”
That Stud had kept Star from being aborted was another heavy weight that always sat on his shoulder. How could he ask Stud to tell Star she was his when she wouldn’t have been born without him interceding?
“I didn’t hate you before. Now I do. Stay the fuck away from me and Star. I mean it, Candi. I’m clean now, and I’m not going to let you twist me around your little finger to get a hit.”
“You think you can talk to me like this and get away with it?” Candi grabbed his handlebar contemptuously. “I can fuck you over so badly that you’ll never see Star again.”
“That would be a big mistake. Move.” Calder let his bike roll so she would have to step back.
“Calder! Come back here!”
He drove back to Stud’s garage, too angry to see Crazy Bitch.
Going into Stud’s office, he immediately dialed Diamond’s number.
“Hello?”
“We need to set up a meeting for tomorrow afternoon. You available?”
“If this is about Crazy Bitch, we may have gotten a break. A realtor had a video camera pointed at the street where she was pulled over. I sent Knox to get a copy. The realtor just got it installed and didn’t realize it was pointed at the street.”
“How did you know the realtor had a camera?”
“When I was in town, bailing her out, I drove by where Crazy Bitch was pulled over and took a chance that the camera would see something. I got more than I expected. I’m hoping to get the charges against her dropped. I have a meeting with the DA on Monday. So, keep your fingers crossed.”
“I will. I’m glad her case is looking good, but that isn’t why I need to meet with you.”
“Is two o’clock good for you?”
“Yes. Thanks, Diamond.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
After he disconnected the call, he reached for a sketchpad that Stud used to make drawings of motorcycles. Stud’s motorcycles were customizable. He would work with the riders until he drew their dream bike, and then build it.
He had an idea he had been thinking about since he had begun working with Stud. Taking a pencil, he started sketching out his dream motorcycle.
As far back as he could remember, he had loved motorcycles. He loved the sounds they made, being able to feel the powerful machine beneath you and know you controlled it, the ability to ride the wind and feel it, like a knife through soft butter, and knowing it wouldn’t be the same because you had managed to slip through it at speeds that left other drivers in the dust.
He started the drawing to take his mind off Candi and the conflict she could cause. He was surprised when he looked at the wall clock to see it was almost time to pick up Star and Harley.
Star was in school, and Harley was in the daycare attached to the school.
Flipping the sketchpad closed, he shut down the garage, making it to Harley and Star’s school on time.
“Where do you want to grab a bite to eat before dance class, Star? How about you, Harley?”
“You pick, Harley. I’m not as picky as you are. I can eat anything.”
Calder grinned, looking into the rearview mirror as Star looked at her brother.
“Can we go to Taco Hut?” He swung his legs in his car seat.
“I don’t see why not. That sound good to you, Star?”
Star clapped her hands. “I love Taco Hut. Mama never lets us go.”
“Why not?”
“She says Killyama gets sick. But me and Harley don’t. Can we go?”
The thought of two sick kids while on his and Crazy Bitch’s watch had him deciding against that suggestion.