Page 3 of Cocked Hammer

His eyebrows narrowed, and his upper lip pressed into a thin line against his lower one. “You know, I’m getting too old for bear hugs.” His feet shuffled backward a couple of steps, and he folded his arms, straightening his posture in an attempt to look grown.

“Hey, you’re the one who ran into my arms, remember?” I reminded him as my eyes flickered to my bike, needing to focus on anything that wasn’t him. I was about to laugh at the little guy, and I actually liked the kid, so I wasn’t going to crush his ego.

My worn fingertips hooked under the leather flap of the saddlebag and pulled the strap through the buckle. “Here,” my fingers raked the lowest part of the bag and curled around the rubber toy, tossing it in his direction. Out of instinct, his palm hastily wrapped around it and released it as fast as he grabbed it.

“Ack! A snake!” His eyes followed the rubber snake as it flung through the air and plummeted to the earth amongst the gravel and dirt. “A toy snake!” His voice filled with excitement as the realization of what I had given him settled into his mind. “Like yours?”

My head nodded slightly in response. “It’s a ball python just like Ezzy.”

Tin Man’s broad shoulders appeared in the doorway before he walked onto the porch, his eyes landing on me. “What’d you get him this time, Pros…?” he asked with hints of sarcasm to his voice as it trailed off. As long as I’d known him, it was still hard to gauge where his mind was at times.

Even though I was certain he was trying to get under my skin for the fun of it, I felt the need to clarify that I was a full-patch member now. “It’s Sledgehammer. I’m a patch holder and brother of the RBMC Cleveland, Ohio Chapter. You might know them.”

A crease appeared on his forehead, and his lips twitched. “Heard they were a bunch of Bastards.”

“So, you do know them?” My hands ran over my dark beard, grabbing my chin and turning my head sideways. A few vertebras popped, and an instant feeling of relief shot through my body.

“Aye.” He walked across his porch and kneeled to pick up his cat, Powder. She hissed and squirmed almost instantly and hopped out of his arms. His having a cat never made sense since he claimed to despise them. Perhaps that was why she behaved the way she did.

“Anyway, I came to see if you want to go to see some new dancers.” My fingers made air quotes in case he didn’t catch my code words. I didn’t want Xander knowing I had just invited his dad to watch strippers.

“Sounds like a plan as soon as Akeeva picks him up.” His large hand gestured to the end of the driveway where Xander was swinging the toy snake around by its tail in a circular motion.

“Meet me at the clubhouse?”

“You got it, brother,” he said, plucking something from his shirt pocket and popping it into his mouth. My eyes widened with suspicion.

“Sunflower seed,” he explained, pulling another out and opening his hand to offer me one.

“I’m good. Thanks, though.”

“You’re missing out.”

I shrugged.

“Sledge, why didn’t you just call or text?”

“I wanted to give Xander his snake.”

“‘Preciate that. So does he.”

“No big deal,” I reassured him, grabbing my jet-black helmet and putting it on.

“Uncle Ira?” Xander blurted loudly as I climbed onto my bike and started it, pausing for his reply.

“Will you get my snake some food?” He held the now coiled toy above his head and straightened it between his hands. “She’s going to die if I don’t feed her.”

A small chuckle escaped my lips. “You got it, man,” I promised with a wink, making a mental note to get my actual living snake some food, too. Xander had been my constant reminder to keep Ezzy fed. I wasn’t what one would consider a great pet owner, which is the reason I hadn’t looked for one the majority of my life. Ezzy was in the basement at Kingsley’s cabin, and I couldn’t bring myself to kill her. Instead, I packed her and the aquarium into the cage Sleeper had and set her up at my place. Besides, it was fun as hell to torment Wily with her. He hated snakes.

3

Sledgehammer

“How’s it hanging, brother?” Ghoul asked in a calm tone, peeling the cellophane off his cigarette package.

“Long and a little to the left,” I answered honestly, digging my cell out and tossing it into a basket amongst the other phones belonging to the brothers already present.

“I hear ya,” he coughed, a cloud of smoke filing out of his mouth.

---