Page 56 of Tex's Angel

Siege changes the subject and brings up Levi. “I heard your boy is on track to be a master chess player.”

I point at him with my bottle. “Do not take the piss out of my boy. He can’t help it if he’s a fucking genius.”

Rigs presses his lips together, like he’s trying not to laugh.

“Come on motherfucker. If you’ve got something to say, just spit it out.”

“I knew that kid had something going on when he asked Evan why he would want to touch a girl’s breast. Every teenage boy in America knows the answer to that question, except your son,” Rigs says.

“I’m not gonna lie, that took me by surprise as well. I guess he’s at the age where they’re still strangers from another planet. I’ve seen the way he stares at the club girls.”

Siege laughs, “Every red blooded man’s gonna stare at those women. But is he staring at them because he thinks they’re pretty or like a serial killer stares at his prey?”

I shake my head at that image, I’m pleased my club brothers are jerking me around today, it’s what I need to get out of my head. I answer Siege’s question, “Like he’s trying to figure out what the hell their deal is and how to interact with them.”

Siege says, “Fuck, we all went through that stage. I’m still there sometimes with my Cleo. Women sure as fuck think differently from men. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.”

“Even the little ones?” Rigs asks Siege.

“Most especially the little ones. When Louisa was young, she’d cry for a piece of cake and then turn around a cry because I cut the damned cake so she could have a piece.”

Rigs starts laughing.

“Laugh away, brother. But just you wait until Rosie is driving you crazy.”

“Rider seems to be doing okay with his daughter.” Rigs replies, sounding all kinds of concerned.

“Naw, man. That guy might be my best friend in the whole damn world ,but he’s gone gaga for his little girl. She makes him fish little pieces of mermaid cereal out of each box so she can send them off with box tops to get pretty rings. I told him that he should buy her a fuckin’ box of pretty rings and be done with it. Nope, that’s apparently against the rules. Been doing that shit for a couple years now.”

I laugh at the image of Rider rummaging around cereal boxes, “I’m real glad I had a son. He doesn’t do shit like that. Levi goes to school, annoys the living shit out of his teachers, comes home, eats, plays chess, shoots some hoops with his friends, and then chills out the rest of the night playing video games. Then he gets up and does it all over again the next day. My boy is predictable at least.”

Rigs points at me with his bottle. “You can add being a junior prospect to that list now.”

I shoot Siege a meaningful look. “I forgot to tell y’all thanks for allowing that. He loves wearing that cut and hanging around the prospects more than playing chess. And that’s saying something for my son.”

“I did that for the club, not as a personal favor to you,” he tells me.

“Yeah, I know he’s all kinds of smart and that might come in handy at some point, right?”

“Yeah, we’ve got big plans for him. We’re gonna teach him how to play poker and shoot pool. Then when he’s old enough to gamble, we’re gonna clean up in all the local tournaments.”

I snort laugh so hard beer almost comes out of my nose. “Good luck getting him interested in shit like that. Y’all have no idea what you’re in for when it comes to training that boy. It took me two years to get him to stop wearing shiny dress shoes to school and he still hasn’t grasped the concept of pouring milk over the cereal. Every morning he eats a big bowl of dry cereal and washes it down with a glass of milk.”

Siege frowns, looking disappointed. “So what you’re saying is that he’s a quirky little dude and we’re gonna have to trick him into it?”

“No. I’m telling y’all that I thought the same thing when he was seven, but that boy’s gonna walk his own path.”

Tipping the rest of the beer into my mouth, I get to my feet. “I’m gonna paint over that fucking graffiti at Clara’s house. Rigs stands up as well, “Need some help, brother?”

“Sure. Are you offering?”

He tosses his empty beer bottle into the garbage can, and we head out.

Once we get to Clara’s house, we check in with the prospects, who have nothing to report. Which I guess is a good thing, though it would make my life easier if whatever fucker is messing with Clara went and made another move. We get the prospects involved in painting as well. Having someone to talk to and a helping hand makes the work go faster. It also helpsme forget for a few hours that I got canned today by a bunch of ungrateful assholes.

And this is why I’ll never give up the brotherhood. Everything else in life might blow up in your face and people will let you down, but the Savage Legion brotherhood will stand by a brother come rain or shine. I need that in my life more than I can say. I don’t know where I would be right now if I hadn’t found the club. They pick me up when I’m down and give me an opportunity to give back when I’m feeling strong. It’s the give and take, the friendship and the stability the club offers that is the most important part. Outsiders will never truly understand MC culture because they don’t take the time to spend time with us and learn our ways.

Chapter 24

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