Page 17 of Kings Against the World

Running around the ravine like a lunatic.

But it’s all pent-up energy that’s begging to break free. What the hell am I supposed to do?

Stay indoors and knit some scarves?

“Give me a few minutes and we can go again.” I wink at her and pick up the can of Texas Brew I put on the seat of my bike when I led her back here.

We’re outside my trailer, not far off from the ravine where the club’s throwing a bonfire party for the night.

Silver had serious business to discuss with the club and figured we might as well do what we do best—throw a huge fucking party where everybody gets fucked up once official business is handled.

It comes to me out of nowhere. After minutes of wandering off on my side quest with Cass.

I’m supposed to be part of the meeting.

“Fuck,” I swear. “I’m missing the meeting!”

Cass furrows her brows as if she’s confused, but she has no chance to ask about it. I grab her by the wrist and drag her along with me, beer can in my other hand. We break out into a light jog across the grass and head toward the chain-link fence that divides the trailer park from the ravine.

There’s a known break in the fence that I peel back so we can slip through.

My adrenaline’s still pumping as we come up on the bright glow of the bonfire. Everybody’s gathered around in a circle, most clutching beers as they listen to Silver speak. I stumble onto the scene sweaty and grinning, inserting myself between Mace and Cash, making a joke of my late appearance.

Cash gives me a half amused shake of his head. Mace being Mace clenches his jaw, his agitation clear.

“My bad, guys!” I announce loudly, interrupting the speech. I raise my can of Texas Brew. “Got a little distracted.”

“Yeah, we know,” pipes up Big Eddie from the gathered crowd. “We all heard you fucking.”

Everybody laughs. I glance over at Cass, who bites her bottom lip like she’s some innocent choir girl. She’s standing off to the side with the rest of the old ladies and club girls who are attending the party.

But the truth is, Cassandra’s been auditioning to be a club girl for months now. I’m not the first King she’s fucked. As an artist at one of two tattoo shops in Pulsboro, she’s done most of the work for the guys in the club.

Including most of mine.

I turn back to the guys and shrug. “Priorities. Pussy sounds a lot more appealing than listening to Silver blab about club bylaws for forty minutes.”

More laughs roll over the crowd, though Silver gives an exasperated sigh and pins me with a look I’m familiar with—that fatherly disappointment that’s supposed to cut deep.

It used to for me ’til I realized there was nothing I could do to meet my father’s standards. He simply hated my guts.

“Sorry, sorry,” I say, making a sweeping motion with my arm. “Proceed.”

“Thanks for the permission,” Silver answers, then with another heaved sigh, he goes on. “Anyway, as I was saying, mostof you probably already heard… but Nate Rollins’s conviction has been overturned. He’ll be released from the pen soon.”

“Wait, Nate Rollins as in Wheels? As in the former prez of the Road Rebels?” I blurt out, unable to censor myself. I’m still a bundle of energy, still high and drunk and caught up in adrenaline.

“Yes, Oz. That Nate Rollins. His conviction’s been overturned by a federal judge after it was discovered the cops tampered with some of the evidence used against him.”

I scoff. “Figures. Pigs can’t do shit right.”

“Oz,” warns Mace from my side. “Shut the fuck up and let him finish.”

“My bad, Mace. Forgot we’re in grade school. Am I supposed to raise my fucking hand?”

“Hey, cool it. Both of you,” snaps Silver from where he stands at the front of the crowd. The flames from the bonfire crackle louder as if emphasizing his warning. “The point is, we’ve got to be on guard. If Wheel’s gets out, we could be looking at round two with the Road Rebels.”

“Meanwhile Cutty rots away,” I interject. “Least he gets three square meals a day, I guess.”

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