Page 13 of Stone Cold Bad
He held it up and looked at me.“Maybe I’ve found just the skull.”Hunter loved to threaten shit like that, but as kids, he’d taken the blame more than once for something I’d done just to spare me the belt.But, as we grew up and my dad became more ruthless, it was every man for himself.By that time, our mom had basically withered away from her pill addiction, an addiction made stronger by my dad’s terrifying temper.It had been the first day of winter break when we lost her for good.Some kids looked forward to holidays.But for us, days off meant we were completely unprotected.My dad always made sure to leave marks in places the teachers couldn’t see, but on vacations, you could get a fist to the face or a broken finger.That bleak winter day when other kids were decorating cookies with their moms, our mom crawled back into bed after shoving some frozen waffles in the toaster for us.She never got back up.Hunter plowed his fist into the headboard above her small, blue face.He was pissed as hell at her for leaving us alone.
“What’s going on with you and the new girl?She’s as sweet as fucking cotton candy, and Amy really likes her.Did you nail her already?”
“Nah, I think she needs some space away from asshole men for awhile.”
“Right, space.Wait a minute—” He lifted his face up with a big fucking grin that I wanted to wipe off it.“Well, I’ll be damned, the world is tilting off its axis, a girl said ‘no’ to Colt Stone.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
Slade’s Mustang pulled into the driveway.He was on the phone as he climbed out.“We’ve got to make another run tomorrow,” he said as he hung up.
“Again?”I asked.
“More drops mean more money,” Hunter said as he sat up from under the bike.
“Yeah, and then someone gets careless and the feds catch on and then everyone is busted.More money is great, but you can’t spend it if you’re behind bars,” I said.
Slade sat on the porch step.“I can see your point, Colt.With that face of yours, you’ll be someone’sbitchthe second they lock you in.”
Hunter laughed.
“A couple of fucking comedians, but you know I’m right.Rincon is getting greedy, and the more drops we make, the more people start noticing certain boats hanging out in the harbor.Then suddenly the coast guard is making note of it and then we’re all wearing orange fucking coveralls.We’re just the grunt guys, the middlemen, but you know we’ll be the first to get hauled in.”
The wrench clanged as Hunter dropped it into the tool box.“We’ll drop the nets this time and do some fishing.Look, Colt, if you don’t have the stomach for this, then Slade and I will go out on our own.I told you, once we have enough, we can start investing in something legit, like flipping real estate or a mechanic shop.We just need enough laundered capital to move us to the next level.Unless you’ve got some other brilliant way for us to make some cash, apart from you selling that face of yours on a street corner.”
Now it was Slade’s turn to laugh.
“Fuck off.I’m still with you.I’m just stating the obvious.”
Hunter got up and wiped the grease from his hands on a rag that had just as much black grease on it.“What’s eating you, Colt?You’re not usually like this.That pretty stray kitten got your balls in a knot?Maybe you’re thinking about the girl and a happy ending in your little cottage.”
I pulled out a joint and lit it.“Yep, that’s it.You know me and my fairy tale dreams.Not that any of that sounds too bad.I mean, beats ending up six feet under with a Styrofoam headstone that you guys scratch my name on with a fucking permanent marker.”
Slade looked over at Hunter.“Guess he’s right.It would have to be a permanent marker.That other shit would just get washed away in the rain.”
“Nothing wrong with pencil,” Hunter said with a shrug.His face smoothed, and he looked at me.“We’ll get there, Colt.Slade and I don’t like this kind of work either, but it’s making us money fast.Just keep those balls wrapped in steel.Unless of course they’re wrapped in that little stowaway’s plump pink lips.Man, she is something.No wonder that jerk was going out of his way to keep her.”
Slade hopped off the steps.“That’s what I was going to tell you.When we were done fishing this morning, we stopped to refuel at the dock near Bootlegger’s.Overheard some guys, who were in Bootlegger’s when we were ripping those assholes to pieces, talking.That fool, Ray Ward, or whatever the hell her sugar daddy’s name is, he’s pissed as hell that his guys got their asses beat.
Hunter smiled.“I’ll bet.”
“No, I mean he was pissed at them.Fired their asses and sent them on their way crying and sucking their thumbs.Now a pansy like that isn’t going to walk around long without a team of thugs to cover his primped and powdered ass.He’s hiring another crew.”Slade looked over at me.“You better keep a close eye on that special piece of cake cuz he’s going to come looking for her.I’m sure of it.”
Just thinking about the fucker having his hands on Jade made my pulse speed up.“Hope he does come after her.I’m ready for some one on one time with him.”I headed toward the truck.
“Where are you going in your swim trunks?”Slade asked.
“Jen and Tina are going out to the cove to swim.”
“Wait for me to change,” Slade called.“I’m bored.”
I raised my middle finger to him.“Find your own fucking threesome.We pretty faced boys don’t like to share our spoils.”I slammed the door to the truck.I hadn’t really planned on going to the cove.But when I realized that Jade was the reason behind me not being in the mood, I knew I had to go.I hadn’t stopped thinking about her since I’d had her up against that wall in the utility closet.And the last thing I needed was a girl I couldn’t stop thinking about.An afternoon with Jen and Tina was a sure cure for a stiff cock, and mine had been aching since I woke up with my sea salt kitten stretched out next to me.
TEN
JADE
Amy had gotten a fifty dollar tip from a stuffy-looking man in a navy blue suit and wonky toupee.She was amped up about it, and I was excited for her.She was the type of person you wanted to cheer for no matter what she was up to.And since she’d put her own neck on the line to get me a two week trial at the job, I was determined not to let her down.I had no experience waiting tables, but her boss, Jack, a leathery old, ex-military guy who was half teddy bear, half grenade with the pin pulled, decided I would look good in the unofficial bar uniform, an undersized mini-skirt and a blouse that had to be tied up right beneath my bra.Buttons, he noted, had to be undone at least halfway down my cleavage.Amy enthusiastically pointed out that at least we weren’t topless and that showing leg and cleavage always brought better tips.I was put on dishwashing and other menial tasks for the first week, and if I didn’t break too many glasses, I would get to try serving.Even with long rubber gloves, my hands were raw and my back hurt from bending over the giant dishwashing sink.But it had felt good to work and earn my own money.I was sure the job would get easier.
