Page 48 of Bleed
“The bitch ain’t getting a cent of it.” She growls, pushing at my chest to get me off of her. “I’m gonna fucking kill her myself.”
“That’s my girl.” I chuckle, kissing her forehead again. “My good fucking girl. But first, let’s get that bike of yours fixed so you have something to run her down with.”
“Mmmm, yes. But I should remain dead in their eyes for now.”
“I know. I’ve already handled it, and I’ll be taking the bike to my guy in a little bit. You stay here and just enjoy the peace and quiet. Maybe play some video games and eat leftover pizza.”
“Good idea.” She says, rolling over onto her side, facing away from me. “First, some real sleep.”
“Rest, baby.” I tell her, kissing the back of her head before climbing out of the bed to clean myself up so I can get to the shop and get her bike back to its original glory.
~~~
The CBR isn’t near as fast as my GSXR 750, but she’s fun to ride as I tear through the center of Charlotte, heading to the shop that’s handled my bikes since I was a teenager and just learning how to ride. If anyone can fix it up, it’ll be Jimmy.
People look at me funny as I pass them in traffic, and it takes me a minute to realize it’s because I’m a very large, muscular man, riding a pink motorcycle.
I’m sure I look fabulous.
I weave in and out of the lanes, splitting them, cruising around slower cars and trucks, and giving the customary wave to other bikers as I see them. It’s a nice ride, and comfortable too, but I still wouldn’t ever downgrade from Luna to something like her. In fact I feel a little guilty enjoying the ride on something other than my best girl.
The exhaust echoes around me as I pull into the open bay at Jimmy’s Tire and Auto. It’s a slow day, and there’s nothing inside the large, professional garage except the bike as I park it and put down the kickstand.
Within a minute, Jimmy himself comes out of the office, wiping his grease-stained hands on a once white, but now grey and black stained towel. He’s always dirty looking, having to work extra hard to support his family of three young girls since their mother passed away a few years ago. I can see the exhaustion in his grey eyes and the fact that his straggly blonde hair looks like it hasn’t been washed or combed in way too long. I kinda feel sorry for the chap.
“Morning Damien.” He says, tossing the towel down on top of one of the large, red, rolling tool boxes. “This ain’t Luna.”
“Nah, this is a friends. She dumped it and wanted to see if I can help her get it fixed up.”
“Yeah sure man, no issue. Who she belong to, so I can write up the invoice when I’m done?”
“Just put it in my name.” I tell him, not wanting Dani on any type of paperwork, especially since she’s supposed to be dead in a bare bones building on the other side of town.
“Whatever you say man.” He says, taking a walk around the bike, looking her over. “Shouldn’t take too long, most of this is damage to the wrap. I can heat gun it and kind of stretch it back into place. Only issue might be this little ding on the right fairing, but I think I can bend that back out.”
“Good deal man, do what you have to.” I tell him, chucking him the keys. “I’m gonna go in the office and take a nap.”
“Sure thing.”
I’ve always trusted him. He’s been a good man all these years, but as I lay down on the raggedy old couch in his small office I start to wonder a few things, including who he actually works for, because there’s no way the garage is keeping him afloat alone. It’s never busy enough.
As I’m drifting in and out of sleep, rolling over on the lumpy sofa, I jolt upright, either out of a dream, or from the recognition that what I’m hearing isn’t a dream at all.
Jimmy’s voice comes through the open door, hushed and quiet, but I can still hear him. He’s on the phone while he works on the bike, and the conversation he’s having is nothing that I want to hear come from his fucking mouth.
“Awww Jimmy, don’t do this man.” I say, as I listen to him tell whoever is on the other end of the line what bike he’s working on and who brought it in.
“Motherfucker, no.” I grunt, rising from the couch, stretching my back, and going to the door to get a better listen.
Of course you would work for the family. What was I thinking? For a genius, I’m so fucking stupid sometimes.
He’s talking to Salvatore directly, I know this by the way he says Sir and looks around the room nervously, missing me hiding behind the wall of the doorway.
“Pink and black CBR 500…Yeah…You think?” He says into the line, and I know that Salvatore on the other end now knows that Dani, my Dani, is still alive.
With Alison still out there, the ante has just been raised again. She’s going to come after Dani, and probably me now too, and I simply can’t have that.
“Jimmy.” I say, stepping out of the little office, startling him, making him drop the phone. “I really wish you hadn’t have done that.”
