Next time, if he’s brave enough to do it again, I’ll cave in the side of his face with my boot. He will live, but he will look even more fucked up than he already does.
Saylor is looking at me like she can’t believe I just did that. I shrug and rake my eyes down her body. She is wearing leggings and an oversized sweater. Her boots have some kind of fur sticking out the top of them, and even though her feet have to be warm, I see she has her hand stuck down in the side of one, rubbing the bottom of her foot.
“It’s cold up here,” she says, and shivers again as she says it. I pull her legs into my lap and take her boots off, checking the inside of them to see that the fur is only on the top. Well that’s pointless. “They’re cheap. They look warm, but the air gets through them.”
“I’ll buy you more,” I say, while rubbing the life back into her feet.
“I’m on Coumadin. It’s a blood thinner. It’s supposed to help prevent clots, which apparently I’m more prone to, due to my fragile condition.” She dramatizes the last part and laughs. I smile at her. Saylor’s laughter is a beautiful thing. “Look, you can’t joke with me about buying me new boots. I kinda got a thing for them,” she says, pointing her finger at me. Good thing I was serious.
“Shady,” I call to the oblivious idiot driving us. I don’t look at him because I can’t pull my eyes off of Saylor, who is smiling with her eyes closed and enjoying the heated foot massage.
“Dirk.” Smart-ass.
“We need a mall,” I tell him and Saylor’s eyes open.
“A mall? What the fuck we gonna do at a mall?” I like that Shady is aggravated. I bet he has plans. I hope I fuck them up.
“Dirk is gonna buy me boots.” Saylor is talking to Shady, but she is looking at me, full of love and appreciation, and awe.
“Well, Dirk is gonna have to buy you some boots later ’cause it’s after nine and the mall is closed.” Saylor frowns, but I know she is only joking. “Now, I’m sure we can break in, but you are gonna have to be really quiet and do exactly as we say.” Shady acts as if he is talking to a child instead of a grown woman. He’s done it before and I’ve found it comical. Now not so much.
“Now I see why he doesn’t have any friends,” Saylor whispers, but it’s loud enough for Shady to hear. When he starts to protest she laughs, he smiles, and I’m so caught up in this moment that all I can do is what I do best these days, memorize. And the sound of her laughter is stored in that part of my brain I’ve reserved only for her.
Nationals are sitting outside, where it’s forty degrees, when we arrive. I guess they like the peace and quiet more than the warmth. I want to tell Saylor to stay in where it is warm, but she is latched onto my arm. I shake Jimbo’s hand, salute a few patch holders, then wait until Roach is finished talking with someone before I go to him. I’m not nervous, but I’ve got my guard up considering the last time I saw him he was chewing my ass.
We hug and there is no recognition of my fuckup on his face. He all but pushes me aside to greet Saylor, who takes his hand in hers and kisses his cheek. He offers up his seat under the heat lamp, and my worry about her getting too cold somewhat fades.
Small talk is made and I’m sitting on pins and needles waiting for him to get to the reason for our visit. He finally motions for me to walk to the other end of the outside patio with him. I look back at Saylor, who is being offered a cup of coffee by Shady. He sits down next to her and even though I don’t like it, I’m glad he is there to warn off any men with death wishes.
After about fifteen minutes of bullshitting, Roach leads me over to the other side of the patio, away from everyone else. “We got a problem, Dirk.” I freeze at his words. Not because of the weather, but because for the first time in my life, I’m not gonna be around to handle the club’s problems. I’m going to have to say no to him. To the club. I’m not torn about deciding between the club and Saylor; I’ve made up my mind. I choose her.
“Death Mob set us up, Dirk. They baited us and you took it.” Roach seems to age a year every second that passes. He’s scared. And because he’s scared, I’m scared too.
“What do you mean they baited us?”
“They ain’t building no army. They rolled up a few guys just to send them to Texas to die. The plan was for them to find your weakness. They found it when they found Saylor. They knew you would retaliate if they fucked with her. They didn’t do enough to warrant death though, Dirk. All they did was speak to her. It wasn’t bad enough for twelve brothers to die. They knew that. Now they have the ammunition they need to start a war.”
If Death Mob was willing to kill twelve of their own, then I know their reasons have to be good. I can’t imagine what could be worth so many lives. “What do they want?” I ask, already dreading the answer.