I really didn’t want to use the same spoon as him, but I wasn’t about to say no. I took a bite, and it really was good. “This is good. Thank you…?” I left a space for him to say his name.
“Chanclas.”
“Like the sandals?” I asked.
“Yeah. My real name is Carlos but when I initiated with my first MC I was wearing chanclas and the name stuck.”
“And now you’re with Las Balas?”
His eyes narrowed. “How do you know Las Balas?”
“My sister’s friend, the dark haired girl from earlier, she is dating one of your prospects.” My mind started to wander to where Lily was, but I couldn’t worry about that. As long as I kept this guy talking and kept his disgusting hands off of me, I was okay.
“Which one?”
“Scorpion.”
“Ah yeah. Weird kid. I don’t think he has what it takes to be a Las Balas, but it’s not up to me.”
He walked across to where I was standing and put his hand out for the bowl. “You done?”
I took the last bite and wiped the corner of my mouth and nodded. “Yeah, thanks.”
He turned to put the bowl on the counter behind him and when he turned back, his eyes looked different. The friendliness of just a few moments before was gone and his eyes were vacant and dark, and he took a small pistol and a switchblade out of his boots and unbuckled his pants.
“Okay. Enough foreplay. Take your fucking clothes off.”
Forty-Three
Ryder
“I really advise that you come with us, sir. You need to be checked for internal injuries.” The paramedic was standing in front of the open back door of the ambulance that contained Lily and Bailey. The guy I’d been calling Linebacker was in a different one, under police protection.
It had only taken a few minutes for the officers to find out what had happened. There was a massive manhunt underway for El Diablo, and the entire desert was lit up from helicopters circling the area.
They had given me a preliminary exam and I was fine. What I needed to do was find Paige. “I’m fine. I need to contact the other girl’s family. I’ll meet you at the hospital.”
I climbed up into the ambulance and kneeled down between Lily and Bailey. “They are going to take you to the hospital in Barstow, which is about an hour away. I’ll call your parents, Bailey, and tell them you are okay.”
“Actually, can you wait a little? They are going to freak out if they hear that Paige is missing.”
I wasn’t sure about that. I would want to know right away that Lily was okay. The uncertainty must have shown on my face because she added, “We can call when you get to the hospital, okay?”
I nodded. “Okay.”
Just then a youngish looking paramedic stuck his head in and said, “Almost ready.” Bailey smoothed down her hair and said, “Do I look okay?”
“Your hair is sticking up, but otherwise, yeah,” said Lily.
“Oh! That reminds me! I have something for you.” I dug in my jacket pocket and pulled out the hair tie and handed it to Lily.
“What’s this?”
“Gerard Way gave that to me to give to you.”
“What?” she asked, looking incredulous. “You met him?”
“Yeah. At the convention center. He took it out of his hair and told me to give it to you.”
