Would it be easier to let them help? Sure.
But I want moving into our first home together to be a thing between the two of us. I know Wild, and he’ll want to take photographs, and to kiss me when he gets excited about how shit is coming together.
Kai sticks with Wren and Catfish to catch up while I make my way to our president.
“You need anything from us, Prez?” I ask.
“Yeah. I got two jobs. There are a bunch of members who aren’t pulling their weight. Need you to pay ‘em a visit and make sure they understand what their end of the bargain looks like. Tell ‘em they won’t be getting paid if they don’t step things up.”
“Send me the list. I’ll start on it in the morning. What’s the other?”
“Was talking to King.” The president of the New Jersey Outlaws has become a bit of a mentor to Grudge, of late. “He mentioned they’ve got, like, standards. Not just physical standards, but skills. Everyone has to have certain marksman standards, but also at least one other useful skill. Bomb making, lock picking, hacking. Whatever it is. I asked Atom to work on basic training, which he has, but I think we should level up, and he’s got enough on his plate with the baby coming. You think you and Jackal could chat with Atom and maybe with Halo, Spark, and Niro some more? Niro, apparently, has even been training the old ladies of the Jersey Outlaws so they can protect themselves.”
“You want a proposal, or you want us to just get on with it?”
I’m not one for research and a ton of conversation when you can simply start.
Progress is so much better than a plan on paper.
“Both. Get on with it but tell me what you’re doing as you go along.”
I nod. “Members aren’t gonna love it.”
Grudge grins. “I know. But they’ll get over it. I’m getting really fucking fed up with some of the more entitled older brothers who want to do nothing, yet get paid. I want people to look you in the eye and have to justify their existence.”
“On it. Anything else?”
“No. Just welcome back. And glad to report you didn’t miss any excitement while you were gone. Feels like we finally have some stability for a while.”
“Don’t fuckin’ jinx us.”
I make my way back to Kai. “Should we go get the furniture unloaded so we can drop the van back?” We rented it to maketransporting the furniture more secure than tarps and bungees on my truck.
“Sure thing. Catch up with you guys later?”
Wren nods. “Why don’t you come over for dinner? Save you having to cook anything tonight.”
I can’t imagine anything worse after a long day of driving and focusing.
“That would be great if it’s not too much trouble,” Kai says before I can say anything.
Catfish catches the look on my face and chuckles. “Only if you want to.”
I shake it off. “Nah. That’ll be good.”
We take a few more minutes to settle logistics, and then the two of us head to the van.
“You wanted to stay in tonight?” Kai asks.
I unlock it and reach for the handle. “I didn’t want totalkto anybody tonight.”
Kai climbs inside and waits for me to shut my door before saying, “You know you’re the most introverted introvert there is.”
I look around and, seeing there’s no one about, squeeze his thigh. “Why do you think I hang around with you? You can extrovert enough for the two of us.”
“If you really don’t want to go, I can get us out of it.” He lays his hand on top of mine, and our fingers link.
“I’ll get over myself by dinner. Probably get an appetite moving all this furniture around.”
