The pain in my lower back as I climbed out of bed, as I gotdressed.
Breakfastsmoothie.
Painkillers.
I checked my phone—found texts from Brody. He’d brought Roni to his place last night, like I asked. But Bishop drove her home in the morning, after she promised Brody she’d comeback.
Found texts from Jesse, wanting to know where the fuck Iwas.
Shit.
I texted Jesse back, let him know I wasn’t coming over, that I was heading to Brody’s. That I’d check in with himlater.
I texted Con with a simple question mark, meaning:send me anupdate.
I called Piper, told him, “I need to pull Hazard or Bane for Dirty crew.Today.”
“Today?” My brother did not sound happy aboutit.
“Today.”
I’d already talked to him, and to both Hazard and Bane—both Kings—about joining Dirty’s security crew this year on the road. Piper had approved of me hiring on one of them, not both, and not until the tour started inJanuary.
But thanks to Taze’s bullshit play last night, I was not gonna be able to wait thatlong.
Piper sighed and said, “Take Bane. Fucking guy annoys meanyway.”
“I owe youone.”
“You owe me more than one, littlebrother.”
I hung up and sent a quick text to Bane.Callme.
Then I called Brody. “Roni wenthome?”
“She went home to shower and change,” he said. “I tried to keep her here, but I couldn’t exactly make herstay.”
“Bishop’s bringing herback?”
“They’re back already. She’s having lunch with Jessa. Said she has some kind of business proposal forme.”
“Stall,” I said. “Don’t talk to her until I getthere.”
“When will you behere?”
“Soon,” I said. “Just fuckingstall.”
When I hung up, a text came in from Con.Not yet. But this shit will beeasy.
I threw on my leather jacket, grabbed my keys. Found my bike parked in the driveway, where whatever prospect had leftit.
Fuckingnewspaper.
I got into the Bentley, awkwardly. The painkillers were kicking in, but I felt stiff allover.
Morning drive. Metallica. “Die, Die MyDarling.”
The mental inventory in myhead.
