Page 224 of Devil’s Disciples

Cash flipped me his middle finger. “You weren’t even paying attention.”

“Doesn’t matter.” I shrugged. “Vote was whether we wanted to go to Rhode Island or Connecticut. Club voted. Rhode Island it is.”

Cash’s face distorted. “Asshole. If you don’t give a fuck, you should side with me, not Reno, Bake and Tito the turd.”

“If I sided with you, it’d be a tie. Then, we’d be voting on two new places. We did that three years ago and ended up in fucking Florida. Not interested in going to that shit-hole again.”

“Ghost needs to take a fucking nap,” Cash complained, turning to face Baker. “We can re-vote this next week.”

“Vote’s complete,” Baker said. “We’re going to Rhode Island.”

“Fuck that shit,” Cash snapped. “I want to see the leaves turning color in Connecticut. Rhode Island’s nothing but rocks and water.”

Seeing the fall leaves sounded like a great idea. I’d never been through Connecticut in the fall. If I were to make a list like Abby’s, going to Connecticut in the fall would certainly be on it.

“Connecticut.” I raised my index finger. “I’m changing my vote.”

“If I allow the vote change, we’re in a tie,” Baker said. “If we’re in a tie, you know the rules.”

“I don’t give a shit,” I said, turning to face Cash. “You want to ride to Connecticut this fall?”

“Hell yeah,” Cash said.

“Fuck it,” I said openly. “Cash and I are going to Connecticut.”

“You’re all over the place,” Baker said. “What the hell’s wrong with you, Ghost?”

Normally, I was decisive. Even if I happened to thrust myself into a situation that I later regretted, I never changed my mind. I was the poster boy for stubborn behavior, and the men knew it.

“I’m exhausted,” I said, which was partially true. “Went to Borrego Springs earlier today. Caught a fucking rattlesnake. It was hotter than ten kinds of fuck, too.”

“Borrego Springs?” Goose asked. “Why the fuck did you go to Borrego Springs?”

“Rattlesnake?” Tito asked. “Was it a Western, Diamondback, Panamint, Sidewinder, Mojave, or Red Diamond?”

Tito was a walking information vault, and often expected others to be as intelligent as he was. It was never the case. “How the fuck would I know?” I spouted. “It had a rattle on one end, and a pissed off head on the other.”

“Was just wondering,” Tito said. “California has six species.”

I pulled out my phone, opened the picture Abby had sent me, and handed the phone to Tito. “You tell me what that angry fucker is.”

He looked at the photo. After his eyes shot wide, I decided whatever it was must have been what he was hoping for. He glanced at me, back at the phone, and then looked at Baker. His jaw was all but in his lap.

“What?” Baker asked.

Tito turned the phone to face Baker. Baker squinted in response. “Big snake. Don’t know what it is. Chick’s cute, though. Who is it?”

“Uptown Abby,” Tito said.

My eyes narrowed. “You know her?”

Goose coughed out a wad of surprise and then snatched the phone from Tito’s hand. “You went to Borrego Springs with Uptown Abby?”

“No shit?” Reno asked. “She’s hot as fuck.”

I looked at each of them as if they were on fire. “Who the fuck’s Uptown Abby?”

Tito grabbed the phone from Goose, fumbled with it for a moment, and then handed it to me. “This one’s funny. Just press play.”