Chapter 15 The Prospect
The Prospect
Konan
Ford’s woman, Phoebe or whatever her name is, storms out and Ford leans back in his chair and smirks.
There’s something different about him since we brought him home after thinking he was dead for months on end.
I suppose what he went through was bound to change him in some or a lot of ways.
He’s lost the friendlier soft edge he had.
He’s no longer even afraid around the beast Luca and Victoria call their dog.
He’s edgier, harder, tougher almost. I like this version of him.
He needed to be tougher coming back under the patch. A patch I desperately want for myself.
I’ve been so close to getting my patches yet there’s something that always gets in the way. I was so close to patching in when Luca wanted me to be the one to take out Effie Rathbone but then Luca found out Ford was still alive and gave him the honor.
“Prospect, I need you to make my friend half a sandwich and take her up half a bottle of water,” Ford instructs and that’s another thing that grates on me.
When I first came here, I was Konan. Everyone called me by my name. Now I’m Prospect.
Luca wants me to earn my place and I will, but fuck me, how much more can I do to prove myself?
It doesn’t take me long to do as Ford bid and by the time I’m locking Effie in after I’ve let myself out, my phone is blowing up and I know who it’s going to be.
My mother.
If I don’t answer, she’ll only keep trying so I hit accept and press the phone to my ear.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Hi, how are you?”
“I’m good. What can I do for you?”
It’ll be money she’s after, or a boyfriend she wants me to kick out for her because she’s yet again chosen a scumbag who doesn’t listen to her or thinks she is a punching bag.
“Can’t I call just because?”
Maybe some mothers call their sons just because but mine never has and I doubt today is the day she changes her ways.
“Okay,” I play along. “How are you getting on?”
“I was just wondering when you’re coming home?”
I sigh. “I’m not doing this again, Mom. I told you, I’m gonna patch into the club and nothing you can say will change anything.”
“You’re forgetting I know the club, Ko. I don’t want that life for you. I don’t want to stand over another son’s grave and say goodbye.”
I can’t help but laugh. I have had enough of this conversation being recycled every time she calls.
“So its fine for you to fuck your way through the club and it’s okay for me to join so I can kill the pricks that killed your golden son, but now you want me back, to what? Look after you? Hand you everything I earn to pay your bills cause you can’t hold down a job.”
“Ko-ko, don’t be like that. You know Kelly wasn’t my golden son, you’re both equal in my affections. I worry about you. I should never have asked you to join that club.”
“But you did.”
I was happy to, but since I’ve been around Luca and the club, how I once felt about my mom, how she raised us, it’s changed.
I’ve changed.
“There’s only two ways out of this life, Konan, dying a bloody death or spending the rest of your life in prison. I don’t want either outcome for you.”
“Then trust me to watch my own back. I’m grown and I don’t need my mother telling me how to live my life.”
I end the call and slide my phone into my pocket. I’d put the thing on silent, but Luca might need me. I dig it out again and shoot a text to Adriana. My brother’s girlfriend, or now, ex-girlfriend since he’s dead and never coming back.
Now I’ve pissed my mom off, she’ll no doubt be on her case.
I give her the heads up and head back down to the bar.
How fucking hard is it to understand this is the world I’ve chosen to live in.
Somewhere I finally feel like I belong. I loved my brother, and I would’ve stood at his side forever if he were still here, but now he’s gone, I don’t want to live in his shadow.
We were little fuckers. Always getting into trouble. Most of the time we were only looking to find some fun, but it always ended in trouble. Since his death, Mom acts like he was the most well-behaved son there ever was.
“Come with me.”
Luca is stood on the other side of the bar, snapping his fingers in my face. I shouldn’t have zoned out. I follow him outside and I’m surprised when he settles on his bike.
“Take your bike.”
“Is anyone else coming with us?”
He shakes his head and brings his ride to life.
Luca isn’t one for sharing what’s on his mind. I follow him across the city, and I’m surprised when we ride onto Gold Mile. The wealthiest street in the city. The people who live here are worlds away from how the rest of us live.
Not that I’d ever admit it to the cops but there are a couple of houses along this stretch of the community that Kelly and I burgled. The ironic thing was we didn’t get away with nearly as much as we thought we would, considering the people we were robbing were wealthy as fuck.
Luca rides through the Gold Mile like he isn’t considered a criminal in these parts. It’s one of the things that draws me in to the Lost Souls. There are zero fucks. They do what they like and go where they like. There are no boundaries they won’t cross if it gets them where they want to be.
We ride up to a modest sized mansion and kill our engines. It’s strange the place has no gates. Every other mansion around here is hidden from the road.
One thing I’ve learned being a prospect is not to ask too many questions. I know what I need to know and no more. I came to terms with it soon after I came to the club. Once I’m patched in, it will change.
Luca heads up the front steps and turns back to me.
“Come with.”
He lifts the heavy lion door knocker, and I swear it vibrates through me.
“Why is it when people have money, they buy stupid shit?” Luca inquires. “Out of everything in the world, they pay for lion knockers.”
I shrug. “A sign of wealth I suppose.”
A maid answers and takes one look at our cuts and pales.
“How can I help you?”
Luca takes the lead, and since he knows why we’re here I keep my mouth shut.
“We’re here to see Mr Chadwick.”
“Is he expecting you?” She cuts her gaze from Luca to me and then back again.
“No, but he’ll want to see us. Go tell him we’re here about the warehouse he owns in the city.”
She closes the door and goes off to find her boss. I look around the front lawn, the water fountain, and the perfectly placed shrubbery. Someone has spent many hours tending to the front of the house and all because they were paid, and I’m guessing they charged a fortune.
“So we’re here to buy the warehouse behind us.”
“That’s the plan and hopefully this Mr Chadwick plays ball, and we get this wrapped up quickly.”
The door opens and this time, the maid opens it wider for us to enter. We’re shown through to what looks like a home office and library. Who could need so many books. It’s not possible to read so many and live life at the same time, surely.
The old guy, Mr Chadwick, is seated by the glass windows, overlooking huge trees and colorful flowers in a garden that seems to spread wide for miles.
“Please, take a seat, though I imagine this won’t take long,” he huffs and then coughs his lungs up.
Luca remains standing and so do I.
“I won’t keep you long. I want to discuss the warehouse you own on Tally Street. I would like to buy it. Cash.”
The old man takes in our cuts the same as his maid did at the door and then asks, “What do you want with it?”
“I own the building to the east of yours, I’m looking to expand.”
“To what end?”
Luca’s eyes narrow. “I don’t see how that is any of your business.”
“Then I’m afraid I can’t sell to you, and you’ve had a wasted trip.”
The old guy waves his hand, dismissing us and the maid appears from nowhere to walk us out. Making sure we leave, I suppose.
Outside, Luca holds me back by the arm of my hoodie.
“I’ve missed a few chances now for you to earn your patches, but you impress me, Konan. I like how you think before you act. If you can get the old man to sell, you’ll get your patches.”
I can do that. A focus with an ending I can achieve.
I nod and head toward my bike.
I’m going to get my patches no matter what this old man says. I have no idea how I’m going to achieve it, but I’ll figure it out.
Back at the club I clean down my bike and head inside. I rifle through the fridge and settle on leftover lasagne. Just as I make myself comfortable at the table, my phone rings. It’s Adriana.
Answering, I press the phone to my ear. “Hey, Ads. What’s up?”
Her frustrated sigh fills the line before she says, “I’ve had your mom on the phone for the last two hours, Ko. She’s pissed you’re joining that biker club.”
“She isn’t your problem anymore, you don’t have to pick up her calls,” I remind her.
“She’s sad, you know that.”
“I also know she’ll pull on anyone’s heartstrings if it gets her what she wants. What else did she have to say?”
“We spoke about Kel for a while and then she was telling me how she’s behind on a few bills.”
And there it is. She knows Adriana would call me and relay all the shit that came out of her mouth.
“How much does she need?”
She would have told her a number.
“A grand.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, it does little to relieve the building headache. “I’ll sort it out.”
“We both know what your mom’s like, but she’s still your mom and she loves you. She’s always tried her best.”
Adriana would think that, she grew up in the system. She took to my mom the first time she met her. Kelly struck gold when he got with her, Adriana was always able to calm our mother when my brother and I never could.
“Yeah, I hear ya.”
She hangs up and I tuck into the lasagne. A plan comes to mind and I smile. If my mother wants me to pay up, she’s going to have to earn it.