Chapter 2
“Aye, you hear me?” Juelz asked.
I heard him, but my undivided attention was on the woman with the Toni Braxton haircut. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I knew her from somewhere. She didn’t have the kind of face that you could forget. Shit, or the body that wouldn’t live in your mind like a walking wet dream.
“Mhm, let’s ride. I got some shit to handle and I need to stop by the store. That was my last bag of skittles.”
“Man. I’ll just meet you at the bar in an hour or two.”
“Yeah, do that.” I responded, my attention still on her.
Juelz kissed his teeth and shook his head while walking ahead of me towards the bikes lining the sidewalk. The chrome paint on my Harley caused reflections of rainbows to dance on the sidewalk. I stepped up beside it and ran my hands over the smooth black leather.
I swung my leg over the seat like I’d done it a thousand times—because I had. Movements smooth, easy. No rush. No hesitation. The leather was warm under me, broken in just right, like the bike knew me as well as I knew it.
Gripping the handlebars, I settled in, rolling my shoulders once before leaning forward. This was the part nobody saw unless they were close, the quiet before the engine growled, and the stillness that came right before the motion.
My hands wrapped around the throttle, fingers brushing the grips like an old habit. I didn’t need to think. My body knew exactly what to do.
With a flick of my wrist and a deep-throated rumble, the engine came alive beneath me was low, steady, and full of promise.
I didn’t need to look in her direction to know she liked what she saw. I knew what I looked like on this bike. And for some reason, with her, I wanted her to see it.
At last, I glanced over in her direction and winked. I chuckled as she quickly looked away once she realized I’d noticed her watching.
I lifted my foot from the concrete and let the bike carry me into that familiar ride I’d quickly become addicted to after my first time. I took Main Street all the way down until I reached Sammy’s Corner Store in the Parks.
“Duke! Duke! Duke!” three little voices shouted in unison.
I glanced over my shoulder with a smile; I had become really cool with a few of the kids in the neighborhood.
Even though their little asses were bad as fuck, it was only because they didn’t have anything to keep them occupied while they were out of school. That was one of the main reasons I hosted the backpack fundraiser.
Their parents worked hard enough without ever getting a break.
“What’s up y’all?” I asked.
“We want some candy!” they shouted.
I shook my head—they always had their hands out. Crossing my arms over my chest, I leaned back against the seat of my bike.
“Y’all been staying out of trouble? Let me stop you before you lie. I will go in and ask Sammy. Y’all know he will know, so tell me now before I go in there.”
They all looked at each other with questions in their eyes, then back in my direction, as if I had the answers. But I didn’t. I was just fucking with them. I planned to grab that candy even if I heard they had been up to no good. I just intended to tack on a lecture with it.
“We been cool, man.” Vinny spoke up and walked around his two friends with his chest poked out.
I chuckled and nodded, then threw my leg over the side of my bike.
“Alright, watch my bike and don’t touch nothing on it.” I told them with a point of my finger.
They murmured their agreement as I turned my back to them and headed inside the corner store. The bell overhead rang, alerting Sammy to my presence.
“What’s up, Duke.” he called out.
“What’s up, Sammy? Everything been cool around here? You need me to send anybody over here to chill outside?” I asked, while heading to the back of the store to grab a bottle of water.
“I’ve told you many times before—I’m good. I can handle myself.” He responded the same way he usually did.
I made my way back towards the front, heading straight for the candy rack. Then grabbed a few bags of skittles and a couple of different things for Vinny and his friends.
“Aye, Sammy, Vinny and his bad ass friends been cool around here?” I asked and nodded towards the door.
Sammy glanced the way I gestured with a shake of his head and a smile.
“Surprisingly, he’s been staying out of trouble. Probably because of one of the guys you sent down here to watch the shop.”
I lifted a brow in mock confusion.
“You know, the ones you send, even though I tell you I’m good.”
I reached into my pocket and handed him a twenty.
“Let me find out you’re getting senile, old man. Keep the change or give it to someone who needs it.”
I left the store before he could complain.
I definitely planned to be sending someone down here.
Sammy was a staple in this community and I wasn’t going for a knucklehead coming here trying to gain street cred.
He was one of the main people who helped me out when I was younger.
I had family, but trouble always seemed to find me, even without trying.
The moment I stepped outside, Vinny and his friends quickly tried to remove their hands from my bike. I knew they wouldn’t be able to help it. Shit, I was an adult, and found myself running my fingers across the leather randomly.
“Uh huh, I Caught y’all asses. I should go back inside and tell Sammy I don’t need this shit. Y’all had one job.” I teased, holding up the bag of snacks.
They looked at each other with wide eyes, then back at me.
I ignored their puppy-dog expressions as I strolled over to my bike and swung my leg over. I pulled the few bags of skittles out, then stashed them away before grabbing my water and holding the bag out to Vinny.
“Split this up fairly and keep up the good work. Don’t let me hear you’ve been out here messing around. You know where to find me if you need anything—or talk to one of the guys in Black Thorns jackets.”
I reminded Vinny, like I did every time I saw him. He needed a little reminder that someone gave a damn that he was safe or cared about where he ended up in life. That was all the kids in this area. It was the reason so many fell into spaces where they couldn’t get out of.
Vinny gave me a subtle smile, then ran off with his friends in tow, trying to see what was inside of the bag.
I pulled away from the curb and made my way to my grandparent’s home.
I always stopped in when I was in the area.
They lived on the outskirts of The Parks.
Which is how I knew what those kids needed. I was one of them before.
I’d finally made it to the two story family home with the crooked white fence.
The paint was now chipped on it, but damn, did it feel like a mansion when we first moved in.
My grandparents truck was parked in the driveway with another car parked directly behind it.
I glanced down and noticed the crooked California plates.
I groaned inwardly at the sight; I knew this car could only belong to one person and I wasn’t in the mood for her shit today.
I rode my bike up the driveway and parked in front of my grandparents’ car. Before I could take my helmet off good, the screen door creaked open, and a loud squeal followed.
I looked up at the sky for a moment, then glanced over at the woman who harbored the same gray colored eyes as me. My mother was crazy beautiful, but she was irresponsible as fuck. I looked away for a moment, then returned my attention to her and nodded in her direction.
“That’s all you have for your mama? Don’t make me pop you Duke.”
She gripped her hips and smacked her lips with each word. I reached out and wrapped my arms around her for a moment. Just a moment. I wished our relationship could be more than awkward hellos and goodbyes. I guess that was the life of a child who made a child, but left her responsibilities behind.
I released my hold on Heiress and walked around her to head into the house.
The screen closed behind me, so I figured she decided to smoke while she was out there.
Coffee and peppermint wafted past my nose the moment I stepped into the living room.
My grandad was sitting in his recliner with his newspaper.
While my grandma sat on the couch closest to him, watching some medical show on TV.
“If it isn’t my little baby.” My grandma announced at the sight of me.
Grandad peered over the top of his newspaper and released a breath with a wave of his hand.
“That boy damn sure ain’t little no more, Glory.”
I laughed, then walked over to place a kiss on her cheek. Then gave my grandad a pound before taking a seat beside my grandma.
“He is always going to be my little baby, Winnie.” She reached over and pinched my cheek.
I smiled, crumbling under her attention, which caused my granddad to groan. He hated when she called him that shit in front of company. I remembered asking why as a kid, outside of the obvious reason that he was a grown man.
She would always say he had the kindest soul and was never in too much of a hurry. Not to mention, my granddad had freckles scattered across his cheeks and nose, with the same gray eyes and pecan-colored skin as my mother and me.
That was one of the reasons why, when I was a kid, if I went anywhere with them, people often thought they were my actual parents. I was fine with that, and they never corrected anyone when asked.
Shit, if you asked me, they were my parents—they just carried the grandparent title too.
The woman outside smoking felt more like a sister than a mother. But whenever I slipped up and called her by her name as a kid, my grandparents would get on me about it.
Before I could say another word, Heiress, my mom, came back inside.
She sat on the edge of my grandad’s recliner instead of taking a seat by me.
My grandad didn’t fret or say a word, he just adjusted the way he was sitting, so she was comfortable.
It was always that way with my grandparents.
They never made her feel bad for leaving them with her responsibility.
“I just wanted to come and check on y’all since I haven’t been here in a few days. You know the bar has kept me busy and the Black Thorns.” I told them.
“Yeah, and we like what you’ve done with the Black Thorns, son. They used to be such a nuisance, but these days, you’ve switched all of that around,” my grandad said.
I smiled under his praise.
“Maybeliene, you know her. She lives down the street. She was in the salon on Sunday, talking all about it. How you did the dang thing with the giveaways, but that heffa was the main one talking stuff when you first joined. I reminded her of that, too.” My grandma added.
I chuckled because although my grandma was God fearing; she didn’t play behind me or anybody else in this family. Not to mention, she and Maybeliene had a love dislike relationship. They lived to throw little remarks at each other but would go have lunch on the regular like best friends.
“You and Maybeliene are a trip, but I appreciate you standing up for me.”
She reached over and pulled me close to smother my cheek with kisses. I couldn’t help but to smile. I didn’t smile a lot but when I was around the folks I loved; I thrived.
“He not all that, Mama. You gone give him a bigger head than he already has.” Heiress said.
I stood. “On that, I’m gone head out. If y’all need anything, let me know.”
Heiress rolled her eyes. “Why are you always so damn sensitive? I was just kidding.”
I shrugged and kept walking. She wanted to argue, but I had no plans on entertaining her.
Once I was outside, I hopped back on my bike and made my way to Chrome. I made it a point to drive past Scottie’s to see if ol’ girl from earlier was still out there.
She wasn’t, but I didn’t want to miss my chance to see her sooner rather than later.
Ten minutes later, I made it to my street, where the old donut shop someone had purchased was nearly finished with renovations. I could clearly see the name now—Sugar Kissed, which was right up my alley.
They even had a sign out front letting everyone know the grand opening would be happening in just a few days.
I pulled my bike around the back of the bar, then stored it in my garage. Once I finished, I used the door from the back to head inside of the bar and to my office. A few of the bikers from the Thorns were already here, but I didn’t feel like entertaining any damn body at the moment.
The moment I stepped into my office, my chair spun around, revealing Vanessa seated in nothing but a bra and a thong.
My dick hardened immediately. I shifted, placing a hand over myself to hide it.
Vanessa and I used to mess around heavy, but she was also part of the Black Thorns. That wasn’t a good combination now that I was president. Not to mention, even when we were fucking, I never saw a future with her.
The crazy part? She knew that.
“Come on now. How many times do I have to keep telling yo’ ass not to be in here when I’m not here?” I asked.
She tilted her head to the side and pushed the chair back as she stood.
If I was hard before, that shit was on brick now.
Nessa knew damn well what she was doing. She thought if she kept giving me pussy, it would change things. The moment I got my nut, the thought of anything more never crossed my mind.
She slowly walked around the desk and then stood tall in front of me before dropping to her knees and unzipping my pants. I was going to let her since she wanted my shit down her throat so bad.
Once the zipper was down, she pulled me free from my briefs. I reached out and tilted her chin until her eyes met mine.
She ran her tongue across her lower lip.
“You better play with that pussy while you do it, because all I got time for is my shit sliding down your throat. And you better not throw up this time, understood?”
She nodded, then opened her mouth as wide as she could, trying to engulf my shit like it was her last meal. I closed my eyes and allowed the soft silk of her mouth to give me some relief before I handled this bar and Thorn shit for the day.