Chapter 23 – Bam
Chapter Twenty-Three
BAM
After my first blow job, we have our first argument.
“If you tell me no, I’m just going to follow you, so it makes sense for us to go together,” Josie scoops some of her scrambled eggs onto a slice of toast. I wait for her to take a bite before responding.
“This one time, let me do this by myself.” I press my palms together in pleading fashion.
She makes a face. “I want to be there to ask the questions. I know I can write them down for you, but the questions will change based on what the guy tells you.”
If he tells me anything, I add silently.
The Pipefitters aren’t known to be the talkative type.
They’re the ‘hit first and then run you over with a truck’ type, which is why I need Josie to stay back.
“It’s not ideal. I get it, but I don’t want them to know about you.
I don’t want them looking at you. I don’t want them to have a picture of you in their heads.
I don’t want them to know your name. These guys are dangerous and have zero lines they won’t cross. ”
“What about you? Why should I let you go into that unsafe situation?”
“Because I’ve been there before. This is turf that’s like my own backyard.”
She doesn’t answer.
“They carry actual pipes, Josie. And will use them.”
“Then you shouldn’t go either.”
“They have answers we need.”
I can sense her frustration in her small silences. Finally, she says, “What if I said I’d never give you another blow job unless you let me come with you?”
I almost choke on my oatmeal. Never have her mouth on me? Never feel the hot suck of her tongue around my shaft? Tears almost come to my eyes at the thought, but manfully, I answer, “Then I’d give them up. Your safety is more important.”
She sighs. “Fine, and for the record, I would never use sex to manipulate you. I was just curious how important it was.”
I let out a huge breath. “Very important.”
I’m almost lightheaded with relief but manage to help clear the table and clean up the kitchen from our breakfast prep.
“Do you carry pipes? Or what does Rider stand for?”
“We don’t use any weapons. Weapons give you added punishment by the cops if you’re ever caught.”
She looks surprised I know this. “Do you have a little ‘know your rights’ class as part of your induction ceremony?”
“Kind of. We’re of no use to the club if we get sent away.”
“Learn something new every day,” she says.
I walk her to school and then watch from the street until she enters.
Niki meets me a block away from the Pipefitters’ clubhouse.
Unlike the Riders, who divide their crew into the minors and the adults with Clark heading up our mostly underage crew, and Kev Stand, who is the head of the whole group, the Pipefitters have a central hangout for everyone.
It’s in a strip mall that has a gentleman’s club on one end and a pole dancing fitness club on the other.
In between is a Chinese restaurant, a mobile phone shop, a nail salon, and a 7-Eleven.
The 7-Eleven isn’t a convenience store. It’s where the Pipefitters’ bookies take bets and make payouts, but like a corner mart, it’s open all the time.
If Cole was doing business with the Pipefitters, someone at this place would recognize him.
It’s dangerous for Niki and me to be on Pipefitters’ territory without an invitation, but it’s the best place to get answers.
“You think we’re going to make it out without a fight?” Niki asks as we cross the highway to the strip mall.
“Maybe? It’s too early in the morning for them to rub us out. They’d need to be caffeinated for that, right?”
“Hope so. If we do get into a tussle, make sure they don’t hit your face. It’ll be hard for you to explain that to Josie. Anytime Andy sees a scratch, she gets tight and unhappy.”
I grimace. “I don’t want that to happen.”
“Then get hit where she can’t see.”
I look down at my jean-clad legs and wonder what kind of situationship Niki and Andy have that there are parts of his body that she can’t see. A sharp pain blooms at the back of my head where Niki’s hand just made contact.
“What the hell was that for?” I growl, rubbing the sting away.
“I’m saying you wear a T-shirt to bed and take it off when she’s sleeping. Don’t be an idiot.”
“The idiot is you thinking Andy doesn’t know exactly why you’re wearing a shirt to bed.”
Niki frowns. “She’s never said anything.”
“Because she’s being a good egg, obviously.” I can’t believe I know more about the workings of the girlfriend/boyfriend thing than Niki does when he has been with Andy for several weeks now.
The bell above the door jingles as we walk in.
A kid is manning the front desk, but he’s busy playing a game on his phone.
He scrambles upright when he sees us, and his eyes go straight for our arms, where our Rider tattoos are visible.
The guy’s eyes narrow, and his hand moves under the table.
My arm shoots out faster than he can move, and I have his T-shirt in my grip, pulling him up over the counter.
“Nah, no need for backup. We’re just here to talk.”
“This ain’t your territory. You don’t belong here.” His words are tough, but he’s trembling in my grasp. This guy hasn’t carried a pipe ever. Must be a son of a senior member. His hands are soft, and his muscles are nonexistent.
“We just want to know if you know this kid. He’s been missing for three weeks.” Dead for one of them.
Niki holds up his phone screen for the bookie to inspect.
The kid nods. “Yeah, I know him. He’s missing, you say? Probably because he owes us five fat ones. If you see him, tell him we’re going to beat the shit out of him before he hands over his money and after.”
I let the kid go, and he slides back into his chair. His hands go under the table, and he presses his little emergency button. We probably have about thirty seconds before reinforcements arrive.
“Well, he’s dead, so you’re going to have to eat that debt.”
“Dead?” the kid scoffs. “I’ve heard that before.”
“I’m serious.”
The kid’s face grows confused. “But he owes us money. He can’t die until he pays us.”
“I don’t think that’s how it works, but good luck collecting from a dead kid.” Niki and I leave just as a group of Pipefitters enter from the back.
“I guess they didn’t rub him out,” Niki muses.
“Never made sense for them to be the ones to do away with him.” But if the Pipefitters didn’t do it, who did?