CHAPTER 57
Birds of a feather … because flying through the winds of this world alone is no way to fly.
Lily stops short as she steps into the clubhouse and takes in the changes.
The usual rowdy energy is dialed down, replaced by a more subdued crowd.
For one, it’s clean—probably cleaner than she’s ever seen it.
Two, it’s been aired out. A faint citrusy scent and the aroma of barbecue fill the lounge room.
After greeting those inside the clubhouse, we make our way out back.
We’re immediately assaulted by the sound of boisterous voices, laughter, as well as the high-pitched squeals from kids chasing one another.
Multiple conversations are happening throughout the area.
Groups are congregated around the picnic tables, fire pits, and the old timers are keeping Cap company as he mans the grill.
“Are you sure my skirt’s not too short?” she asks, like there’s time to change into something else at this point.
My “Fuck, no,” earns me a scowl.
Her eyes dart from person to person. Probably too many unfamiliar faces to feel at home in a place she knows so well. Not the wild, reckless, free-for-all she’s used to. This is the side of the HOCs she’s not been privy to. The members and their families, children, and friends of the club.
On the drive here, Lily flipped her hair several times, checked her makeup twice, a clear giveaway that she’s nervous about how this will go.
Still is. So I hold up my hand and offer it to her.
She squeezes it tightly, and I return the gesture, letting her know that she can steal some of my strength to get through this if she needs it.
I’m here to keep her grounded, guide her through this new version of this world she’s only ever seen the darkest sides of.
She’s been through hell and back with me, but this, this is one of the reasons I pressed on, and I want her to be part of it.
Some of the old ladies are already eyeing her. Their expressions range from curiosity to subtle judgment. I hate it. But I have to let it play out. Or at least that was Cap’s advice.
Beyond the label of “clubpiece,” she has the added “stripper” title attached to her, and the women here who are threatened by her beauty and talent will use those to try to knock her down.
It’s not right, but nothing short of threatening those who fuck with her, will fix it.
These women aren’t for the faint of heart. They can be cruel and kind in equal measure, and they sure as shit have long-ass memories. She’ll have to fight for her place among them, but I’m confident she will with time.
Bethany comes to the rescue, her usual bluntness cutting through the tension as she exits the back door and approaches us.
“Ugh, I hate these things,” she mutters.
She’s carrying a casserole dish, a plastic-wrapped plate of cookies on top of it, and Medda, her baby girl, is propped on her hip.
“I swear, it’s like a damn competition every time,” Bethany continues, her voice lowering conspiratorially.
“What dish to bring, whether it’s good enough.
What to wear. I can’t stand it. But if I opt out, then I’m in deep shit.
Or highly depressed and in need of medication, according to Nick. Like I can’t fuckin’ win, you know?”
She dips her chin towards the cookies, “Those are for you. I figured I’d bring a backup dessert just in case Goose didn’t tell you how it works at these things. God forbid you don’t bring something.”
Lily gives her a hesitant smile and picks them up, her shoulders relaxing. “You’re a lifesaver. Thank you.”
“You were there when I needed it.” She gives Lily a meaningful, sad smile.
“I’m just repaying the favor.” Bethany nudges her lightly with her elbow and whispers.
“Nick’ll give you hell, but she does it to everyone new.
So prepare yourself. It’s like some kind of hazing.
Just keep your chin up, okay. Don’t let any of the shit they sling get to you. ”
I glance over at Nick, Dozer’s mom, holding court near the fire pit.
As if she’s aware we’re talking about her, her gaze comes up and scans the yard.
When it lands on us, she gives Bethany a grim smile and then Lily a long, appraising once-over.
When her gaze moves to me, she raises an eyebrow.
I meet it unflinchingly, letting her know without words how firm I stand on this decision.
That yes, this is it. She’s it for me. This is who I choose.
Nick watches Lily and Bethany. The corner of her mouth lifts. She nods back once in understanding as if to say, okay then, let the games begin.
She’ll test her and push her. Ultimately, she’s preparing Lily for the life she will lead and helping her establish her place here.
She’ll give her a good dose of tough love and then protect the hell out of her.
Nick just wants to make sure she’s worthy of this club, and that’s love in her own twisted way.
“Come on,” Bethany says, motioning toward the long tables set up where the food’s being placed. “Let’s set these down and then I’ll introduce you around.”
They weave through people to drop off the dishes.
They head to the picnic tables where Dozer’s bubbly blonde sister, Taffy, is sitting with Kendra and Blair, Septic and Bodie’s old ladies.
Taffy is talking a mile a minute with wild hand gestures.
There’s a massive smile on her face. She beams further when Bethany and Lily arrive and immediately jumps up to snatch Medda from Bethany so she can tickle and coo at her.
Dozer steps up beside me and slaps my back. His large frame casts a huge shadow on the overgrown grass. “You ready for this?”
I rub my hand over my mouth and shake my head. “No, but yeah. Ready to ask the question, but not ready for, well, you know.”
Dozer chuckles heartily and smirks. “I bet. Well, I for one can’t fuckin’ wait to see it.” His gaze travels over the yard. When it lands on the women at the picnic table, the jovial expression drops from his face. His gaze flicks to mine.
The only thing I can think to say is, “Give it time.”
He clears his throat and looks away, “Yeah. Trying to. Not as easy as it sounds.” He rubs the back of his neck. “Wish there was some kind of button I could hit to fast forward time.”
“If you find one, let me know. I’d like to go back a decade and get a do-over.”
“Actually, yeah, that sounds better. Then we could find a way to never let go in the first place.”
I nod solemnly. Sadly, in life, there are no do-overs, only the present and future to look forward to. Which reminds me to appreciate the time I do have, however little of it that may be.
As the evening wears on and the sun and moon trade places in the sky, Lily’s ability to make connections one-on-one becomes more apparent.
It’s not the same in a group. In those instances, she’ll pull the actress out.
It’s almost as if she thinks she has a better chance of winning people over if she doesn’t let them see her true self.
Then she watches them long enough to know who she wants to get to know.
I think she’s taking the time to gauge who won’t take advantage of her vulnerability and kindness, and based on this, she chooses who to spend her time with.
There’s a story there, and I make a mental note that I hope will stay put, so I can ask her about it later.
I’d like to know why and what this part of her personality stems from.
Why the “masks” as she likes to call them?
When did it start, and why does she still think she needs them in certain circumstances?
When I make it back to Lily, she’s sitting in a lawn chair beside Bodie.
He’s talking animatedly, and she’s laughing at something he said.
I pass her a water bottle, having just grabbed one for each of us.
She takes it with a pleased smile and pats the chair beside her.
Before I take my seat, I throw a few more logs into the fire pit, then move my chair closer to her so I can curl my arm around her shoulder to ward off the chill creeping into the night air.
“So then,” Bodie picks up his story. “This guy tries to cut me off, right, because he’s a dick, right?
He’s driving like an asshole, weaving in and out of traffic, and he’s honking at people, like this motherfucker is the most important guy on the fuckin’ planet and it’s somehow our fucking fault he’s late for his nine to five or some shit. ”
“Oh no, what did you do?”
He grins wickedly, and Lily half-covers her eyes.
“What do you think I did?”
She shakes her head.
“I got in front of him and slowed my ass down to a crawl. If he moved left, I moved left. If he moved right, then yeah, whatever I could do to make his day as fucked as he was making everyone else’s.”
“I’m surprised he didn’t run you over.”
“Probably wanted to, but that’s the thing about the cut, Lil’. It demands respect or at least a good dose of fear, and that is power in and of itself.”
“So what ended up happening?”
“Well, eventually he got off the freeway, so I followed him to his office. You know, just to let him know I knew where he worked. And that’s when the idea came to me.
I just thought if he’s gonna drive like a douchebag, he’s gonna own that shit.
I had Taz design me a sticker, and his was the first car I tagged. ”
Lily’s face lights up. “You got one on you? I wanna see it.”
His brows pull together, and he shifts in his chair. He searches his pockets. When he doesn’t find one, he says, “I have some up in my room. One sec. I’ll be right back.”
He takes off, and Lily turns to me. “Did you know about this? This side hustle he has going on?” She seems delighted by Bodie’s antics, like he’s not a grown-ass man who’s going to get arrested eventually for harassing civilians.
“Yeah, I’ve been DB’d.”
“DB’d?”
“That’s what he calls it. The Douche Bag of the Day Award.
Park outside the lines or over them, speed through a school zone, use your cell phone, cut someone off, don’t let someone merge, forget to signal, hog the fast lane.
He becomes a fucking menace. Thinks he’s some kind of traffic vigilante.
Looks for any damn reason to tag someone now.
Follows them, slaps his stickers on their car.
Never mind that douchebag is one fucking word, the bastard has made it two and made a fucking trend out of it.
The green flowing in from it is insane.”
“You’re kidding?”
Shaking my head, I take a sip from my beer, then mutter, “Not even a little bit.”
“What’d he tag you for?”
“Fucking tailgating him.”
She laughs, which has me scowling. “I’m sorry. It’s just. That’s hilarious.”
Bodie’s out of breath by the time he gets back. He doesn’t just give her a sticker. He hands her a bunch of the swag from his new business venture: a box of stickers, vinyl signs, a red T-shirt, and a white hat.
“Holy shit! I freaking love this!” She unfolds the shirt and checks out the design.
I have to admit, Taz did a phenomenal job on it.
It’s a blend of new school but also a bit comic.
There’s a douchie-looking guy with a fuchsia polo tucked into high-waisted jeans, which are rolled up over white sneakers.
His bald head is light blue, and an actual bag.
There’s a white douche nozzle rising out of the top of his head.
The small nuances, tribal tattoos, white earbuds, speckled scruff on his jaw, and trophy he’s holding up speak to Taz’s skills and creativity.
The detail is amazing, and the guy’s smarmy smile tops the cake.
It’s too bad Taz is dead set on the darker shit, because he’s got killer skills in this area too.
“Pretty sweet, right? I’ve hired some college kids to pimp it out and even have a little warehouse. The brand is growing crazy fast. We can barely keep up.”
“So you’re not working full-time at the shop?” she asks.
He shakes his head and takes his seat, picks up his beer, and sets it on his thigh.
“I do. And doin’ both is gettin’ to be too much.
Might sell the rights to this biz after it’s grown a bit.
It was just an idea I had and mainly, I just wanted to fuck with people.
Turns out that other people love fuckin’ with other people too.
Now anyone who wants to has a way to call the asshole drivers of the world out.
Somethin’ that’s been a long time comin’, in my opinion. ”
“Do I get to keep these?” she asks as she holds the red T-shirt to her torso.
Bodie beams. “Yeah, woman. They’re yours. You can have as much shit as you want.”
They go on chatting about his tagging adventures. He tells her story after story. Every so often, he pulls me in on the ones I’ve taken part in to back up his ass because, at times, he still goes off the rails and needs to be reeled in.
Observing these two, seeing their bond, tells me that not only did I bring Lily into my world to make me whole, but I gave Bodie someone who gets him at a level not many people do.
There’s a genuine friendship there. The chaos they could create together sorta scares the hell out of me, but it also brings me a measure of relief.
Bodie is the brother I trust most. He’s more than that, though; he’s a brother to me in every way that matters.
Having him here, my own fucking savior to watch over her, if God forbid, I’m taken from this world, relieves me of the fear that she’d be alone, and if there is any rest to be found in death, it would be in this.
Should the time come, they’ll watch out for each other.
God willing, that will be a long time from now. But who’s to say?