Page 55 of Bad Attitude
“Are you going to offer him another job?” I ask, before he can hang up.
“Already have.”
Shit.“The one we’re talking about tomorrow?”
“Yeah.”
“Is he going to be there? Did he say yes?” I hate the way my voice sounds right now. High, tense, desperate.
“He did.”
Double shit. “Then you don’t need me, do you?”
Maybe I’ll stay here. No… I’ve outstayed my welcome. I’ll go back home. Hang out in Lou’s garage.
“Two riders is my minimum, you know that. And you owe me, Genesis.”
“I did the last job as a favor to you,” I remind him.
“And this one too.”
“Then we’ll be settled?” I know the answer before he gives it.
“No. One more. If you want to leave, you can then.”
I didn’t know anybody ever left Kurt’s crew. Save for Hank, shredding his hands, and Kawasaki, getting shredded.
“I’m not in a rush to leave,” I tell him, tone sharp. “I just want the ability to choose.” I take a moment to draw a breath and steady myself. “Want me to come in early on Friday and talk about it? Before Declan gets there?”
“No point. He’s here all the time.”
Is he?
“Doing what?”
“Hanging out with Cole and Dario. They went for a ride, spent a few hours at the range.”
Great.I’m hiding out here,avoidinghim, and he’s taking my fucking place, and making my friends his. How does that work?
“Is he sleeping with Cammy too?”
“Not as far as I know,” Kurt replies, the words as flat as ever. I can’t tell if it’s indifference, dry sarcasm, or a blatant lie. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Genesis. Bring your A-game, right?”
“I always do,” I reply, but I’m talking to a dead line. He’s already gone.
Caleb is good for his word, driving me to the airport noon on Friday, and I collect my bike from long-term parking and am back home with a couple hours to kill before the session that evening.
My apartment is the same as I left it: still small, still tidy, still reminding me of the best sex of my life, and then waking up to nothing.
In anger, I strip the bed, throwing everything into a bag and shoving it into the washer-dryer I bought myself after a past payday from Kurt. Getting by with low rent and small luxuries, my main one being my Ducati Panigale V4S. It’s a thirty-grand bike, which even after the discount Kurt got for me, still set me back the proceeds of several small jobs.
I can afford it because it’s the only thing I care about, and I service it myself. Which reminds me: I need to take it into Lou’s, strip it down and clean it out, especially if we have another job coming up. It’s rare we use stolen machines, and I can’t guarantee it. Better to have the tools I need in top working order.
But I’m not in top working order. I’m stressed, just by the prospect of having to see Declan again.
First Kawasaki, now him. Two jobs, two men I donotwant to ride with.
It’s just a job. Treat it as such. Get in, say the minimum, do the job, get out.
