Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 117752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
“I followed you. I was worried.” Candi put her arm around his waist, helping him to her car. “Why are you here, Calder? That bitch doesn’t have anything I don’t.”
“Lay off. I’m not in the mood for your petty jealousy.”
“I’m getting sick and tired of you fucking around on me. You didn’t want me to come with the other women from the Blue Horsemen, but you had no problem getting me out of my bed to bring you a fix. You think that slut is going to take care of you the way I do? I’m the one who’s always here for you. That bitch wouldn’t even open the door for you. Baby, let’s go to your place. You won’t remember her name when I’m done with you.” She leaned across the console, placing her hand snuggly between his thighs, cupping his cock.
“What about my bike?”
She reached for her cell phone, making a call. Calder didn’t know or care who she was calling. When she finished, Candi turned the car on, taking the choice out of his hands.
He closed his eyes so he couldn’t see the opportunity he had missed, not opening them until he was certain they were well away from Crazy Bitch’s apartment.
It was better he hadn’t met her on time. She didn’t need a cokehead in her life. He would have dragged her down in the losing battle he was fighting with the monster that was riding him hard. He had tried to buck it off so many times, but he was tired of fighting.
“I don’t even know her real name.”
“What did you say?” Candi turned her head from the road.
“Nothing. You got any more coke?”
3
He handed Stud the socket wrench. “What’s Crazy Bitch’s name?”
His brother took the tool from him. “Why?”
He nervously took a swig of his cold beer when a brow was cocked in his direction. “Last night, I was remembering when we first met Sex Piston and her crew. Had me thinking I don’t know any of their real names.”
“Fat Louise is Jane, T.A. is Trudy Ann, Killyama is Rae, and Sex Piston would kick my ass if I told you hers. Same goes for Crazy Bitch.”
“I know Sex Piston’s.”
“Who told you Sex Piston’s?”
“Star.”
“She wouldn’t have gotten that computer if Sex Piston had known. What had you taking a trip down memory lane?”
“Remembering my fuckups.” Calder tossed Stud an oil rag to wipe his hands with. He knew his brother was expecting him to bring up Candi and Star, but that was a road he didn’t intend to go down with Stud. He was Star’s father. She didn’t need a loser like himself claiming her. “That dork last night will treat her just as bad as Joker did.”
Stud shook his head while opening a beer. “There’s no comparison between Sam and Joker.”
“They have the same looks in their eyes. I don’t care if he works or not; there’s something shifty about him.”
“And you judge that in the one-second conversation you had with him?”
“Yeah, I did. I’m a better judge of character than you; that’s for damn sure.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I fooled you, didn’t I? Every time I swore I wasn’t using, you believed me.”
“I didn’t believe you.” Stud shook his head. “I was giving you the benefit of my doubt.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s what brothers do.”
Calder lowered his eyes, unable to meet Stud’s. “I don’t know why you put up with me.”
“Because I love you, bro.”
He bit his lip, forcing his face to remain inscrutable. They had grown hard. At one point, Stud’s soul had been just as dead as his, but his brother had never given into the temptation of drugs.
“I love you, too. I won’t let you down again.”
“I know you won’t. You’d have to be crazy as hell to start using again. You hear they found Crank and Ro in their beds, dead as doornails? That’s four this month. Last month, it was five. Someone is passing around some hard shit out there.”
“I heard. I saw Crank last week. He asked if I wanted to stop by for a beer.” Calder took his cigarettes out of his overalls. He lit one, blowing the smoke out of his nostrils. “I used to party with him before I went to prison. Stayed away from him since I got out. I feel bad I didn’t go talk to him. Maybe it could have made a difference.”
“Stay away from your old buddies. It’s not worth the chance of you stepping in that shit again.”
“That’s not gonna happen.” Calder saw the concerned look on Stud’s face and reassured him, “It’s not gonna happen. I wouldn’t do that to myself again. I wouldn’t do that to you again.”
“See you don’t. Next time, I’ll knock some sense into you the hard way.”
“I know you will.” He held his hand out, and Stud took it. Shaking his hand, Calder pulled him close until their shoulders bumped. It was as close as a hug the two brothers would allow themselves.