Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
“Anyone who can keep your Pinto running the way you want it is OK in my book, Marge.” I grinned before digging in. The food, as usual, was absolutely delicious. I enjoyed every single mouthful.
“Where’s that man of yours, huh?” Tito frowned at me. “Figured he’d be here before now. You must have gotten a jump on him.”
“This was a spur of the moment ride, Tito. There was no way I was ridin’ out this way without stopping by for lunch.”
Tito beamed. “That’s right. I better never hear of you being in this area without coming by for a bite.”
“Wouldn’t think of it.” I grinned as I pulled out my debit card.
Marge frowned at me as she took my plate -- which I’d barely restrained myself from licking clean, and only because Rocket wasn’t here to mitigate the damage if someone said something to me for having the table manners of a pig. “What’s that?” She nodded at my card like it was contaminated with something unspeakable.
“What’s it look like?” I knew where this was going but I’d hoped to bully my way through it. Shoulda known better.
“What did Elena say? What part of ‘on the house’ did you not understand?”
“The part where I pay for my own meal? Ain’t no freeloader. Danica would have my hide if she found out and I wouldn’t blame her.”
“You want to pay? You take it up with Elena.” She smirked. “Let me know how that works out for ya.”
“No need to come all the way back here,” Elena called from her office somewhere beyond the front kitchen. “I can tell you how it’ll work out for you, young lady, and that would be not well at all.”
Marge smacked her gum with a smile. “Sorry. Boss’s orders.”
I scowled, but had to hide a smile. “I’ll get even.”
“Keep it up and you’ll never pay in this place again.” Elena was like a dog with a bone when she was trying to take care of those she considered hers. Apparently, she considered every motorcycle club in the area hers and Tito’s. Marge too, but she tried to pretend like the other two were in charge since they owned the place. From what Rocket said, everyone knew better. Marge was as much a part of the decision-making process as Elena and Tito.
I chuckled. “I think you three are the only people in the world I’ve met who I can’t get around.”
“Sounds about right.” Marge gripped my hand. “You do right by that club, honey. They might not like it getting out what they are, but they help people. Everyone knows that.”
“How do you even know they’re a club?” I tilted my head. I’d wondered how they managed to keep everything on the DL when there were so many of them and they were all rather distinctive-looking.
“That don’t take much to figure out, honey.” Marge rang up a customer’s bill and took the guy’s money with a smile and a thank you. “But we got inside information from Mama and Pops. Been lookin’ out for those boys for years.”
That surprised me. “Really?” I raised an eyebrow. “Do tell.”
“Ain’t my story. Might wanna check with Mama. She’s Thorn’s aunt. When you go to Salvation’s Bane, have him put you in touch with her.”
“I might just do that. How do you know Mama?”
“She and Pops helped me get this place started when I first moved here from Cuba.” Tito said. His lightly accented English had him pronouncing his homeland “Cooba.” “I was in trouble with the Cuban government and fled with my Elena. But when we got here, they wanted to immediately deport us. Mama worked some magic and the next thing I knew, Elena and I were US citizens. Once that happened, they had no way to deport us without divulging who they’d been in contact with. And no, I have no idea who ‘they’ are. But the Cuban government wanted me back at any cost to them. Mama ensured that price was too high for them to want to pay anymore.”
“Wow. Cryptic much?”
Tito grinned. “Only when I have to be.” It hadn’t escaped me that the lunch crowd was gone, leaving only me, Elena, Tito, and Marge.
“Sounds like you’re a very important man.”
He shook his head. “I might have been once, but now, my greatest importance is keeping the people of this community safe. That means I feed them and keep the people who protect them happy. Grim Road should be a part of that. Sí?”
I nodded. “I take your point. I think they already help some, but being in the limelight isn’t their strong suit.”
Tito tilted his head. “So… you have no say in that?” He nodded to my cut where one side had my name, the other my title. Vice President.
I scowled at him, pointing at him. “You, sir, are insufferable.”