“I always tip good, but why do you say that? She did a good job, but she wasn’t outstanding. Hell, she was practically scared of the guys,” I responded, finishing in just enough time for her to retrieve the check and card, and leave again.
“That’s why,” Brooklyn said, pointing to the frightened waitress. “Any time you are in a town that one of your brothers lives in, always tip good so that if your brother was to have a meal there, he will get good service. She might be scared now, but if you leave her a fat enough tip, she will gladly wait on them again, and soon she will realize that they aren’t gonna rape or kill her. Then she tells her friends how these guys aren’t so bad and society has a chance to form an opinion of them based on experiences, not on what T.V. and other media say about them.” I had just been taught one of my most valuable lessons. I could never imagine one of my brothers being mistreated in a restaurant, just because they wore a cut and rode a Harley. When the waitress returned, I thanked her for her services, with a smile. Paying the two hundred dollar bill for my family to eat was easy. Leaving a two thousand dollar tip was even easier.
“Thank you, Dallas. That was great.” Marty said, coming up to hug me and giving me a kiss on the cheek. “Sorry I haven’t had time to say hey. I was busy last night and running late this morning.” I didn’t lead him on to think I knew anything, I just smiled, and brushed it off with a wave of my hand.
“Not a problem. I was really tired by the time we got there,” I said, pulling my sunglasses over my eyes. Luke walked up, pulling me into his side, and kissed the top of my head.
“Thank you, babe. It was great. Sorry about that shit.” I had forgotten until he brought it up. Great job, Luke. I kept my mouth shut, in fear that if I opened it, I would cause more problems. I didn’t need that today.
“Well baby, you definitely know the way to a man’s heart,” Ronnie said, giving me his grin, and letting me know all the transgressions I had committed earlier were now forgiven. “I love you, baby. I’d do anything for you, just like I would for any of the others.” I found my face buried in his chest, as he held me close and kissed my hair. I inhaled the scent of him; that delicious leather mixed with cigarette smoke.
“I love you too,” I mumbled into his cut, hiding my smile. When he released me, I wanted to jump up and fist-punch the air, but thought better of it. Shark had not spoken to me, and neither had Chi Chi, but no one else seemed angry or disappointed in me anymore. Two out of seventeen wasn’t very bad odds.
Chapter 15
Dallas
The rest of the day went better than I could have ever expected. Luke and I spent the majority of our time lounging around in our room. We watched a movie, took a nap, and just enjoyed our time alone with one another. Later that evening, as the sky had just began to darken, Luke’s phone notified him of a message. Without leaving the bed to retrieve it, he looked at me with regret, obviously knowing what it already said.
“I gotta go, babe. We are gonna hit a few bars around town, and see if we run into these guys.”
“What are you going to do if you see them?” I asked, snuggling closer into his side.
“We’re going to talk,” he said slowly, as if he was developing the lie as he spoke.
“Talk?” I gave him that incredulous look that said I didn’t believe a word he said.
“Yes. We’re hoping that will resolve the issue.”
“You’re hoping, but you doubt it will.” He smiled at my uncanny ability to see through his words.
“You’ve been hanging around the ladies too long. You observe and over analyze too much.” His smile faded to a look of defeat. I watched as the sorrow showed in his eyes. “I wish it was that simple,” he said, running his finger across my lip. “I just don’t understand why we have to go to great lengths against people of our own kind to get our point across.”
“Your own kind?” I thought they hated these guys. I had been told more than once that Metal and Madness were nothing like the Devil’s Renegades.
“Usually, we’re fighting against society for our right to wear our cut. Now, we’re fighting against a brotherhood. These are a group of guys who ride Harleys like us, are a fellowship like us, and have a relationship like us. They are going about it the wrong way, but in the grand scheme of things, they are bikers too.” I climbed on top of him, straddling his waist as he lay under me on his back, running his hands up and down my thighs. I was wearing his t-shirt and nothing else, and by the feeling of his hardness between my legs, he liked me that way.