“Don’t go disrespecting my woman,” Jayden snarled. “Ever. Got it?” He took a step closer, his finger tightened on the trigger.
“Sure. Sure. I got it. Seriously, man, was just shooting the shit.”
“I don’t fucking like it and I don’t like you.” He nodded at the gate. “Get the fuck out of here.”
“This is our turf, man, you fuck off.”
“Yeah, real sensible thing to say to the guy holding a damn gun at your head.”
Denz frowned and nodded at the box. “Get that, Bo.”
His accomplice picked up the guns.
“We’re outta here,” Denz said. “Tell Hudson it was a pleasure doing business, but if any of these give me shit, still got serials, then I’ll be paying him a visit.”
“And you’ll be welcomed with cheese and fucking wine.” Jayden flicked the gun toward the gate. “Get outta my sight.”
Denz turned, and within a second, they were gone.
Tammy’s heart was thudding. The look Denz had given her had given her the creeps. He saw her as a piece of meat. Something to be dominated, used, abused. She knew that look. She’d seen it before … in her husband’s eyes.
“You okay?” Jayden turned to her and shoved his weapon away.
She nodded.
“Sure?” He touched her cheek with the pad of his thumb.
“Can we go now?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.” He climbed on the bike, started it, and within seconds, they were jolting down the curb at the end of the alley and back onto the main street.
He went faster this time, past the rows of tents and strips of tarpaulin being used as shelters, past the piles of garbage and the upturned shopping carts, the metal barrels with flames and black smoke licking from them, and the people, all of whom both scared her and made her heart bleed. How was it possible this place existed next to the glitz and glamor, the excess and the beauty of Hollywood?
It was another question she’d have to ask God in the hope he’d give her an answer.
Before long, Jayden was winding up and away from the built-up areas of Downtown LA. Any houses here were set behind big gates. Palms, acacia, date trees, and eucalyptus swayed in the breeze as they climbed higher.
She found herself relaxing. Denz’s crude words faded, left behind in Skid Row. She’d heard worse, from Gary, and she’d put that in a box labeledpast. She could do the same with Denz.
Turning down a rocky dirt track, Jayden slowed. There was no one else to be seen and at the end was a small opening in a row of trees that looked out over the city toward the ocean.
He pulled to a halt.
Relaxing, she released him and leaned back. “Wow. I love this.”
He dismounted, removed his helmet, and pointed to the right. “See there?”
She followed his line of sight. “Oh, it’s the Hollywood sign. Cool.” She grinned and removed her helmet. “I can tick that off my bucket list now.”
He laughed and took her helmet, stashed it on a rock next to his. “Glad to be of assistance. Scoot up.”
“What?”
“Sit there, where I was, so you can see the sign.”
She did as he’d asked, and he climbed onto the bike, directly behind her, then wrapped her in his arms. He nuzzledher neck. “Sorry about those pricks back there.”
“They’re exactly that, pricks. Doesn’t matter, as long as you’ve done what you needed to.”