“We need to head back,” David informs him.
I can see the little veins in his neck popping out and suddenly, I remember the first time I saw him. He seemed nice. I can’t believe how deceiving looks can be, even though everyone keeps telling me this.
“It’s all your fucking fault!”
David suddenly turns to me and smacks me hard against the cheekbone. I hear something snap and warm, copper-tasting liquid fills my mouth. I fall down to my knees, as my ears start to get filled with strange sounds that weren’t there before. I hear revving, tires screeching, motors firing up. I can’t lift my head. It’s too painful. I spit out some blood, but there is still more left in my mouth.
“Why don’t you try hitting someone who can actually hit back, motherfucker?” I hear someone say, but it’s too noisy.
My whole face hurts and I can almost feel the swelling going up by the second. I’m sleepy and can’t keep my eyes open. In a second, my head flops down onto the ground and the whole world goes dark.
Chapter 6
Dex
As we arrive to the small clearing in the middle of nowhere, I see something that makes me fucking raging mad. A girl taking a blow. There are no circumstances under which this is anywhere near acceptable. Revving our bikes, we surround the van and the two guys there. The confusion in their eyes is tangible. I’m just waiting for the moment when that confusion turns into fear. Once we’ve made a full circle, our bikes stop. Now, they’re just purring, softly, menacingly, like tigers hiding in the savannah, about to attack unsuspecting prey.
I get off my bike and walk over to the guy who just knocked out that poor girl. There isn’t a hint of wind in the air, as the stale hotness hits my nostrils.
“Why don’t you try hitting someone who can actually hit back, motherfucker?” I ask him.
I glance at the girl. The poor thing looks broken, like a doll no one wants to play with. But, when I see she’s closing her eyes, I know she can’t fall asleep. Who knows how hard that fucker hit her?
“Theron!” I shout and another bike stops making any sound. “Check the girl!”
Theron jumps from his bike. He’s always been the fastest among us. Probably because he’s pure muscle, no body fat. We all eat the same shit and yet, it all transforms into muscle with him, while the rest of us gotta work for our six packs.
I let Theron check the girl, as he takes her head into his lap and opens her eyelids. His fingers gently press on her jawbone, softly, like she was a porcelain figurine and he had to be careful not to break it by pressing too hard. I look at her a bit longer than I should, before I can focus my attention on the asshole responsible for this mess.
“You shouldn’t mess with things that aren’t for you,” the guy who hit the girl growls at me.
Well, he’s in for a surprise. I can growl way worse than that.
“You see, this here shit is on our turf,” I say calmly. He still hasn’t pissed me off seriously. Just a little. It all depends on Theron’s report on the girl’s condition. “So, this is our business.”
I take a step closer to him and I can see that he isn’t indifferent to what’s going on. Hell, I also wouldn’t be, if I were him. But, I’m not. I’m twice his size and I’ve got my brothers backing me in whatever shit this is. But, judging from the look of it, he’s one of Leo’s guys. Back in the day, Leo and our previous leader agreed to each
mind their own business. We had some bootlegging done and they would smuggle stuff across our turf every once in a while. It was one of those you scratch my back, I scratch yours kinda deal. When I became the leader, the agreement simply continued, without either side clarifying anything. Now, the thing is, smuggling stuff is one thing. but, smuggling people - that’s a whole different ball game. One we don’t play.
“You know Leo won’t like this,” the guy reminds me and I just snort.
“Like I fucking care what Leo thinks,” I growl a little louder and motorcycles rev in reply, like a roaring hymn. “What are you doing here with the girl?”
I glance at Theron. The girl’s head is still in his lap, but she’s unconscious. It’s taking me all my effort not to pounce on the guy right then and there, like that last time we beat the shit out of a guy who thought it was OK to hit women. We taught him a lesson he’ll never forget, plus he’ll have a facial scar to remind him of it, always. Those are the best lessons, with reminders.
“A swap,” the guy answers my question.
“You selling her?” I ask again.
I know the look on Theron’s face. I’ve seen it before. And, it’s making me even madder. This guy’s clock is ticking. He just doesn’t know it yet. And that guy next to him who’s just standing there doing nothing, he’s about to be served the same dish.
“How is she?” I ask Theron.
“I think her jaw is fractured and the inside of her cheek is torn, so we need to treat it immediately, otherwise it might cause an infection,” Theron replies.
I know we always make fun of him for reading all sorts of books, but he’s saved our asses more than once when he knew exactly how to treat an injury, or what plant could be used to reduce swelling, inflammation or stop the bleeding. His books proved invaluable more than once. The girl, whoever she is, will be in good hands with him.
“You figured you’d rough her up a little before the swap?” I continue, getting dangerously close to the guy.