When he had been a kid growing up in Arizona, his mother had made him stand next to her as she stood on a corner holding a sign “My son is hungry.” He had been forced to stand there without shoes on because she said it made people feel sorry for them. In the burning heat, she had begged for money to feed her and his father’s habit. Even now, he remembered the burning heat scorching his bare feet until he couldn’t take it any longer, and his mother would let him stand in the shade until the stoplight turned red. The humiliation burned almost as badly as the pavement as they handled those who gave them money, forced to endure their pitying gazes until he had grown too large to generate their sympathy.
Life hadn’t become any easier after that. He had taken a job in a local restaurant as a dishwasher until he had graduated high school. He had sworn as he had stood at that metal sink that, when he turned eighteen, he would leave and never look back at the family he left behind, never let himself be tied down with feeling responsible for anyone again. He had lived by that code ever since, and he had never regretted it once.
Until now.
Chapter 21
Cade pulled his bike into the small gas station. Looking around, he saw the gas pumps didn’t take credit cards and the station itself was run down.
Getting off his bike, he walked toward the open bay, seeing Stud working on a bike.
“Hey, Stud.”
Stud paused with the wrench in his hand. “What brings you out here?”
Cade moved closer to the bike Stud was working on. “My bike is a piece of shit. Dozer told me you built the one you ride. That’s a nice one you’re working on now.”
Stud stood up, picking up a shop rag to wipe his hands. “It’s already sold. I make custom bikes, but I only build two a year. This year’s orders have already been taken and paid for.”
Cade stared down at the beautiful bike. It might be worth waiting around for, although he had already stayed in town four months longer than he had thought he would. Each day, he had woken with the intent of getting on his bike and leaving; instead, he had found some lame excuse to stay for another day.
He had never stayed in one place as long as he had Jamestown. He felt the burning need to put Jamestown behind him, yet he hadn’t left, placing most of the blame on a bike that had more mechanical problems than it was worth. If he was going to hit the road, he needed a new bike.
“I couldn’t talk you into doing three?”
“My bikes are expensive,” Stud warned.
Cade’s lips twitched. “I think I can afford it.”
Stud went to an old refrigerator and pulled out two beers, tossing one to Cade. “Christmas is coming up in a few months, and I have four kids and Sex Piston to buy for. I can build you one next. Rock isn’t expecting his until March.”
Cade stiffened when he heard Rock’s name. The Blue Horseman was from the West Virginia chapter, but since Pike had transferred for a new job, Rock had moved to the Jamestown chapter to replace Pike. He was a nice guy, but the beef he had with Rock was Jane. The brother was on her like flies on shit.
“I’d appreciate it,” Cade said, opening his beer and taking a drink while Stud studied him quizzically.
“You got a beef with Rock?”
Cade guessed he hadn’t hidden his reaction to Rock’s name. “No beef.”
“Sure,” Stud laughed, setting his beer down on the worktable. “Way you’ve been hitting the sheets with every bitch in the club, you can’t blame Fat Louise for getting her some, too.”
“Is she getting any?” Cade asked, despite himself.
Stud paused for a split second as a look Cade couldn’t decipher came over his face. “I don’t know, brother. You’ll have to take that up with her. I learned long ago to keep my nose out of the business of the brothers and the bitches.”
Cade nodded his head, setting his own beer down on the worktable. “Let me know how much I owe you for the bike, and I’ll get the cash for you.”
“Will do. Be careful riding that piece of shit until I can get yours built.”
“I will.”
“You going to hit the road as soon as it’s done?”
“Yeah. Hung around here too long already.”
“You don’t like Jamestown?” Stud began working on the bike again.
“I like it too much, but I travel, it’s what I do. Left home the day I turned eighteen, joined the Marines, did my time in the service, and got out. There are a lot of jobs open for a man who wants to sell his skills to the right buyer. Moved from town to town, taking the jobs I wanted, and I turned down those I didn’t. I made enough a couple of years ago to retire, and the job I took for Jane’s father was just icing on the cake.”