Misfit(26)
“Duly noted, but unnecessary. I have everything covered.”
He did, too, knowing it was more important than ever to move forward with his plan. Contacting his brother would have to wait. Besides, if something had happened to their father, Josh wouldn’t have called only once.
Stretch grunted, pushing himself onward even as he called himself stupid for walking so far from the club with only his cane to get him back. Usually, he’d park his bike in front of one of the houses and start from there.
This morning, though, he’d awakened with the urge to go for a run. Like he once had. When he’d taken that shit for granted. Now, he’d give anything to have the same mobility.
Hopping to a tree, he leaned against it, breathing heavily. No matter how he punished himself, the pain never went away. As a matter of fact, it got worse.
At the ringing of his phone, he slid to the ground, ignoring the almost immediate chill that seeped through his sweat pants and hit his ass.
“What’s up?” he answered, in no mood for Cash’s games. Hopefully, he was calling as Ghost, and he intended to get some explosives together.
“Meet me at the club. We have to ride out.”
“For?”
“You’ll fucking see. Just get over here.”
“Is this business or personal?”
“A little of both.”
That meant Fee, and Cash putting his bone-headed plan in motion.
“I would come if I could. I need to rest my leg before I walk back to the club, so have fun. See you in the afterlife.” He disconnected the call, not even bothering to hear Cash’s response.
Cash was going to do what the fuck he wanted.
“Stretch?”
Fee’s surprised voice snapped his head up. He hadn’t heard her approach. Caught off-guard, he didn’t have the chance to smooth his features out. Hide his pain. As much as he hurt, he worried his face looked hideous, red and splotchy from his exertion and the scar slashing the left side of his face.
He’d gotten stares and fingers pointed at him. At times, he considered makeup, some type of foundation that blended with his skin tone. Then, he’d remember Cowboy…his father…his cousins and uncles, all men who considered him a freak. Remembering them made him cringe at the idea of makeup. But, then, he’d be faced with Cash and Fee, beast to their beauty.
She cocked her head. “What are you doing sitting out here?”
In the woods, somewhere between the new construction for Bunny and Digger’s place and Johnnie and Kendall’s house.
“Just enjoying the morning,” he lied.
“Right.” Her tone called bullshit.
Stretch gave her a half-smile, her bare legs grabbing his attention. Unlike the other night, today she wore a flowery dress that reached her knees with a pink knit sweater thing. Her hair framed her face.
“You look very pretty,” he blurted, surprised when she flushed, as if she wasn’t used to compliments.
“Thanks.”
“Wait a minute. What are you doing out here?”
“Walking to the club for Meggie, to pick up a blood orange drink. She’s at Kendall’s. Apparently, Kendall forgot to pick up more.”
Unlikely. Kendall was very astute. If she didn’t have a drink Meggie liked it was by design. He couldn’t understand why Fee was playing girl Friday, but it wasn’t his business.
“Why?” Fee asked. “Did you need something?”
He needed a lot. Nothing a pretty girl like her would understand. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t hold onto his resentment toward Fee for very long. Just seeing the happiness on her face told him what drew Cash to her. It also drew Stretch.
When he didn’t answer, she hesitated and shifted from foot to foot. “Do you want to walk back with me?”
“No.”
Her smile faded at his brusqueness. He refused to lose his pride by telling her he’d been exercising and pushed himself too far.
She took in his outfit and his sneakers, rolling her eyes when she saw his cut.
“Hey, don’t knock my fashion style.”
“No, never. I’m already aware that it would be easier if that piece of leather was sewn to your body, as much as you all wear it.”
“It’s who we are.”
She backtracked, pulled her sweater thing tighter, then leaned against the tree, close enough for him to smell her floral body wash. Her leg brushed his arm.
“All I have to do is turn just a little and I can lift your skirt to see what’s underneath.”
She giggled. “Are you flirting with me?”
“If I were?” he flung at her. They both knew he was definitely flirting with her.
“Try me and find out.”
He dragged her down to the ground and lunged toward her, tickling her stomach, finding her laughter contagious. It transformed her face, removing some of the loneliness that mirrored his. He even forgot the pain in his leg as they wrestled like two little kids.