Stretch was having trouble following which ‘he’ Diesel was referring to in his story, but he knew who he meant by both of them. Stretch and Fee. At the beginning of her entering the relationship, Stretch had stopped talking to Cash.
“Did Cash cheat on you?”
“Whatever you think you know isn’t the way it is. There’s no type of relationship between Cash and I. Drop the subject and don’t ever bring it up again.”
Diesel’s entire body drooped. “I’m sorry. I was just trying to make conversation.”
“Forget it. Just don’t bring this up again. To anyone,” he warned.
“Sorry,” Diesel mumbled again, scraping his nails along the material covering his thigh. “Does your leg hurt a lot?”
“Yes.”
“You should go to a pain management place. Or look into surgery to have it repaired.”
Every motherfucker was suddenly bringing up surgery. “What do you know about my injured leg?”
“I know how you got your injury. And why.”
Sucking in a breath, Stretch stiffened, the slurs his uncles and father hurled at him, their kicks and punches, crystallizing in his head. It hadn’t bothered him as much before his accident. But that’s how he defined his life—before and after.
Before the blow-up with his father, he’d had a family. Before Cowboy, he’d had hope.
“Uncle Chris has a lot to say about you and Cash.”
It figured. Outlaw was all man. As accepting as he tried to be, Stretch could only imagine what he said when they weren’t around. Something he’d never considered. “Is that so?”
Diesel glanced at the hand now in his lap. “My dad always said gays…people like…um…” His voice trailed off and he stopped, flushing. “He said you choose to be that way.”
That was the exact same thing his mother had said. The words hurt then and they hurt now.
“Ever since I started hearing the rumors about you, I’ve watched you a lot. Then I heard Aunt Meggie, Bailey and Bunny talking about a dude named Arrow.”
“Don’t talk about that motherfucker,” Stretch growled, blaming that asshole for Dinah’s death. He’d used that poor woman’s fragile mental state, playing upon her resentment of Outlaw.
“No shit, dude. He was the one who went around saying stuff about you.”
“Arrow?” The man had befriended Cash and always smiled in Stretch’s face. What kind of a motherfucker did that? Then again, he probably thought him and Sharper would be in fucking control of the club by now. “What did Arrow say?”
“The dude named Arrow told Slipper a lot of shit.” Diesel glanced in Slipper’s direction. “I didn’t mean to blurt out like I did earlier. That was stupid. I was just so happy to know what was going on. And, well, be careful. I don’t think…seeing you I mean…I don’t think you chose to like dudes any more than I chose to like chicks. It’s how we’re born.”
“What are some of the things Outlaw says?” He still wouldn’t confirm or deny Diesel’s assumptions, unable to trust he wasn’t using this opportunity to scout information for some of the younger brothers in the club he’d befriended. Or, even, Slipper.
“He always talks about what a genius you are. How you help him to keep tabs on CJ. He says you’re quiet but still somehow fit into his circle. He admires and respects you.”
“Then why all the drama with your statement? He says a lot about me and Cash. You made it sound like it was a lot of shit.”
“I got your attention, right?”
Stretch smiled. “You did.”
“What the fuck you doin’ here, Diesel?” Outlaw asked from behind them, making both Stretch and Diesel jump.
“Passing time, Uncle Chris.”
Outlaw glared at Diesel, who seemed like a boy as he squirmed.
“Okay. I’m here for Daphne,” he admitted.
“Get the fuck outta here,” Outlaw growled. “I woulda fuckin’ thought after Megan got through with you you’d stay the fuck away from Daphne.”
“Yeah, but CJ isn’t here and neither is Aunt Meggie. She’ll never know.”
“My ass’ll fuckin’ know. Megan actin’ like she fine, but inside I’m fuckin’ miserable cuz I know she ain’t thinkin’ right about shit.”
“Because of Daphne?” Stretch asked, guilt eating at him. He’d gone along with Cash’s plan to throw Daphne at Outlaw. They had chosen to fuck around with Fee. They needed to face the music, instead of hurting other people to save their own asses. “Daphne isn’t a threat to her.”