Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 41918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
One side of the small motorcycle is slightly flattened, with huge white scrapes indicating that the kid has laid it down recently. The kids' cheap helmet sitting on the bike's seat, which sports the same white scrapes on one side, confirms it.
I step out of the car, grabbing my vest from the back and shrugging it over my shoulders as I do. Putting it on is like settling into my second identity. My outer armor. The weight of the vest makes me feel grounded and ready for whatever the world will throw at us. The heavy boots are a close second to the vest. And the patch on the chest gives them a clear indication that they need to think twice about crossing us.
I walk towards the guys, nodding to them in greeting as the rookie watches. "Sorry I'm late," I tell Gunnar and the guys as I reach them. "Everything go well last night?"
"As well as expected." Gunnar grins at me, a light in his eyes that tells me the reason why he didn't get any sleep last night. "Lots of nothing, then a call about a possible prowler. We searched all night but never found the guy."
"So we got to sit outside all night long, like babysitters," the new kid grumbles, crossing his arms.
"Well," I interject before Gunnar can respond to the young guy's disrespect, "if you didn't want to sit there all night, you should have taken your bike and done laps. Maybe then you would have found our mysterious prowler. But looking at the damage on your bike tells me that might have been above your pay grade."
I pause, turning my head towards the guy to gauge his reaction. I'm not disappointed. He glares at me, obviously irritated that I'm telling him he was wrong, and he has nothing to say in return.
"That's what I thought." I shrug before crossing my arms. "I assume you're our rookie. My name is Luke Morgan. I'm the club president."
He hesitates, probably wondering if he should stick to his guns or be more polite to me. He obviously doesn't want to lose this opportunity to become part of our MC, but I don't care how much he wants it. I need to know that the guys in our MC are loyal to a fault and always have our town's back. If I can't trust this kid with the most simple of duties, then what use will he be to us?
Finally, he holds out his hand in my direction. "I'm Jason. I appreciate you considering me. I know I have a lot to learn, but I promise I'll be dedicated."
The guys all watch in silence, but Gunnar is looking at the kid with an expression of disappointment and pity as he lowers his hand back to his side.
Jason can sense it, his body tense and his jaw clenched.
"Jason." I keep my face a mask. I have no idea what happened last night to make him look like he ran over his own bike, and I don't want to ask. But I have to do it. It's my duty as club president to make sure the rookie isn't an idiot or a coward, and I can already tell that's exactly what he is. "What happened?" I nod to the bike.
Jason doesn't answer right away, so Gunnar does instead. "He, ah, laid it down pulling into the parking lot about 30 minutes ago. Trying to show off, maybe." Gunnar's not angry about it. I think he's already decided the kid isn't cut out for this, but he doesn't want to be the one to deliver the news to the club.
Jason flushes. "I was trying to avoid something."
"You should be able to avoid whatever you were avoiding without laying it down," I point out. I can't let this one slide, no matter how badly everyone else wants to let him. "It's an easy bike. No big engine. No sharp turns or anything. Just a straight shot, you know?"
Jason's mouth twists and I can tell he wants to make a snappy retort. I cock an eyebrow at him and his mouth snaps closed. He knows that I can have his chance for membership revoked on the spot, no questions asked. If he doesn't have respect for us or this MC, there is no place here for him.
"If this is how you act on a bike you're used to, how do you think you'd react when you finally get one with some power?" I exhale through my teeth, rolling my eyes to the sky to try and find some patience. "Look. Jason, was it? We both know you aren't exactly nailing this audition. I'm going to give you one more chance tonight to go out with Gunnar and his team, but if you blow it, then we're just going to call it done. No harm, no foul, get it? We just can't have anything but the most steady guys with the Guardians. Maybe get a few years of riding under your belt and try again."