Page 42 of Sweet
“You can’t go back to Chino’s crew, Spider. You joined a new one.” She rose and placed a soft kiss on his mouth. “And we’re not letting you go.”
Chapter 13
“Have a Holly Jolly Christmas”was playing on the jukebox when Spider and Daisy made it back to the table. Chino had finished his pie and was leaned back in his chair, leg kicked out into the aisle and a toothpick stuck in the corner of his mouth.
“Sorry about that.” Spider slid into the seat across from him. “It’s been a hectic day.”
Chino glanced over his shoulder at the small crowd gathered in back. “You sure you want to talk about things here?”
Spider spread his hands and decided to go the up-front route. “Chino, man, I got nothing to hide. I’m a law-abiding citizen here.” He reached over for Daisy’s hand. “I don’t have any secrets from my girl. That’s one of the benefits to staying here. I’m a shitty liar, and I don’t have to lie to anyone anymore.”
Chino’s eyes narrowed. “Staying here, huh?”
Spider leaned forward, and Imelda’s advice burned his ears.
Keep it business.
All he cares about is money and power.
So give him money and power.
“Brother.” Spider shook his head sadly. “I can’t move back to the place where my mom was killed. I’d never have peace.”
“I told you, you don’t move back to that neighborhood. We get you a place in Boyle—”
“Why do that when I can stay here?” Spider spread his hands. “You could always tell when any of your boys was shitting you, right?”
“You know it.”
“Am I shitting you now?” Spider said clearly. “I am not in that life anymore. I don’t want to be. But any of your crew you send to me for ink? I promise I will treat them like my brother as long as they respect you, they respect me, and they keep it clean when they’re in this town.”
Chino sat back and his face was a wooden mask.
Keep it business, Spider.
“It’s a lot cheaper to live here than Boyle Heights,” he continued. “I can get a shop up here. I can get a house someday.”
“Brother, I told you we would help with all that shit.”
He reached for Daisy’s hand. “My girl’s whole family lives here, man. You want me to take her away from her mom? Her aunties?”
Daisy squeezed his hand, but she didn’t say anything.
“See those two old guys in the back?” Spider continued quietly. “That’s Bill, who runs the tattoo shop here. And Mr. Juarez, the rancher who gave me a job when I was a skinny kid who’d just lost his mom.”
Chino looked over his shoulder and pressed his lips together. “I see ’em.”
Daisy said, “Spider helped Mr. and Mrs. Juarez fix up their corrals a couple of months ago.”
Chino looked at Daisy. “He’s a real sweetheart, isn’t he?”
“I think so.” Daisy glanced at Mr. Juarez. “So do a lot of other people.”
Spider had a sick feeling in his stomach when Betsy came over with the coffeepot. He gripped Daisy’s hand, wishing she was nowhere near Chino.
Betsy asked Chino, “Can I get you a refill?”
“This is Betsy,” Daisy continued, holding out her mug. “Spider lived with her and her granddaughter for a while.”
