Page 50 of Hodge
“Yeah, I am. This is all still new to me, and the fact that he plans to do what he’s going to do is still unnerving to me, but I love it here.” I watch her nod her head as we continue to wrap gifts.
“That’s something you’re going to have to get used to. This is how things are here,” she reminds me.
“I know, and I’m starting to get that.”
“Good. I’m glad you’re staying. I love having you around, and so do the others,” she adds with a smile that I return. We wrap more gifts until the door opens and Hodge and Locke walk in.
“What the hell is all this?” Locke asks, motioning to the pile she has started.
“Gifts.”
“For who?”
“Everyone,” she tells him with a laugh.
“The whole fuckin’ clubhouse?” he asks as Hodge walks over and rests his hands on my shoulders. I look up at him and grin as he watches the two of them with a smirk on his face.
“You know I love the holiday’s Locke! Stop being such a bitch,” Kiki snaps at him.
“This is too much, Kiki. I put up with a lot of shit, but this?”
“Oh, tell me you don’t want your gift.”
“Stop,” he says, raising his hand, but Kiki just climbs off the bed and strolls toward him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He leans down and kisses her, just as Hodge leans down and presses his lips to the top of my head.
“You get like this at holiday’s too?” he asks.
“No. They were never really my thing,” I tell him.
“They will be with that one around,” he nods toward Kiki.
“I don’t mind. I think it’s actually a little fun.”
“Listen, I came in here to tell you I have to go out on a run for a little while.”
“What does that mean?”
“Some shit I gotta take care of is all,” he replies before pulling back and pulling me off the bed. I stand in front of him when he leans in and presses his lips to mine. When he pulls back, I can see the off look in his eyes.
“What is it?”
“Nothin’ for you to worry about.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, it’s club shit. I just wanted you to know I was gonna be gone for a little bit.”
“Okay. I’ll be here when you get back.”
“Kemah … look, you may not like how I look when I come back.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means he may come back covered in blood and pissed off. That’s the usual with these guys,” Kiki chimes in as they come to stand next to us.
“That true?”
“Yeah. And I’m sorry, but when I’m in that kind of mood, there’s usually no stoppin’ me.”
