Page 58 of Ride Long
“Who says I didanything?”
“We won’t tell,” Kelly said, keeping her voice hushed. “No one looks out for us. Our men do, but not everyone around here is as good as Stewie andHopper.”
“And Ram,” Emily said with apout.
“If anything happened to them…” Shondra began before trailingoff.
“What we’re trying to say is that we’re on your page,” Raquel finished for herfriend.
“All of us,” Sierrasaid.
Shondra held out her fist and smiled. “Anything happens, we got your back,girl.”
I raised my eyebrows, not knowing how I did it. If I did anything atall.
Shondra clucked her tongue and wiggled her fist at me. “Bump it,girl.”
Raising my fist, I bumped, causing the group to giggle like a pack of school girls. Thinking about high school and the cafeteria hierarchy I’d struggled with when I was a teenager, I smirked. There was no way these women would’ve been friends with me back then. I was so not a part of any crew. Popular, outsider, or anything. I was a solo troublemaker. Now I was emerging as a strongally.
Maybe there was something in this, after all. The game wasn’t lost. Not completely. While there was a chance, I would still fight. For Chaser, for me, and for the women who were at the mercy ofFortitude.
“Oh, my God!” Sierra shrieked, causing my heart to spasm. “What have you done to yournails?”
“Hell, girl!” Raquel said, slapping her on the shoulder. “Give me a fucking heart attack why don’tyou!”
Sierra grabbed my hands and looked like she was about to cry. Full-on flooding rivers of salty, saltytears.
“What?” I asked with ashrug.
“They’re ruined! Look at your cuticles! And there’s glue and acrylic stuck to them. Did you chew themoff?”
“I work in the garage,” I said. “It’s not the place for prettyfingernails.”
“Stay right here. I’ve got to clean these up.” She clucked her tongue. “Oh, it’shorrible!”
Letting me go, she rushed from the room. The moment she was gone, the womengiggled.
“Wow,” I drawled, not understanding why the state of my nails was sooffensive.
“It’s her art,” Kelly toldme.
“It makes her happy,” Emily said. “Let herfuss.”
“Your nails do look like shit,” Shondra added. “A little acetone bath never hurtanyone.”
“I’ve got a great moisturizer for after,” Raquel said. “You can lend it if youlike.”
I blinked, the fan sweeping in my direction. “Uh,okay?”
Shondra smiled and pulled me into Sierra’s spot, which was a prime position in front of the cool breeze. “You’re one of us now, girl. Part of the crew.Get used toit.”
Staring at my nails, my gaze fell on the healed tattoo on my thumb. I wondered what my father would say about all this. Making friends, settling in. It all felt…temporary, and my heart sank like a rock. I had a bad feeling the past was about to repeat itself, friends or nofriends.
Chaser… I thought to myself.Hurryback…
