Page 211 of Misrule
Grabbing Val’s bottle of rum, Digger leaned on Mortician and took a sip of the alcohol. “You just got fucking Olympian skills at everything you fucking do, huh?” He belched.
Val snatched his bottle from Digger.
Mortician shoved him away. “Get the fuck off me, fool, with your nasty ass.”
Laughing, Digger came up to Knox and put his hand around his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Knox. I washed my fingers after I took them out Bunny pussy.”
“If I was you, Harrington, I’d knock that motherfucker away from my fuckin’ shoulders,” Outlaw advised.
Grimacing, Knox did as suggested, smiling when the other men laughed. Digger more than anyone. He was enjoying the fuck out of himself.
“Ignore my fingers,” he hooted. “If you know how to bike ride, you should have a reasonable amount of balance. Ride to the edge of the parking lot and back. Don’t go too fucking fast or you going to regret not having the proper clothes on.”
“I’m not going to fall,” Knox said with confidence as Cam hurried forward and touched Knox’s shoulder, blurting, “I think you should wait.”
“No, Cam. I’m fine.”
Raising his hands, Cam stepped back. “Okay. Just don’t kill yourself.”
“My ass fuckin’ advisin’ against this,” Outlaw said.
“Of course you are. You think I’m a brainless idiot.”
“Nope. I think you a stupid motherfucker.”
Knox glared at Outlaw, then, keeping one foot planted on the ground, lifted himself up, pumped the pedal and squeezed the hand grips. The bike teetered, then tipped in the direction of the kickstand and stood still. He then repeated the steps three times, ignoring Cam’s pained look, Johnnie’s bowed head and Outlaw’s shock, and tuning out Val, Digger, and Mortician’s guffaws.
“Why won’t it start?” Knox finally panted, sweat pouring down his face.
“Get the fuck off that fuckin’ bike, Knox,” Outlaw commanded, disgust clear in his voice.
“No! I’m taking that ride.”
Clearing his throat, Cam stepped forward. “Where’s your key fob?”
“In my pock…” His voice trailed off as realization dawned on Knox. “I have to start it.”
“You also gotta take the goddamn stand the fuck off, assfuck.”
“Won’t I fall?”
“Jesus fuckin’ Christ, who the fuck raised you?” Outlaw snarled.
“Knox, justlisten,” Cam said. “Think. This is a motorized bike. Can you ride a bicycle with its stand down?”
“Of course not.”
“Why do you think you could ride a motorcycle if it’s not out of the way?” Cam pressed.
“This isn’t fully automatic? Once I start the bike and take off, it doesn’t do the rest of the work for me?”
“NO!” all the guys chorused.
Scowling, Outlaw stomped forward, grabbed Knox by the collar and yanked him off the bike, shoving him out of the way. “Look the fuck at what my ass doin’.”
Knox dusted himself off. After Cam’s earlier conversation and the humiliation rising in him now, he decided to take Outlaw’s advice.
“This ain’t no goddamn competition,” he chastised. “You ain’t gotta show whether or not your nuts bigger than any of us motherfuckers. We here to fuckin’ help you. Now, give me the fuckin’ fob andwatch me.”
