Page 6 of Archer
“I don’t just ride the bike, no. Full lifestyle,” I answered before he could finish asking.
“Who is this guy?” Tank asked me, seeming irritated by their breakfast getting interrupted.
“This is Ronald Loggins,” I said. “He uh… he owns that bakery I go to.”
“Ohh…” All the guys, except Crow, who just seemed pissed, said, understanding. Thankfully, they didn’t start pestering me about my thing for Rose. Something told me Ron wasn’t in the mood to hear about me ogling his daughter.
“What’s going on, Ron?” I asked and he looked like he was going to break into tears.
“It’s… it’s… it’s the Freeway Kings.” All of us Rebels exchanged looks with each other. My stomach began swirling with hate, wondering why the hell the Freeways would get involved with such a kind gentleman like Ron. “They… they’re after me and Rose.”
“What? Why?” I asked with concern in my voice.
“I… I messed up.”
“What’d you do, Ronald?” Tank asked, gentler than before due to the intrigue overpowering his annoyance.
“I took out a loan from them. I had no choice.”
“So, that’s what they’re up to,” Wrench muttered to himself before asking him. “Where do you live?”
“Over in the west.”
“Fuck him,” Crow said. “Get this westsider out of here.”
“Hang on, Crow,” I said. “What do you need help with exactly? Why’d you come to us, of all people?”
Rooster, who was in charge of our finances, said, “You’re not getting a loan from us, that’s for damn sure.”
“No, I know,” he said. “I’ve heard about your rivalry for a long time. I can’t go to the police otherwise I’ll go to jail for taking out the illegal loan—”
“They’re useless anyway,” Tank said.
“And Rose and I. We don’t have anyone. The Freeways, they’re… they’re going to be checking up on me and Rose. They said I have a month, but I don’t trust them. They’re going to hurt Rose. They’re savages.”
“They are,” I said.
“I need someone to help protect her…” he said. “Just until I get them paid off. Then you’ll never see us again. I’m… afraid they’re… they’re going to…”
I interrupted him by standing from my seat with my hands clenched to my sides, not wanting to hear his fears. I knew the Freeways were capable of far worse. Putting my own selfish desire aside, I knew that once they saw how truly stunning she was, if she made it out alive she’d never be innocent again. They were good people, truly harmless. They shouldn’t be involved in this.
“She can stay with me, Ron,” I said.
All the guys looked at me like I was insane. “What? Are we supposed to just tell him “tough luck” and send him away?”
They continued to stare at me in silence.
Crow piped up. “He’s from the west.”
“They own Eastview’s ‘Only’ Bakery. Doesn’t that count for anything?” I asked, but no one seemed too eager to jump up with me. “Theycontributeto the east.”
“They contribute bread.” Ripper said the statement with an enunciation on the word “bread” sounding condescending. Frustrated, I turned to Wrench for help. Someone had to understand why this was important to me, why I couldn’t turn a blind eye to it and have another restful sleep in my life if something happened to Rose. It was… personal. Even if I didn’t know her well, she was far from a stranger to me.
But he only shrugged his shoulders. “We aren’t babysitters, man.”
Sighing exaggeratedly, I rolled my eyes and I turned to Ron. “Fuck them, then. As a personal favor to you,I’llhelp you.” I stomped to the bar and grabbed a piece of receipt paper and pen to scribble my address on it. “Bring Rose to my place around supper time. I’ll make sure she’s safe.”
Ron looked like he was about to break into tears, but I was relieved when he simply clasped his hands together and pulled them to his chest. “Thank you! Thank you so much. You’re a hero. Rose’s hero!”
