“If you can drop her at the clubhouse, that would be great. I have my bike right now and I’m about to be on my way there. I don’t feel comfortable with her riding with me yet. She’s too small,” I say as if she’s going to be big enough to ride with me one day.
If I can’t be in Alicia’s life, I want to be in Kimmy’s. I want to be her dad or uncle, or whatever Alicia will allow me to be.
“I appreciate that. Okay, we are on our way. I have to stop and get some things from the apartment for her for the night, but then we will be there.”
That gives me time to shower and look presentable. “Okay, thank you, Alicia. I can’t wait to see her. Tell her for me, yeah?”
I hear a knock and then a car door open on the other end of the line. “You’re seeing One-Eye today,” she informs Kimmy, and I hear a happy squeal rip through the phone. “She can’t wait.”
“Me either. I’ll see you soon.” I hang up the phone and fist pump the air. “Yes!” I shout. “Fuck, yes. Finally!” I roar and I dance, swiveling my hips and swaying my arms.
I spin around and pause when I see the guys inside standing on the other side of the window. Kansas has his phone out, recording. Warden and Bane are laughing at me, and Arrow is twerking, mocking me.
Not wanting to have them damper my mood, I fling the door open and run inside. “I get to see Kimmy. Alicia is bringing her over for the night. Kimmy has been asking for me. I can’t believe it. I’ve got to go. I have to go meet her. I need to shower. Wait, do I keep my patch on? Eye or no eye?” I ask desperately. I want to look amazing. I want Alicia to see what she’s missing. I hate that glass eye, but I’ll wear it if I have to.
“No eye. Be yourself, One-Eye. Don’t do anything you don’t like. You hate that glass ball. It bothers you and leaves your eye socket red and inflamed,” Arrow comes to my defense. His hand falls onto my shoulder. “I’m happy for you, man. You’ve been waiting for this chance.”
“It isn’t Alicia coming back, but at least I get to see Kimmy. Staying away was best. If I hadn’t, maybe this wouldn’t be happening.
“Don’t think about that. Go home, go get ready. We will meet you there. We only have a few pieces of furniture left in the truck to unload and we are done,” he replies.
“You sure?”
“Go!” Warden and Bane say at the same time. “We got this. Go see your little one.”
I swear those two have telepathic powers or something. I still can’t tell which one is which.
I grin, slapping Arrow on the arm before running out the door to my bike. I throw on my helmet, don’t bother clipping it, and start the engine. The tire spins against the pavement and the scent of burning rubber stings my nose.
The wind whips against my cheeks and I have to remember to not smile while I drive so I don’t get bugs in my teeth.
I get to see Kimmy! I know she isn’t mine by blood, but that little girl won my heart when she took me by the hands at the skating rink and tried to teach me how to skate. I still don’t know how, but somehow, Kimmy made it a lot easier.
My heart lives for that little girl, but it’s her mother that causes it to beat.
The new shop we opened with O’Crowely is called High On Life and it’s only ten minutes away from the Clubhouse. With how fast I’m traveling, I’m going to get there in five. I slither through traffic and a few cars honk at me as I brush past, nearly clipping their side mirrors. I know it’s dangerous, but I’m too excited to slow down. I’m always safer than this when I ride, but sometimes there are exceptions to safety, and today is one of them.
I flip on my blinker and take a left down the winding road, and a wave of cool air washes over me. I can feel the breeze sweeping in from the shoreline and feel the salt sticking to my skin.
I love this city. I love the air against my skin, the subtle scent of the sea. Even after all that I’ve been through, and the past history of the club, there’s nowhere else like it.
The old Ruthless Kings club, before Boomer took over, was full of monsters. Sure, none of us now are exactly choirboys or anything, but the kind of shit they did…
The thought sends a shudder through me, even colder than the wind against my hair.
They’re the ones who burned my eye out.
Anyway, the only ones left from the old club are me, Arrow, Kansas, and Wolf. The old Prez, Venom, was running a fucked-up trafficking operation out of here, selling and abusing women like they were property. The four of us tried to fight back, but they strung us up in the shed, only keeping us alive enough to torture us every day. I still have nightmares about that time.
We were lucky that Boomer and Reaper came to put a stop to it. Ever since then, we’ve tried to regain the trust of the people here in Atlantic City. It’s slow going, but things are getting better.
And it’s always nice when we have such an incredible view of the ocean.
The Clubhouse comes up on the left and the back of my bike fishtails as I pull in. Boomer is outside with Scarlett, sitting in the rocking chairs to enjoy the sunlight. I see his brows lift when I come to a quick stop. Scarlett pulls her sunglasses down her nose to see who it is.
“In a hurry?” Boomer asks, bringing a beer to his lips.
“Kimmy is coming over. Alicia called me and Kimmy wants to see me. She’s going to stay the night. That’s alright, right Prez?” God, I didn’t even think of the possibility of Prez saying no.
He beams. “That’s great, One-Eye. Is Alicia?”
A bit of the wind goes out from under my sail. “No. I don’t think that’s going to happen again.” It’s a hard truth to come to terms with. “But Kimmy misses me. I think I’m going to be able to see her on a more regular schedule, like a father and daughter would after a divorce.” I laugh, even though the situation is similar.
“I think that’s great, One-Eye. I’m very happy for you,” Scarlett says, a hint of… something I can’t place in her tone.
Boomer reaches over and takes her hand, bringing her knuckles to his lips to kiss.
“Thanks, Scarlett. I’m going to get cleaned up. I have to look my best. Eye or no eye?” I ask Prez.
He shakes his head as he takes a swallow of beer. “Fuck that glass eye, man. You hate the damn thing. I’d throw it away if I were you.”
Makes me happy no one cares to see me with no eye in that socket. Getting my eye burned then cut out was the worst pain I ever felt. I’m surprised I lived. I don’t know how, considering the amount of blood I tasted as it dripped down my face.
“Well, I might need it for something,” I grumble and shrug at the same time. “I need to hurry. She’s on her way.”
“Good luck, One-Eye. You deserve this chance.” Boomer lifts his beer in the air, then grips Scarlett’s chair to drag it closer to him.
“Thanks, Prez.” Feeling a bit lighter than I did when I arrived just from getting affirmation from Boomer, I hurry down the breezeway and stop at the end for a minute to enjoy the waves crashing just a few yards away. Seagulls are cawing in the air, and down the beach is a family of four having fun. Maybe Kimmy and I can have fun on the beach, or I can take her to the boardwalk.
I’m so fucking excited.