Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54343 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54343 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
“Hey, Razor. Can you squeeze Rosa in to look at her finger? She touched melted plastic in class today.”
“Ouch. Of course. Come directly here so I can check on the damage,” Razor said.
“On our way.”
Street disconnected from the call and winked at his Little girl. “He’s sharpening a needle as we speak.”
“He did not say that!” Rosa challenged, leaning toward him out of the cab.
“You’re right. He didn’t. Sit back so I can close the door, Little girl.”
She flounced against the truck seat allowing Street to secure her inside.
“Feel better, Rosa!” another student called to her.
Rosa waved.
Street slid behind the wheel and started the engine. He patted Rosa’s leg before reversing the truck and heading toward Razor’s office. “So, what did you learn today?”
“To ask questions if I don’t understand. Like if I’d raised my hand to find out what exactly would burn us, I wouldn’t have allowed that plastic to hit my skin.”
“Good idea. I already think you have mastered that lesson. You’ll never forget how melted, super-hot plastic feels. I figured out quickly that I needed to do as the instructor said and started swinging wide around a corner after almost ripping a wall out with the treads on a forklift. Mistakes happen to everyone. Sometimes, that’s the best way to learn.”
“You messed up in machinery school?”
“Constantly. Turns out popping wheelies with heavy machinery is mostly impossible.”
“You tried that?” Rosa asked with an incredulous expression.
“More than once.”
“Okay, I feel better. I just have a sizzled finger. You had to pass that wall for at least a day before they fixed it.”
“Two weeks. I had some challenges getting enough money to repair it,” Street said. “Sheet rockers don’t work cheap.”
“Maybe I should have checked out that specialty. They get to walk on stilts, don’t they?”
“Some do. We’ll see if you think you should change when I put the Sheetrock up in our house next week.”
She was quiet for a few minutes before asking, “A tough job, huh?”
“Heavy work.” Street smiled at her, enjoying their conversation. He had a feeling their blue-collar jobs would be one more link between them. Though the Daddy thing ruled over everything else. She’d always be his Little girl.
“I’ll stick with plumbing. I like it. Even when I’m dealing with sludge.”
He winced, considering what she called sludge, and changed the subject. “What other skills did you tackle today?”
Listening and commenting on the details of the topics, Street navigated through the traffic, returning to Inferno. The rumble of motorcycles behind him made Street check his rearview mirror. Green caught his eye.
“Get down on the floorboards, Little girl,” he snapped, interrupting her.
Rosa didn’t hesitate or ask questions. She unfastened her seatbelt and folded herself into a ball, cowering next to the dashboard. Peeking up at him, she asked, “What’s going on?”
“The Ravagers are coming up behind us. They don’t seem to be focused on us, but I’m not taking any chances.” His mind raced as he hit a button on his phone that called Lucien directly. The MC President answered on the first ring.
“Street. Are you and Rosa safe?”
Boggled slightly that the enigmatic man knew he had his Little girl with him and that they were off Devil Daddies’ property, Street hesitated. He put the phone on speaker and set the device in a cupholder.
“Street. Can you talk to me?” Lucien’s voice had softened to a low growl, as if he thought Street couldn’t respond.
“Lucien, we’re okay. I’m on the highway, heading back to Inferno in one of the unmarked trucks from the warehouse. The Ravagers are coming up behind us at a rapid pace.”
“I see you. Truck fourteen. How many Ravagers?”
He didn’t give himself time to process that Lucien could track him. “Over twenty bikes. They’re going somewhere fast.”
“Pull into the second lane on the right. Hopefully, they’ll swarm to the pass lanes on the left. The sun should be coming from that direction. Pull the visor down and flip it over to the left side. Make sure you can still see your mirrors. Keep your speed with the traffic.”
Street followed the directions as they came to him. The visor now stretched across the driver’s side window, partially concealing him. Street tried to watch his mirrors without bobbling his head around to reveal that he had spotted them and was worried.
“Are they coming, Daddy?”
“They’re at my rear bumper, Rosa. Stay as small as you can make yourself.”
Rosa curled her head down. In his peripheral vision, he could see her shaking. His arms ached to hold her as his anger built. He could swerve to either side and take out at least six bikers. Gritting his teeth, he stayed in his lane and tried to appear unbothered.
“Street, Pirate has hacked into the camera system on the highway. He isn’t getting a clear picture of the cuts. Could the group be from out of town?”