Normally, if she offered them money, they got insulted, cursed at her, turned their back on her and walked away, shaking their head. The same thing happened when she offered to pay a fair price for the used car Dutch sold her and the repairs it needed to be in tip-top running order. The garage owner just about bit her head off and took about half of what the car and the repairs were worth.
While she appreciated it, she also wanted to be independent. She’d been dependent on her sister for far too long. She had wanted to change that once she relocated to Manning Grove. It was time for her to be her own woman, to be responsible for her own decisions and her own mistakes. Especially after almost being killed by Billy Warren. So, that was what she set out to do.
He jerked his chin back and repeated, “You need to go that direction, anyway? Are you fuckin’ crazy, woman?”
She shook her head. “Crazy smart.” She tapped her temple. “Now that I have my own apartment, I need to get the rest of my stuff out of the storage unit. Reese has been paying for it this whole time and I can’t let her do that any longer. But I’m never moving back there, so there’s no point in keeping it. This is my home now.”
“So, go get your shit yourself. You got a cage now.”
“It’s not just the point of saving on gas, I really could use the help. Plus, all my stuff won’t fit in my car, anyhow. Think of it like this, I help you and you help me.”
“How the fuck you gonna help me?”
Besides being there for emotional support? She knew that answer wouldn’t fly. Instead, she said, “I’ll keep you company on the three and a half hour trip. If you want, I can sing. Or tell jokes. Or we can listen to one of my really hot audiobooks.”
“Or you can just be quiet the whole fuckin’ way.”
She smiled. “I’m not sure that’s possible.”
“Ain’t that the fuckin’ truth.”
The other truth was she was starting to win this conversation. Persistence was paying off. “So… that means we’re carpooling?”
“You’re somethin’ else,” he muttered, plugging his hands on his hips, dropping his head and staring at his boots.
“Thank you.”
He lifted his head. “Ain’t a compliment. You clear this with Reese and the rest?”
The rest. He meant Deacon and Judge.
She rolled her lips under.
“You’re gonna get my ass kicked, woman.”
“Nah,“ she scoffed.
“Right. Gonna be gone for as long as it takes,” he warned her.
She had already expected that. “I’m okay with however long it takes.”
She assumed his uncle wouldn’t have reached out unless Rev’s father was at the very end of his illness so it would give Rev the time and opportunity to see his father while still alive. She also assumed it was so Rev didn’t have any regrets afterward of not seeing his father one last time.
“What excuse d’you use? ‘Cause I didn’t see your cage parked out there. That means you hid it somewhere, didn’t you?”
The man was not dumb.
She shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Where?”
She gave him a look that he read clearly.
“Fuckin’ Ozzy. You told him you’re goin’ with me?”
“Nope. He didn’t ask or care.”
“Fuckin’ Ozzy. He shoulda asked.” He shook his head in disbelief. “So, what’d you tell the others, the ones who would care enough to beat me silly with a fuckin’ club?”
She gave him another look.
“Christ,” he muttered. “Spill it. Or I’m leavin’ you standin’ here and takin’ my sled without you. It better be a good fuckin’ story, too.”
It was actually pretty good, if she said so herself. “Well…”
He groaned. “You want me dead, right? That what you want?”
“I told Reese I was driving down to hang out in Philly for a few days with a couple of girlfriends from college. And, great friends that they are, they offered to help me clear out the storage unit while I was there.”
He stared at her for the longest time before mumbling, “You and a coupla other college girlfriends. Would like to see that.”
Of course that was the part he picked up on. “Girlfriends as in friends who have girl parts. Not girlfriends who squatted over my face while I licked their pussies.”
Rev groaned and turned away for a moment. Or two. When he finally turned back, his voice cracked when he asked, “And Dutch?”
“I’m sure Dutch would love to get in on that action. Oh wait. You mean… I told him the same thing as I told Reese.”
“And he wasn’t pissed you’re leavin’?”
“Believe me, he’s surprised I still show up at the shop at all.”
“He ain’t the only one.”
“Well, I’m kind of attached to you assholes, believe it or not.”
She expected him to reply that they were kind of attached to her, too. He didn’t. Instead, he asked, “You got a trackin’ device on your cell phone?”