Page 15 (1/2)

RAZOR

THERE ARE LIES in life we accept Whether it’s for the sake of ignorance, bliss or, in my case, survival, we all make our choices

I choose to belong to the Reign of Terror Motorcycle Club I choose to work for the security company associated with theh school

All of this boils down to one choice in particular—whether or not to believe my father’s version of a lie or the town’s I chose my father’s lie I chose the brotherhood of the club

What I haven’t chosen? Being harassed by themy front porch He’s decked out in a pair of pressed khakis and a button-down straight from a mallThe real question—is he here by choice or did he draw the short stick?

“As I said, son,” he continues, “I’m not here to talk to your dad I’m here to see you”

A hot August wind blows in fro our house, and sweat foruy’s skin He’s too cocky to be nervous, so that duree heat index

“You and I,” he adds, “we need to talk”

My eyes flash to the detective badge hanging on the guy’s hip and then to his dark blue unravel drive Twenty bucks he thinks he blocked rass to escape

This guy doesn’t belong to our police force His plates suggest he’s from Jefferson County That’s in the northern part of Kentucky I live in a small tohere even the street hustlers and police know each other by name This man—he’s an outsider

I flip throughthat would justify his presence Yeah, I stumbled into souys who didn’t keep their os on a leash, but nothing that warrants this visit

A bead of water drips froray wood of the deck and his eyes track it I’m fresh from a shower Jeans on Black boots on my feet No shirt Hair on my head barely pushed around by a towel

The guy checks out the tats on ood for hi, I officially becan of Terror If he messes with one of us, he messes with us all

“Are you going to invite me in?” he asks

I thought the banging on the door was one ofwith e

“You’re not in trouble,” he says, and I’m impressed he doesn’t shuffle his feet like most people do when they arrive on my doorstep “As I said, I want to talk”

I e Silence doesn’t bother me There’s a ton you can learn about a person from how they deal with the absence of sound Most can’t handle unco

Without saying a word, I walk into the house and perrab n of Terror T-shirt off the couch I shrug into the shirt as I step onto the porch and shut the storm door behind me

The guy watches me intently as I slip on the black leather cut that contains the three-piece patch of the club I belong to Because of the way I’ood look at our e out of the eyes and drops of fire raining down around it The words Reign of Terror are mounted across the top The town’s name, Snowflake, is spelled on the bottom rocker

He focuses on the patch that inforun holstered on his belt He’s weighing whether I’un free

I cock a hip against the railing and hitchto talk, it would be now He glances at the closed door, then back atthis?”

“I’ve got so late “Didn’t see a warrant on you” So by law, he can’t enter