Snow in Texas

Chapter Ten: Colin. Candy. Jenny.

Ten

Colin

A routine developed: spending the day at Gabe's, watching over Jenny alongside one of his new Texas brothers. Most often it was Fox, because being in from out of town, he had no local responsibilities. But sometimes it was one of the others. Today it was Talis, the sergeant at arms, and a potted plant would have been better company.

"So what's 'Talis' mean?" Colin asked, shaking a fat puddle of ketchup from the bottle onto his plate.

The man across from him folded his beefy arms and gave Colin a disapproving look. "It's short for Talisman." He had a deep voice.

Colin grinned. "You somebody's lucky charm?"

No answer. Murderous stare.

"Okaaay...."

"Don't mind him," Candy said jovially, joining them from out of nowhere. He managed to pull out the chair beside Colin and steal a fried drumstick off his plate at the same time, already chewing by the time his ass hit the seat. "Talking ain't his strong suit."

Talis didn't seem offended by the comment. He didn't even look like he blinked, actually.

"He'll tear your throat right out, though," Candy went on. He bit into the drumstick again and bits of fried skin rained down onto the table. He turned to Colin. "Tomorrow's Sunday," he said as he swallowed.

Colin edged his plate closer, lest he suffer more food casualties. "Yeah."

"Jen doesn't work on Sundays."

"Right." On instinct, his eyes sought her out. She was standing a few tables away, setting down a customer's food, jeans molded to her ass in a way that made him want to move around in his chair.

"I thought we'd see about getting you a bike," Candy said, pulling his attention back.

"What?" He felt a fast grab of excitement. He hadn't grown up thinking much about bikes, but when you were in this club, and spent enough time around them, you started to crave a machine of your own. Right now, a bike would mean his own slice of freedom: alone on the road, wind in his face, nothing but his own thoughts for company. "Really?"

"Yeah. I know a guy who can cut you a good deal on one."

And just like that, his sudden joy sank. He stared down at his plate. "I don't know that I can...afford...anything."

Candy made a considering sound as he chewed. "I ain't been paying you for this, have I?" He gestured to Gabe's, the watchdog gig.

"No."

He nodded. "Then don't worry about affording anything."

~*~

Candy

"Nobody's seen him anywhere," Jinx said. He took a long drag on his smoke and leaned back against the couch cushions. "I checked at his old haunts, talked to his old girls, and he ain't been seen or heard from."

"Tiny miracles," Candy said with a sigh. In his mind, the best way to keep Riley away from Jen was to keep track of the bastard, and since his release, that had been impossible.

"You still wanna head over to the Armadillo?"

Ah, the Armadillo. Good place to have an overpriced drink; good place to find a girl to sit in your lap. Good place to slide into a back booth and get information.

"Yeah. Lemme check in with Jen first."

Jinx nodded and propped his boots on the coffee table, content to wait.