One Kiss

Chapter 11

Zay stepped from the truck and followed Seth. "Are you sure your uncle isn't gonna be pissed about this?"

"Nah, he'll be fine with it. Don't you want to see how very exciting my job is?" he asked with a laugh.

"Oh, I can imagine it's super exciting when people yell at you for towing their ride."

"Yeah, it's epic. Especially if it's a repo."

"You guys do repos?" Zay asked.

"Not often, but yeah on occasion. We also do tows for the police, booted cars, and stuff," Seth told him as he began hooking up the car.

"And why are we towing this one?" he asked.

Seth looked at him. "Owner called, transmission conked out. It's being towed to a repair place." He moved around to where Zay stood. "Wanna help?"

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Come on, I showed you what to do and I'll double-check it before we lift the car."

"All right, fine. But triple check it, I don't want to be responsible for someone's car rolling down the expressway under its own power."

Seth laughed. "I will. Go for it!"

Zay muttered his way through hooking up the vehicle. When he finished he stepped back and admired his work before he turned to Seth. "How's that? Hey, are you taking pictures?"

Seth laughed. "You are adorable and I couldn't resist." He shoved his phone in his pocket and bent to make certain Zay had hooked up the car correctly. "Looks good, let's get it to the shop." He lifted the car and they got back into the truck.

"How many cars do you usually pick up on a typical shift?"

Seth shrugged. "It can vary. There are nights I'm bored out of my mind and only pick up a car or two and nights where I don't have a second to breathe."

"Do you like doing this?"

"It's a job." Seth shrugged.

Zay looked at him. "So what do you want to do with your life?"

Seth chuckled. "Be rich and not have to worry about a damn thing."

"Okay, I think we all want that. Realistically, what do you want to do?" Zay asked with a small laugh.

"I honestly can't answer that. Once I fell in with Darrel all I saw for my future was being part of his crew and probably ending up in jail at some point." He shrugged.

"Not much of a future," Zay told him.

"Nope, that's why I'm trying to get out."

"Why not just cut ties with them?" Zay asked.

"It isn't that easy, Darrel doesn't want me to leave. I've had enough trouble getting as far from them as I have. He keeps laying the guilt on thick."

"Guilt?"

"Yeah, he'll say things about how we aren't some gang we're family. That we've always been there for each other and I'm betraying the family. Things like that."

"That sucks."

"It is what it is. I have to deal with it if I want to drop him from my life. Darrel isn't that bright, I don't want to end up behind bars because he pulls some dumbass stunt like that convenience store business you were involved in."

"Yeah, that wasn't exactly well planned out." Zay scowled.

"Nope. I think that night was the beginning of a wake-up call. I didn't like that he left you on the side of the road like that. I wanted to come back for you but he told me if I did I'd regret it. No offense, Zay, I like you but at that point ending up dead in a ditch wasn't worth it. I'm glad you made it home safely though."