Paid for by the Cartel

Chapter Ten

     Bishop led the club across the driveway and up to the door. Itzel was pulling it open by the time he reached the top step. The eight men filed into the kitchen, sucking all the space out of the room.

     "You checking to make sure I'm telling the truth?" Tinsley asked with a smirk. Bishop laughed.

     "¡Fiesta de bienvenida! " he said, "Consider it our present. From the club to you," he said, motioning from himself to her. Tinsley laughed.

     "And here I was thinking I'd get to see Itzel try to carry a couch," Tinsley laughed.

     "By all means, still do that," Che said.

     "Please do that. I'll pay you to do that," Gilly said.

     "I'll double that," Angel laughed, holding out his hand. The two clapped their hands together and laughed. 

     "We'll do all the heavy lifting, you just have to tell us where it goes," Bishop said finally. Tinsley threw her hands up, slapping them down on her thighs with a laugh.

     "Well, let's go see what we've got," Tinsley said. The men parted to allow Tinsley and Itzel to lead the way from the kitchen to the truck.

     "Miss Olivarez?" One of the men rounded the truck and nodded at Tinsley. She nodded her head a few times.

     "John?" she asked, sticking out her hand. He took it and shook her hand with a wide, friendly smile, "How was the trip out?" she asked. John led the group to the back of the truck. Another man stood there, working on the lock to roll the back open. John shrugged.

     "Not bad. We made record time," John said, turning around and shooting her a shy smile.

     "You guys musta drove through the night to take the time you did," Itzel laughed.

     "Alguien tiene una erección," Angel snickered. EZ, Gilly, and Neron laughed behind them. Even Coco managed to break a smirk. Itzel turned to them and hissed a hush through a laugh. Tinsley ignored the conversation behind her and smiled at John. John shrugged sheepishly, whistling at his partner. The back of the truck rolled up noisily, revealing all of Tinsley's belongings neatly piled in sections. Boxes were piled in the front, covering all the rest of the things behind them. There was a low whistle from behind Tinsley.

     "You got un putero boxes," Gilly breathed. Tinsley laughed and looked over her shoulder.

     "It's almost like I'm moving here or something," she shot back at him. He stuck his tongue out at her and made a face. She laughed again.

     "So where do you wanna start?" Itzel asked. Tinsley turned back.

     "The top, I guess," she shrugged.

     "¡No me digas! " Itzel rolled her eyes. Tinsley laughed once. 

     "Señoras, vayan adentro. We'll handle the lifting," Bishop ushered.

     "I can't let you do all this-"

     "Vamos," Bishop nodded. Tinsley held her hands up and laughed.

     "Si insistes," Tinsley laughed. Itzel fell into step beside her sister and as they climbed the steps back to the kitchen. They rounded the counter and peered over the sink through the window. They could see Bishop moving toward John and motioning up to the boxes in the truck, "Lots of that machismo running round this club, isn't there," Tinsley noted. Her sister laughed.

     "You could say that again. But hey, it gets me outta lifting heavy boxes. So sometimes no es del todo malo," Itzel laughed. Tinsley smiled. She watched the Mayans congregate together behind the truck. Tinsley clicked her tongue.