Chapter 56

“I just don’t get it,” the Fag said. “It’s like, disrespect. He knows I’m with you and he holds a gun to my face and steals all my money and my stash. But you don’t care? Dee Lee robs me and you’re still helping him? I just don’t understand how he gets away with all the shit he pulls.”
‘Shining’ Bill pointed a fat finger at the Fag. “Be careful. Dee Lee is on my side. I do what I do for my reasons and I don’t explain myself to you. His father is Alan Lee, a great man.”
“Dee Lee’s still a prospect. You’re full-patch.”
“Be careful, Lewis. Disrespectful would be if he held a gun to my head, wouldn’t it?” ‘Shining’ Bill’s low-toned, booming voice demanded everyone in the room listen to his words. He glanced over at Joe Junior and grinned widely. His teeth and eyes were sparkling and fiercely light blue. “I know you want me to be your champion and defend your honour, Lewis, but it’s hard for me to get all chivalrous here. You’re a man. What am I supposed to do, take him out to a duel?” Bill and Joe Junior looked at eachother and laughed uproariously.
Joe Junior had a short brunette stripper with enormous breasts on his lap, his arms tight around her waist. She looked down at him in a playful mock-offended way: “Would you defend my honour, Tin Tin?”
“I would but, you got no honour left.” He grinned stupidly at her. ”Or maybe that’s shame I’m thinking of?”
“Whatever shame I have gets beat out of me every morning,” she laughed. “When I come to work.”
“-I’d have him taken out and killed, if it was me,” the Fag mumbled, although no one in the room seemed to be listening to him anymore.
“It was you, Lewis,” Bill said. ‘Shining’ Bill was always listening. “You were weak Lewis and allowed yourself to get robbed. I’m taking what was stolen out of your pocket, Lewis. That’s your debt now, as penalty for your fucking pathetic weakness.”
“… I can’t… I can’t afford that,” the Fag pleaded. “They drained me dry!”
“Too late. I made the decision. I want your regular payments, on time. No excuses.”
“-But they took everything-“
“NO EXCUSES!” Bill hollered at the top of his lungs. “Now get your pretty little ten-year-old boy ass out of my church and get back to work. Don’t sit down. I got nothin’ more to say. And count your lucky stars you didn’t end up a dead faggot. NOW GET OUT!” The last part Bill screamed, sending Lewis scrambling out of the room.