Dustin had thought about waiting for Danni to get off work to talk with her again but decided against it. Pretty sure he would only make it worse. Something he seems to be pretty good at doing with her. The shit mood rolled over into the next morning Nolan calling him out on it, asking what happened.

Dustin lying saying it was nothing just him adjusting to being out. Another piss test and half an hour of a one-sided conversation with him hearing the same thing over and over again. Getting a pat on the back for his license and employment with Shay. Nolan confirmed that he felt like it would be a good match for him there. 

Telling him now that parts one and two were done it was time to work, save up, stay out of trouble, and work on getting a place of his own. That living with Ms. Tink was not a final step for him. Dustin knew that living with them was not the final answer for him. He wanted his own place but right now he couldn’t afford shit on his own.

Finding his locker in the back breakroom, he pulled out his uniform. It was what he expected, a navy blue button-down thick cotton shirt short sleeve with matching work pants. His name was even sewn on it. D.Rainehart.

“Ah, I love it, early.” Shay spoke waving for him to head on the back once he was ready.

Dustin quickly tossed his clothes into his locker and followed Shay outback. Meeting up with who he assumed he would be working with. The male flexed his arms, hands balled into a fist at his side, the large red tattooed T on the side of his neck told Dustin all he needed to know. 

The T stood for Triple Threat. They were a well-known rival of the SONS feud going back way before Dustin even thought about joining the SONS. The triple part was for what they dealt with drugs, guns, and women. They didn’t give a shit about anything or anyone. In response to him, Dustin felt tense all over, ready to go at any moment.

“No personal feelings will get in the way of the job.” Shay was quick to restate.

The air changed in the space between them and Shay didn’t care nor wanted to hear about it.

“Addams Rainehart, Rainehart Addams.” That was all he said before moving on, “Addams has been with us for a while now, so he will be showing you around. Teaching you how everything operates and functions. Any questions you can ask him. Any problems you can come to me. Your first call already came in, so you best be getting a move on. I’ll be checking in to see how everything goes.”

With that said, Shay walked away heading back inside.

For a long moment, the two of them just stood there staring at each other. Both tensed up, ready to move if the other jumped. Finally, Addams relaxed a little telling him to hurry the fuck up and come on. If Dustin was supposed to be learning something from him, he sure as hell wasn’t today. 

Addams just went through the motions of everything not stopping to explain anything to him or answer any question he asked. Dustin getting to the point he just didn’t bother to talk anymore. Not saying anything only made the day go by even slower. Getting back to the shop just after the sunset. Addams walked off not saying a word to him.

The next few days went just like that too. Gradually Dustin was picking up on a few things here and there. It wasn’t hard work, just hard to figure out when his help wasn’t any help at all. At the end of their third shift, Dustin pulled the truck into the back putting it in park. Hopping out to catch up with Addams.

“Look I know we don’t like each other and that’s fucking fine, but I’m here to get my shit straight and I’m pretty sure you are too for the most part, so if we could just get past this stupid shit and work together that would be great. We can hate each other as much as we want off the clock.”

“I don’t do anything with a Son.”

“At least show me the shit I need to know that would make things a whole lot easier for the two of us.”

He seemed to think this over for a long hard moment.

“Fine one day. That’s it.”

Dustin took that as a win in his book, waiting for Addams to leave before heading into the breakroom to grab his things and clock out. Shay told him to have a good night as he passed by his office on the way out locking the front door behind him as he left for the night.