Chapter IV: Paid in Full
Eli’s hands shook as he unsealed the metal clasp of the envelope.
Inside were not stacks of cash.
Resting at the top was the original deed of title to Oakdale Customs, stamped with the county clerk’s official embossed seal: Mortgage Paid in Full. Beneath the deed lay an exclusive, multi-year master service contract, naming Oakdale Customs as the sole authorized custom fabricator and repair headquarters for the entire regional motorcycle coalition.
Every debt had been cleared. The predatory bank liens were erased. The shop was legally, permanently Eli's.
"Hank..." Eli choked out, tears finally breaking through the grease and soot on his cheeks. "I... I can't accept this. This is too much."
Hank let out a booming laugh that echoed off the brick walls, clapping Eli hard on the back.
"Every square foot of this dirt belongs to you, kid. Your old man is looking down from heaven right now, proud as hell. From this day forward, Oakdale Customs is home to every brother in this yard. Anyone tries to take this place from you, they answer to thirty engines and sixty fists."
As the sun sank below the horizon, the riders struck their throttles in unison, their engines roaring like a victory anthem. Standing in the center of the iron circle with the deed pressed against his chest, the young mechanic knew his father's legacy would never fade.