by Rider, P. J.
As Maggie walked into the main space of the library Mrs. Lahey came out of the office to the right behind the checkout desk. When she saw Maggie she let out a squeal that belonged to a girl 40 years her junior. It brought a smile to Maggie’s face that she didn’t think herself capable of yet. Mrs. Lahey scurried out from behind the desk and launched herself at Maggie swooping her into a full-bodied hug. All of the thoughts and worries that had swamped her moments before were swept from Maggie’s mind with the tightening of the old woman’s arms.
After releasing her Mrs. Lahey stood back and looked up smiling. She was a short thin woman with pure white hair she kept pulled back in a French braid that hung down to the small of her back. Her hair reminded Maggie of her mother who always kept her long hair in a braid. That was pretty much where the similarities ended. Mrs. Lahey was short, thin, and small breasted. Maggie’s mother had been of average height with a pear shape. But they were both strong women with quick smiles and large hearts.
“Thank you so much Mrs. Lahey for everything. I just want you to know how much this means to me. Working in my father’s library I mean. It’s been a long time since I’ve worked at a steady job and I just want you to know that even though I may not have a ton of experience I am a very hard worker and I will not make you regret giving me this opportunity.”
Mrs. Lahey’s eyes grew misty as she looked up at her, “Oh Maggie, I wouldn’t dream of hiring anyone else. You have to know your father was so proud of you, and I have all the faith in the world that you will do a wonderful job. And please call me Beth. If we’re going to be co-workers we should be on a first name basis!” Her laughter tinkled through the room and made her face brighten even more.
“Beth. Thank you.”
“Ok, well now that’s enough of that. You’re welcome and we won’t say another word about it. Now let me show you around the place, OK?” Beth grabbed her hand and pulled her behind the desk and began the arduous task of instructing her on the outdated software the library used.
Even though her degree was three years old at this point it seemed the library’s software was at least 5 years old. Maggie wondered if there was any way to update everything, but figured she’d get herself settled in and re-acquainted with the library workings before suggesting changes.
The rest of the day consisted of re-learning the library layout, mastering the outdated software, and promising herself that as soon as she felt settled she would absolutely be updating these computers.
Maggie spent her lunch break sitting outside on the picnic tabletop with her feet on the bench looking out at the pond and the ducks. It wasn’t quite so cold that the ducks were ready to fly south and Maggie enjoyed the fresh crisp coolness on her face after the hours inside with the heated recycled air.
For the first time since setting foot outside her marriage home she felt like her life was on the right track. She felt like she had made all the right decisions and was in the process of moving forward. No matter what happened from here on out she would be ok.
At the end of the day Maggie hugged Beth goodbye and clutched her keys in her left hand, thumb pressed against the panic button on the key fob, eyes constantly scanning the parking lot and street beyond. She hated this feeling of high alert. She felt like she’d been living in this state since the first time Reef laid a hand on her. She couldn’t remember what it felt like to be safe and comfortable in her own skin.
As Maggie drove back toward her father’s house she allowed her gaze to slide across the storefronts in the downtown area. It had been so long since she’d been home she didn’t recognize a lot of the stores that were newly opened during the revitalization project that started a few years back. She stopped at the new neighborhood grocery store that had opened up last year. Before you would have to drive forty-five minutes outside of town to find a market. Everyone who lived here liked that this was a small town and you knew everyone that lived here, but it was nice to finally have a market.
Maggie got out of her car and made her way into the store. She grabbed a cart at the entrance and began loading it with the essentials. She preferred to shop for groceries every few days rather than once a week. She found she made better choices that way and her food didn’t go bad. Plus there was just her. It wasn’t like she was buying for a huge family.
When she finished getting everything she needed she headed for the checkout. While she stood in line checking out the magazines on the rack she heard someone say her name. When she turned she found a very tall redheaded woman standing in line behind her. “Maggie Quirke? Is that you?”
Maggie looked up and smiled in recognition. Jessi Flynn was one of Maggie’s best friend’s back in high school. They drifted apart slightly when Maggie took off for college. And of course when she married Reef she disconnected from all friends completely. But she’d thought of Jessi a lot since then. They’d been so close. It was almost a little painful seeing her in the store after all this time. “Jessi Flynn? Holy crap! I can’t believe you’re still living here. I was so sure you’d be in New York or California by now.”
Jessi smiled back at Maggie and shook her head, “Yeah I tried it out for a bit, but it just wasn’t for me. I’m not a big city girl you know? I like my small town. What are you up to? I didn’t even realize you were back in town?”
Maggie shook her head at her words. If you had asked her back in high school who the number one person would be to get out of this small town and make something big of herself Maggie would have said Jessi without hesitation. Jessi had one of the most beautiful voices Maggie had ever heard in her life. She sang in all the talent shows, had the lead role in all the school musicals, and was essentially one of the most talented people Maggie knew. She couldn’t believe Jessi was standing there telling her all this.
“Wow. I gotta say Jessi I’m really surprised. I totally imagined you off on your own writing songs and recording hit records. I kept waiting to hear that you were winning an Oscar for your first movie you know?” They laughed and Jessi shook her head.
“No, you know I just realized it wasn’t for me. The best thing New York did for me was meeting Sensei Sung. You know how I used to run to get out my extra energy. Well I always felt a little nervous in New York. I didn’t like running in central park at night, and I couldn’t run during the day because I was trying to go to auditions and working seven days a week. So I was looking for an outlet and ended up finding this karate class. I fell in love with the sport, and when Sensei Sung started talking about wanting to find a slower pace city to teach in I told him about our town. I invited him out for a visit and he fell in love with the place and opened his studio down the road. So I moved back home and became his assistant.”
Maggie stood listening to Jessi’s story. This was probably the last thing in the world she imagined Jessi doing. Sure she liked to run, but she had never been a girl that was particularly into sports. She’d been a girly girl, into boys and her music and that was all. This girl that Maggie had always thought of as the epitome of pretty and feminine had turned into a badass babe.
“Wow Jessi, that’s amazing. I could never imagine taking a karate class. I think I would feel stupid or something you know? I’ve never been into sports and I know I’m not coordinated.”
Jessi laughed the wonderful sparkling laugh Maggie remembered that always reached her eyes, “That’s the great thing though. You don’t have to be sporty or in great shape or even particularly coordinated. You learn that. You build it as you go. You know what? We’re actually having a free self-defense class coming up this weekend. You should come. It’s all women in the class except for Sensei Sung of course. He’s fantastic though. I think you would really like him.”
Maggie couldn’t help but smile when Jessi laughed. She tilted her head to the side thinking about Jessi’s words. “A self-defense class huh? You know that actually might be exactly what I’m looking for right now. I need to get out of the house for more than work. Yes. I think I will go.
Thanks for inviting me Jessi I really appreciate it.”
It was Maggie’s turn to check out so she stepped up to the register to pay. She waited for Jessi to complete her purchase and they walked out to the parking lot together. They chatted about old friends and what Maggie had gone to college for, and what she was doing now. Jessi gave her condolences for the death of Maggie’s father. They said their good-byes at Jessi’s jeep and Maggie made her way to her Prius. She felt lighter, happier somehow.
All in all it had been a good day. Reconnecting with an old friend. Making plans to take a self-defense class which that in itself would definitely help her to feel more secure. Maggie loaded her groceries in her car and made her way home. For the first time in years she actually felt a sense of hope about the future and the journey to come.
Chapter 4
ASH
Ash took a drag off the one hitter between his lips and leaned against the corner of the barbershop that stood across the street from the library. He watched Maggie get out of the white Prius that belonged to her father and walk into the library. Her steps seemed faster today. Almost chipper. It was a big difference from the day before. Ash watched her walk into the library on the first day of her new job looking like she was carrying a hundred pounds on each shoulder. Today she was almost smiling.
Last night Ash recruited the Steel Breed’s computer guru to track down some background info on Maggie. So far Ash had learned that she’d received her bachelor’s in library sciences the year she’d married her husband and that otherwise her life had been a blank slate. She hadn’t worked since finishing school and other then a brief stint in the hospital from what was reported to be an assault during a breaking and entering she didn’t have any outstanding notes on her record.
Whether consciously or not she was still clothing herself in black. Lucky for Ash black was his favorite color. Up top she wore a simple button down long sleeve shirt with the top few buttons popped open. Below she wore a knee length pencil skirt and tights with what appeared to be sensible chunky shoes.
As his eyes traveled up her body they stopped dead at her hair, which she had worn up in a high tight bun. How the fuck Ash could get an erection from a damn hairstyle he had no clue. And even though his earlier fantasies had stared Miss Maggie Quirke wearing a looser mini skirt he realized he liked the tight pencil skirt much better. He could clearly see the shape of her ass and the thickness of her thighs.
Ash shook his head at his thoughts, tapped the remains out of his pipe, and pushed off the wall as Maggie walked through the doors of the library. He couldn’t stand there all day waiting for her to come out. Someone would start to get suspicious. Not that anyone bothered any members of the Steel Breed MC in this town.
They kept the drugs and violence away from the town and kept a steady stream of revenue flowing in that allowed the place to stay as quaint and untouched as the town desired. It wasn’t like it was in writing in the town by-laws, but it was pretty clear everyone here kept their heads turned while the MC did their business outside the borders and enforced a strict no drugs no theft policy within.
The bell above the barbershop door jingled lightly as he walked inside letting it shut slowly behind him and made his way toward one of the open chairs. “Be with you in a minute Ash.” The barber called from the back where he was stacking a pile of freshly laundered towels on a high shelf.
“Take your time Ben. I got all day.” Ash leaned back in the chair at the shampoo station propping a black boot clad foot on the footrest and leaned his head back on the red vinyl seat. He came to Ben to get his hair and beard trimmed once a month preferring to keep his hair off his collar and his beard close to his face. It was pure dumb luck that the barbershop stood across the street from the library, but it worked out for him. He’d get his monthly shave from Ben, and then head over to the diner across the park for coffee and food while he waited for Maggie’s day to end. As soon as Ash saw her home and safe he’d head back to his apartment for some much needed alone time with his hand.
Ben walked over to Ash and wrapped a towel around his neck and the plastic cape around his shoulders. Ash could see Ben’s nose scrunch at the smell of pot still clouding the air around Ash. “Why you gotta smoke that shit before coming in here Ash? You smell like a skunk.”
“Watch it Ben. I haven’t smoked skunk-weed since I was a kid and didn’t know any better. My shit is premium medical grade green. Maybe if you took a hit from time to time you wouldn’t be so damn ornery.”
Ben blustered and harrumphed mumbling something about Ash’s premium green killing all his damn brain cells as he leaned Ash back and turned on the warm water to wash his hair. Ash closed his eyes and relaxed in to the scalp massage while he contemplated his Maggie problem.
Ash needed to figure out how to get this woman out of his head. He hadn’t felt like this since he was fourteen and Jackie Dooley had kissed him and let him touch her breasts for an entire hour under the stairs in the old apartment complex. Jackie’s older sister caught them and promptly told Jackie’s mom, who had in turn told Ash’s stepfather, who knocked Ash unconscious that night. Three hours of forced sleep was worth every minute of Jackie’s tits.
The question was why now, thirteen years after the only time a girl had ever made him stupid, was he feeling this way again. What was it about this woman that made every vessel in his brain reroute all blood flow to his groin from just the site of her.
God help him if he ever actually got the chance to talk to Maggie, let alone touch her. “No.” Ash thought to himself. “If you don’t stop thinking about touching her you’re going to give Ben a scare.” Just then Ben turned the water off and sat Ash back up in his seat motioning for him to move to one of the barber chairs in front of the floor to ceiling mirrors.
Ash settled into the seat adjusting his jeans as he did. He’d never thought he would be appreciative of the uncomfortable plastic capes worn for haircuts, but at this second it was hiding Ash’s obvious erection and saving them both from a particularly embarrassing moment.
“So how’s things at the club these days?” Ben asked as he combed Ash’s hair into obedience and began attacking the snarled mess.
“Things are good. Can’t complain. Business as usual and all that.” Ash always brushed off Ben’s questions about the club. Ben had been a member of the Steel Breed MC at least two decades before. He wasn’t one of the founding members, but he’d come on with the club shortly after the formation before they started getting into some of their more illicit activities that were now a staple of club business.
According to Ben he’d left the club when he’d met the woman that would later become his wife. A combination of not liking where the club was heading, and wanting to settle down and get married and have kids led Ben to choose his current path. Ash respected the man making a decision and sticking with it, and he definitely left on good terms or else Ash wouldn’t even be speaking to him let alone paying him for his services, but that didn’t mean Ash was going to start discussing club business with him.
“Something going on with Old Man Quirke’s daughter?” Ash glanced up at Ben in the mirror, eyebrows raised at the question.
“Why do you ask?” he replied keeping his tone neutral.
“I couldn’t help noticing you eyeballing her across the street before you came in. Looked like you was watching her mighty hard for someone un-interested. Just made me wonder what business the club could possibly have with an OG’s daughter.”
“Wait. What? What do you mean an OG’s daughter?” Ash frowned at Ben in the mirror. “Are you telling me Seamus Quirke was an original Steel Breed?”
“That’s what I’m saying. And I might add that it’s mildly disturbing that you don’t know who your forefathers are. Aren’t there still pictures up of all the originals in the club house?”
“Yeah. I just never looked too close at them. Plus they’re all from forty years ago. It’s not exactly like I’m in the habit of
studying old grainy photos of a bunch of dead dudes. I mean, respect sure, but how was I supposed to know the fucking head librarian was one of the first Steel Breed?”
Ash sat in silence for a moment while Ben took the electric clippers to his beard and trimmed it down. Her father was an OG Steel Breed. The pieces were finally starting to come together. He knew Jack wouldn’t ask him to watch after just any old bitch on the street. And he had told Ash it was a personal favor. Damn big favor too. Asking one of their top five to watch after his daughter after he was dead.
It also clarified the issue of Ash’s attraction to Maggie. She wasn’t just some bitch off the street. She was the offspring of an OG. She had Breed blood in her fucking sexy as sin veins. That practically made her property of the Steel Breed MC. Not a sweet butt, no. Not a pair of tits to be passed around. She was a legacy. Part of the family.
When Ben was done Ash stood up and looked in the mirror. He ran his hands over his head and face feeling the hair tight against his skin. He thanked Ben and dropped a hundred dollar bill on the counter as he walked out. Ben had refused to take Ash’s money the first few times he came so Ash stopped trying to pay him directly. Usually he only left a fifty but the information Ben had provided today was worth the extra. Ash walked around the corner of the building and jumped on his bike. Instead of heading to the café as was his original plan he made a beeline for the bar that acted as clubhouse for the Steel Breed MC.
When he walked inside the dank interior he stopped to let his eyes adjust. He let his gaze slide across the patrons scanning for Jack the MC’s president. Jack was nowhere in sight which wasn’t honestly surprising at this time of the morning.
Most of the MC were late risers as was conducive to their late night lifestyle, but since Ash had been tasked with following Maggie his schedule had shifted some. Now he was usually up way before anyone else in the club sulking around Maggie’s neighborhood.