“You know we’ve already got a full book,” Bridget states. “You’re going to be going crazy.”
“I’m nervous as hell. But you’ll be shampooing and getting them ready so I can just keep on going. Plus, I have another stylist coming in later in the week, so it won’t be for long. That last station is going to be yours, Bridget. I’ll show you how to roll folks so they can get under the dryers.” Her eyes widen a bit at my words and I add, “I know you’re not there yet, but it’s not hard and I’ve got another mannequin head so you can practice, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispers. “Can...can we start now? I want to be able to help in any way possible.” I love her enthusiasm and new take on life, she’s not all the way there yet, but with our help and guidance, I don’t see it taking long for her to become the woman she was always meant to be.
Going home that night I find that I have a hard time sleeping, even making love to Elijah wasn’t enough to wear me out. I leave him sleeping in the bed and go and check on Emma. She had her casts removed and is doing physical therapy, she’s doing very well and coming along faster than the doctors thought she would. She’s a tough little girl, and I’m so terribly happy that she’s been able to move on and not dwell on the loss of her mother and the things she was a witness to. I know as an adult, I haven’t been able to take things with as much grace as she has, and I can’t wait to see the kind of woman she grows into. Once I’m satisfied she’s tucked in and will sleep happily through the night, I go downstairs to get me a glass of water. I have the munchies as well, I find some strawberries and grab the chocolate syrup from the fridge...perfect! I sit at the kitchen table, pour my chocolate goodness into a bowl and dip my strawberries in it. “Fuck yes,” I say and jump out of my seat when I hear.
“Thought you only made those noises for me?” I grab my chest and sit back in my chair.
“I thought we talked about this last week, you can’t sneak up on me like that. It’s rude for one, and I would like to keep my heart in my chest thank you very much.”
“You okay, buttercup?” he asks, coming close and pulling me into a hug.
“Yeah, just couldn’t sleep.”
His surprised gaze turns toward me and he states, “Baby, we went three rounds not four hours ago and you worked earlier today.”
“I know, Elijah, but my brain won’t shut off. I mean...what if it’s not a success? What if the club dumped all that money and no one shows up?” He continues to look at me not saying anything and I continue, “Y’know what? I’m damn good at what I do and it’s going to work and we’re going to be rolling in it.”
He starts laughing at my words before saying, “There’s my girl. I thought I lost you for a minute.”
“Let me eat my strawberries in peace,” I state. He merely grabs my bowl and the strawberries and motions for me to follow him. Two hours later, after he fed me my chocolate-covered strawberries which resulted in a very steamy and fun time that caused us to have to change the sheets, I’m finally sated and laying sprawled across his chest. I look up at him through half-closed eyes and say, “Thank you, I think I can sleep now.”
“Whatever you need, Cassarah, I’ll do my best to make sure you have it. Now sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.”
Chapter Fourteen
Law
After a restless night, I finally succumb to sleep around three a.m. I know I’m going to be exhausted later, but something woke me up before the alarm. I look around, trying to get my bearings and realize it’s my phone ringing. I slide out from under my woman and go over to where I discarded my jeans last night. I grab it before it wakes Cassarah up and rush into the hallway to answer.
I look at the caller ID and it shows Atticus calling. “Hello,” I answer in a rush as I head into the kitchen.
“It’s done,” is all he states.
“Thank you,” I reply.
He grunts, “Need details?” He’s always short, sweet and to the point.
“No details, I want to be honest when or if, I have to answer any questions. Need to stay legal and on this side of the law. Plausible deniability and all that shit.”
“Later,” he replies before he hangs up. The fucker just hung up on me, it shouldn’t render me speechless in the least, but the disrespect always catches me off guard. Then again, Atticus, Silas and Jonas have always run to the beat of their own drum so why I’m surprised is beyond me. Guess since I’m up, I might as well start breakfast since we’ve got a big day ahead of us.
Cassarah
The grand opening…
I stand here waiting to do this crazy-ass ribbon cutting and my mind drifts to what Elijah told me the other day. It seems that my poor...poor, brother-in-law was found floating in the river just a week ago, and I wanted to dance on his grave, but knew that that would be childish and unethical, so instead, Elijah and I did our own type of celebrating, at home—in bed. “You ready to cut the ribbon?” Elijah asks me, interrupting my thoughts as he hands me the super-sized scissors.
“Yes, this is a dream come true for me, thank you for making it a reality, I may have gotten here one day, but not this soon.”
“Cut the ribbon already! My woman says I need a haircut!” Smokey hollers out causing us all to laugh hysterically.
“Yeah! We aren’t getting any younger standing here!” Bandit calls out.
“Wait your turn, assclowns, I’m already on the books,” DJ states. “The girls too, so wait your fucking turn.”
“Fucking turn!” Emma shouts out. DJ gives me a look then pulls out a five-dollar bill.
“Here, put it in the jar,” she states. “That should give me a few more for today.”
I look over at Elijah, who’s grinning from ear to ear, and say, “We’re gonna need a jar for the shop too.”
“Already got it covered. I know she won’t be here much, but if I’m not doing anything, I’ll be here with her, helping.”
The baby kicks so I rub my stomach to try and help settle it down. The little munchkin won’t cooperate so we have no idea what we’re having. We’ve done everything in neutral colors and I hope it’s a boy, because the guys made a mobile that is made of wooden motorcycles, courtesy of Jaxson. I don’t see girls being into those types of things, but if it is a she, I can see her being okay with these decorations because her father and uncles are badass bikers to the core.
“I’m here! I’m here!” a female voice says, and I see Lulu, short for Lucy, run up and put her arm through Chef’s. I’m happy he’s found his woman, they seem to be happy and Lulu has been a great addition to the old ladies. Plus, she’s got more experience as a stylist which will be a blessing here at the salon.
Taking a deep breath, I smile at Elijah and look out at the family I belong to before saying, “This is for Cissy, may she rest in peace and may everyone who walks through these doors find what they’re looking for,” before I cut the ribbon in two. Loud cheers and whoops, whistles and hollers erupt from all of Elijah’s brothers as I find myself wrapped up in more arms than I can fathom.
“C’mon, sweetheart, let’s go do some hair,” Elijah says, pulling me out of the pile of old ladies. Fuck, I love my man!
Law
I sit back and watch my woman in her element. All the old ladies are helping out wherever they’re needed, and the guys are sitting around waiting on their turn for cuts. “Brother,” Chief says walking up to me.
“Hey, man.”
“Great turn out, I’m happy for your woman.”
“Thank you, she’s the best.”
“She is, and she fits in well with the old ladies, she’s a great addition to the family...I’m happy for you.” He clears his throat, so I say nothing, waiting for him to get out what he’s wanting to say.
“I want to thank you for all the help you’ve given me. Weeding out the bad seeds wasn’t fun and it was very time consuming. You are a great brother for giving me all of that time and effort you’ve put into helping me out.”
“Anythi
ng for you, man,” I say, slapping his back. “Glad it all worked out and your department is clean now, along with the others we helped clear out.”
“They are just as grateful to you as I am,” Chief tells me.
“When will they be facing justice?”
“Two weeks from tomorrow, they’ll stand before a judge and be sentenced. They’re all taking plea deals because the evidence we have on them is so overwhelming, no attorney would be able to get them out of it. You basically wrapped everything up in a pretty little bow and delivered it to us.”
“Glad to be of service, and those gifts are the ones I like to deliver, so no thanks necessary as far as I’m concerned,” I tell him.
I look over and see Capone following Bridget’s every move with his eyes. She’s shampooing a customer right now, and he can’t seem to look away from her.
“When do you think he’s going to say enough is enough and claim her like the caveman in him that’s dying to come out?” Chief asks me.
“Soon, brother. Do you see him, he’s hardly able to contain himself as it is.” I’m waiting for the time to come that he throws her over his shoulder and walks out the door and doesn't let her out until she agrees that she’s his. We may not see them for a while when that day finally does manage to arrive.
“Yeah, and I see her giving him little glances as well. Thinking that her therapy is helping her see that not all men are like her brother. And Capone is a good man, he’ll treat her like a fucking queen, y’know?”
“Don’t we all?” I reply. “I know whatever Cassarah needs, if it’s in my power, I’ll get it for her.”
“Same here,” Smokey interjects. “Hannah means the world to me, to both of us.”
“Glad y’all got to the bottom of the shit she was getting, too,” I tell him. That was a major clusterfuck, but both men were diligent and caught the person in the act. She was a bitter woman, Wanda was, jealous because her husband had left her. Hell, I would have too, she’s a nagging bitch on steroids. So, she targeted Hannah for her little hate filled scheme. Only, it backfired because they had her arrested and she’s now in the local jail, serving six months. Good riddance to bad rubbish as my grams always said.
“Elijah!” I hear my woman call my name.
“What’s up, buttercup?”
“Can you get me some things from the stockroom?”
“And that’s my cue, gentlemen,” I say, leaving them to their banter...life is good.
Epilogue
Capone
I’ve been watching her all day long and my frustration is growing. I know she feels something for me, her eyes tell that story. Thinking about the conversation we had last night, my heart starts beating fast once again.
“Capone, I...I just can’t,” Bridget whispers. “You don’t want a woman like me, one who’s been a whore, sleeping with everyone around. You deserve so much better.”
“Bridget, do you think I’ve been a fucking monk? Jesus, woman, what happened in your past is just that, it’s in your past. I don’t give a fuck if you’ve slept with one man or a thousand, you’re going to be mine, so you better get that pretty head wrapped around that concept. Because it’s gonna happen. Soon.”
“I belong to no one, Capone, you need to move on and find someone who’s willing to let you claim them the way you want to and deserve.”
She just shook her head and walked away from me. Again. I’ve never had to fight for a woman, but the first time I laid eyes on her, I knew deep in my soul that she was destined to be mine. Now I need to prove that fact to her.
Bridget
I know he wants me, he’s told me over and over again that I will be his. But I just can’t, not ever again will I be someone’s possession. I’m doing good in therapy, and I won’t let anything get in the way of all the hard work I’ve put into myself. I don’t love myself yet, but I am beginning to like me, and that’s progress compared to where I was just a few short months ago. I mean, I want to be able to love someone like Hannah, and the rest of the women do, but I feel so damn jaded. And why would a man want a woman like me? It’s something I’ve talked to my therapist about and all she can say is he’s obviously someone special and I should embrace the fact that he wants me for me, not my body or the release I can give him. I guess if I’m being honest with myself, something I’ve been learning to do, I’m scared. Scared that a man like Capone will consume me and leave me. If that happened, I don’t think I could go on.
Sighing, I finish up the shampoo I’m doing before I wrap the towel around Cara’s head and direct her over to Lulu’s station. “Here you go, Cara. Lulu will take good care of you.” I say walking away, I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand on end...I feel as if someone is watching me, but all of the men are looking anywhere but my direction...Capone as well.
I rush out of the room and hide in the restroom, please...not a panic attack, not today of all days. I sit in here attempting to calm myself, there’s no one out to hurt me, I chant to my reflection in the mirror. But something tells me I’m lying to myself...
About Liberty
Liberty has been an avid reader for most of her life. When she was younger she used to sit and fill spiral notebooks full of stories for her grandmother. As she got older, she took the jobs needed for raising her boys as a single mom until she met her amazing husband. She has stopped working in the last few years and started off by promoting authors, then she took up blogging and reviewing for authors. This has led her down the path of writing and creating characters and telling their stories. She loves getting creative and working behind the scenes with her characters and bringing her imagination to life.
Find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlibertyparker/?ref=bookmarks
About Darlene
I am a transplanted Yankee, moving from upstate New York when I was a teenager. I live with the brat-cat pack and a small muffin dog, all rescues, as I plot and plan who will get to “talk” next!
Find me on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/darlenetallmanauthor
Other Books by Liberty
*Rage Ryders MC*
Taken by Lies
Taken by Rage
Taken by Vegas
Taken by Sadistic
Taken by Chaos
Taken by Temptation
*Current Standalones*
What Should’ve Been
Charlee’s Choices
*Diva’s Ink Trilogy*
Blank Canvas
Clean Slate
Beautiful Template…coming soon
Other Books by Darlene
*Mischief Kitties*
Co-written with Cherry Shephard and Alex J.:
The Mischief Kitties in Bampires & Ghosts & New Friends Oh My!
The Mischief Kitties in The Great Glitter Caper
*Standalones*
“Bountiful Harvest”
“His Firefly”
“His Christmas Pixie”
“Her Kinsman-Redeemer”
“Operation Valentine”
“His Forever”
“Forgiveness”
“Reese Black Tuxedoes MC
“Christmas With Dixie”
“Our Last First Kiss”
Law_Rebel Guardians MC Page 16