SOLD: Jagged Souls MC

by Naomi West

  “What was then?”

  “You’re hot. It’s been a while.” She could make it sound like she was heartless about it, couldn’t she?

  “You’re just using me for my body then?” His mouth quirked into a half smile.

  She relaxed some. “Basically.” She chuckled, glad to have some of the tension relieved.

  “Okay then. Feel free to use me anytime you want.”

  “Thanks.” She looked at him for a moment, then left the room, closing the door behind her.

  As she finished getting Ian ready for the day, she couldn’t help replaying their conversation in her mind. How bizarre it had all been. All day, it tangled in her mind, sending waves of different emotions over her. Fear, surprise, even some desire and curiosity. What would he be up today, out searching for a murderer? What did a hunt like that look like?

  She had been thinking about the anger in his eyes when he asked about the Cruel Crows, and feeling that same unease, and had gotten lost in her thoughts.

  “Hello? Sara?”

  Sara snapped her attention back to her work. This was her morning and early afternoon shift. Another hour before she’d leave to get Ian from school.

  “What? Sorry.” She looked at the hostess, who rolled her eyes in response.

  “I just seated table four.”

  “Thanks.”

  Sara walked over to table four and prepared her smile. She faced the man at the table and began her script. “Hi, my name is Sara and I’ll be serving you today. Would you like to hear our specials?”

  As she spoke, her eyes settled on the man. She almost tripped over her words as she took in his appearance. There was nothing obviously strange about him. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Nothing special, but nothing unusual. He looked fairly clean, even if he wasn’t the most well groomed man she’d ever seen. He looked like just an average Joe in almost all ways. Yet, his body language made him one of the creepiest men Sara had ever encountered.

  He sat with one elbow on the table, his other hand in his lap like he was hiding something. His feet were flat on the ground rather than tilted in a relaxed pose. His eyes were intense and stared hard at her as she spoke, like he was trying to light her on fire with his stare.

  When she asked about the specials, he said in a low growl, “No.”

  She stood there waiting for him to say something else. “Were you ready to order?” She swallowed hard and looked around. Were any of the other servers seeing this?

  “Coffee.”

  “Sure thing.” She tried to remain cheerful, but almost ran back to the safety of the kitchen.

  She grabbed one of her fellow waitresses. “Megan, come here.” Sara dragged her over to the window in the swinging doors that separated the kitchen from the customers. “Look at the guy at table four.”

  “Okay.” She looked with Sara, but from this angle, not much could be seen of his face.

  “Go out there and look him in the eye. He’s totally creepy.”

  “Ew, I hate that. What did he say?”

  “Nothing. That’s part of it. He spoke in one word answers.”

  “Did you tell Ed?”

  The manager was always supposed to be alerted when their were customers causing an issue. And he was good at taking care of problems. “No. He hasn’t really done anything. Yet. I don’t think Ed will appreciate me complaining that he’s creepy.”

  Megan shrugged. “Good luck. Maybe he’ll surprise you and leave a big tip.”

  “He ordered coffee. That’s it.”

  Megan made a sour face. “I hate that, too. Tell him there’s a coffee shop right down the street with much better coffee.”

  “Yeah.”

  Megan went back out to take drinks to her table. Sara poured the coffee and took a deep breath before heading back over to Mr. Creepy.

  “Here’s your coffee,” she said, setting the mug on the table. “Are you ready to order?”

  “Just coffee.” He didn’t make eye contact, but stared straight ahead.

  “Okay. I’ll check back in a little while to see if you need a refill.”

  “Tell me something.”

  He looked at her now, with that same dark expression, like he was a cop about to ask for her confession. She shifted her weight to her other foot and glanced around again. Megan was at the next table, chatting away with her customer. Ed was nowhere in sight and everyone else seemed busy.

  “You worked here long?” he asked.

  “Umm…” Was he about to insult her? It happened on occasion. Some rude customer thought they should tell her how to do her job. “A few years?”

  “Where else do you work?”

  “Another restaurant.” How in the world did he know she had a second job? Or had he just guessed?

  “What’s it called?”

  She didn’t want to tell him. What if he showed up there next? She made up a name and a location. “Freddy’s? Over on Fifth.”

  He nodded and she thought maybe she could divert the conversation a bit.

  “What about you? What do you do for a living?” she asked.

  “How many kids do you have?”

  She chuckled nervously. This didn’t feel right. “Oh, you know, my husband and I haven’t really decided on a set number yet.” Maybe the old “I’m taken” trick would work on him.

  “You’re not married.” He said it like it was absolute fact.

  “Oh, I just don’t wear my ring at work. I’ve lost it too many times.” She tried to laugh it off again. “Okay, well, I’ll check back in a little while.”

  She started to walk away, but he called after her.

  “Hey.”

  She had to turn back around. It was her job. “Yes?” She turned her head, but didn’t move closer to him.

  “What time does your shift end?”

  “Long one today,” she lied. “Won’t be done until after dinner.”

  She forced a smile and walked back to the kitchen. She went straight to Ed’s office and knocked.

  “Ed?”

  He motioned her in and she sat down.

  “What’s up?” he asked, looking away from his computer’s screen.

  “There is a super creepy customer out there, asking all sorts of really personal questions.”

  “Like?”

  “Like when I’m off work, where else I work, how many kids I have.”

  “He probably just likes you. You might be able to work a bigger tip out of him.”

  She shook her head. “It’s not like that. He scares me. Like he’s going to follow me home or something.”

  “Well, have one of the guys walk you out when you leave. I’ll go ask him how everything’s going. Which table?”

  “Four.”

  He nodded. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”

  Right. Easy for him to say. Maybe Saxton had the right idea carrying a gun and knife all the time. She could start carrying one or the other. It would make her feel a lot safer in situations like this.

  Sara watched from the kitchen as Ed went out to check on Mr. Creepy. When he came back to the kitchen, he shrugged.

  “Didn’t say much,” he said.

  “I know. Did you think he’s creepy?”

  “A little. Not much I can do though. I can’t ask him to leave for being creepy. If he sits too long and doesn’t order, though, let me know. I’ll try to move him along.”

  “Thanks.” Sara went to the bathroom and considered calling Saxton again. She could use the excuse that she wanted to check on him. Make sure he was okay being out of the house on his own. And she could casually mention that she had a creepy customer.

  What would he do if she told him? Would he come and check it out? Stay while she worked and make sure she was okay? Or would he just think nothing of it and go back to finding his friend’s murderer? She wanted him to come rescue her. But at that thought, she immediately decided she wouldn’t call him. If she started relying on him like that, it wouldn’t end. She didn’t want to thin
k Saxton would be there to protect her. Or would save her somehow. That would only lead to feelings, which would only lead to problems.

  She looked herself over in the mirror and went back out to check on all her tables. When she walked out through the kitchen, she froze. Table four was empty. Maybe he’d just gone to use the bathroom.

  She made her rounds, checking customers’ drink levels and bringing extra condiments as they were needed. As she was finishing up, she passed table four and noticed a $5 bill tucked under his half drunk coffee. He’d left then. And had given her a $2 tip on a $3 bill. Well, at least it was over. She didn’t have to deal with him anymore.

  Sara went about the rest of her shift, watching for him. He didn’t return. When her shift ended, she went to the kitchen to find a guy to walk her out. Ed was in his office with someone. The only male server on at the moment was busy with a table. There was a male cook and dishwasher, though.

  “Hey Harris,” Sara called across the metal counter. “Can you walk me out to my car real quick?”

  “Uhh…” He looked over at the stack of waiting tickets. “A little behind at the moment. Can Dave?”

  “I’ll check.” Sara walked around the corner, where Dave was rinsing dishes off with the high-powered sprayer and putting them in the rack. “Can you walk me out to my car?”

  “Sure. Let me just finish loading this rack. We got slammed today.”

  “Okay.” Sara stood and watched him work for several minutes. It was starting to get late and she had to be there to get Ian. She couldn’t wait any longer and would have to risk it. “Hey, Dave,” she called over the sound of the sprayer and the loud kitchen noises. “It’s okay. I have to get going. Thanks anyway.”

  “You sure? It’ll just be another few minutes.”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.”

  She walked to the backdoor. The creepy guy had left anyway. It was nothing. She was over reacting. But she stopped before walking out into the back parking lot. She glanced around. The lot was empty of people, though several cars were lined up along the back edge of the lot. And there were several large trucks and vans parked amongst the cars. Including one right next to hers.

  Sara had learned long ago that you should never walk to your car alone when there was a van sitting next to your driver’s side door. It was too risky, especially in a city like Chicago. But there was still some daylight. This time of year, the late afternoon wasn’t the brightest, but it wasn’t dark, either. She didn’t see anyone in the van.

  Maybe she could just run. Or get in through the passenger side. Hadn’t she read about that somewhere? So what if it seemed paranoid if it kept her safe. She took a breath, held her keys tight and ready in her hand, and walked quickly.

  She thought she heard footsteps behind her and spun around. Nothing but the pounding of her heart. Okay, Sara, calm down. There was the eerie feeling of someone following her. Was it in her head? She was halfway to her car when she heard a definite shuffle of steps behind her.

  She turned and was just inches from Mr. Creepy. She sucked in a breath to scream and he clamped a hand down hard over her mouth.

  “Shut up, or I’ll slit your throat.”

  Sara wouldn’t go down without a fight. She’d seen this guy close up in the restaurant. She could pick out his face and had witnesses. He would not get away with whatever he was after.

  He didn’t try to take her purse. So it must be worse, then. He didn’t want to rob her. She tried to pull free from his grip. He walked toward a black car, half dragging her along as she kept fighting to get away from him.

  She kicked at his legs and tried to bite his hand. With his free hand, he slapped her hard across the cheek. Her eyes filled with tears at the stinging pain, and the shock made her freeze for a moment.

  “Get in the car. Stop fighting.”

  She tried again to rip out of his grip. She let herself fall, hoping to slip down and out, but he held her too tight. She twisted and kicked again. She stomped down on his foot. He grunted, but kept moving.

  They were just a few feet from the black car now. If he got her in there, who knew what would happen? He could take her anywhere and do anything.

  She moved her elbow as far away from his ribs as possible, then hurled it back and into him with all her strength. He stopped to take in a breath, then he fell backward.

  His grip on her loosened and he crashed to the ground. Sara spun around, shocked that her elbow attack had dropped him like that.

  When she turned, she saw Saxton. He was kicking the guy, who was now lying on the ground, curled on his side, trying to defend himself. Saxton’s gun was pointed at his head.

  He spared her a second’s glance. “You okay?”

  She nodded.

  “Get in my car.” He motioned with his head toward where his car sat, waiting.

  She ran over and hopped into the passenger side. As she sat there, she saw Saxton kick him several times and stomp down hard on his hand. By the time Saxton walked away, the man just laid there, unmoving.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Saxton slid in behind the driver’s seat, clutching his side where he’d been stabbed.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “Are you?”

  “Yes.”

  He started the car and pressed hard on the gas so that the car leapt forward and sped across the lot.

  “Is he dead?” she asked.

  “No. Just unconscious.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He glanced over at her. “Would you really be that upset if he was dead?”

  She stopped to think about that for a moment. “I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble. And I don’t like the idea of him being killed, even if he did attack me.”

  Saxton shook his head. “Well, he’s not. But you should want him dead for what he did to you. And whatever else he was about to do.”

  Her mind started wandering down that path, imaging what horrors she might be facing at this moment if Saxton hadn’t shown up. He’d saved her after all. And she hadn’t even had to call him to tell him she needed him.

  Then, in a flash, she remembered where she had been going. “I have to get Ian.” The words came out sounding panicky. Both because she was already late and because she was now terrified that something had happened to him as well.

  “Where is his school?”

  Sara gave him directions, and with each turn, she thought she was going to throw up. What if someone had been sent to get him? What if he was in some car right now being taken somewhere? Her heart raced so fast, she started to feel dizzy.

  When they pulled into the school lot and she saw the bright green backpack, she sagged in relief. She tore open the car door and ran toward him. When he saw her, he started running, too. She scooped him into a hug and hurried with him back to the car.

  “Mommy?” Ian looked up at her with scared eyes as she opened the back door and almost hurled him into the backseat. “What’s wrong?”

  She hadn’t thought about what her actions might seem like to him. He must have seen the terror in her expression.

  “Oh,” she said, trying to compose herself. “Nothing. We were just late and I was worried. I missed you today.”

  “I missed you, too.” He smiled and climbed into the backseat. “Hi Saxton.”

  “Heya,” Saxton said.

  Sara got back in the passenger seat and gave Saxton a look that she hoped conveyed her desire to keep things as normal as possible for Ian. To act like nothing was wrong.

  “Did you have a good day at school?” Sara used her cheery mommy voice and turned in her seat to give him a bright smile.

  “It was okay. They ran out of chocolate milk.”

  “Oh, well, maybe I can make you some later.”

  “That’d be good. Why is Saxton here?” Of course Ian didn’t waste any time with his questions.

  Sara looked at Saxton for help. What was a good excuse for his presence? She certainly wasn’t going to tell him the truth.


  “I wanted to pick your mommy up from work,” Saxton said.

  “Why?”

  “Well…” Had Saxton thought Ian would let it go at his simple answer? He’d have to get used to the way a six-year-old’s mind worked. Keep asking questions, then ask more questions. “It’s my first day leaving the house, and I thought it’d be a nice thing to do.”