Emerald

by Rebekah Thompson

  “What am I going to do?” I question, letting my head fall into my hands. Lacy makes a cooing sound, places her hand on my shoulder, and squeezes. Honestly, she’s more of a friend than I ever thought she’d be.

  “Mommy, can we go play?” Reece asks, pointing to their room. I nod and smile while they run off giggling.

  “Ugh, that dirty old bastard… I outta-”

  “Lacy, calm down,” I say, placing my hand on her arm. “I thought I could handle the touches and stares. I guess not. I need to find a new job, or I’ll run out of money,” I tell her. She scoffs, but after a second, her eyes light up and the corners of her mouth lift. She sits up straighter and leans in.

  “I might have an idea,” she says. “There’s a place a few towns over that’s hirin’.” I nod, interested. I lean back, pulling my feet up under me. If I can find somewhere good to work, even if it’s somewhere new, I’ll take it. I only need a good job.

  “Okay, where’s the job?” I ask, and Lacy bites her lip. She looks away for a second, then back at me.

  “Well, it’s my brother’s bar,” she blurts. “You would get great pay, and he has the bar position open.”

  Bartending. I’ve done it before, and it wasn’t bad. Handling and mixing drinks wouldn’t be hard to get back into; plus, there’s the actual serving food and cleaning tables which I’ve been doing for the past few years, so I have the experience. My dad taught me to serve drinks at his bar when I was sixteen, so I think I could easily slip into working at a bar.

  “Where’s the bar?” I ask, looking back up at Lacy. She moves her book and laptop out of her lap and places them on the coffee table.

  “It’s about an hour away in the town I live in- Redwater,” she answers. “There’s also an apartment complex that you could live in. I pass it every day and it’s in good condition. I know the owner, too,” she tells me. “I’m sure if you called and told her about your situation, they’d make you a deal on a complex.” An hour isn’t a long drive, but it’s also not a short drive.

  “Wait, do you drive an hour here every day?” I ask, raising my eyebrows.

  Lacy bites her lip and looks down. “Well, yeah, but I wasn’t expectin’ you to find out. I love keeping Reece and Rosaleigh,” she blurts, making me laugh. Could I ask for a better babysitter and friend?

  “I would like a change of scenery,” I admit, looking over at Lacy as she smiles. She stands and claps her hands.

  “Great, I’m goin’ to call my brother!” She announces, and my eyes widen. She pulls her phone out and dials a number, giving me no room for protest. I watch in slight surprise and horror as she holds her finger up and smiles. What’s her brother going to think of me? Will he be able to see past the fact that I’m not calling him to get myself a job? Will he see me as lazy?

  “Hey, brother,” she greets, “You remember that friend I told you about?”

  “Aye, her name’s Angel,” she answers, listening as her brother speaks.

  “She got fired today because her boss is a perverted old man, and I was wonderin’ if you still have that bartending position open,” she relays. She stays quiet for a minute and hums a response, and looks at me, covering the phone, “Do you have experience workin’ at a bar?”

  “I worked in one for a year when I was sixteen,” I answer, and her mouth drops open. She mouths the word ‘sixteen’ with raised eyebrows, and I nod. No one in their right mind would let a sixteen-year-old work at a bar, except my dad. He’d owned it and trusted that I wouldn’t do anything wrong. In fact, his men were watching me, so he always knew what I was doing and what the surrounding people were doing.

  “Oh, she’s got experience. Aye. Be safe. See you soon, bye,” she says and hangs up. She sits back down beside me with a smile. “My brother tells me you can start as soon as you get there.”

  “Seriously?” I ask, jumping to my feet. She nods, and I lunge forward, wrapping her in a big hug. I can’t believe she did that for me. I’ve had no one do anything so nice… well, except for Wolf and my family.

  “Thank you so much, Lacy. You’ve saved our lives,” I tell her. “I- I need to pack, figure out the transport, and call the apartment complex,” I say. I can’t stop smiling. Things are looking up, and now I can get out of this dead-end town where I can make a better life for the kids.

  “Let’s do it. We can secure you an apartment, pack your things up in my car, and I can drive your kids there,” she tells me, grabbing her laptop. Nodding, I sit back down, and we start our search.

  Chapter 2

  “Done,” I sigh, flopping down on the bed. I didn’t realize how little we had until Lacy and I packed it all in five boxes and four suitcases. It took less than an hour to talk to the woman about the apartment, and an hour to pack all our things.

  The hour-long drive to Redwater, Tennessee, our new home, was full of open road and a tree line view. The ride was odd since I didn’t have the kids with me. They rode with Lacy, since I don’t have a car, and kids their age can’t ride motorcycles. I’d never really had to drive them anywhere. When I did, Lacy let me borrow her car or drove us, but since I was always at work during the day, we went nowhere that required a car. If we went out to eat, Lacy would bring the kids to the diner to eat.

  “It looks great,” Lacy tells me, sitting next to me on my new bed. They furnish the apartment, thank god, and it’s a two-bedroom and two-bathroom apartment with a small living room and medium kitchen. I’m thrilled with our new arrangements.

  “It does,” I whisper. I feel at home here. It feels right.

  “Mommy!”

  “Mama!”

  Reece and Rosaleigh run up and climb onto the bed next to me.

  “I love my room!” Rosaleigh screeches, bouncing. Her excitement seems to set Reece off as he nods his head and bounces too. I smile and scoop them both up into my arms, hugging them tightly. They wiggle out of my arms, roll off the bed, and take off running out of my room.

  Our last apartment never felt like a real home; it was more a place we had to live and not somewhere I could make myself comfortable. This place feels safe and cozy. Maybe it’s because of the furniture- which we didn’t have much of in the last apartment- but whatever it is, I like it.

  Stretching, I stand and yawn. “Come on,” I say to Lacy, motioning for her to follow. She smiles again and follows me through the hall, past the living room, and to the kitchen. I grab two mugs and walk over to the Keurig that is part of the included furniture. I make quick work of two cups of coffee.

  “Thanks,” Lacy says as I slide her mug over to her. I nod and add sugar and cream to my cup.

  “My brother messaged and told me he’ll no’ be here for a day or two, but he told me to get you settled and started at the bar,” Lacy speaks after taking a sip of her coffee. I nod and guess that he’s not too worried about me beginning while he’s not here. “He also said that he’ll leave you some instructions in the drawer by the register in case you cannae remember something from when you worked at a bar last.”

  Nodding, I sip my drink. First things first, I need to get something to eat for dinner. I’d rather not go shopping so I grab the phone and order a half cheese, half pepperoni and sausage pizza. After hearing the message, “Your delivery will be there in approximately forty-five minutes,” I hang up.

  Laughs and giggles from the twin’s room float down the hallway, making me smile. I love that sound. I could listen to Reece and Rosaleigh play all day. Sometimes it bothers me that they don’t get to play with other kids as much as I’d like, but then I see them so happy to play with each other and the sadness fades.

  “Anythin’ you’d like to know about your new job?” Lacy questions, leaning on the counter.

  I ask the first thing that comes to mind. “What are the hours?”

  Smiling like a Cheshire cat, Lacy launches into an explanation. “Well, you won’t have to go in till noon, because they open at one. My brother dinnae want anyone there before that because it makes people think t
hey can or should drink early in the day,” she tells me. I nod. Smart man.

  “Anyway, I can’t give you an exact time, but I’m sure you’ll work into the night, probably to ten or eleven,” she continues. She tilts her head as she thinks about it, and then nods.

  “You don’t mind staying that late with the kids?” I ask. I don’t want her to feel obligated to me after she’s done so much.

  Lacy scoffs and waves her hand in the air. “It’s fine. I’m sure if somethin’ ever comes up, my brother won’t mind you bringing them to the bar,” she says, and shock runs through me. “They could hang out in the back room.”

  My kids at a bar? I don’t think I could ever bring them to a bar.

  “That’ll never happen. Do you know what types of people hang out at bars?” I ask, and she nods. Then why would she suggest it?

  “Aye, all my friends and my brother’s friends hang out at his bar. None of them would ever bother Reece or Rosaleigh,” she says coolly, like she didn’t just say to bring my three-year-old children to a bar.

  Not a good idea.

  Glancing over at her, I sigh. “I’d like to keep them away from the bar as much as possible,” I tell her, and she smacks the counter as if remembering something.

  “Oh, aye. I forgot. You get paid every Friday. My brother does no’ work on Fridays, so he’ll leave your money in his office,” she tells me with a smile. I nod and watch as she hops up on the counter, swinging her legs. “Plus, you’ll have your tips at the end of the night, so you should be fine,” she adds on.

  The more I hear about this job, the more I like it. If Lacy’s brother is anything like her, he’ll be a great boss. A great boss means a good job, and a good job means a happy Angel.

  Lacy smiles up at me and says something, but she gets cut off when the doorbell rings. Holding up a finger, I make my way to the door and pull it open. The teen standing in front of me holds my pizza, and he shuffles his feet while trying to smile. I thank him, give him his tip, and head back to the kitchen.

  “Reece! Rosaleigh! Time to eat!” I call out, and a second later, they run into the kitchen dragging their wolf stuffed animals with them. I set out slices on paper plates and pass them out to everyone.

  Once everyone had their food, Lacy continues our earlier conversation. “My brother works at a garage in town, too, so if you ever need any work done on your bike, you can go to him,” she informs me. I take a bit of pizza and think about it. If I didn’t know her, I’d think she’s just trying to get money for her brother… if I didn’t know her, but I do. I know she’s just trying to be helpful.

  From experience, I know that bikers become very attached to their bikes. Wolf was probably just as attached to his bike as any man would be. That bike means more to me than most things I own.

  “Thanks for the offer, but I prefer to work on the bike myself,” I inform her. “The bike is precious to me, and I don’t really want anyone else messing with it… no offense to your brother or anything,” I tell her, thinking about Wolf. When I found his bike, it was in peak condition. He reminded me a bit of my dad. They both took care with their bikes.

  Lacy takes a bit of her pizza and nods in response. “You’re just like my brother and my boyfriend… super possessive of your bike,” she tells me with a small laugh. I learned from the best, I tell myself, thinking about my dad.

  I miss him so much.

  “I’d never thought about it until I had to drive behind you for an hour, but your Harley looks a lot like the one my brother used to have,” she says, taking another bite of her pizza. I perk up.

  “He rides?” I ask.

  Nodding, she finishes her pizza. “Aye, he’s the Vice President of the Black Hawk Motorcycle Club,” she tells me. My pizza goes down the wrong pipe, making me choke and cough. I scrabble to grab my cup and grasp it before gulping down water.

  “You okay?”

  My coughs die down, and I nod. Jeez. You think someone would be careful when telling another person information like that. She should’ve waited till I wasn’t eating.

  Once I’m cough free, I look up at her. “When were you going to tell me that you’re connected to an MC?” I ask, my pitch a bit higher than usual.

  I’ve heard of a few one percenter clubs near here, clubs who run drugs, prostitutes, and guns, but none of them are in the towns close enough to impact us; it’s one of the reasons I chose Spring Fields. However, having this thrown on me is a bit shocking. I don’t want to get mixed up with another club if I can avoid it. Not that I have anything against clubs; I don’t.

  Everything I’ve heard about the Black Hawk MC is good. They do charity events and keep their town safe; however, I’d like a bit more warning before practically jumping into bed with them.

  A sheepish look crosses Lacy’s face. Not embarrassed it seems, but from the cringe, I know she’s sorry she hadn’t said anything earlier.

  “I’m sorry, Angel. I know I should’ve told you but-”

  I lift my hand, cutting her off. She immediately stops speaking and watches me. She doesn’t deserve to be so nervous or scared that I’m mad at her. She’s helped me more than anyone since I’ve found her. I could never be mad at her.

  “It’s fine, I just didn’t realize,” I tell her. Everything about her relaxes, her shoulders slump forward, eyes soften, and lips tilt up.

  “Have you ever heard of the Angel’s Crew MC?” I ask, standing. She takes a second to think about it before she nods.

  “My dad founded the Angel’s Crew MC when my mom died giving birth to me,” I tell her, thinking about the many times my dad told me the story. Despite the fact that his wife died, he always told the story with a smile, and sometimes a tear or two. “He always told me he took one look at me and knew I was a little Angel, so he named me Angelica, and then he named his club after me.”

  Lacy makes a cooing sound, and I smile. “I grew up around rough and tough men who loved me, and my dad always said he and the club would protect me,” I tell her. The memories make my eyes sting, so I squeeze them shut.

  “He was murdered, and the club torn apart about four years ago when- because I was kidnapped.”

  “Oh, God,” she gasps. Arms wrap around me, and I welcome the comfort. Ever since my dad was killed, I’ve had no one to protect or comfort me. Of course, I have the twins, but I don’t have any adult comfort. I guess I didn’t until I met Lacy.

  “One man helped me get out before everything blew to pieces. Wolf didn’t-”

  “Wolf? Wolf who?”

  Surprise strikes me, and I stutter over my words. I wipe at the few tears rolling down my cheeks.

  “Um, I don’t know,” I tell her. I didn’t know anything about him except… “He actually kind of reminds me of- of you,” I tell her. Before I can say anything else, Lacy jumps to her feet, yells that she’ll be back in a minute, and runs out of the apartment.

  What the heck?

  “Mommy?”

  My eyes flicker to the side and I see Reece and Rosaleigh standing next to me. I’d forgotten that they were in here, and I wiped at the remaining tears on my cheeks. “I’m fine, buddy,” I breathe, scooping Reece up. Rosaleigh climbs up on the couch, and I scoop her up too. Nothing better than hugs from these two to make me feel better.

  After a few minutes, Lacy comes back in looking less frazzled. She runs her hands over her hair before looking up at me. My mind runs with the possibilities of what just happened and what she was doing. Was she calling her brother to tell him about her connection to the MC life? Was she calling another club member? The President, maybe?

  “He’ll be here soon,” she tells me, confusing me even more. Before I can say anything, I yawn. Moving and having deep emotional conversations was tiring.

  “Why don’t you go lay down; I’ll come get you in a bit,” Lacy suggests, and I nod. Not in the mood to argue, I get up and walk to my room. The twins mumble something about nap time as I lay them in bed and climb in. I curl up with a twin on each side of me. />
  Wrapping my arms around their small bodies, I pull them closer and close my eyes. Please let me sleep.

  Chapter 3

  BANG. BANG. BANG.

  Shooting out of bed is my first instinct and grabbing my pistol from under my pillow is the second. The 9 mm Sig was one of the first items I bought or took from my father’s house after escaping from the warehouse four years ago. It’s a constant reminder that I can and will protect myself when or if needed.

  “Stay here,” I order when I see Reece and Rosaleigh sitting up and watching me.

  Playing about safety is one thing that I never do. Reece and Rosaleigh know that safety is a priority, and sadly, I’ve had conversations with them. They obviously didn’t understand everything I told them, but it comforted me to tell them. We’ve had discussions on not talking to people we don’t know and not opening the door. I’ve told them about the bad people in the world and when they ask about their father, I told them that he was a bad man.

  They had many questions about why he was bad, and while I told them that he hurt me a lot, I didn’t go into details.

  Once they’ve both nodded, I slip out of the room, releasing the safety button. I move across the floor on the balls of my feet.

  “Where is she?!” A deep Scottish voice roars.

  That voice. My heart skips, and my breath catches in my throat. My grip falters because my hands go slick.

  “Tell me,” the man growls. I click the safety on, tucking my gun into the back waistband of my jeans before pushing the door. As I shuffle through the door, my heart slams into my ribcage.

  Thump. Thump. Thump.

  Don’t get your hopes up. Don’t get your hopes up.

  Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

  Don’t get your hopes up.

  Over and over, I repeat the mantra, and a second later, I slip into the living room.

  A tall, red-haired man stands in my living room. The man has broad, muscled shoulders and the defined back muscles of an athlete. He looks over six feet tall with almost shoulder length disheveled red hair. He looks… familiar.