Page 36 of Shar: A Woman Alone

I ignore the looks both Gunner and Zara give me and walk outof the room, quickly heading to mine, where I unlock and enter.

Mia sighs, “I’m tired. There is so much to do with the twinsand Summer. Axel is busy, but he does so much with the kids already that Idon’t want to be a nagging woman.”

“What’s got you feeling like this?” I hear sniffling, soknow Mia is crying softly.

“I don’t know, but Amelia says it’s baby blues. You knowshe’s doing a lot here and Sybil, along with Bitty, are taking a load off me.”

“You need to go have a checkup, or speak to Stitch. You knowhe has studied everything he can so he can look after all of you ladies thatare getting knocked up with biker brats.” I laugh when I hear Mia giggling.

“Don’t you let the others hear you calling them brats,” Miasays as she calms her own laughter. “The babies are great, and it’s lovely tohave them all here on the weekend. I think I just had too much to do, and it’sa lot of responsibility being the First Lady.”

“Look, being in control of things doesn’t mean you have tobe tough, or mean. It just means doing what you can, when you can. If it’s notenough, then it’s called tough. You were never meant to be a mean girl, just beyourself.” I know she’s been finding it hard to be Axel’s woman, the kids’mother, and helping everyone in the club female-wise.

“I’m going to take a chill pill, and tell Axel I need atimeout. Maybe we can take the kids and rent a cabin somewhere?”

“That’s a great idea. Go talk to him now and let me know.Love you, and if you need me, I’ll come back immediately.”

“Love you too, Shar.”

Depression is what I think she has, and I quickly send atext message to Stitch to check on her. I’ll drop everything and go to her ifshe needs me. Nobody in the world means more to me than Mia at this time, andI’ll step on anyone who gets in my way of getting to her.

CHAPTER 18

Sharp

Having breakfast with Shar, Inotice that Lira is here, and must have been for some time as everything isready for the brothers getting up. I think I need to keep an eye on the hoursthat she’s putting in. I see her at every lunchtime and evening meal. I knowshe occasionally leaves a meal prepared so she can have an evening off, but sheis certainly not getting the two days a week as we agreed.

“See something you like,Sharp?” Shar throws at me when she sees me watching Lira.

“Nothing like that, Shar.When does Lira take her days off?”

“She was supposed to have oneday in the week and every Saturday. Why do you ask?” Shar stops eating herbreakfast and studies me and then Lira.

“I don’t think Lira is havingtwo days a month, never mind two days a week. She won’t be able to keep thispace up for long and then we’ll lose her. How about we find her an apprenticewho can take some of the load off her?”

“Sharp… How many women, oreven men, do you know that would want to work here with the whores that youhave? They cause drama all the time and are bitches to everyone that tries tomake a difference or improve the clubhouse. I’m surprised that Lira doesn’tjust turn up in a morning and fill a dozen slow cookers and then get the helloutta Dodge. She’d be supplying lunch and dinner in one swoop and keeping outof the skanks’ way, to boot.” She raises her eyebrows at me, and she has apoint.

“The whores were supposed totake on kitchen duties and keep us fed, but we never made a thing of it becausethe food they prepared was utterly disgusting. I know pigs that eat better foodthan they served up.” Thinking back, I seem to recall a time when there wasgood food coming out of the kitchen. “When we get back, I’m going to have aserious chat with the whores. I’m done with the drama and their lazy-ass ways.They can step up or fuck off.”

Seeing Shar looking at mygroin, I frown.

“Just wondering where theygrew from and so fast, too!”

“Seriously? I’ve always hadthe balls to do what needs to be done. Having you around has just shown a lotof us how we’ve let things slide. The first Ol’ Lady that shows up is certainlygoing to have her hands full.”

“You’d better make sure thatshe’s the First Lady then, Sharp, because if you don’t there’s sure as hellgonna be fireworks when you get yours and she’s already second fiddle.” Shar’sgrin has me realizing that she’s right. It would be a shit show for a brother’sOl’ Lady to do all the work and then my Ol’ Lady walks in with it all done.Damn.

Just as we step away from thetable, Bank walks in and it’s obvious he’s looking for me. “S’up, Bank?”

“I wanted to give you thelowdown on the tech and hardware store info that we have put together.”

“Okay. Come on, Shar. We’llhave to put off our club visit for an hour or so.”

Once we’re seated in myoffice, I look expectantly at Bank. Shar is much more in tune with this than Iam as she takes the lead.

“Have you found suitablepremises for this venture?” She asks, getting straight in there.

“Oh, hell yeah. On MainStreet, not too far from the salon, if either needs help. It will give us adarn good-sized hardware space and the tech area can be secure enough to deterwould be light-fingered shoppers from helping themselves.” Bank is certainlysounding more excited than when he gives the church its financial report.

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