Page 105 of Master's Rise
Chapter Fifteen
One month
Cort
I’m leaning on my bike, legs crossed at the ankles, arms crossed at my chest, watching Seren with Amos. She learns fast. He’s already running her through distraction training. I can’t see her smile, but I know it’s there. She’s avoided hitting him or anything else through the whole fucking track. My woman is ready for the road. Falcon said Hade wasn’t easy on her using Amos and Falcon to cut her off, ride too close and cut in front of her, but she held steady keeping the sunny side up even when they got aggressive with her. Today she’s on her bike and Amos isn’t rattling her a bit.
I look down checking out my new ink again. It’s the reason for my relaxed stance, but I’d never say it. The Badass jumps but looking closer, it shows like my skin is torn open and the bone is a strut. The ink on my shoulder blade of the new logo is the first I’ve had done in a while. When Gun said he drew something up for me, I didn’t expect to get more than the logo and there is no way I’d let him put it on anyone else. Pres is etched on the strut with a thick spring going around it, but it isn’t noticeable at first glance. It’s fucking sweet.
Hearing Seren speed up, I lift my eyes then hold my breath as she swerves around Amos. Jesus. She uses the throttle to pull her through and is sitting high as she hits the straightaway. I want to kill the crazy bastard but it’s important shit to know.
She’s in custom made Kevlar pants and coat that fit her like a glove. It matches our suits with the angled zippers but without the extra plating in it. It’s sexy as hell. The logo on her is high on her sleeve and looks sharp.
She turns on the outer loop and rides fast around the back. Amos sits watching with his lid off. Hearing another bike come up takes my eyes off the sexy little Badass. Hade rides in with Freedom and Amos throws him respect. Seren is done. Thank fuck.
Amos has me shaking my head. He appears to be a large geeky accountant, but he matches Falcon on a bike. The Brother has skill. He catches up to Seren and they ride out and straight for me. I stand straight, so I’m not looking like a pussy checking out my new ink and throw Amos chin. Seren stops and pulls off her helmet.
“He said I’m ready!”
I laugh then kiss her smiling lips. “You are. Dinner and a ride, Kram. Web should be here.” I stop, hearing him behind us. “Now.”
“Do I ride behind you?” She’s cute. She read the Bible and knows the order. Front door is always highest Officer.
“No, Web will ride behind us. This is your ride, little Kram. You spent hours learning and practicing for it. Let’s do this.”
She gives me her signature salute and waits for me to pull my coat on, then rolls to my side. Web and an Enforcer, Nova, follows us out and down the slab. I thought I’d be nervous, but she spent every spare minute she had riding a small training bike then her own. She’s earned the ride and proves it down the slab and gliding into the steakhouse parking lot.
Seren tells Nova she’ll order him a meal for when we leave. This is why the Brothers love her and are always watching her back. She’s always feeding them. I smile walking her in. Web is quiet behind us. He asked for time and said Seren should be here.
We sit and put our order in with the drink order. Web looks nervous and Seren is beaming. “You did good, Kram. I’m glad I watched this time, it settled me knowing you can handle the bigger bike. Now it’s perfect for you.”
Her shining blue eyes hit me and she nods. I like that she doesn’t talk shit. I know the time she put in and she’s not throwing it at me. It impresses the hell out of me that she’s like that.
Our drinks come and Web asks that we wait to talk until after we eat. Seren squeezes my hand and starts talking about his new technology shit. The albinos love showing her everything they do. I ask about the company and he’s smiling. They’re sending the programs everywhere. Jordan’s happy, Major is happy and most importantly, Web is. He’s leaving the company part to Jordan and Banks to run, he likes being the engineer.
We eat talking about the pizzeria, the Club and Seren training with Freedom. It’s a good dinner and Web is relaxed when we finish. I ask the waitress to refill for us and give us time. They know us and will.
While she refills, she smiles over at me. “We’ll miss you coming in here.” What the hell is she talking about?
Seren’s face scrunches up. “It was a surprise,” she tells the waitress.
I laugh when the girl whispers a sorry and almost runs away. “What’s going on?”
Seren looks at Web getting a shrug. He’s smiling so it isn’t bad. With an exaggerated sigh, she shrugs too. “Falcon talked to someone at their company in Illinois and a steakhouse is opening just outside of town, it’s close to the market. There’s a bunch of stores opening there now that the steakhouse is almost built. Paul used the app and got a guy that is building it like a little Village center. Freedom may even open a place. She hasn’t decided. My class would be closer if she does.”
What? “Falcon got a steakhouse just outside of town?”
She nods with her little smile on. I look at Web, “Feeds?”
His big smile says he’s enjoying this. “We have them but they’re not up on the screens. It’s still just the grocery store and those are up. It was a stupid place for it. Paul and the cowboys did plans for a little center like Seren said but it’s kind of old-world style with modern technology. It really looks old. The steakhouse should be done next month. Since the council meeting is here, we booked the back room for the first, so dinner didn’t have to be brought to the office.” He’s proud and holding his laugh in. I bet at the shock on my face.
“Fucking Brothers. How do I not know this?”
He shrugs. “The market isn’t on any of our normal routes. You have to backtrack from the exit, everything else is the other way. It really was a dumb place to build a store. You don’t go there and no one but Officers know that we’re building it. It’s just another construction site to anyone else.”
Jesus. “Falcon did this?”
Seren squeezes my hand, “He said you never ask for anything. It was a chance for them to do something for you. When he got the steakhouse to agree, the Brothers jumped in with the Masons. Paul even has houses and condos going up for Mason families just down the road. He said the Brothers with families would love it there. They’ll have people, businesses and food. It will be good. Raid said it’s the Brothers spreading Badass.”
