Page 23 of Master's Rise
Chapter Four
Seren
I haven’t seen the man trailing behind me before. He stays outside Victory and Freedom’s store continually looking up and down the road like there’s a parade going on out there. Old World Haberdashery is not a place he’d enjoy, so I leave him to his neck exercises.
“Victory!” I holler walking toward the back getting a look from Dana, a standoffish local. I grew up here, people like Dana are the norm for me, but lately, it’s getting old. Since she’s standing in front of the candle display with one in her hand, I use it.
“Hi, Dana. Victory just got those from a new supplier. I love the designs. She ordered some for the pizzeria with Italian flags.” I smile, hoping to get a word out of her. “They’re not nearly as pretty as that one, but they’re better than plain white.”
She nods putting the candle in the cloth bag Freedom makes as carriers. Without speaking or looking up, she turns moving away. With a sigh, I take a step.
“Stop trying so hard.” Victory’s voice comes from the side.
I pivot right and salute, making her laugh. She was watching all that, of course. “Insecurity has never been part of your personality. Let them live in their trippy comfort zones and tell me if I need to start worrying over yours. I have new crystals coming in this week. The theme is loving our inner selves. Do you need us to help get that flowing?”
Putting my hands up, I’m already shaking my head. “No more crystals. I’m good. It’s been a hell of a week and I just thought I’d give it a shot. Since I’m ready for the opening, I thought I’d come by for a quick chat.”
She melts right in front of me. I love my friends. “You need some flower power, don’t you? Come here.” She doesn’t actually mean for me to go to her. Her almost running to me proves that. It’s her standard warning that she’s going to hug the hell out of me. I put my arms around her as she does.
Victory and Freedom couldn’t be more different but are so close it’s weird to me. I’m an only child that has always been treated as if I’m a mannequin by people in town. While both are bigger than me, Victory has long dark tresses, striking blue eyes and always keeps a welcoming smile close. Her curves are a beacon to men that she has always been open to. I think her mom gave them the free love speech instead of the school required abstinence one I got from my dad. Freedom is a Samoan Queen Latifah. Her tawny hair, dark eyes and detached look fit her tough as nails personality. She’s an island unto herself. I’ve loved them both since middle school when they saved me from two boys. They were three years ahead of me but treated me like part of their weird hippie family from the start.
“Two minutes,” I tell her stepping back. “That’s a week. Don’t even try ramming more flower power at me.”
She laughs pulling me behind the front counter. “What’s been happening. We saw bikes around your place a couple of times. I know about the impromptu pizza brunch and Jimmy.”
Freedom came yesterday afternoon to get the scoop and ended up helping me prep food for the opening. It made today free for me so I’m glad she was nosy. I push through the wall of beads and sit on a bean bag chair. She takes one on the side of me lighting incense.
“The dinner with Cort was awesome but he got a call that someone drove through the bar. Rex is fine but Cort had to leave.” I don’t dare tell her about my father, Reed or Jules. It would be around town before I leave her store and Freedom would be demanding answers with picketers in front of news cameras.
“Who? Rex is not someone the people of town would mess with. Even with Reed and Byron gone, everyone knows the bikers are here to stay. Your Cort has a history that is spreading here.”
“I don’t know who the driver was. Cort’s notmyanything. We had one dinner. It definitely would have been more, but he had to go. That worked in my favor,taken by the bikerwould probably be a good book but would trash my reputation. I am not a free-love kind of girl. I might have been last night but probably would have regretted it.” I’m being honest and she smiles with one eyebrow raised.
Her hand goes up with one finger pointing at the disc-shaped lava lamp that’s stuck on the ceiling. “He took Greg away cleansing your path like a Badass Shaman.” Finger number two goes up. “Pizza at the Hardware store as he agreed to buy it from you even paying a fair price.” She raises a third. “You had your own major honesty session telling him about Rex in your life. You can consider that a cleansing too.” Another finger goes up.“Brunch yesterday with his men, meeting you and removing Jimmy’s negative energy from your world.” Another finger goes up and I pull her hand down having enough with the damn fingers. “Awesome dinner means it was really awesome, you don’t sugar coat. Seren, he’s been yours since you laid eyes on him. You’d never consider sleeping with him if he wasn’t.”
“The Badass doesn’t treat her like she’s made of glass and belongs in a museum. Probably because he looks like a Norse legend himself. He’s good people. We’re going to the Club today. We can watch out for our girl then maybe get a vacation for my vibrator while we’re there.” Freedom has me laughing and Victory agreeing. She’s standing outside the beaded wall making my point of two years ago that beads are not solid walls sealing in a sense of privacy.
Standing up, I move through beads and away from whatever the hell she lit. It isnotcalming to me, whatever it is. I want out of here before it’s in my hair and clothes. “I need to go. I’ll see you at the Club.”
“He’s into you, Seren. He’s got a reputation, but it’s not with women. I’ve asked around.”
This surprises me coming from Freedom, but maybe not so much, she’s always been protective. I give her a smile for it. “Thanks, I think.” I love her deep laugh.
Dana walks by reminding me she’s here. It gets my feet moving, but I turn back at the door. “I’ve talked to him enough to know the man behind the looks and biker garb. Whatever happens, happens and I’m okay with it.”
“Two things, Seren,” Victory says loud and smiling. It’s the moment I know I should have left thirty seconds ago. “The man is hot enough to make me want to shed my clothes when he walks by and you’ve been using the relaxation crystals!” She laughs excitedly and I walk out shaking my head then take a deep breath. That one stunk. Freedom will tell her. We have a lot in common, disgusting scents seems to be one of them.
My shadow follows me home.
~*~*~
Cort
“I can put you up, Brother.”
Major smiles but shakes his head. “I need to get back. We have a schedule to remake. What you’re doing is good, Cort. Crow and your dad would be proud, but I think they saw that you understood Brotherhood better than most, so they wouldn’t be surprised. We’ll be ready to move in on Wednesday. I agree with doing this quickly and we’ll leave Deacon to Hade.”
I hit his back feeling honored by his words and glad they’ll let one of mine deal with the traitor that started all this shit. “Thanks, Major. I’ll be up on the first.”
