Page 42 of Sapphire's Gem
Mr Dickenson had commented that women like me had no place in polite society. Which was when I let rip. I asked himhow he could sit in judgment when he was a regular at my male strip club and had a lap dance off Tarzan every two weeks. Mr Dickenson turned puce before going very pale when I informed him that I knew every member of my club and could prove what I was saying.
As his wife squawked, I then turned to Marla, who was staring at me in unadulterated hate. I asked how Darius had treated her the last time she’d booked him. I did question why she booked a young, male stripper rather than one she often did, as they operated on a strict no-touch rule. As Harold spluttered into his wine at his wife hiring a male stripper, I turned to Malcolm, who was now pale under his tan. Wylde had watched me carefully.
“Yeah, you know what I can spill on you. Maybe you should teach your family not to throw stones in a glass house,” I’d said before getting to my feet. I’d taken in Mrs Dickenson, Jennifer, and Megan with one glance. “You won’t get into the women’s club, Megan, and both of you will find your memberships revoked.”
“You can’t do that!” Mrs Dickenson had cried, and I smirked. A lot of deals and power plays went on at the Royal Club. Add to the fact that the membership was exclusive, and being kicked out meant you missed out on a lot of shit.
Then with Wylde by my side, we’d both left our half-eaten meals and sauntered out.
“That was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen,” Wylde said, but a frown crossed his brow. “What do you know about my dad?”
“Wylde, there are some things a son shouldn’t know about their parents. Please trust me when I say this is one of them,” I responded.
How did I tell this man that his father regularly stayed at the Royal Motel with a different prostitute every fortnight? Or thathe took part in the once-a-month underground casino we run? And there was other shit I had on him. How the hell hadn’t I realised that Mr Wylde was his father?
“For now, baby, I’ll agree to trust your judgement. What do you want to eat?”
“How about a steak?” Pops asked, approaching from behind.
“You cutting and running too?” Wylde inquired.
“Sure as hell am. That was a lunch that will be legendary, so many fires to put out,” Gramma said.
“Let’s go for a nice lunch where we can actually finish the meal and have a pleasant time,” Tom suggested with a smile.
“You’ll have to drive us, if that’s okay, Hayden. Your father brought us today, and judging by the hysterics happening currently, he won’t remember to take us home,” Gramma added with a sad smile.
I linked my arm through hers, feeling sorry for her. “That is not an imposition, Gramma.”
“Somehow, for you, Sapphire, dear, I don’t think it would be,” Gramma replied.
Wylde’s beaming smile sent shivers down my spine as his eyes warmed with affection. Clearly, his gramma and pops meant the world to him, and, without meaning to, I’d just concreted his interest in me.
???
Two days later, I bounced out of my office, checking to see who was around. “Vengeance, Dagger, Cyber, we need to roll. Who else is here?”
“Nun’s in the kitchen and Birdie is here,” Vengeance replied.
“Grab them. I’ve just had a call from the women’s shelter. The woman we were watching, Geri Danvers, her husband justgrabbed her. Two support workers were hurt, and they’ve called for our help. Liam Danvers ran off, so he’s in the wind, and they think Geri might be at further risk of harm,” I said.
Vengeance nodded as Dagger came over. “Where’s Blade? We’ll need your powers.”
“She’ll meet us there.”
I didn’t need to ask if she was armed. All my sisters carried concealed. We didn’t need a licence under NH state law, but we all had one anyway. No point in not covering our backs.
Nun and Birdie arrived both grim-faced faced, and the six of us headed for our bikes. We rode towards the women’s shelter until a seventh rider joined us. A glance identified the Fatboy; it was Blade. As one, we paused at the shelter’s gates and identified ourselves to be buzzed in. Once through the gates, we parked and headed towards the entrance. We’d paid for the walls and gates to enclose the shelter a few years back after several women got attacked there.
Now they had a state-of-the-art security system, and their clients were safe behind its walls. Nobody would harm them anymore. I glanced across and saw an unmarked black Dodge Charger Pursuit and guessed Wylde was here. The door opened, and Gabi, the woman who ran the shelter, appeared.
She had a mark on her face, and I hissed as I approached her. “What the fuck, Gabi? You didn’t say you were injured.”
I reached out and touched her face, tilting it into the light, my eyes narrowing on the bruise darkening her pale skin.
Gabi batted at my hands. “Sapphire, I’m fine, but Geri is in a state.”
“Did he get his hands on her?” I asked.
