Chapter 8 #3
“Nope. Saw you on the camera,” he says, pointing to the discreet dome-looking device attached to the wall facing the street.
“Afraid someone could sneak up on you?” I ask, only half joking.
“Something like that.” He opens the door wider so I can step through. “Come meet everyone.”
We walk up the staircase, and he opens one of the apartment doors.
It’s laid out like a regular apartment with a hallway to the left that probably leads to bedrooms and a large open kitchen to the right.
There are a couple couches with a low coffee table between them, but what sets it apart from looking like a homey little apartment is the three desks with at least two computer screens on each and the surveillance monitors covering one of the walls.
“This is Cyn,” Roman says, pointing to a young woman who can’t be much older than me with bright-purple and pink hair. Her nose piercing glistens in the light when she lifts her head from her computer screen, giving me a warm smile and a wave.
“She works background checks and various other inquiries I have,” Roman says.
The vagueness of his statement hints that they aren’t all of the legal variety. Having spent time around the Black Roses and Liam has made me adept at hearing what isn’t being said.
“This is Carter. He works surveillance,” Roman says.
Carter gets up from the couch and strolls over to me, holding out his hand for me to shake. “Nice to meet you.”
Looking at Carter, I can tell why he would be good for surveillance.
He has an unassuming way about him and looks like any regular guy.
Not too tall or packed with muscle. He’s got short brown hair and an easy smile.
You would pass him on the street and not take note of anything in particular standing out.
“James and Billy are downstairs working out,” Roman tells me.
“You have an entire organization set up here,” I comment.
Cyn groans. “That term is too…organized. We’re just a group of people who help out other people who find themselves in shitty situations on occasion. Nothing fancy.”
“Cyn isn’t partial to establishment terms. She’s a free spirit and all that,” Roman teases. In turn, Cyn replies by sticking her tongue out at him.
Roman opens the front door of the apartment. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to the other two.”
“See you later,” I say, waving to Cyn and Carter.
Walking back down the stairs, Roman opens a door on the first floor.
Though the other apartment looked like it could be an actual living space, this apartment is set up as a gym.
The walls have been knocked down, leaving a small open kitchen to the right and a bathroom to the left.
The rest of the space is one huge room with brick walls, where all sorts of workout equipment and punching dummies are set up.
Two men are currently grappling on a mat in the center of the room.
“James, Billy, come meet Cece,” Roman calls over the rock music playing in the background.
The two men pause their fight and walk over to us, one turning the stereo down on his way. Both are big. But neither looks particularly intimidating as they head toward us with smiles on their sweaty faces.
“James,” the first man says, holding out his tattooed hand for me to shake. “Roman said you wanted to train with us.”
I slide my palm into his, and his grip is light. “I want to do more than that.”
The man next to him chuckles, and James releases my hand before Billy holds his out. “We’ll see about that. Let’s take it one step at a time.”
Roman said something similar when I met him at the diner last week, but I’m just as determined now as I was then to follow my plan through.
“You guys get back to it. Cece and I are going to have a chat,” Roman says.
The men nod and walk back over to the mat, resuming their sparring.
Roman tips his head to the door. “Let’s take a walk.”
He leads me from the building, and we step out into the humid summer afternoon.
“This is going to be a big commitment. Knowing a little about your past, are you sure you’re up for it?” he says as we walk side by side down the sidewalk.
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
Roman nods. “You’ll be training floor technique with the three of us.
I’ll be honest, this isn’t something any of us has ever done, but we won’t go easy on you.
It means you might get hurt. Scratch that, you’ll definitely get hurt.
If you want this, you’re going to have to know how to take a punch and not crumble to the ground.
I still go home with bruises. When you’re out there against some guy who doesn’t give a shit about hurting women, they aren’t going to stop if you cry. Shit, they get off on it.”
“I’m aware.” More than he could possibly know. “Can I ask you something?”
“Shoot.”
“Why do you do this? I can’t imagine that it pays anything, considering you’re doing this for women who probably don’t have much to begin with, and all of you could land yourselves in jail any time you go out and take care of someone.”
“You’re right. We don’t take money for what we do.
Each one of us has our own reasons. But it all boils down to the fact that at one time or another, the system failed us or someone we love.
This is our way of making sure the women who reach out have a shot at a life free from the men who hurt them.
Some of them are scared to go to the cops, and some have tried but didn’t get anywhere. We bridge the gap for them.”
We walk in silence as I consider what he said. Bridge the gap. I like the way he looks at what they do.
“So it’s not about revenge?” I ask.
Roman chuckles. “Oh, that’s part of it, too. But that’s not all of it. You’d burn out pretty quick if it was.” He stops and turns to me. “How are you with handling a gun?”
I shrug. “I learned on the compound, but it’s been a while.”
“What about disarming a man twice your size?”
“Never tried.”
Roman smiles. “We’ll fix that.”
I return his smile, feeling like I’m finally getting somewhere with Roman, other than having him give me all the reasons why this could go horribly wrong for me. “I can’t wait to get started.”