Chapter 19
Katarina
“Oh my God, that’s delicious,” Lacy said.
“Damn, that is rich,” Mama Hen said.
After I finally ate lunch, Lacy took me back to the kitchen and Mama Hen said to make myself at home.
They were prepping for dinner but I found the baking supplies and whipped up some brownies.
I hadn’t planned ahead so I’d save the cakes for later when I could have plenty of room temp eggs and softened butter.
But brownies were simple and easy to whip up in a pinch.
“I’m glad you like them. Should I make more?” I asked, looking around.
Lacy laughed at the trays and trays on the island in the middle of the large kitchen. “I think these will at least get us through today, but some of these guys do love sweets.”
“If I don’t eat ‘em all first,” Mama Hen said as she took another bite.
I loved baking to create something and it was relaxing, but it was still always nice when someone told you they liked your creation. “I hope Hawk likes them. I wish I’d done something more elaborate, but I didn’t really plan to bake today. Still, this has been such a lovely afternoon.”
It really had been. I felt so much lighter after the conversation with Hawk, and finally being intimate with him. Everything was still so different and I had to get used to it all, but I didn’t feel like a complete stranger to Hawk anymore.
Lacy was so friendly and helpful. As I suspected, she was from a wealthy family, but not one like mine.
She left when she didn’t want to bend to their will.
I never even considered that. I wasn’t sure what my life would look like if I’d decided I didn’t want my life planned for me.
It was impressive that she stood her ground and made her own way.
I would be taken care of for a long time, but everything I had came at a price. Even though this wasn’t exactly how I’d envisioned my future, I wasn’t upset about it anymore.
Mama Hen left the kitchen for a few, so I stepped over to the counter by Lacy. “What can I help you with?”
Lacy’s big blue eyes lit up. “You don’t have to do that. I got it.”
“I ran a restaurant for years. I can help. What are we doing?”
Her smile widened. “Wow! So you worked?” Then she cringed. “Oh God. I didn’t mean that, I just meant–”
I waved her off. “I get it. Most people are confused to learn I worked. But it was my mother’s restaurant. I don’t think Papa would have let me work anywhere else, but I even got to go to culinary school. I love food. And it’ll be nice to cook something other than traditional Russian meals.”
“Oh.” She turned and looked down at her veggies.
“What is it?” I asked. Did I say something wrong?
“I heard your mother was–well–I’m sorry. It must be hard to leave that behind.”
Nodding, I told her, “I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t mind.
But, I knew eventually I’d be married. Papa indulged me because Mama passed I think, but I don’t know if another man would have let me work.
It’s not typical for a woman in that position to have a job other than wife and mother.
” Sighing, I looked around. “I miss it already. But at least I have a kitchen still, and plenty of people to cook for.”
“And Klara? You seemed close,” she said as she moved to get something from the fridge. She came back with two diet sodas, passing one to me.
“Thanks. Yeah, she’s my best friend. We didn’t really get to hang out,” I said with air quotes. “But she worked at the restaurant and we became close. She did come to the house a few times, though.”
Lacy sipped her soda then set the can down and started washing heads of lettuce. “Shiv was my closest friend growing up, but I think that was more in my head. She was my nanny for a while. She probably thought I was just the kid she took care of.”
“You seem close now, though. But you lived near each other then? How did you both end up here?” I asked, leaning on the counter.
“Funny story.”
Lacy was a great storyteller. I finally got her to let me help her, and Mama Hen joined us again, occasionally giving Lacy stern looks, though she didn’t interrupt her. She’d also brought me a pad of paper and a pen so I could write down ingredients I’d like to have in the kitchen.
“That doesn’t leave this room,” Mama Hen said after Lacy had caught me up.
“I understand,” I replied honestly. I had only seen or heard a handful of things I shouldn’t, but it was ingrained from a young age that we didn’t discuss family matters, and the business was family matters.
Mama Hen smiled as she grabbed trays of seasoned meat. “I’m quite sure you do, but doesn’t hurt to be certain. Wanna help with the door?”
I hustled to the door and held it open for her. Lacy ran after her, getting to the front door to open it. Looking around, there was more, so I grabbed a tray and carried it out, walking backwards out.
“Oof,” I said as I bumped into someone.
“I’m so sorry,” a woman with bright blonde hair and breasts like basketballs said. Okay, maybe not basketballs, but still obviously after-market by the shape.
“It’s okay, I was just trying to carry this outside.”
“That’s why I asked you to get the door,” Mama Hen called from the front.
The woman could barely look at me. It wasn’t her fault, so I told her again, “It’s really fine. What’s your name?”
“They call me Sugar.”
“I’m Katarina, but I go by Katya, or Kat.”
“That’s really pretty,” she said, her lips tight and her eyes wide. She seemed nervous, but surely bumping into people happened a lot here with so many bodies always around.
“Thanks. You must be really sweet to be called Sugar.”
Someone giggled from the door but I didn’t recall meeting her before. Daisy wasn’t far behind her and nudged her arm playfully. She also had blonde hair and fake breasts but they weren’t quite as obvious as Sugar’s. The bright sun from outside shone in so I couldn’t make out her features very well.
“I gotta get back to work,” Sugar said.
“See you around.”
Mama Hen had passed me into the kitchen, and Sugar had gone in there as well, so I headed outside.
“Hey, girl,” Daisy said.
“Hey,” I answered as a man rushed over and grabbed the tray of meat. “That’s quick service.”
“Well, you’re the president’s wife,” Daisy said as she threaded her arm into mine. “You’re practically royalty.”
“Ha!” Mama Hen laughed as she came back out. “They forgot to tell me.”
“You wound me,” Falcon said as he covered his heart with his palm.
Eagle ran over to her. As soon her hands were free, he lifted her off the ground. “We worship you, and we love you Mama Hen!”
She slapped at him. “Put me down you idiot.”
He put her back on the ground, then fell to his knees. “Your wish is my command, Queen Cindy.”
She rolled her eyes and walked back inside.
Eagle got up and grabbed Lacy with the same enthusiasm as he did Mama Hen and swung her around before planting a long kiss on her mouth.
Falcon kissed Daisy’s temple then walked inside.
“How you doing? I’m Jeannie,” the new blonde said. “You must be Katarina.”
“Word travels fast here, I see. I am, but you can call me Katya,” I told her as I shook her hand.
She didn’t have a vest like the ladies that traveled for the wedding, and it wasn’t lost on me that she hadn’t traveled with them.
But I didn’t want to be rude and pry too hard.
Instead I asked, “Do you stay here as well? I didn’t see you last night. Although it was a bit of a whirlwind.”
She waved her hand. “Oh, hell no. Live here with all these stinky men? No thanks.”
Lacy rejoined us as Eagle headed inside. “Jeannie has her own place, but it’s not far. I crashed there once.” She bumped her shoulder with hers.
Jeannie draped her arm over Lacy’s shoulders. “A few days, tops,” she said with a huge smile. “Ealge needed a little perspective is all, so I let her hang at my place until he sorted that out.”
Lacy beamed at her. All of the women here seemed to get along. Except she had laughed when I was speaking to Sugar. I’d have to ask about that when I could squeeze it in naturally. Sugar seemed nice enough, and very skittish.
We headed toward the circle of wooden chairs in the courtyard that surrounded a fire pit and we all took a seat. “It’s getting busy around here now,” I said as more motorcycles and trucks pulled in.
Daisy nodded. “We all just left the tattoo shop. Shiv and Kristie work all the way downtown so they don’t usually get here until like half past six.”
Falcon and Eagle came back with drinks, and Eagle handed me a glass tumbler with clear liquid and a skinny slice of lemon. “Prez said you liked this.”
Grinning, I took the cold glass. “He did?” I sipped the drink. “Delicious.” It was just how I liked it.
“So, wedding in the middle of the week?” Jeannie asked as she sipped her beer.
“Yes. But it was a small affair.”
Daisy looked surprised while Lacy simply nodded.
“Not that it would have been larger on a weekend. I don’t have many acquaintances outside of my father’s business associates.”
Jeannie continued, her dark eyes seeming to study my reaction to each reply. “And how are you enjoying the clubhouse?”
The more I looked at her, the more something flickered in the back of my mind.
“It’s a lot to take in. I grew up with just my father and Niko.
Well, and the servants. But still not quite as many as people here.
” I took a quick sip, especially after she didn’t have the same reaction as Daisy to the servants comment.
“You seem familiar. Are you sure you weren’t here last night? ”
“No, I was working. But I have one of those basic bitch looks. The men at the club love it,” Jeannie answered.
“Oh, you work at the dance club. How do you like it?”
She smiled. “It’s actually not bad. I wouldn’t say it’s easy work by any means, but I only need a few shifts a week to take care of myself and put money aside. Can’t dance forever, right?”
“I never thought about it.”
Her brow rose. “Of course you didn’t.”