Chapter 8
Shivana
Nothing like a little oxygen and saline to fix you after a bender. I’d bet my dad was happy with my takeaway from medical school. I still wasn’t sure how they had oxygen tanks and supplies, but like the saline and blood, I would probably never find out. But that’s a great way to bargain your way into using them for personal reasons. I knew as soon as I woke up, I was going to find a way to get to them. It was early and I heard Mama Hen downstairs, so I caught her before she headed to the clubhouse. We found my shoe next to the door on the way out and I put it just inside the door to take upstairs later. I didn’t want to hold her up and needed the goods to get my raging headache to go away.
After sucking the saline bag down in record time, I removed the cannula to the oxygen, took out the IV, and cleaned up after myself. Mama Hen came back for me just like she said after making me swear I wouldn’t leave the room until she got back.
At the time, I had no intention of going anywhere, but afterwards was feeling much better, albeit still needing some carbs. She whipped me up some pancakes, so I sat and stuffed my face and sucked down tea. It probably would have been easier to just go back, get the IV, and set up another drip for it.
“Mama Hen,” I said between hearty bites, “can we go shopping today? I appreciate your stuff, but definitely need some extras of my own. And shoes that aren’t heels or my emergency sneakers.” My sneakers were old and ratty but I liked to carry a pair of comfy shoes when I traveled, just in case. Normally I’d be in heels for work trips, but if I needed to go to the ice machine in the middle of the night, I didn’t want my clicky heels making a racket down the hall at the hotel.
“Of course, hon. Let me finish getting these knuckleheads breakfast, then we can go.”
I was about halfway through my breakfast when Jackal was suddenly at my table. He smelled so good I wanted to lean over and bite him. Since there were others present, I decided to pretend to be a lady.
We had a short exchange, but I didn’t miss how his eyes raked over me, heating every spot they landed on. I wasn’t an expert with men by any means, but I was good at understanding behaviors in general, and this man wanted me just as badly as I wanted him. So what gives?
Mama Hen came back with a new mug of tea steeping and broke up the chat. Good thing, too. I had limited panties for now and being so close to him with those dark, steely eyes scouring me got me flustered every time. Plus, somehow my shoe ended up by the front door and apparently, he’s the one who put it there, so I can only imagine there were parts of last night that I don’t recall.
As he went to join Hawk, I kept eating but dug in the recesses of my brain for a memory of what happened. I remembered him standing with me at the bar, I vaguely recalled drinking a lot of Fireball. But the thought of that made me cringe. I remembered getting sick outside and he was there, then I woke up feeling like death. But how did I get from point A to B to C? Closing my eyes briefly, there was a flash of him in my room, holding the leg of my jeans.
My eyes popped open and landed on him. I would’ve known if something happened. Sadly, all my lady bits were perfectly untouched. I supposed that made him admirable, but was I really in my panties in front of him?
As if he could read my thoughts, he turned and looked at me. Even though my mind was racing and I was anything but cool, calm, and collected, I had mastered my poker face doing therapy sessions with patients, so I didn’t look away. I wasn’t going to act like some meek little inexperienced girl around him. That would only deter him further. I had to stand my ground and be assertive–confident.
He finally turned and I drank the rest of my tea as I watched Mama Hen visit their table. Watching her interact with her son was comical. He was the president and she obeyed, but she didn’t make it easy on him.
When Jackal turned back after she walked away, I wondered if he’d be the one escorting us around today. Mama Hen and the taken ladies all had been put on clubhouse arrest, except for Daisy going to work, but she had to be escorted by Falcon or a man of his choosing if he was not around. Lacy was taking a break from dancing because she was still shaken up after our little excursion to the small-engine airport a few weeks ago. Even the bunnies were given instructions on travel and work. Most of the guys had become someone’s personal bodyguard.
Penny, Hawk’s little sister and Mama Hen’s daughter, was a loose cannon and didn’t obey at all. But I was certain she knew she had a detail on her around the clock. She was an astute girl, a college lifer like me, it seemed. She wasn’t around much, but I enjoyed the few discussions we had. Penny didn’t seem to like it here and growing up the president’s daughter, and now little sister, probably took its toll on her social life.
On the other hand, I was not upset about being surrounded by these guys, especially Jackal. It would be much more fun if he’d stop being so standoffish, though.
Mama Hen and I waited outside in her SUV with the air running full blast.
“It’ll cool off better once we get moving,” she said.
Shrugging, I answered, “No biggie. I lived on a little island for a few years when I was young and spent a few summers there. This isn’t much different.” The humidity here rivaled Trinidad, but at least the island had the ocean breeze, even if it was warm. I loved AC, but could handle the heat.
Loud pipes rumbled and shortly after, Jackal appeared from near the garages. Mama Hen and Penny parked in a carport next to the house, but the bunnies with cars and all the bikes parked by the garages.
Mama Hen looked over at me, seemingly to be sure I was buckled in, then headed down the long driveway.
“It’s beautiful out here.” I watched the full oaks and pines sway as we drove down the empty interstate. We passed a few farms and fields full of sunflowers, cotton, and berries. “There’s not really much open space like this where I’m from.”
“Lacy told me you both grew up with the rich people,” she said.
“I don’t know that we’re rich, just well off. Dad’s a doctor and had some luck with a little real estate. I’d say the club isn’t hurting for money,” I said as I watched for her reaction.
“We have enough. It’s a lot of people to take care of, though, and we have to manage the businesses.”
“You’re very loyal, and prideful,” I said as I watched her.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“You should. Loyalty seems like a thing of the past sometimes, like chivalry.” I paused a beat then said, “Well, at least until I got here, oddly enough.” After being around a bunch of clinicians for a conference just before I came to Georgia, I felt like royalty here with the way I was escorted around. Everyone listened without question, and everyone made sure I was not without food, drink, and basic comforts at all times.
“The guys can be rough around the edges, but they can be gentlemen, too. Those girls are never disrespected. Maybe they don’t have the outcome they want, but being dumped after no promises were made doesn’t make them bad guys.”
“The heart can be tricky, though. Many women enter relationships with very few expectations, but then form a bond. That isn’t their fault, either. But as long as they can amicably split, neither party is at fault. Nobody should be stuck with someone who doesn’t want them.”
“True. But a lot of the bunnies are looking for an Old Man to take care of them. So when they invest time and themselves, they get hurt. But the guys are all pretty clear about what they want. They don’t make fake promises; at least, not my boys.”
Boys . Barring a few of them that appear to be late teens or early twenties, the rest were men, even her son. But she was Mama Hen and lived up to that name. “Why does Jackal call you Cindy?”
She chuckled then said, “Well, Jackal’s been around a long time and he was close with Raven. I guess I wasn’t old enough to be his mom, so he just never called me that.” The car was quiet briefly then she said, “You got a thing for Jackal?”
“You don’t mince words, do you?” I asked, trying to avoid the question.
“No sense in beating around the bush. Especially when it comes to these boys. He’s a good one, but he’s never been one to settle. Hell, it took us this long to get him to patch in.”
Sighing, I grinned. “Why does everyone assume I’m looking for my soulmate or something? Can’t a girl just have a fun fling? You just said these guys aren’t out here making promises of love. I’m an intelligent and logical woman. And I’ve been a good girl my whole life. I just want to have some fun.”
“But you just said that women often think that, only to later form a bond.”
“Touché. But until this past week, I wasn’t even sure I’d be sticking around. Even now, it’s still up in the air. I could go back to online therapy to hold me over, but I’m not sure when I can get my license here so I’ll have no office for now.”
“I thought you were looking into some other jobs? At hospitals and such,” Mama Hen said.
Blowing a breath through puffed cheeks, I answered, “Well, I am. I’d love to be on the research side of things, maybe even for new medications, or study viruses. That’s why I got my PhD. I don’t really like blood and dealing with sick people and people in pain all day is hard. That’s why I started out with Psychiatry. But that’s hard, too. Just in a different way. Most of my clients had moderate cases of depression and anxiety with an occasional ADHD evaluation, but some clients were severely depressed from traumas. You’re supposed to stay detached and objective,” I said, waving my hands through the air, “but how can you not feel terrible when someone tells you about how their father abused them as children and the mother did nothing but take it out on them?”
“There’s some sick people out there, that’s for sure. But that’s important work. Still, if it’s not for you, it’s not for you.”
Nodding, I looked out the window as the trees became scarce and more businesses started to appear. Needing to change the subject, I said, “Must be getting close. I can’t wait for some new clothes that aren’t business attire. Although, it wouldn’t hurt to get a couple of new tops that would be interview appropriate so I don’t keep having to do laundry.”
“If you’ll just leave the basket out, I can do that.”
“No ma’am. I’m capable of doing my own laundry. Plus, I don’t even have a full load. Not yet anyway. But if I’m sticking around, may as well get some leisurewear.”
A mall came into view, and Mama Hen turned the blinker on. “Not that I’m against shopping, but don’t you have clothes back home?”
“Some. But I also don’t want to go back until I’ve settled here. It’ll be easier to convince my parents to let me stay.”
“I see,” she said as she turned into one of the parking lanes and slowed, checking for a spot. “They probably just want what’s best for you, you know.”
“I love them, and I know they want good things for me. But I want to fly the coop. They’re going to be a little peeved that I’m living on my own, but at least I’ll be far enough away that they can only complain via text or if I answer the phone. Eventually, they’ll live with it.”
“So, you were still living at home?” she asked as she pulled into a spot that had one open next to it. Jackal pulled in and parked.
“Yep. I was in school to avoid being paired up by Mom with some good boy ,” I said with air quotes. “Dad just wanted to be sure I had a good vocation. But it’s not typical to leave until you’re married.”
Her brows shot up. “No wonder you want to have a go with Jackal.”
“Well, if I knew all I had to do was share my family history, I’d have done that to start!”
She leaned to get her bag from the back seat and said, “I wouldn’t lead with that to him. Let’s go.”
I grinned but looked in the side mirror and admired how sexy he was, standing guard at the back of the car.
This should be interesting.