Chapter 9
Jackal
Shopping with two women wasn’t on my immediate list of responsibilities when I became Enforcer. Hanging out with Cindy wasn’t a big deal and I’d guard her with my life. I owed that to Raven. But being around Shivana would prove to be a challenge. Every time I looked at her now, flashes of her thick thighs and round hips filled my mind’s eye.
I stood, surveying the parking lot for anything or anyone that caught my attention. We hadn’t been tailed on the way, but it was a very public area and traffic got heavier the closer we were to the mall. It was highly unlikely that anyone knew we would be at the mall but Hawk asked me to protect them, and I would take it seriously.
The doors of the car opened and closed, so I uncrossed my arms and turned. The light breeze blew Shivana’s dark hair around her face. The natural light and the curls whipping around only enhanced her allure. My jaw ticked as I tried to keep my mouth from falling open.
“You ready?” Cindy asked. Looking over, she was watching with me a cocked brow and slight grin.
“Ladies first,” I said as I stepped out of the way for Shivana to pass me.
Her eyes turned up as she did, and even though I gave her plenty of space, she brushed against me before sidling up to Cindy and they both started heading inside. When we made it to the entrance, I leaned in front of them and grabbed the door.
Because I was leaning, my face was closer to hers, and Shivana said, “How chivalrous.”
I couldn’t help but stare at those luscious lips, but snapped out of it when Cindy cleared her throat.
Shivana smirked, then walked inside with Cindy following. We walked around, stopping at every other shop. I trailed behind, but only to check the store out before going to wait outside. All the stores in the mall were cramped with racks and too many people trying to push past each other.
After two hours of going shop to shop, they wanted to stop for a break in the food court. It was packed but I needed a break, too, since I got roped into carrying their bags. We rode the escalator up to the top floor and I grimaced. It was packed.
“Can I get you something?” Shivana asked as I followed them while they tried to choose where to get food.
“I got it. Just pick something,” I said as I shifted, trying to pull my wallet from my pocket. Even though it was attached to a chain, I had to drop some of the bags.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I got it. What do you like?” she said like I offended her.
Cindy grabbed the bags I dropped while I fished bills from my wallet. They both stopped in front of a Chinese restaurant, so I stood behind them, perusing the menu.
“You good with this?” Shivana asked.
“Yep, whatever you want.”
Cindy cleared her throat.
“You catching a cold or something? We can get you some lozenges,” I said with a knowing look. Now I’m getting shit from her, too.
She shook her head with a smirk. “I’m perfectly fine.”
I looked out the large windows overlooking the parking lot as we shuffled in the line. I saw a couple of bikes leaving the lane we were parked in. Squinting to get a better look, they definitely had cuts on but I didn’t recognize the logo and it was too far away to read them. It was probably someone we knew but it was too far to see. Still, for some reason my hackles were up.
“Hey, our turn,” Shivana said as she tugged on my cut.
“Oh, ladies first.”
She rolled her eyes but Cindy gave her order, and when Shivana realized I was waiting for her, she gave hers.
“Why don’t you ladies take the bags and your drinks and find us a seat? I’ll wait for this.”
Shivana stared up, blinking slowly. “You didn’t order yet.”
“I will as soon as you go find us a table.”
“You’re holding up the line, Jackal.”
Damn . Why did she have to say my name? Trying to maintain my control, I said, “Well I guess you better hustle.”
Cindy tapped her shoulder and tilted her head toward the tables. Shivana murmured something which I couldn’t understand.
“Sir? Your order?” the lady behind the counter said so I turned, apologizing and placing my order. After I paid, I took my drink and walked to the window to wait for them to call my number.
I didn’t see any other bikers cruising through but glanced around the parking lot. There were plenty of surveillance cameras. Pulling my phone out, I texted Keys to see if he could tap into them and get a good view of those guys, just in case.
“Number seventy-six!” the lady from the restaurant yelled.
After putting my drink on the tray, I walked to the table the ladies were at, and Cindy had put all the bags in the seat next to her. I set the tray down but shot a grimace at her. We had to chat later. She needed to stay out of this.
I was busy wolfing down my food, waiting on my phone to vibrate, when the ladies started chatting.
“Do you have any idea where you plan to stay once you find work?” Cindy asked.
A piece of orange chicken nearly lodged in my throat and Shivana turned to me. “Can you breathe? Do you know the universal sign for choking? Go like this,” she said as she mock grabbed her throat, “if you’re choking.”
I coughed a few times and the chicken finally moved down. Washing it down with my soda, I wiped my face then said, “Stay? Work? What is she talking about?”
She patted my arm then picked up her fork, stabbing at some chicken. “I’ve been trying to get interviews and figuring out how to move my license. I may just do some online therapy until I can land what I really want.”
My eyes shot to Cindy. “You’re encouraging this?”
Cindy’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t do shit. She makes her own decisions. But no, I’m not in a hurry to run her off if that’s what you mean.”
Shivana jumped in. “There’s so many great research facilities here. Hell, the CDC is here! I think things happen for a reason, and me visiting Lacy after all that time was a sign.”
Trying not to roll my eyes, I glared over. “You were kidnapped. I think that’s a sign.”
Shivana shrugged. “I grew up outside of Chicago. Very high crime rate. Plus, you saved me, so I’m fine.”
My jaw ticked. There was no point in having this conversation here. Neither of them were making sense. They both went on with their conversation and I pushed my Styrofoam tray away from me.
“You should eat,” Shivana said. “Or are you traumatized?” she asked as she popped a bit of chicken in her mouth, batting those deep brown eyes at me.
“Not hungry anymore.”
Cindy chuckled. “He’s a party pooper, Shiv. Don’t worry about him. Anyway, I can help you find a good area. You’re welcome to stay with me as long as you need, but I’m sure you’re getting tired of these guys,” she said before she scooped some fried rice into her mouth.
A pang jerked in my chest. I was the one dead set on her going home, but the idea of her being in Georgia and not where I could keep an eye on her didn’t sit well with me.
Before I could come up with some good reason she should stay with Cindy until she had the sense to go back north, she said, “I’m in no rush, honestly. I like the clubhouse. I’m used to having a lot of family around, literally all the time, so it reminds me of home.”
“Up to you hon,” Cindy said before having a bite of her pepper steak.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, so I excused myself from the table. They carried on, so I stepped on the other side of the huge column near the table and made sure nobody could see over my shoulder before reading the text.
Keys: Working on cleaning up the video to get a better pic, but your tires are flat.
My head whipped to the large window overlooking the parking lot. Fuck .
Me : Send the tow. I’ll drive the ladies back. Keep working on that and tell Hawk.
Keys : You got it.
Shoving my phone into my pocket, I walked back to the table. “You ladies about done with your shopping? Something came up and I need to get you back.”
Shivana looked disappointed, but Cindy didn’t flinch. She stood, grabbing the bags. “C’mon. I think you got enough to get you started. Jackal, can you get the trash?”
I grabbed the tray but Shivana helped clear the table then grabbed some of the bags from Cindy.
We were heading down the escalator, and Shivana saw a candy shop on the bottom floor. “Oh, I want to go grab something from there. Sort of an inside thing with Lacy from when we were younger.”
Luckily, Cindy grabbed her arm. “Hey, we need to go.”
Shivana’s eyes landed on me, then back to Cindy. “What’s happening?”
“C’mon. Let’s get back so you can do a fashion show for the girls, okay?” Cindy said with a smile in her voice.
This is why she needed to leave. I didn’t like that Cindy was in danger. I couldn’t handle it if something else happened to Shivana. Especially if it didn’t turn out like last time.
She huffed a sigh but finally walked with Cindy to the door. I walked ahead and Cindy stopped, grabbing Shivana to halt her until I felt like it was okay to head to the car. I didn’t see anything or anyone suspicious, so I waved them out.
“Keys please,” I said as we got closer.
Cindy handed me the keys to her small SUV and I waited until we were at the vehicle before unlocking it. I walked around it, then looked underneath.
“Oh, shit. Your tires,” Shivana gasped.
“Hop in. I’m driving.” I opened the back door and waited for her to climb in before I turned to Cindy. “You carrying?”
“Always.”
“I’ll drive, but keep your eyes peeled,” I said as I grabbed her bags. I opened her door and once she was inside, I put her bags in the back, then shook my head as I looked at my Harley.
Climbing in, I tried to keep my cool so I didn’t scare Shivana but focused on getting them both back to the clubhouse safely.