Chapter 3 – Everly #2
“Oh my God.” I breathe. Sensing my fear, and now feeling her own, Kaylie squeezes her little arms tightly around my neck, tucking her head into my chest. “We’re okay, baby. It’s just a big mess. Nothing to worry about.” She nods her head and whispers, “Sissy, I want Mason.”
Me too.
No. No I don’t.
Lie to yourself some more, girl.
“Miss Greene? Everly? What’s going on?” Wyatt’s voice rings out in my ear. “Are you alright?”
“Uh, yeah. Physically, we’re fine.” I rub Kaylie’s back, soothing her. “My salon, on the other hand, is a whole other story.”
“We’ve been alerted to the sheriff’s deputy being on scene.
We have a couple of our guys in route now.
They should arrive shortly to check the system and get it up and running again.
I’ve been working to collect the video footage that the sheriff’s department asked for, but it appears your system was turned off last night.
Is there a reason you may have turned it off?
The recording stopped just after midnight,” Wyatt explains.
“I didn’t shut it off. I was at home in my bed asleep hours before that.
” I scoff. “I’m certain I armed it when I left last night, and I didn’t come back until just now.
How could it have been shut off if it wasn’t by me?
Who else has access to the system?” I say a little too loudly, catching the deputy’s attention and startling Kaylie in my arms. “Aren’t you guys in charge of the system?
Who shut it off? What happened, Wyatt?” I’m rambling, I know I am, but I’m pissed and confused and … fuck!
“We didn’t turn off your system, Miss Greene.
I don’t have an answer as to how your system was shut off at the moment, other than it wasn’t done by us.
” I hear the rapid tapping of what I assume are computer keys in the background, but I’m too consumed by the overwhelming mess in front of me to ask what he’s doing, or to even care.
“Hawk and Sadie are on their way to take a look at everything.”
Sadie? Shit.
She didn’t look too pleased when I left the clubhouse a few weeks ago.
“Miss Greene,” Deputy Bowman calls out to me as he approaches. He reaches out his hand and I shake it. “I’m sorry about all of this. I need to ask you some questions. Do you think we could sit somewhere and talk?”
“Um, sure. Let me just get Kaylie situated.” I’m looking around at the mess, and even the play area inside the salon is covered with glass shards.
I spin and catch a glimpse of Mrs. Baker standing at the door of her shop, watching me.
Her smile is one of pity. “Give me a minute, would you?” The deputy nods.
“Wyatt, I need to go.” I hang up with him and make my way to Mrs. Baker.
“Good morning, Mrs. Baker. Would you mind watching Kaylie for me while I talk to the police and make some phone calls? I know you have a business to run yourself, but I would really—”
“Of course, dear. I would be happy to have her. And maybe Miss Kaylie could help me sort some new jewelry that just came in? Do you know the difference between pink and purple, Miss Kaylie?” Mrs. Baker asks, rubbing Kaylie’s shoulder.
Kaylie’s head pops up from where it lay on my shoulder, her face scrunched as if she’s been insulted. “I know my colors, Mrs. Baker. I’m a big girl.”
“A big girl who needs to remember her manners,” I reprimand. Kaylie’s shoulders slump slightly at my admonishment.
Mrs. Baker gleans over the correction and addresses Kaylie again. “Oh, yes, of course you are. Well, would you like to help me sort some necklaces and bracelets in the back room? Maybe we can even try a few on.” Mrs. Baker winks at me.
Kaylie looks between me and Mrs. Baker. “Can I, Sissy?”
“Yes, of course.” I kiss her nose and put her down, guiding her hand to Mrs. Baker’s.
Squatting down to her level, I pretend to smooth out her dress.
“You mind Mrs. Baker and be a good helper. I’ll come by and get you in a little bit.
I just need to talk to the officers and get someone to help me clean this mess up. ”
No sooner do the words leave my mouth, a large truck pulls into the parking spot behind me.
I know without looking who it is by Kaylie’s squeals.
“Mason!” Dropping Mrs. Baker’s hand, she runs toward the truck.
Mason steps out of the passenger side and closes his door in time to catch Kaylie as she launches herself at him.
“Hey Squirt!” he says, spinning her in his arms. “You look beautiful today? Are you okay?”
Kaylie nods. “Uh huh. I’m going to help Mrs. Baker sort color necklaces in her store.” Mason looks to Mrs. Baker, who smiles and explains about her jewelry delivery.
“Oh, well, that’s the perfect job for you, Squirt. You know all your colors now. She beats me every time we play Candyland. Don’t you?” Kaylie nods once, then looking at Mrs. Baker, gives her one raised brow and a smirk that says told you so.
God, this kid.
Declan steps out of the driver’s side of the truck, gives me a slight chin lift, and then heads over to where Deputy Baker is waiting.
Hawk and Sadie pull up in the spot next to Declan’s.
Hawk comes around to give Sadie a hand down from his truck and guides her over to us.
He looks pissed as he eyes the broken glass.
He looks me over briefly and asks, “You good?” I nod and he leaves like his ass is on fire.
Guess he’s pissed too. Great.
Sadie looks me over and mumbles, “Pity,” then looks back at Kaylie with a broad smile. “Hey baby girl. You look like a princess in that outfit.” Kaylie smiles big, her cheeks blushing slightly.
“Mason bought me this dress. But Santa gave me the shoes just like Miss Liz said he would!” Kaylie explains, hugging Mason’s neck a little tighter.
He walks Kaylie over to Mrs. Baker, then leans down and gives her a similar speech to the one I just gave about minding her manners and waiting there until one of us comes to get her.
It’s both sweet and annoying the way the two of them are with each other and how easily she minds him.
She never grumbles or complains with him the way she does with me.
So unfair.
We’ve barely spoken since our argument at the clubhouse. He’s sent a few texts and came by the shop to drop off donuts for Kaylie, but it’s nothing like his usual intrusiveness. Especially since I turned down his invite to a party at the clubhouse on New Year’s Eve. His patch party.
You hurt him.
I didn’t mean to. But it’s for the best. He’s a full-patch member now. His life is going to change. His responsibilities. His loyalty will be to them first, like the others.
Kings are about family and protecting their own.
I’m not his.
But you want to be.
Hearing Kaylie’s laughter, I pull out of my internal debate and focus my attention back on her.
She’s excited about whatever deal Mason has offered her to be good for Mrs. Baker.
Kaylie seals her promise with a hug. He lifts her, spinning in a circle, making her laugh harder.
With her arms around his neck and his back to me, I get my first glance at the new Kings of Fury MC patch on his back.
He’s got everything he ever wanted now. His club. Easy women. A family who accepts him for him. He doesn’t need us.
This is the first time I’ve seen him this closely in almost two weeks, and he looks good. His henley shirt is pulled taut over his biceps. There is a single curl that loves to fall into his face, which I want so badly to push back it makes my fingertips tingle. Yeah, he looks really good.
I’ve seen him drive by the house at night a few times when he’s going into work, though our house isn’t on his way.
He passes by the salon twice a day when he goes to and from the gym.
He hasn’t stopped to visit or called, but he’s made his presence known.
Strange how someone can be present and ghost you at the same time.
Kaylie has asked about him every morning on our way to the salon and at least twice before bedtime. She’s used to him coming by to play a game or bring her a treat before bed. She’s become quite attached.
Like she’s the only one. You miss him bringing breakfast by in the morning after working his shift, keeping Kaylie entertained while you get ready for work. You even miss him following you to the salon before going home to sleep before his next shift.
Maybe it’s a good thing he’s been putting distance between us. It’s the right thing to do. It’ll give me and Kaylie a chance to let him go.
But you haven’t really let him go. Have you? You don’t want to. You’re just being stubborn. Protecting your heart from being broken again.
Stop!
Kaylie and Mrs. Baker head inside, and Mason stands staring at me. He opens his mouth to say something, but Sadie speaks first.
“So, tell me why we’re even dealing with Everly’s shit when she doesn’t want bikers involved in her life anymore?” Her words are a dark reminder of how badly I must’ve pissed everyone off that day.
“Sadie,” Mason warns. But I don’t need him to fight my battles for me. I know I hurt a lot of people with my harsh words. It’s going to be a while before I’m forgiven, if at all. Sadie was born into the biker life. Like me, it’s in her DNA, only she embraced her family and I loathe mine.
From her parents to her man, Sadie is all about the Kings and what they represent.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about her, it’s that she loves her family fiercely.
I can only imagine what she thinks of me after all those things I said back at the clubhouse.
But it’s also clear that her experience with bikers isn’t the same as mine.
“Listen, Sadie. I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings when I said all those horrible things at the clubhouse. I didn’t mean them to be directed at you—”