CHAPTER 3
Shar
Waking with someone jostling at the side of me is strange and alarming. I shoot into a sitting position, eyes searching to my side to see what’s happening. Seeing Cord picking Zara up, who is fast asleep at the side of me, fills me with relief. I give Cord a small smile and he whispers. “Go back to sleep, Shar. I’m taking Zara to her room. Lock up behind me first.”
I give him a nod and climb out of bed, locking the door as he leaves carrying Zara bridal style, but with such care it makes my chest flutter. How long is it since anyone showed me that kind of care?
The night wasn’t particularly good. I tossed and turned, getting more and more frustrated because I was tired, but just couldn’t stay asleep. Eventually, I turn and look at the clock and it’s 4:30 in the damn morning. Sitting up in bed, I rub my face, deciding to get up and start the day.
I have a shower, throw my hair into a messy bun, and wear jeans, t-shirt and espadrilles as I’m going to be on my feet a lot today. If Sharp is serious about wanting my input, which since I’m here, it shows he is, then I’m going to need to see all the businesses, speak to his secretary and treasurer and watch how the brothers live.
Walking out of my room, I lock the door and pop the key into my jeans' back pocket. No way am I leaving my room door open for the club sluts to walk in and toss through my things. I’ve seen what happens in prison and I can only imagine these women are as bad from what I’ve seen so far, and the stories Mia has told me.
What am I going to accomplish today? I’ve only a month here so I’ve got to work efficiently so as not to waste any time. Walking into the rec room has me curling my lip in disgust. The place is an absolute mess. Beer bottles, cans, empty glasses, trash, and even women’s clothing, if you can call it women’s, because from the size it could be a six-year-old girl’s clothing.
Shaking my head in disgust, I walk through to the kitchen and thankfully it’s still clean. I grin at a prospect who is asleep on a chair with his head leaning back on the wall. He’s going to suffer for that, I’m thinking. Opening the fridge, I take out the makings for scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns from the freezer.
Placing everything on the counter I hear a snore, then a smacking noise, which has me turning and I can’t help the giggle when the prospect has woken himself up. Looking around and seeing me laughing, he blushes to his hair roots.
“I’m going to call you Snore,”
I giggle, and he shakes his head, but grins back at me. “Do you want a coffee?”
I ask as I put the coffee machine on for a fresh pot.
“Yeah, thanks. I’ll just go…”
He shakes his head and bustles out of the kitchen, which has me giggling again because he obviously needs to go to the toilet and is too embarrassed to say.
Once I’ve the oven on and placed the bacon, hash browns and sausage on trays, I slide them into the oven and pour myself and Snore a coffee. I sip from the cup with my eyes closed, hum with delight at that first taste. It’s always the best drink of the day.
Crack walks into the kitchen and chuckles. “Enjoying the first coffee of the day, Shar? It’s ambrosia to our taste buds,”
he states and gives me a lopsided grin.
“Morning, Crack. You’re awake early.”
I hand him a cup of coffee.
“I’m always awake by 5:00, no idea why, if I’m honest. No matter what time I get to sleep the night before, I never sleep past that time.”
He takes the cup and inhales the aroma before placing it to his lips. My eyes follow the movement before I notice the tip of his lips. Shit, I’ve been caught staring. I shake my head and turn back to the stove where I get to making the scrambled eggs.
I look around when someone enters the kitchen and see Snore return. I grin, “You ready for some breakfast, Snore?” I ask.
He shakes his head at me, laughing. “I’m not going to live that down, am I?”
“Nope, I don’t suppose you will,”
I grin. Putting bread into the four-slice toaster, I check and turn the bacon, hash browns, and sausage over in the oven, then pile the scrambled eggs into a bowl before covering it with a tea towel. I need to make a pile of scrambled eggs, I’m thinking as I know how much Meat makes when he serves breakfast.
“Why are you calling him Snore? His name’s Danny,”
Crack queries.
“Well, when I came through this morning, he was asleep with his head on the wall. Obviously, he’d passed out too tired to keep his eyes open any longer.”
I realize I could get him into trouble, so I point at Crack. “You don’t get him into trouble for that either, or I’ll make your life a freaking misery. Anyway, he woke himself up with a large snore, so I decided I’d call him Snore from now on.”
“I actually like it,”
Crack laughs, much to Snore’s embarrassment.
Once I’ve everything ready, I place all the food on serving plates and help myself to a small breakfast. I don’t like too much first thing in a morning but enough to line my stomach so mid-morning I don’t get that hungry, sick feeling.
Brothers walk into the kitchen, and I remain sitting eating my breakfast, but I grin as they start by sniffing and snatching a plate, which they pile with breakfast. I’m not sure I did enough when I see the size of some plates piled high, but I’m not here as a chef so I’m not going to stand cooking all day, although I love to cook.
Once I’ve eaten, I rinse my plate and place it into the dishwasher, then turn to Crack. “Make sure they rinse and put their plates in the dishwasher, please. Maybe one of the club women can set it going and wipe the counters?”
Crack nods. “Yeah, they can. I’ll make sure of it. What have you planned this morning?”
“I thought I’d speak to Bank, your treasurer, and Pen, your secretary, to see if they have any information that would give me direction.”
“Okay. Let me come through with you.”
Crack walks behind me as we leave the kitchen and walk into the rec room. I can’t help but think someone is going to have a hard time cleaning up.
I jump when Crack shouts. “BEN, JOEL. Come and start clean up, one of you in here and one in the kitchen.”
Two prospects walk in from the kitchen and I’ve got to admit I didn’t notice them when I was in there a minute ago, but I had my head down on my breakfast. Crack continues. “CODY. Get the women out here to help. They can fucking sleep when the work's done, and they touch nothing in the kitchen. They missed breakfast, and that’s on my orders.”
I keep quiet but have an inward grin, as you can bet your life they will whine and moan about having nothing to eat. Why they choose the life they do is beyond my understanding. I’d never want to be passed around from one man to another, but each to their own, as the saying goes.
Crack walks me through to Pen’s office, and knocking on the door we enter when we hear him call out. “What do you want?”
Once we’ve stepped inside Pen looks up and grins. “Sorry Shar, I thought it was one of these assholes going to give me shit first thing in the morning.”
“I just wondered if I could have a minute with you this morning. I have a couple of questions to ask.”
I step further into his office and he indicates I take a seat, which I do, and notice Crack stays near the door.
“How can I help?”
Pen sits behind his desk and leans forward with his elbows and forearms resting, giving me his attention.
“Do you have any ideas of new businesses you would like to delve into?”
I’m thinking about the couple of empty shops I saw on the main street when we went to the grocery store.
“No. As you know we have the diner, the strip club, and we have the ink shop. There’s a garage on the edge of town we put an offer on but never heard back from him. Not sure old man Seaguard likes the club, thanks to his granddaughter wanting to be a club whore.”
Pen gives me a smile, which is really only a tip on the corner of his mouth.
“Who’s his granddaughter?” I ask.
“Wendy. She’s been with us about six months.”
I can see he was going to say more, then changed his mind.
“Are you going to follow it up?”
I query because a garage is always good for an MC to own and I know the one Raging Barons MC owns is doing extremely well.
“Seaguard told us to fuck off and not bother him again, but we still put a good offer in. He just never got back to us.”
“Okay. That will do for now, I’ll have a few more questions, I’m sure. But the only other thing I wanted to ask was would you think about hiring someone to cook for y’all? Because you can’t keep eating the crap the women are throwing at you,”
I state, and I’m deadly serious.
“Never thought about that, Shar. I’ll speak to Sharp about it, see what he thinks, but it would have to go in front of the brothers.”
Pen picks his phone up from his desk as a message alert pings.
I stand and step towards Crack, giving him a nod that we can leave now. “Treasurer next, please.”
Following Crack to the Treasurer’s office, I smile as I take a good look at his nice, firm butt. I must be getting desperate for some cock-a-doodle-doo, I’m thinking to myself with a small smile on my face.
“What’s the smile for?”
Crack asks and I shake my head. “Not telling,”
I respond as I tap on the door that Crack stopped in front of.
“Come in,”
Bank shouts and I open the door, step inside giving him a bright smile. “Good morning, Bank.”
“Morning, Shar, and what can I do for you?”
“Well, I’ve the thought we need to spend a little time for me to catch up on how things are running. See if I can save some money and offer you ideas of how to make more,”
I say with a grin.
“Well, you’re out at the strip joint this morning, I was told, so how about later this afternoon or after we eat this evening?”
Bank flicks through some paperwork, then hands me a few sheets. “These are printouts of the expenses the strip club is running with at the moment. I think it is too much but was shot down when I said that. If you would cast your eyes over it when you get time I’d appreciate it.”
“Of course, I will. I’ll have a look tonight when I’ve locked myself in my room. I always work better when it’s quiet.”
I take the papers and tuck them under my armpit. “Did anyone give you the shopping receipts from yesterday? If so, would you return that money into my account for me?”
“They did, and once you give me your details, I can return that to you. Any expenses, you just need to give me a receipt and I’ll reimburse you. Don’t worry about what the cost is, Shar. You are here to help us and we’re very appreciative of what you can do for us in the month you’re here.”
Bank gives me a great smile, it shows just how handsome he is. You never realize until someone’s face relaxes into a smile what they really look like, but that’s just my opinion.
Crack places his hand on my shoulder. “You done here? We can go to the club and look before anyone arrives. It’ll be easier for you to ask questions without people listening in, or trying to. The bitches are nosey as hell and they just love drama.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll just go grab my purse and I’m ready. I’ll be back down in ten.”
Turning, I smile at Bank. “Thanks, I’ll see you later.”
With that, I head out of the office and quickly to my bedroom. I place the papers in the top drawer of the dresser and freshen up fast, knowing Crack is waiting for me. I pick up my purse and lock up as I leave the room, running back downstairs to the main entrance to the clubhouse.
Walking outside I don’t see Crack so I wait quietly, looking around at the compound and give a wave to the prospect on the gate. I wonder if he’s one of the three that was brought from RBMC?
“How you doing, Shar?”
Is asked from behind me and turning, I see Sharp leaning against the wall smoking a cigarette.
“I’m good, thank you. You need to quit that habit, bad for your lungs,”
I say but have a smile on my face, so he knows I’m not being bitchy.
“Yeah, yeah, been told and have cut down to one a day. I just have this one in a morning and then know I’ll have another one tomorrow. It should be easy to stop, but I just love this one after my first coffee in a morning.”
Sharp grins and takes another drag.
“You’ll stop when you’re ready. I don’t think anyone stops until mentally they are ready to do it. You can’t stop if you spend all day thinking about having one.”
“Well, that’s true. I reckon I could stop easily now, but I think one a day rather than 60 is something to be happy with.”
Sharp stomps it out on the ground, grinding it into the sandy soil. He continues leaning on the wall and looking at me.
“I’m waiting for Crack. We’re going to the strip joint, for me to look around and ask questions while it’s empty.”
Before Sharp can answer Crack rushes out the main door of the clubhouse and laughs. “Shit, Shar, I’ve been looking all over for you. You must have passed me by without me seeing. Are you ready?”
That’s when he notices Sharp. “Hi, Prez, is everything okay?”
“Yeah, get going and do what you’ve gotta do. I’m going to grab more coffee before I look at paperwork.”
Sharp steps through the doors into the clubhouse and Crack watches as he passes us.
“I wish he’d have some time to himself. He’s always working. He needs to find himself a good woman, but then, don’t we all?”
He mumbles and I grin as I don’t think he realizes he even said that last part out loud.