CHAPTER 26
Zara
Sitting here each morning, it’s hard to imagine how this kitchen and the clubhouse were only a few months ago. At this time of day, there would hardly be a soul up and about, and the few that were would be scruffy and stinking of beer. The place would have been filthy with to go containers and pizza boxes covering the surfaces. Oh, and don’t get me started on the whores and their lazy skank asses.
Wow. I didn’t think I’d woken up in such a bad mood, I think to myself. The addition of Lira has been the fuse that has sparked a well overdue change for the MC. Even my dad has gone the extra mile with his appearance and attitude. He stepped up big time when the trouble brewed with his treatment of Mia, and her time in prison, but I wouldn’t recognize him now compared to then.
Shar didn’t like him when she arrived, I know that. It wasn’t difficult to pick up on. She has certainly mellowed toward him though. I don’t think she’ll ever be his number one fan, but at least he’s no longer at the top of her hit list.
“Morning, Crack.”
I see him jump a little and have to hide a grin.
“Morning, Zara. I’m not used to having anyone else up and about before me. You okay?”
Stopping to kiss my forehead, he gives me a worried look.
“Yes, everything's good. I’m getting nervous now that the opening of the salon is so close. It’s all been a bit like role play up to now, but this is getting real.”
“I understand that, but from what I’ve seen and heard, you have nothing to worry about,”
Crack states, then stands up straight and breathes heavily. I wonder what’s coming next. “The force is strong within you.”
I can’t contain my laughter and bust out laughing, I see him grin. “Oh, Crack. You are so ‘not my father,’ but should I ever need another, you’ll be top of my list.”
Jumping up, I wrap my arms around him and hug the ever-loving shit out of him.
“Am I interrupting a loving, tender moment? I can come back later if you like?”
Shar stands in the doorway, hands on hips.
Taking a step closer, Crack reaches out and pulls her into our hug. “What a way to start any day. Hugging my two favorite women in the whole wide world at the same time.”
Wrapping his arm around Shar’s neck, he uses his other hand to scrub his knuckles across the top of her head.
“OWWW! Jesus Christ, Crack!”
Shar jumps backwards. “It’s too early for that shit!”
She squeals as she rubs her head.
“It’s what brothers do to their sisters, and time of day doesn’t come into it, little sis.”
Brother and sister? I must have missed a switch in their relationship, because I had them pegged for more than that.
Lira makes an appearance from her room, and we all look guilty as hell for waking her up. “Either I’m late up, it’s the wrong day, or you’ve all made a mess of your beds. Is that coffee fresh or warmed up from last night?”
“It’s freshly made,”
I say and look at her aghast. I’ve never heard Lira talk like that, ever, and she’s put up with some crap over the weeks.
Crack pours three mugs of coffee and then looks at me to see if I want one. “No, thanks. I haven’t progressed to that stuff yet. When the salon’s been open a while, I’m sure that it will be a staple part of my diet. Till then, I’ll stick to juice or milk in the morning.”
Taking her mug of sugarless black coffee, Lira disappears back to her room. Seconds later, she’s back for cream and sugar. “It’s too early for all this stuff, and it’s my day off!”
As she says this, Josie appears.
“Lira? I thought it was your day off?”
Standing there looking confused, Josie looks around at all of us.
“It is me. It is my day off. I’m going back to bed, so keep the noise down.”
She shuffles off and we all look at each other before Crack breaks the silence with a guffaw that could wake the dead.
Shaking her head, Josie gets to work on preparing breakfast, and that’s no small task these days. The three of us all wash our hands, then spend the next hour getting under Josie’s feet as we hinder more than help her. During this, Josie drops a bombshell. “Hey, Shar. Did you know Clarice left town after you threatened her?”
“What? She couldn’t just stay away. She did a runner!”
Shar looks shocked.
“Scary Shar! We’d better stay on your good side. I don’t want you running me outta town, pardner.”
Crack was supposed to sound like an old cowboy, I think, but it came out more Irish than anything.
Breakfast over and after Crack leaves us to start his day, I grab Shar before she can escape and drag her to my room. “What’s happened with you and Crack? What’s with the ‘brother and sister’ stuff? I thought you’d get with Crack or Sharp. I think the whole club thought it.”
“It wasn’t meant to be, Zara. We kissed, and it wasn’t there for any of us. Kissing Crack I felt was like kissing my brother, and he felt the same way. Sharp was nice, but no fireworks. It just wasn’t meant to be.”
I can see that Shar’s disappointed that she hasn’t found her man here, and I truly believe we all thought that she would. “I suppose that means you’ll be leaving soon, then? I don’t want you to move on, but I understand.”
Shar takes my hand and gives me a sad smile.
“I thought that when I came here from the Raging Barons MC, I would find my forever home, too. Maybe I’m destined to just keep wandering, always looking for that greener grass. I know you didn’t have the best start, Zara, but you’ve got the best possible support anyone could wish for now.”
Seeing my eyes tearing up has her taking a deep breath. “You are a strong, confident woman and I know that you’ll be a success in anything you choose to do. I’ll always be on the end of the phone if you need me, just like Mia will always be there, too. I don’t know where I’ll finally settle down, assuming I do, but you’ll always be welcome.”
Feeling my tears finally rolling down my cheeks, I see her barriers burst too, and we lean on each other and have a good cry.
Once we are over our blubbering, we get cleaned up and Shar goes about her business. I never even asked what she was up to today. Wandering through the clubhouse, I hear my name called and see Brawl beckoning me to Pres’s office. It’s never a good feeling being summoned there, and with Brawl present, I’m even more nervous.
Reaching the door, Brawl ushers me in and then leaves. Phew, that’s one less worry. Perhaps things aren’t going to be as bad as my imagination would have me believe.
“Come in, Princess. Take a seat. How’s things in Zara World? More importantly, how’s things with Zara? Are you bearing up under all this pressure?”
Pres leans back and steeples his fingers. He looks a little intimidating when he does that, and I might steal that pose for my own meetings.
“Zara World? I like that, Uncle Sharp. I’m good as far as I know. I don’t know about pressure yet, but I’m starting to feel my nerves as opening day gets closer. Is that the same as pressure?”
“Nerves are okay, Zara. They show that you are human and that you care. I’d be worried if you weren’t nervous at this stage.”
Smiling at me, he leans forward and puts his hands on his desk.
“I have to tell you I am extremely proud of the way you have gone about this whole venture. From the conception, business plan, initial visit to the shop, right down to letting go of that manager that had everyone fooled. You have been nothing short of an inspiration. I think you’ll do very well with the salon, and I don’t see it being your only venture into the business world, either. Give it a couple of years and I think you’ll be pressing for Shar’s title of ‘Business Consultant to the MC World’.”
I feel myself blushing at his praise and think it’s a little farfetched, to be truthful. “I appreciate the confidence, Uncle Sharp, but it’s not even open yet, never mind a success.”
“You’re looking at it all wrong, Zara. Once those doors open, you will have achieved an amazing result for someone your age. Regardless, if it fails at a later date, you will have opened your first business and virtually single-handed, too. There has been minimal input from either Shar or the MC. Apart from the capital that we and your father put in, it’s all been your hard work and effort that has made it this far.”
Uncle Sharp looks very pleased, and maybe I should take some of his praise on board.
“Thank you, Uncle Sharp. I hadn’t thought about it like that. One of my stylists has offered to go shopping with me later, so I can get a work wardrobe. She always looks smart and professional, so I’m taking her up on that and see how that goes.”
“Oh? Which one would that be?”
Uncle Sharps perks up as he asks me that.
“The one that you never stopped ogling the whole time you were there. Taylor. She does always look so hot though, doesn’t she?”
“You are ahead of your years, Zara, but yes, she’s hot.”
Uncle Sharp reminds me of a wolf from those cartoons that’s howling. “But between you and me? I wouldn’t mind getting my fingers burned.”
“Uncle Sharp! You’re so bad. Don’t let Shar or my dad hear you talking like that in front of me. They think I’m still a virgin, for heaven’s sake!”
Getting up sedately from my chair, I try to keep a straight face as I head for the door.
Hearing a crash followed by a copious amount of bad language, I turn and see Uncle Sharp trying to get out of his chair which has obviously gone over backwards. Not having any regard for the consequences, I stand there and laugh until I’m going to burst.
As soon as he’s on his feet, he stalks over to me and I can’t do anything except bend over laughing, with tears streaming down my face for the second time today. Grabbing me, he stands there and laughs with me until our faces ache with the strain.
“That, young lady, was the best I’ve ever been pranked in my entire life. I did not see that coming and was convinced it was true until you laughed.”
“I’ve got a while to go before you have to worry about me and boys, Uncle Sharp. I’m sure you’ll be part of a long line of protectors, including Dad, Target, and a few others.”
Having caught my breath and being almost normal again, I have an idea. “Just a quick thought. How would you like to drive me and Taylor to the mall? I’m not planning on being long, and it would get you out of your office for a while?”
“Get out, you little monster. I’m not getting roped and hogtied by anyone, let alone the youngest member of the club!”
Giggling, I go off in search of Crack, who had already offered to give me a lift to the mall where I’d planned to meet Taylor.
Pulling up at the mall, we see Taylor already there so Crack drops me off, and as soon as I’m with Taylor, he waves and roars off.
“That has got to be the coolest way to arrive anywhere. I envy you, Zara.”
Taylor looks star-struck as she watches Crack thunder down the road.
“Hey, anytime you want to ride bitch, I’m sure there’s any number of the brothers who would be more than happy to let you. They don’t let just anyone on their hogs, but they would definitely make an exception to be seen with you. You’d have to lose the skirt, though.”
Taylor looks at me, horrified. “Bitch? Hogs? Lose my skirt just for a ride? I’ll stick to my Mercedes SLK. She can make an impression herself.”
Taylor shakes her head at me.
“Riding bitch means having a female or their woman on the back seat of the bike. You know, as a passenger? Hogs are just what almost everybody calls a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and losing your skirt means wearing jeans or some form of pants. I see we’re going to be educating each other over the coming months.”
Linking arms, we march into the mall, and they have no idea what’s about to hit them.