Chapter 20 #2
“Well, if you’re our ringleader, I don’t care what we are.” Cici flips her hair off her shoulder, pressing the button like she owns the building.
The doors chime open; Greer stands tapping rapidly on her phone. Bear stiffens beside me, clearing his throat.
She snaps up, confusion spreading across her face as she takes us in.
“Move.” I hiss, shifting on my hip. My fists clench tightly at my sides.
Greer clicks her tongue. “Now, Florence, is that anyway to talk to your new lead?”
I lunge, my fist in perfect aim for her nose but Nina dips behind me as if she was waiting for it. Her arms hook around my waist, hauling me backward. “Florence stop!” Nina grunts against my struggling.
“New lead? That’s cute. Did they print that on a sticker for you too?” Cici spits out viciously.
Greer pulls a folded stack of papers from her back pocket, waving them tauntingly at Cici. “Signed just before I came down.”
Bear growls, moving toward her. “You’re a joke, Greer. Don’t mistake paperwork for power. That’s going to get you hurt.” He stands in the gap of the elevator, ushering her out.
“Hmph.” Greer lifts her nose, smirking as she shoves past us.
I slump into Nina’s arms as she disappears around the corner. She half drags me into the elevator as the other step in behind us. “This isn’t the end.” Nina states.
I press “G2,” leaning against the panel. “Tell that to the hole in my chest.”
Bear props his arm on top of my head, unintentionally smushing me. “Florence, that hole can’t get any bigger— you have nothing to worry about.”
Cici slaps his arm as I kick him in the shin. He cringes, shielding himself into the wall. “Kidding! Golly, y’all are feisty this morning. Listen, you don’t get to spiral. That’s my job.”
I raise my brows, cutting my eyes at him.
“You’re not replaceable, Flossie. You’re the blueprint of this unit.”
Nina nods her head grinning at him. “I knew you were soft under all” —she waves a hand in his general direction— “that.”
The elevator reopens, revealing Jasper waiting, his gaze instantly gluing to mine. “So, are we all collectively quitting or what’s the move?” he asks.
“Boycott!” Bear shouts, pumping his fist into the air.
I lift my hands, pushing out of the elevator. “No one is quitting, no one is boycotting.” We march to the gym entrance, and I shove open the glass door, aching to relieve the stress building inside of me.
Nyx stands in the middle, stretching his arms to the ceiling. My stomach does a strange flip, stopping me short. Ugh. Not now. My heart seems determined to reach for this man while my mind stands in the corner shouting objections.
I clear my throat, collecting myself.
“Good morning,” he drawls, the corner of his mouth lifting at our team piling in behind me.
“Thank you for thinking of me, but we just passed Greer and she’s already signed as lead.”
He crosses his arms, one of his biceps flexing with aggravation. “Then we all quit.”
“Yeah!” Bear roars, wrapping Jasper in his arms and lifting him into the air.
“No!” I bark, whirling around to them. I run my hands through my hair, squeezing my eyes shut. “End of discussion.”
Nyx blows out a heavy breath, shaking his head. “I’m not working with her, Florence.”
“And if we all quit, they won’t have a team to work with,” Cici chimes in, twisting her fingers.
I step to the middle, planting myself in front of Nyx. “I really, really do appreciate the effort, y’all, I do. But I’m asking, please, let it go.”
“Is that really what you want us to do?” Jasper asks, rubbing his head as he cautiously steps away from Bear.
“Yes.” I admit. Sliding my phone from my pocket, I scroll to Ana’s contact. “I’m sorry,” I text. I look back up to the team. “I don’t need a title to do my job.” I catch Nyx in the corner of my eye, it’s barely a shift in his weight, but it’s there, like he’s proud.
Nina clasps her hands. “You heard the woman. But Florence, we follow your lead, whether that’s here or walking out of that door.”
“Agreed,” Bear and Cici confirm.
I spread my feet, bending down to stretch. My ribs slightly aching as I move. “Then get your asses in gear; I’m not missing breakfast.”
Bear salutes, pulling his bare foot to his butt behind him.
My phone vibrates inside my joggers, and I plop to the floor positioning myself into a butterfly. I reach into my pocket to read Ana’s response: “I love you to the kingdom.”
Miss Onida awaits beside my chair as we push through the dining room doors, her fingers rolling an object in her pocket as always. My plate sits, already made, warm steam floating into the air above it.
“What’s this?” I ask, slipping my arm around her shoulder. Cheesy corn bread muffins line the sides, bacon and gravy biscuits pile in the middle.
“You make me proud, Atsi Waya.” Her crow’s feet crinkle around her eyes as she beams.
I shake my head pulling from her embrace. My eyes drop to the floor in shame. “You haven’t heard, have you?”
She folds her delicate hands around my fresh bandages.
“I certainly did. The alpha favored you. You rescued his entire pack and brought them home.” Her wrinkled fingers rub over the ribbed fabric as she continues, “Some are born knowing how to save themselves. You were born, bound to save others. The strong wolf felt that, the same as I do.” Miss Onida looks up to the two men piling fresh food onto their plates at the table.
“But even the moon rests at the end of the night for them my Atsi Waya. Strength too, must be held sometimes.”
My heart weakens at her words. I gently slide her silver braid over her shoulder. “I don’t know how to be held,” I whisper.
“And you think the wild wolf did?” Miss Onida asks gently. “An animal only knowing of cruel hands. And yet, he chose you. Because you came with different ones.”
I nod, useless for words.
She pats the table. “Now sit, in this chair. As long as I’m in this kitchen, your chair it will be.”
Talia’s claws slap against table behind me, a small stack of blue pamphlets tucked within them. “Please, God, take the chair. I swear if that hussy bats her eyelashes at my husband one more time, I’m going to croak.”
Nina pops a tater tot into her mouth. “Does that just count for her, or will you still croak if I do it?”
Talia straightens, rolling her eyes as she tosses a pamphlet at Nina.
“We were the pick of the hat this year to host the annual spring T.A.L.O.N moonball. It will be held at the Lamar Pavilion. Gentleman, you are required to wear tuxedos, and ladies I expect to see you all in your best gowns. No excuses.”
I skim over the paper, “Gown, as in…” Talia plucks a piece of bacon from my plate. “Not your little Wally World moo moos, Florence. Ball. Gown.”
I yank it out of her hand, tossing it quickly into my mouth. “I’m scheduled to be sick that day.”
She groans, throwing the rest of the pamphlets on the center of the table. Her sharp heels click against the concrete floor as she storms to the exit. “Mandatory!” she yells back, disappearing between the flap of the doors.
Chairs squeak against the slick floor as everyone takes their seats, reaching individually for the scattered papers. I look along the table to each of my friends, an unfamiliar feeling twisting within me.
A hollow has lived inside my chest for so long, and it’s where my tears have pooled in the past few days. I never imagined that my sorrow could give rise to the blooming love I feel now, new roots brushing against the hardness of my cracking heart.
Somewhere along the way, Greyline has suddenly stopped feeling like a job and has become a family I don’t think I could live without. For years, just my little family of three. Now, when I picture the people I’d do anything for, the table is a lot more crowded.