Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
S aturdays in the hair salon was one of Lucky’s favorite pastimes.
The smell of the various shampoos and sheens, the low buzz of conversations competing with the blow dryers.
The routine of it settled her. It was one of the things she had no intention of giving up when she moved to Oakridge.
Finding a hairstylist was like finding gold and she had one for every iteration of her hair.
She came to Monica for her braids but Roselle for her blowouts, and then she went to Julian’s mama’s salon when she was ready for a bussdown.
Lucky would maintain her self-care routine even if she had to drive every other weekend to Eastfield.
She smiled to herself. Ezra was worth the move and the aggravation that would come with it all. Just thinking of him had her squirming. Rah’s punishment from last night hit every pleasure point she had. The assertive way he handled her body…
Whew.
It was no wonder her panther had forced the issue of mating. Finally fed up with Lucky’s stalling, the animal had taken matters into its own hands. Even now, her cheeks heated thinking about the cat’s insistence. Rah’s tiger had rushed to seal them together, clearly on the same timing.
Her body was sore, but the sensory memories of last night made her clit thump and her stomach fill with butterflies.
Despite how fun her punishment was, she knew Ezra had been serious about her obeying him. When had she become this girl? She’d always taken pride in her independence and strength, but softening for Rah had come easy, instinctively. Following his lead in no way felt like a chore.
She smiled as she thought about the notification she’d gotten from her bank when he left out her door. From the moment she met Ezra, he’d promised her the princess treatment, and he was standing on that.
She felt cared for.
A novelty, given the men she’d dated before him.
The salon had been empty when Lucky showed up at seven, but it was going on lunch time and there were a few women now, each in various states of braiding.
Monica moved quickly so she was halfway done with her braids.
She was getting medium-sized, so she planned to be here until around two or three.
All heads looked up when the door opened.
Hakeem walked in with a bag from a wing spot a couple of doors down.
She smiled at him in surprise. He swaggered into the salon, standing in front of her, holding out the plastic bag. The scent wafting from it had her mouth watering.
“Boss said you need to eat,” Hakeem said quietly. “There’s some in there for your stylist,” he told her, nodding at Monica.
“Well, ain’t you sweet,” Monica teased.
Lucky snickered. “Do you mind if we take a break to eat?”
“You go ahead, I’ll eat when I’m done with you,” Monica told her.
Hakeem walked off, taking the place of Dave, who had been sitting at the front door for the duration of her appointment.
At first, she had found it strange because usually the two shifters sat inside the car, but maybe they had new orders.
She opened the Styrofoam plate, grateful for the meal.
Rah was busy but made time to think of her.
She would be sure to thank her mate as soon as she saw him.
“What’s up with the security?” Monica probed.
Lucky had been waiting on the question from the moment Dave had walked in with her this morning. “I met my mate and he don’t play about my safety.”
“You and Keisha done made big moves, I see. I need to hang out with y’all so I can bag me a baller,” Monica joked.
Before they could go further into the conversation, the door to the salon opened again and a woman Lucky recognized from around the way entered, speaking to everyone.
“Y’all will never believe what happened,” the woman said as she settled into a chair next to Lucky.
“Ain’t nobody guessing, Cyn. What’s tea?” Monica asked.
Cyn leaned forward. “Word around town is that someone got Leo last night.”
“Got him how, bitch?” Monica paused her braiding.
“His mama been whining, talking about someone cut his fingers off on one hand. Left that man with just a thumb, and a mark burned into the back of his hand,” she confided.
Monica gasped and Lucky’s stomach pitched.
“What?” Lucky whispered, the food in her stomach roiling.
Cyn sat back to get comfortable in her chair. “Girl, yeah.”
Monica scoffed. “Must’ve finally pissed off the right one because you know he had a hand problem.”
Oh Lord. Lucky knew firsthand about the wolf’s hand problem.
But Leo had all his fingers when she saw him last night.
Closing her plate, she used the wipe in the bag to clean her hands before whipping out her phone.
She debated texting Rah for information.
Monica’s nosy ass could see over her shoulder, so instead, she scrolled through social media to see if any other details were out.
She ignored the rest of the conversation as it switched to other gossip.
No one seemed to know what happened to Leo, even though a lot of people were making veiled comments about it.
She stewed in that for the next four hours, exhaling when Monica finished the last braid.
Lucky hopped out of the chair when she was done, paying Monica and adding a big tip since her mate had laced her properly.
Hakeem followed her out of the salon and, for a moment, she debated asking him about it.
He held her door open and Lucky slid inside, anxious to reach Ezra.
Her hands were shaking as she finally dialed him. She knew he was in meetings, but she didn’t feel like waiting. Despite how busy he told her he would be, Rah still answered quickly.
“Princess.” His deep voice washed over her and for a moment, she couldn’t speak.
Was she really ready for life as his mate? It didn’t matter because her panther had made sure they were properly bonded to him and there was nothing to be done about it now.
His voice softened. “What’s the matter, baby?”
She cleared her throat. “Nothing’s wrong. Umm, I heard a rumor about what happened to Leo.”
“Okay.” The concern in his voice had vanished. Now she felt silly for calling him, but she needed to know if he would admit to it. “Was that you?”
“Princess, I’m in a meeting, and you called me to ask me about another man?”
“No,” she denied, “I’m not asking you about him…” She sighed. “I just want to know what happened.”
“That’s not for you to concern yourself with. I don’t tolerate disrespect and that’s been clearly conveyed. Did you need anything else?” His tone wasn’t harsh in the least and still, she flinched.
“No.” She released the breath she was holding because that was clearly all she would get on the subject.
“Then I’ll see you when you get home,” he told her. “Be safe on the road, my love.”
He hung up and wasn’t shit else she could say.
Lord, what had she gotten herself into?
It occurred to her twenty minutes later as she pulled into her parents’ driveway that Rah was calling his place their home.
A subtle reminder that as his mate, she would be changing a lot about her life.
Suddenly, she felt like hiding from the world.
Her father came to the door as she sat in her car, his face frowning in concern.
Sighing, she grabbed her purse and got out.
“Daddy,” she breathed as he grabbed her into his arms.
“What’s wrong, baby girl?”
She held him tight, her panther roaming her body as she tried to process her feelings.
Her dad lifted her and walked them into the house, locking the door behind her.
She was a true daddy’s girl because she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and let him tote her.
Sin didn’t even strain as he carried his daughter and Lucky buried her head into her father’s chest, breathing in his familiar scent, taking comfort from his animal.
“Kaine is a dangerous man,” she finally said.
He snorted. “Girl, ain’t I taught you how to spot a predator? You should’ve known that the moment you saw him.”
She sighed as he put her down in the living room. Her mother was sitting on the sofa, a word search book in her hand.
“What’s wrong?” Kathleen asked as Lucky settled on the couch next to her, dropping her head in her mother’s lap.
“Your daughter just realized that a hard head makes a soft ass,” Sin told his mate.
Her mother chuckled and ran her hands through Lucky’s braids. “Lucinda,” her mother chided. “All that impulsiveness done caught up with you?”
“Not too much on me now, Kat baby,” Lucky complained.
Her parents chuckled as she pouted in her mother’s lap. Sin settled in his armchair and went back to whittling.
“Why y’all sitting in here like some old people?” she grumbled.
Kathleen tapped Lucky’s forehead. “We are some old people. We have earned our retirement. If only we had some grandkids to spend it with.”
Lucky snorted.
“What’s wrong, baby girl?” Sin asked.
“I saw Leo last night.”
Sin chuckled. “Ahh, that explains that, then.”
Lucky sat up. “Explains what?”
“We went to the flea market on the West side this morning, heard some shit,” Sin said offhand.
“What shit?”
“Mouth, lil girl,” Kathleen gently scolded as she went back to her word search.
“What happened between you and Leo last night?” Sin asked instead of answering.
“He stepped to me at King’s, got mad at me that some of his motion stopped after we broke up.”
Sin scoffed. “That’s it?”
She squirmed. “He grabbed my arm.”
Sin growled as his panther lit his eyes. “Kat baby, remind me to send my son-in-law a bottle.”
Kathleen hummed but didn’t look up from her puzzle.
“What do you think Ezra did?” She just needed to confirm whether or not that man was walking around with missing fingers.
“I don’t know what Kaine did. I do know that Leo won’t be grabbing nan’nother woman with his right hand.”
Lucky sucked in a shocked breath.
“Ain’t no use in you being surprised, Lucinda. I had to stop your daddy from tossing that wolf into the Atlantic.”
“Mama,” she sputtered.
Kathleen sucked her teeth. “Don’t act green now, like you and your cousins don’t be flouncing around in these streets.”
“Who even uses the word ‘flounce,’ Kat baby?” Sin joked, shaking his head in amusement.
“Are you sure this is what you want, Lucky? Being with a man like Kaine won’t be easy. His life is dangerous and men like him and your father think in absolutes. Sin has kept you in a happy little bubble.”
“That’s what I’m supposed to do,” Sin responded.
Lucky sighed. “My panther is not playing about that man, but I am a little worried that I’m in over my head.”
“I ain’t raise no frail shifter, baby girl.”
“I know, daddy, but cutting off fingers? Not to mention the man kills people for money,” she whispered.
Sin snorted.
“Did I ever tell you that I met your father at the funeral of a man he killed?” Her mother smiled as if it were a precious memory.
“Mama!” Lucky was gagged.
“Quit telling the story like that, Kat baby. I ain’t kill that man. Now his daddy…”
“What in the world?” She grabbed her chest in shock.
Her father shook his head. “Baby girl, you ain’t never asked why my name rang bells in this city?”
She frowned. “I just assumed?—”
“You assumed I was running packs, making plays?” Sin mocked, chuckling. “You right, Kat, I did shelter my baby.”
“You did what you thought was right to keep your little girl safe,” Kathleen soothed her mate.
Lucky was flabbergasted. “Does Richie know?”
“That your daddy was a hitta? I really thought you knew too, Lucky. You was in the streets bold as hell like you knew how your daddy would come behind you.”
She sputtered, not even knowing what to say to that.
“Lord, you done broke her, Sin,” Kathleen teased.
“Mama,” she whined and laid back down in her lap. “Y’all doing too much.”
Kathleen waved off her concern. “I’m only saying that to let you know that I’ve been where you are right now. Ezra is an Ace and that comes with more, but all the same, it’s not something you can be wishy-washy about. His job is dangerous, and as his mate, you’ll have to play your position.”
“All the shit I taught you and your brother was to make sure y’all were safe from what I was doing,” Sin added. “You already know how to move, baby girl.”
Lucky thought back through her childhood. The secret handshake, knowing how to navigate through the city without her parents. It was like the blinders were lifted from her eyes.
“Damn,” was all she could say to that.
“Mating is already an overwhelming process, baby girl. Kaine’s position makes it more so. Take your time, but go into it with your eyes open. Though, from the scent of it, that ship has sailed. I like Kaine for you, and I like the way he shows up for you.”
“The rewards outweigh the trouble,” Kathleen said, rubbing her hair.
“Does Ezra know what you used to do?” Lucky asked her father.
“I used to work for his grandfather,” Sin answered, and Lucky’s vision swam.
Lord have mercy, her whole life…
“No wonder I couldn’t get a boyfriend,” she muttered.
“Didn’t stop your ass from sneaking around with them lil jumpoffs you thought you were hiding.”
Her cheeks heated and she covered her face, screaming into her palms. Her mother’s laugh filled the room.
“Oh, now you embarrassed.”
“Stop talking, daddy,” she whined into her hands. “I’m finna go.” She sat up and shook her head.
“You headed to Oakridge?” Sin asked.
She nodded, and her mother sighed. “A whole hour away. I don’t like that. Tell Ezra to move over here,” Kathleen whined.
Sin snorted. “Like you ain’t finna burn the road up either way.”
“Leave me alone, Sincere,” her mother fussed.
Lucky chuckled and kissed her parents. “I’m leaving before y’all tell me more than my mind can handle.”
“Text me when you make it home, love,” Sin ordered as he hugged her at the door.
Home .
She swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. Another sign that what she was building with Ezra was permanent. She left the house, but before she could get into her car, Hakeem met her at the door.
“Kaine wants you to take the chopper home,” he informed her.
Her breath stalled. “Oh.”
A helicopter ride? She nodded and followed Hakeem to the SUV idling at the end of her parents’ driveway.
She texted her parents that she was leaving her car there.
Richie had a spare key, so he would be able to move the car out of the way for her.
She took a deep breath. This was about to be her new life, and like her mother said, she needed to act accordingly.
Ready or not.