Chapter 6 Everett #2
An evil cackle comes from Kenneth. He peers over his glasses, glaring at Frederick.
“What you deserve? You mean your fucking monthly allowance that is four to five times more than anyone else’s in this town isn’t enough?
When you don’t lift a finger or get your hands dirty but indulge in everything and anything we get for free?
Grow up, Freddy. I’m so fucking sick of you.
You’re lucky Everett gives a shit about you. ” His words slip out like venom.
Frederick’s face contorts. He wants to remark back but knows he’d be given a verbal assault by Kenneth.
I speak up. “You will be working the horse stables, no booze, no drugs, and you will be watched by members. They will have orders to beat the living snot out of you if you even look at a booze bottle or try to go against your punishment.” Staring him down, I dare him to bitch .
Frederick abruptly stands. “Fuck you!” he yells, then storms out of the building like the toddler he is.
Lyle speaks. “That went as expected.”
Then we all take a seat at the table to review the books and determine how to mitigate the losses.
After an hour or so, the calmness is disturbed as a small tornado of a brunette enters the room. She has blood on her top and skirt.
Ah.
The nurse.
I was wondering when we would run into each other. I’ve been keeping my distance, remembering how intrigued I was by her. I don’t need any distractions, but hell, I’ll welcome one to stave off this migraine.
Staring her down, I fight my urge to smile as her face indicates utter surprise.
My thoughts began wandering again. Studying her facial expressions, I find them to be adorable, and the blood splattered on her attire makes her rather enticing.
It’s nice to see a woman get her hands dirty—other than Baba, that is. Although I’m not too sure Baba is a woman—more so a heretic.
Bobby comes storming in after her. “I’m sorry, I tried to stop—”
She cuts off Bobby with the fierceness of a lioness swatting at a cub. “Who the fuck is in charge?”
Damn.
Her words slap me harder than any verbal assault from Kenneth. Quite impressive.
I never thought I had a type of woman, but she may be it.
“May I help you?” I say.
Keeping the icy composure of my facial features, I place my chin in my hand, contemplating my next choice of words and trying my damnedest not to show any emotion.
This woman brings out a shudder of excitement in me, a small hint of curiosity that I haven’t felt in such a long, long time.
I repeat the question. “How may I help you, Miss Brielle? I don’t have all day.” I notice her throat bob as she swallows hard. My mind trails off, wondering what that neck would taste like on my tongue.
Gracious, my mind .
She finally gains courage and speaks. “I’ve just bandaged up another boy, a boy I’ve patched up for you .
You lead them out to do your dirty work and these boys have no idea what they are getting themselves into.
” She clenches her delicate fists by her sides, but continues with her false confidence.
I am bewitched by this woman. No woman other than my mother has had the gall to shout at me. I can’t stop staring at the rise and fall of her chest, wishing I could stop time and admire this beautiful creature. There is something within her. Something dark .
I need to know.
Purposefully I let the room become awkward, uncomfortable, my icy persona engulfing everyone’s senses.
Then I finally stand, coming to a very entertaining conclusion as to how I may dissect this creature more. “You seem tense, nurse. Why don’t you get a massage?”
“What?” The word softly falls out of her mouth—she’s flabbergasted. Biting back a smile, I wave everyone off.
Bobby leans down and whispers something in her ear. Why does he have the right to be that close to her?
“You’ll be getting a massage tomorrow and another one after, to relieve some of the tension from your work-life imbalance.
As for the boys, they have the souls of warriors and many of them have a story, a reason, a why behind how they became one of us.
Back stories no one would wish on anybody.
That burn is to show others they are protected by us and to show they are a part of our family.
We are loyal to them and they are loyal to us,” I calmly explain.
Bobby and the woman turn to leave, no goodbye, no chance to look at those emerald eyes once more. So I speak. “Brielle. Thank you for patching up my men. They have only positive reviews.”
She will be surprised I remembered her name. Surprised I paid attention.
Of course I did. She’s the only thing that has helped me feel alive in far too long.
Kenneth remarks, “Jesus Christ, should’ve fucking thrown an adder at Frederick and another at that annoying bitch.”
I look over at Kenneth. “Brother?”
He looks up at me and remarks, “What? ”
Making my tone as deadly as the devil, I say, “Don’t ever talk about that woman like that. Ever.”
I retreat to my office to finish off some more books. My gaze seeks the window and I spy the brunette below.
Crossing to the window to lean against the pane, I proceed to fold my arms.
Bobby is speaking some nonsense to her, appearing to be convincing her to get on his motorbike.
I scoff to myself, but narrow my glance as I peer down at her facial expressions.
She’s debating some sort of offer from Bobby.
“No.” The word escapes my lips with an exhale.
I follow the movement of her delicate hands. She pulls up her skirt by the hips, then lifts her petite leg to climb behind Bobby upon his motorbike.
What.
The.
Fuck.
She is straddling his backside.
Though the movement is calm—no sexual intention behind it— it’s causing my blood to boil.
Early the next morning, my curiosity gives in. I find myself following this woman.
Following her .
I have no idea what I’m doing, but my legs have a mind of their own as I stalk her.
She just finished up her night shift at 0300. This woman worked as our nurse all day, went home, changed and then worked a shift at the hospital.
I thought I was a workaholic. Granted, I didn’t take her statement about her jobs wholeheartedly. My cynical stance on life doesn’t allow me to fully trust others I’ve just met.
She walks into a run-down apartment complex. That is owned by Carlton, a known piece of shit.
She is probably overpaying for this dump, and being the piece of shit he is, I’m worried Carlton is also harassing her.
I observe the building from the side street, watching for a window to light up to her room. It doesn’t, and from my observations, Carlton probably cornered Brielle to the top floor.
Despicable .
Approximately twenty minutes after discerning which apartment is hers, I walk into the run-down complex.
Almost as if I have Baba’s predictive abilities, I find Carlton, the greasy landlord, outside Brielle’s room trying a key, but it appears she has bolstered the door with furniture to make sure he cannot get in.
Good girl .
I watch him struggle for a bit, his drunken state and overall existence irritating my soul as he yells, “You owe me a date! Dammit!”
He doesn’t hear me sneak up behind him.
I hear Brielle trying to sound polite through the door, as she shouts, “Please leave me alone!”
Deciding I’ve had enough of this situation, I saunter over and slam my palm into Carlton’s fat face, causing him to become cheek to cheek with the door.
“What the f—” he tries to mutter through his crushed face.
Then I grab the bastard by his chubby cheeks.
His jaundiced eyes go wide as he gazes up at the devil he knows.
I don’t really want to hear him speak one more word after hearing him yell and curse at Brielle, persisting she go out with him and about how she “owes him.”
What the hell is everyone so fucking entitled?
He tries to push me off, then claws at my hands.
“Hiya, Carlton. You really shouldn’t speak to a woman like that.” Then I slam his head against the wall a few times, until I’m satisfied he won’t be getting up anytime soon.
His body slumps down to the floor as he takes an involuntary nap.
I peer over to find Brielle’s beautiful eyes peering through a small gap between the door and the frame. Holding my hands up, I say, “I’m not here to hurt you.”
“What do you want?” She tries to sound confident but I can hear the cracks in her voice.
No, no… I didn’t want to scare her, but this fucker…
“Brielle, I’ve come to take you to your new home.”
She opens the door a fraction more and stares up at me.
“I have an apartment,” she states.
I chuff, “You have a shithole, Brielle, and it clearly isn’t safe. I can’t have anything happen to our company nurse.”
Her brow furrows as those emerald eyes question me.
I stare at her gorgeous face, darkening my features as I calmly state, “Brielle, please. Before I break the door down, put you over my shoulder and carry you to your new apartment.”
Her eyes go wide in shock and I don’t miss the pink tint in her cheeks.
“You wouldn’t dare,” she snipes, narrowing her eyes at me, trying to sound intimidating.
How adorable.
“Darling, my whole life is led by dares,” I retort, then hear the scuffle of her moving the furniture from behind the door.
I just made a split-second decision with this apartment business, but it isn’t anything that can’t be easily accomplished.
I own half of this town.