Chapter Twenty-Three
Amelie
SELF class with Maggie used to be one I would dread, now it’s one I actually enjoy.
Kalen loves to stir his mother and she sent him on an errand.
We won’t see him again for the rest of the class.
She told me a few days ago that she sends him on a wild goose chase just to keep him busy and out of her hair.
The bell rings, and everyone packs up their belongings and races from the class. I make sure to wait behind until everyone leaves.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, looking up from her desk as I walk to the front of the class.
“Yes, I just wanted to give you this.” I hand her a credit card.
“I know that Monty gives you money and you get a wage here, but I looked into it and I know it’s not that much.
I don’t want you to rely on him anymore.
Everything will change after you are fully initiated.
Use that to get a dress, one that says a huge fuck you, fuck off and fuck her. ”
She chuckles at my use of the word fuck but doesn’t chastise me for swearing in her class.
“As Kalen would say, eff yeah,” she agrees with a laugh. “I can’t thank you enough, I’ll finally be free.”
“We’re lucky to have you.”
She smiles and pulls me into an unexpected hug.
Everyone here seems to be huggers. I wrap my arms around her to return it.
I miss Chelsea and her motherly hugs. Laura sure as shit never gave out affection, and Debbie clearly didn’t think keeping me with her was an option for whatever reason.
I got lucky when my dad met Chelsea and I finally had a motherly figure in my life. I miss it so damn much.
Maggie steps back and wipes a tear from my eye.
“I’m sorry. I miss my step-mum’s hugs.” I’ve never really referred to Chelsea as my step-mother; just the word mother would always taste like poison in my mouth, and I didn’t want her associated with that, but now she deserves that title.
She is my mother in every sense of the word, and I make a mental note to tell her that when I talk to her next.
“If you ever need a motherly hug, you know where to find me and if my sons have anything to say about it, I have no doubt that one day I will be your mother-in-law anyway.”
“Many, many years away.”
She chuckles. “I don’t think it will be that long at all, my boys know what they want and they go for it. It’s the only thing I will credit Monty for instilling in our children.”
“I’m sure you’re to thank for that too. I should get to lunch before Onyx snaps at my friends. He isn’t taking well to his table being overrun by girls.”
“I’ll see you on the weekend.” She smiles.
I know she loves the fact that she has one up on Monty. I don’t know what went on between them or how Laura involved herself in that. Monty really isn’t a bad guy from what I’ve seen, but we never really know what goes on behind closed doors.
I leave the classroom and head towards the cafeteria.
Nerves hit me full force as I’m left to walk with my thoughts.
I’m eighteen and in charge of an entire secret organisation.
Me. How the hell am I going to pull this off?
I know that I’m brave on the outside, but inside I might crumble.
I’ve always had strong men around to hold me up and protect me.
I know I still have strong men around me and that they will protect me, but what sort of leader does that make me if I can’t protect myself?
Self-doubt is hitting me straight in the gut, so I need to stop having this pity party for one.
Walking into the cafeteria, I smile. The new recruits Mackenzie and Kathryn really fit in with Elsie and Adrianne. All four of them sit at the guys’ table. Kalen laughs at something Elsie has said and Slate smirks. Onyx scowls; he really isn’t impressed that his table has been overtaken by girls.
“It's nice to see her happy.”
“For fuck’s sake Jasper,” I say, clutching my heart. “Sometimes I forget that you follow me around everywhere.”
“Sorry, you zoned out and I wanted to bring you back to the present,” he says with a smile.
“Thanks, and yes, it’s nice to see her so happy.”
“I’ll get you some lunch,” he adds.
“You know Adrianne is supposed to do that,” I point out. He shrugs.
“I lost a bet and have to continue to get your food for the rest of the school year…don’t ask. I should have known better.”
I laugh and shake my head at him as he walks away.
I make my way to the table and Onyx grabs my hand and pulls me into his lap like he has been doing often, always needing to be close to me.
I’ve asked Sawyer to get him in to see someone, but Onyx keeps refusing.
I don’t want to force him into it but if he won’t talk to any of us soon, I’ll have to make it mandatory.
“What did I miss?” I ask, leaning back into Onyx’s body.
“Just Kalen being Kalen,” Slate explains. That’s enough explanation.
“Fair enough. I have these for you, girls.” I pull credit cards from my pocket for each of them.
I slide one towards Adrianne, Mackenzie and Kathryn. “You’ll need a dress, and the ones required cost more than most people earn in a month. If you need a list of stores, ask Elsie. She knows all the best places.”
I hold one up to Elsie and she shakes her head no. I didn’t think she would accept, but I had to offer.
After her family died, some hot shot lawyer took on her case.
Her family was extremely wealthy, and even though she killed her family, he was a shark.
He managed to get all of their life insurance money, their assets, and everything they owned all passed on to her.
She’s set for life and never has to lift a finger if she doesn’t want to.
Surprisingly, the lawyer wasn’t greedy. He took his cut, which was still a shit ton of money, but he didn’t rip her off.
I looked into it recently to make sure no surprises popped up before she was initiated.
I knew Baxter would have looked into her past, to see what he could use against her, but I don’t like being in the dark where my best friends are concerned.
“Speaking of dress shopping, Amelie, we really need to go. You promised that you would come with me and we are running out of time.”
“I know I did, but I have to cut early today. I have some business that Monty needs to discuss with me. I’m trying to multitask the best that I can.”
“Fine,” she mumbles, taking a bite of her salad. “If I can’t find a dress and have to wear something that makes me look less than perfect, it will be all your fault.”
“You could wear a potato sack and still look perfect,” Jasper gushes, which causes Kalen to make gagging sounds.
“Do you know what we should expect for our official initiation?” Kathryn asks.
“Some ancient as fuck dude, most likely Amelie’s uncle, will welcome you officially and everyone will clap,” Kalen says. “Boring.”
“You’ll all receive training, and a specialist will give Amelie a run down of areas within The Order that would best suit you based on their assessments.
There will then be a meeting where you will get your first assignment, since you do have certain obligations.
After those obligations are met you will have another meeting with Amelie about your future, where you will be invited to train in your chosen specialised area, at our cost. Once fully qualified, you can work directly for us or if you want to pursue something outside of The Order, you will still be listed in your key area and contacted if someone needs your services.
If that happens, you’ll be able to negotiate your terms, but all of that will be covered in your follow up meetings,” Slate explains.
“The Order pays exceptionally well if you work within the ranks,” Onyx explains in a low voice.
“Most of our recruits from here end up working for The Order directly. We rely on those who go to those fancy, posh schools to become our connections. They go on to be politicians and lawyers and judges and what not. Here at Knox, we find people who are not afraid to get their hands dirty.”
“Speaking of, I have to go and meet with Monty shortly. I have to make an appearance at a prison.” Onyx’s chest vibrates underneath me. “Don’t start, this is my job now and I have obligations.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” he snaps.
“I know, meet me for dinner tonight at Sawyer’s and we can all spend some time together.”
Monty ended up being called away to a school board meeting to get us fast tracked out of school, so Sawyer and Frost have been sent on my mission with me. I’ve looked over this guy’s file and tried to memorise everything that I can.
Once we walk through the main doors and are buzzed into another room, a huge beefy guy pats down Sawyer and me. He doesn’t pay any attention to Frost, and I wonder if he works within The Order. Surely Frost taking weapons into a maximum-security prison isn’t allowed? Even for my safety.
Once he’s happy that we’re not concealing anything, we’re led down a corridor and into a room, where the guy who is referred to as ‘The Beast’ is chained to the table.
He’s one of our contract killers. The Order sent him on a mission, and he wasn’t supposed to get caught.
I’ve read over what happened, but something doesn’t add up. No one knew what he was doing.
“It’s about time you lot got here, do you know how long I’ve been waiting? You want some bitch to be in charge, that’s on you.”
Sawyer goes to step forward and I hold my hand out; I have to handle this.
I point for him to go and stand by Frost, and I take the chair in front of the desk.
“I understand that you’re frustrated but let’s get one thing straight, you will not call me a bitch.
Ever. It’s either Boss or Miss Rossi. Otherwise the only thing that will happen when we get you out of here is an extraction team will take you out with your first breath of freedom. Do we understand each other?”