Chapter 10
Ruby
The next morning, I wake up with Ben.
“Why are you up so early, princess? You should sleep in.”
“I’m going to work out at the gym.”
“Not yet. Not until we know what’s going on.
The guys that were following you in Eastport showed up in Smithfield last night.
Today, Judge and I are going to remind them of the treaty.
I need to know you’re safe.” He leans over and kisses me deeply, pushing me back into the bed.
When he steps back, I touch my lips before watching him get dressed.
“Ben, I need to work out; my muscles are starting to ache. Please. Also, you said that Evie and I could go to town last night.”
“We’ll go after I get off work this evening, okay?”
“Alright.” I still roll out of bed and get dressed, knowing I won’t be able to go back to sleep.
Ben watches me for a bit before stalking toward me.
“I’m crazy with how possessive I am about you. Just the thought of you being away from me works up my anxiety,” he confesses, wrapping his arms around me while I stand only in a bra and a pair of tight jeans.
Turning around, I kiss the tattoo on his chest, then his bearded chin. “My love, I’ll be okay. You have Boost with me today and a couple prospects. Also, Judge will have his team for Evie with me too.”
“I know, but I won’t be there.”
“You saw last night that I can protect myself.”
He huffs before kissing me long and deep, then turns to walk out.
I finish getting ready when my phone goes off with a text from Evie.
Evie
Come down for breakfast. I want to show you my shop.
My brother bought her a storefront on Main Street in town, and because we didn’t go that way yesterday when we came in, I didn’t get to see it. This is Evie’s dream to have a business of her own to sell her designs in.
An hour later, we’re standing in the shop, and Evie asks me to commission a unique piece of artwork for one of her walls—a mixed-media piece, incorporating fabrics from some of her designs.
I’m humbled she would ask that of me, but I should have known my bestie would also want to share some of my work in her space.
However, before I can answer her, a taller, beautiful woman with a warm olive complexion, deep brown eyes, and dark-brown hair pulled back into a severe bun walks in.
Hammer follows behind her, and all the guys stand down when they see them together.
“Thought I would bring Regan over to introduce her to you, Evie.” Hammer saunters towards us. Evie told me he offered one of his security company’s female bodyguards to watch over her when she’s off the compound, since Chump is no longer allowed on her detail.
The woman holds out her hand. “Hello, I’m Regan,” she says in a soft yet firm tone. Evie takes her hand, and they shake; she then turns to me.
“I’m Ruby.” We shake as well, her grip strong but not overpowering. I notice callouses on her fingers, and her arm muscles bunch under her jacket. “What are you trained in?” I ask.
Regan smirks before answering, “Too many to count, but my primary training is Jiu-Jitsu. I’ve also got Sambo and Wushu. How about you?”
“I’ve been doing Krav Maga more lately, but I’ve got some training in those too.”
“I love Krav Maga myself.”
I turn toward Evie and say, “From that short resume, she’s a badass who will protect you.” We all laugh, and Hammer sneaks out to leave us alone.
After a bit, we decide to walk to a brand-new bakery I heard about. On the way, we pass a natural stone shop—Calypso’s Metaphysical Healing and Stones.
“We should go look in there after we are done,” I suggest as we step in front of Breanna’s Sweet Treats shop.
Gazing through the glass front, I see touches of purple, yellow, and green, along with beautiful beading and exquisite masks. The New Orleans/Cajun influence is evident in the signage out front and the sounds as soon as the door opens.
Fiddle music plays while a young boy stands in the middle of the floor, his eyes closed, and as it gets louder, he starts dancing around the room.
Something about him gives me pause, but then three women step out from the back.
The boy continues to dance, but the women just watch us.
Both Evie and I are in our property vests.
The guys surrounding us wear their cuts, and then there’s Regan. We look imposing as a group.
The three women all bear a striking resemblance to each other.
Two, though, are unmistakably sisters with their different shades of brown hair and nearly identical striking blue eyes.
The third looks vaguely familiar, and I pause as I take in her sea-glass blue-green eyes and light golden-blond hair.
They each have similar bone structure, however.
“Welcome to Breanna’s Sweet Treats. I’m Breanna.
How can I help you?” She is one of the women with matching eyes but has darker hair with honey and caramel highlights.
She has a Southern accent, with a slightly different tone.
It reminds me of a college friend from Louisiana.
“Sorry about the music; he likes it loud.” She points to the little boy who finally opens his eyes and jumps towards the other brown-haired girl.
“My nephew and sisters are visiting, so we couldn’t hear the bell chime over his music.
” She continues to apologize, and it concerns me that this poor woman feels the need to defend herself and her actions.
“It’s okay. I like the music.” I turn to the little boy and introduce myself, but he cringes back when I hold out my hand. His mother leans down to him and begins to sign, and the boy responds in a high-pitched voice.
“Off. Over there.” He points to a table, and I see a small device. “Head hurts.” His words are broken, as if speaking is challenging for him.
I watch Loco step forward and squat down to the boy’s height.
He signs rapidly, and the boy laughs and responds to him, his young little face so animated.
Finally, Loco vocalizes what he’s signing.
“I’m Loco.” The boy chuckles and signs letters, then another sign.
“Well, hello, Mace. It’s nice to meet you.
This is Ms. Evie and Ms. Ruby.” We wave to the boy when our names are said, but then I look at the third woman again.
I can’t get out of my head that I recognize her from somewhere.
“I’m sorry, have we met?” I ask her, and she shakes her head before speaking.
“I’m Dr. Ashlyn Neighbors. I just moved to Jupiter a couple weeks ago, so I doubt we’ve met.” Her voice is softer, with a more European accent than her sisters’. It reminds me of Lach’s and my dad’s voices.
“I like your accent,” Evie says, then pauses. “Wait, like the new OB-GYN, Dr. Neighbors? I’m going to be one of your first patients.”
“Yes. My practice will be open in a couple days. I just dropped in to see my sisters. Judge called me this morning.”
“Judge just spoke with Lach about you yesterday.”
The other girls look at Ashlyn, and I watch her body tighten up at my cousin’s name. That’s when it hits me. “I know how I know you. We’ve never met, but I’ve seen pictures of you. I’m Ruby Knight.”
“Oh.” Her eyes bounce around the room without looking at me. She starts wringing her hands; she’s nervous, likely thinking Lach is with us. She looks beyond us to the men out front.
“They won’t hurt you. This is Boost and Regan. The others are members of the club too.” I point out the window to the guys waiting for us.
“I should go.” Ashlyn turns to hug her sisters before she slips past us.
She’s more beautiful than in her pictures. I’d only heard she was supposed to marry Lach, but she left him. I’m shocked she’s here, but Evie told me about the confrontation between Judge and Lach yesterday at his office.
“This is my sister Keighley,” Breanna introduces the mother of Mace.
“You know ASL?” Keighley asks Loco. He blushes before looking toward us, and I can’t believe I witnessed it.
“My parents are both deaf. I learned to sign before I could speak. The teachers in school would get upset that I’d rather sign than talk.” He laughs, and Keighley smiles back at him.
“So you’re a CODA, then. Mace was born deaf. We were just down in Eastport where he was being treated for the cochlear implant.” It’s not a question but a statement.
I wrack my brain for a few moments before the meaning hits me: child of deaf adults.
“He’s doing good. He told me that he gets headaches from it.
My mom didn’t get her implant until she was in her thirties; she suffered from headaches too.
The doctors used to say, too much noise.
That her brain had to get used to processing it.
She would remove hers for quiet time, as well.
Try some cool compresses on the back of the neck and forehead.
They have these new head ice packs that help people with migraines. It might help him.”
She smiles softly at him. “Thank you so much. I’ll try one of those. I think I’ve seen them on .”
They continue talking while Evie and I each order a beignet at the counter. I try the coffee, but Evie goes for an herbal tea. We sit down at a table and continue our visit with Breanna and Keighley. Mace has moved to another table with Loco and Boost, animatedly asking them questions.
“We should do a girls’ dinner one of these nights at King’s Crossing,” Evie suggests to the sisters. “I just moved here myself, but Ruby grew up around here.”
Both sisters quickly turn in my direction.
“Has Lach said anything about Ashlyn moving here?” Breanna asks me.
“I know he threatened Judge yesterday when he found out,” Evie supplies.
I want to be loyal to my cousin, but he’s a jerk when it comes to dating and any mentions of Ashlyn. I decide I like these girls and want to get to know them a bit more, so I’ll give them a little information, just not too much.
“He doesn’t speak to me about it,” I reply. “When he first moved here years ago, he was always angry.”
“We weren’t sure relocating here was a good idea, but Ashlyn wants to try, plus we had nowhere else to go.”