Two
Aurora
Feet don’t fail me now! If I run fast maybe he won’t be able to catch me. When I saw the biker in the store coming for me, I panicked. Have they found me? The patch on his cut was different but there was no telling if the two clubs were working together. One thing about it and two for sure, I wasn’t going to make it easy for them. As soon as I saw my out, I took it.
Whew! It looks like the biker didn’t follow me out of the store. Maybe he wasn’t after me. It didn’t matter. I was happy I ran away. I couldn’t be too careful. Anytime I saw a biker with a 1% patch, I knew to get the hell out of dodge. I wasn’t taking any chances.
I was supposed to be keeping a low profile here in New Orleans. But, when that asshole exposed himself to me, my PTSD was triggered, causing me to go crazy on him. Normally, I was more composed, but the feeling of his slimy jizz on my leg set me off like a Roman candle. Nobody deserved that kind of treatment, so I protected myself. There were some really sick people in this world.
After cleaning myself up with about a dozen baby wipes, I felt a little better. When I got back to work, I would take some bleach and scrub my leg thoroughly. There was no way I was walking around with that man’s bodily fluid on me. The next thing I did was call urgent care to make an appointment to get tested for any diseases. I wanted all the tests! Blood, oral swab and peeing in a cup. I wasn’t playing around with my health.
“Hello, I need to make an appointment to get tested for STDs.”
“Okay, miss. Is this an emergency?”
“Yes, I need this done as soon as possible.”
“Can you come within the next ten to fifteen minutes?”
“I’m on my way now.”
My lunch break was ruined. Now, I had no choice but to grab some fast food and scarf it down before heading back to the salon. I had clients booked all day. Not to mention a new client that scheduled a last-minute appointment this morning. There wouldn’t be another opportunity for me to run out to get something to eat. People needed their hair done and I was new to the city. I could not afford to make my clients wait.
After leaving the clinic, I rushed to the local chicken spot and grabbed a quick bite that I ate in the car. Thank God for Jesus because I made it back to the salon with one minute to spare. My next client would be arriving soon, and I still needed to bleach my leg.
As soon as I closed the bathroom door, I heard my co-worker calling for me. Apparently, my new client was in the building. It wasn’t a good look to be late with a newbie, so I hurriedly washed my leg with soap, bleach and more soap. When I was satisfied that I was clean, I made my way to my chair.
“Girl, your new client is here. I tried calling you, but I guess you didn’t hear me.”
“Thanks, Lilly. Where is he?”
“I asked him to have a seat out front. That man is fine as a mug.”
“Oh, really. Let me go and see if he’s worthy of baby daddy status.”
Lilly and I always joked about good looking clients becoming our baby daddies. It was all in good fun. I neither a) wanted a baby daddy nor b) wanted a baby daddy. It was not in my life plan to bear some man a baby and not be his wife. And since I had no desire to be married, I would not be having any babies.
I walked out to the lobby with my appointment book in hand. I wanted to make sure I got the client’s name correct, so my head was down. When I did look up, I got the shock of my life.
“Jesus Cabrera? Hi, my name is Aur…”
My words died on my lips. Oh God, he found me! The biker from the grocery store was here in the shop where I worked. This couldn’t be a coincidence. Could it?
Okay Aurora, calm down and take a deep breath. This man had an appointment before the incident at the store. He did not follow you. He does not know you and you don’t have a reason to be suspicious.
“Hey, if it isn’t Lizzie Borden! What are the chances that you are my stylist?”
I rolled my eyes at his wise crack. He thought he was being funny, but really, he was annoying. Everything about him from head to toe got on my nerves. I hated bikers with a passion. They were nothing but trouble.
“The name is Aurora, not Lizzie Borden. Although for you, I’ll make an exception.”
“Alrighty then. Let’s go, Steely Dan. We can put your knife skills to good use.”
“Right this way, Sir.”
“Well, damn, Cher. If you keep calling me sir, I might have to bend you over this desk and show you my 50 shades of grey.”
The man was infuriating. I didn’t care how fine he was in those tight jeans, white tee that was molded to his muscular body and that long black hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. He was a little shorter than I was used to, but still towered above my 5’5” frame.
His name would indicate that he was of Hispanic descent. He certainly had the coloring. However, that sexy accent told me he was definitely from Louisiana. This man was creole if I ever heard it. Calling me Cher was a dead giveaway.
I tried my best to ignore those gorgeous brown eyes and that Kool-Aid? smile that made me want to swoon. I sat him in my chair and placed the protective cape around him.
“When you made your appointment, you said you wanted a wash and trim. Is that still the case?”
“I do prefer my trim, washed. And does it come with a happy ending?”
“Are you okay? You’re going a bit too far with the jokes. And they’re not funny. Let’s bring it back to a respectable conversation or you can get out of my chair. I don’t have time for this mess. Especially not after what happened in that store earlier.”
“Fuck, Cher, I’m sorry. I totally forgot what that couyon did. Forgive me, please. I was just having a bit of fun. I’ll tell you what, since I have been such an ass, you can do whatever you want with my hair. Cool?”
“Yeah, okay.”
This biker had just made the biggest mistake of his life. He gave me free reign over his hair. I knew it was part of his identity because no man grows his hair shoulder length without using it to his advantage. This fool wasn’t going to recognize himself when I was done.
I guided Mr. Cabrera to the sink, so I could wash his locks, and then back to my chair. After forty-five minutes of snipping and buzzing with the razor, the masterpiece was complete. Now, I wasn’t crazy enough to mess with my money, so I gave him a fresh cut. However, his long locks were no more. He was going to go crazy. Hah! Now, for the big reveal.
This biker now had the haircut of a hipster. I gave him a bit of flair by cutting some lines on one side of his head. The top still had a bit of length to it, but it was styled away from his face. The back and sides were cut low, but it suited him. It took at least five years off him and made those gorgeous eyes pop. I removed the cape and shook it out, before picking up the handheld mirror.
“Are you ready to see your new look?”
“Let’s see what you did to me, beautiful.”
I handed him the mirror and stepped out of the way, so he could use the big mirror behind him to see the back of his head. My anxiety grew because I was taking a chance by cutting off his hair. Bikers were notorious for having hair pin tempers. No pun intended. Sometimes I was my own worst enemy. I didn’t need to be on the shit list of any more bikers. I just couldn’t help myself. He was fucking with me, so I got my payback.
The room went silent as he checked out his new look. Suddenly, the temperature in the room went from cool to Sahara in a matter of seconds. Sweat beads popped on my forehead and my mouth went dry. What if he got angry and lashed out? What would I do then?
When a smile grew on his handsome face, I let out a long sigh of relief. The look in his eyes told me he appreciated my skills. Maybe, just maybe I would get out of this thing unscathed.
“Okay, Edward Scissor Hands! When I said do what you want, I wasn’t expecting all this. I think like it. It brings out my eyes. Nice job, Cher.”
Another happy customer. When he left the salon, I was left with a hundred-dollar tip, his phone number, and an invitation to dinner. I accepted the tip but declined the date. I decided not to delete his number, just in case I changed my mind.
Three
Sheol
There was something special about that spicy little hairdresser. Not only was she beautiful, but she was funny. I knew she had balls of steel from the incident in the store, but damn if she didn’t blow me away with her bravery. I mean the way she just cut my hair off like it was nothing, gained her major points. My hair was my thing. The fact that she buzzed me, and I liked it, meant something.
You couldn’t tell me we didn’t have major chemistry. She was feeling me, but for some reason, she turned me down for a dinner invite. I wasn’t sweating it. I also wasn’t easily deterred. She would see me again and again until she gave in. Sinners weren’t built to take no for an answer. Eventually, she would be under me, calling my name, and crying for her Lord. I had no doubt about it. For now, I needed to get my ass to the clubhouse and show off my new look.
When I arrived at the compound, I dismounted Lucy, my custom-made Harley, and tossed the keys to our newest prospect, Jason. That couyon wasted no time getting to the clubhouse and telling Loki he was being sponsored by me.
“Alright, Prospect, take care of old Lucy here. She is to be returned to me like I handed her off or there will be hell to pay.”
“No problem, Sheol. I promise she won’t have a spec of dirt on her.”
“That’s what I like to hear.”
As I walked into the clubhouse, I braced myself for all the shit that was coming my way. Everybody knew I loved my long hair. It was going to be a shock for everyone to see the new me. I needed a drink in the worst way if I was going to deal with my brothers mouthing off at me. I wasn’t one to partake in spirits, but this called for it.
“Look what the cat dragged in! Is that Sheol? You look mighty pretty, brother,” Dragon called out with a chuckle.
Here we go! Always the one to strike first blood, Dragon was my boy. We got along better than most. As I ventured further into the room, there were cat calls, whistles and even a marriage proposal. My brothers were relentless in their quest to bust my chops. It was all in good fun and if there was one thing I loved, it was having a good time.
Sauntering over to the bar, I ordered a ginger ale and emptied the glass, as if it contained a spirit. Alcohol is not on my list of things I consume, so when the urge hits, I drink soda. Raising my hand for another, Aisha, one of the club hoes, immediately replaced the empty glass. I smiled at her in thanks and moved to a table in the corner to chat with my best friend, Cougar.
“Man, what the hell happened to your hair?”
“What’s the big deal? I simply got a haircut.”
By the look on Cougar’s face, I knew he was not going to drop it. I hadn’t had a haircut in three years. Don’t get me wrong. I got my hair trimmed regularly, but if the stylist took off more than half an inch, there was hell to pay. So, I understood my friend’s inability to believe that I willingly sat in a chair and let someone hack off my locks.
“Sheol, who the fuck do you think you’re fooling? The man I know would rather cut off his own balls than to chop off his hair. So, that tells me one thing. This has to do with a woman.”
This bastard thought he knew everything. He got on my last nerve. The look on my face must have given me away because Cougar burst out laughing and shaking his head.
“So, who is she and when can I meet her? She must be one fine piece of ass if she made you cut your hair.”
“Fuck off, Cougar! You’re not meeting her because I barely know her.”
“Wait, what? You barely know her, and she somehow convinced Sampson to give up his strength? What is she some kind of witch? Did she put a spell on you?”
I chuckled at his silliness.
“There was no magic at play here. She was my new hairdresser. I owed her for mouthing off and without thinking, I told her to do what she wanted with my hair. This was the result.”
“And you didn’t kill her? The Sheol I know would have split her wig for tugging on your hair, let alone cutting it all off.”
“She is alive and well. I plan on finding out just how alive very soon. There’s nothing more to it. Now, can we drop the subject?”
He raised his hands as if to surrender. The shit eating grin on his face told me I was never going to live this down. He was relenting for now, but I knew for sure he would bring it up again at an inopportune time.
I sat at my table in the corner nursing my ginger ale and watching the club girls entertain my brothers. It was kind of my thing. I enjoyed seeing how others interacted with each other. For example, Dragon and his ole lady, Lyra, were all over each other. The way he looked at her with such love in his eyes made me long for the same thing.
There were several brothers who only wanted a good time. Those were the ones who delt with the club girls. At this very moment, there were at least three couples in various stages of sexual encounters. As the wiseman of the club, it was my job to advise my brothers on all types of lifestyle choices. Nothing about my job involved me judging others. We all had chosen to live the lifestyle of the Sinners. That came with wild and crazy activities. There was no way I would ever pass judgement on one of my brothers. If they came to me for advice, I gave it freely. Otherwise, I kept my opinions to myself.
Cougar and I were laughing at the guys trying unsuccessfully to do a line dance to Tanner Adell’s Buckle Bunny song. They were out of step and looked a damn mess. The best thing about it was how they were falling all over each other and thinking they were on beat. It was hilarious. A couple of the club girls came over trying to entice us into joining the fun. Cougar engaged and followed the girls onto the dancefloor, but I wanted nothing to do with it.
“Oh, come on, Sheol. You never turn me down. What’s going on with you?”
She attempted to run her hand through my hair, but I stopped her. It was weird, but I had an uncontrollable need not to have any other woman touch my hair, except Aurora. The way I pulled away clearly annoyed the girl, but I couldn’t give two fucks.
“I’m not in the mood tonight. Go have fun with Cougar. Give him a two for one special. He looks like he needs it.”
The long-haired beauty named Amy, rolled her eyes and sauntered off behind Cougar and his toy of the night. I wasn’t sure, but I could have sworn she mumbled something about me acting brand new because of my new hair.
Maybe she was right. There was something different about the way I felt inside. It was like that feisty little spitfire hairdresser awoke something deep inside of me. I rubbed my chest as I thought about her pretty face and her beautiful big brown eyes. Warmth consumed me and I smiled. It was the first time I ever remembered thinking about a woman that I never even kissed. This one was special, and I was not going to let her slip through my hands.
Around nine that evening, I decided to call it a night. There was no need to hang around the club. The brothers were in full party mode. I, however, was in the mood for some peace and quiet. I could not find it at the clubhouse, so I decided to go to work.
I owned HUSH, a listening bar located in a much calmer part of the city. You might think a bar would be loud and just the opposite of what I needed, but you would be wrong. A listening bar was a place people went to commune with the music. It was all about the tunes. Nobody came there to have conversations. In fact, it was frowned upon. Patrons came for the vibes. It was a place I went for solace.
As soon as I walked through the door, I was greeted by Nina Simone’s lovely voice crooning about putting a spell on her man. It was so apropos, considering what Cougar was saying earlier. Maybe Aurora did have me under a spell. The way I couldn’t get her out of my mind would back that theory. I wouldn’t care if she did. I was so smitten with the lady that I would gladly accept any love spell she cast.