Page 2 of Emergence: Prequel
I’d taken her hand and gently shaken it, replying, “Maestro.”
And that’s how it hit me, every time I saw her over the next twenty years. That she was married to one of the brothers I’d disliked instantly from when he’d first started prospecting with us was only the tip of the iceberg. He’d kept the fact that he was married a secret the whole time, only bringing her around once he’d been patched in. Not that being married stopped him from availing himself of the hangarounds and club whores.
Over the years, I’d watched as that bright smile slowly dimmed and her eyes slowly lost that sparkle that had captivated me as he cheated on her again and again. Not just with the club whores but also with strange that he picked up. I’d wondered at her loyalty time and time again. She never once strayed, no matter how badly he treated her, until she couldn’t ignore it anymore, not when his behaviour was affecting her children.
Over a year ago, I’d watched along with my dad, Lizzie, Cash, Maura, and Thor as she broke.
I’d not thought about it; I’d just reacted when I’d heard his inability to keep his dick in his pants had affected her health. I’d dragged him naked from the whore’s rooms and into the ring that we had outside and beaten the hell out of him. Then I’d gone to their house, helped her pack up his shit, and taken it to his room at the clubhouse.
It was in the course of dropping off his shit in his room that Dad, Cash, and I found his stash of drugs, which was against our bylaws. Finally, we had what we needed to get rid of him.
I’d never been happier than the day we stripped him down and burned his club tattoo from his body.
Knowing that Stacey wouldn’t have the money for a lawyer, I’d sent the club lawyer to her. She never knew that I paid for the lawyer, ensuring that she got a fair payout for her and the kids. It had helped that he’d not been able to stay out of trouble and had ended up in jail on manslaughter charges for killing someone in a bar fight.
As far as I was concerned, it’s what he deserved.
A knock on the doorjamb pulled me from my thoughts, turning my head towards Cash, who was standing, shoulder resting against the doorjamb, arms crossed over his chest, eyes twinkling with amusement.
“You’re going to be late for your daily fix if you don’t get a move on.”
Flipping him off, I nevertheless stood up, pushing my chair in. With one last glance at the tapestry, I walked out of my office, closing and locking the doors behind me.
Enquiring as I walked past him, bumping him with my shoulder, “Are you coming with me?”
Sniggering, Cash fell into step beside me until we reached our sleds, “Don’t I always? I’m wondering if today’s the day you actually ask her out or if you’re just going to stare at her again?”
“Fuck you, Cash. She’s had a lot going on. I’m not just going to jump all over her now that her divorce is finalised.”
“I know, brother, just don’t leave it too long or someone else may get in there before you. Working at the diner, I’m sure she gets asked out plenty. She’s still a good-looking woman.”
Grinning wickedly, I tell him, “Oh, you don’t have to worry about that; I have ways of keeping tabs on her.”
With those words, I start up my sled and ride out the gate, my best friend following just as he always has. My destination: thewoman who, come hell or high water, I was going to call mine before too long. I’d waited over twenty years for her to be free of her dead weight, and I wasn’t waiting a minute more.
STACEY
It was hard, but I was trying my best not to look at the clock every five minutes. I knew he’d be here soon, just like he’d been every day over the last year, ever since I’d started working back at the diner.
“He’s running late,” Jenny nudged my shoulder as she came to a stop by the table I was pretending to clean as I looked out the window. Throwing a look over my shoulder at the clock, I saw it was just gone three; he was usually here by now.
“Maybe something came up,” I shrugged casually. I mean, it was possible; he was the President of the local Motorcycle Club. He definitely had more important things to do than come and see me at the diner on the shifts I worked. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed, though. Not that I expected anything from Maestro, but I’d got used to the friendship we’d built over the last year and a bit, ever since he’d beaten the shit out of my ex. He also thought that I didn’t know it, but I knew he’d arranged for the club lawyer to represent me in our divorce, ensuring that I’d got what was deserved, although I’m sure the fact that Grudge was caught up in a bar fight and ended up killing a man helped the divorce push through quickly.
It had taken a few months for me to pull myself together after the divorce was finalised. Once I’d got the all-clear from the doctors on my test after the last STD Grudge had given me, only then did I really start living again. I realised how muchI’d missed the woman I’d been before life and a waste-of-space husband had worn me down.
With the scholarship for Kyle that I’m sure came from Maura and Cash, although both denied it, I hadn’t pushed for information. But if they both happened to get extra hard hugs and baked goods every time I saw them, that was neither here nor there.
Rosie was more settled now that our house wasn’t a war zone where we were constantly treading on eggshells around Grudge. Thankfully, he hadn’t been around much the last year of our marriage.
Just yesterday, I’d treated myself to a trip to the salon and had a couple of inches cut off; it was still long, touching my backside, but it felt so much lighter. I’d also had them add a few highlights. It had been a long time since I’d felt attractive, but I was slowly coming back to myself. I’d been sad that I’d had to put it into a braid, but I didn’t like it loose when I worked. I’d also bought myself a new red top, a colour that I loved but hadn’t worn in years, and paired that with my jeans and boots that I wore to work as we didn’t have a uniform. I felt good for the first time in years. Even Rosie had noticed the difference when I’d taken her to school this morning. She’d told me I looked hot. Too hot to be working at the diner.
I’d laughed and thanked her; the good feeling had followed me around all day.
My musing was broken by the sound of pipes coming down the road. Ignoring the flutter that settled low in my belly, I tried my hardest to keep the smile from my face, but it was impossible. He was here.
Jenny laughed low as she bumped me gently with her hip on her way past me to the kitchen. “There’s your man.”
“Sheesh,” I swatted at her with my dishtowel, “he’s not my man.”