Page 21 of Klutz
Aurora was horrified, and I wanted to rip the reporter’s throat out. I wasn’t sure if I was angrier that Aurora Victoria’s name had been mentioned or mine! To be honest, Aurora’s section was quite flattering. The reporter had done some homework and talked about her excellent reputation and how she was a seer to the rich and famous.
But Aurora looked ready to blow. I wondered why and opened my mouth to ask her when she spoke.
“Damnit, this will bring everyone out for a bloody reading. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry!” Aurora snarled.
“Doesn’t that mean more money for you?” I asked, confused.
“Klutz, I’m already booked six months ahead. Even with my moving state, very few cancelled their appointments. I took this month off to get the shop ready because I had a feeling I’d need it, and I was correct. But starting in ten days, my consultations pick back up. What the hell do I do?” Aurora asked me almost plaintively.
“How many do you have a day?” I wondered because Aurora hadn’t mentioned extra staff.
“I have three. Four is my usual limit, but I often leave the fourth free for a walk-in or emergency. I can push to five. But it drains my energy, and I usually end up tired. Which leaves me little time to run the shop.” Aurora was getting upset, and I ran my hand down her arm to calm her down.
“Hey. This is what you do. Open that fourth appointment up. And stop at four. I don’t want my woman to become so tired she wears herself out. For the foreseeable future, make the fourth appointment a first come, first served one. Babe, open appointments for the remainder of the year and allow bookings. We’ll need to look for a shop assistant to help you here during the week and one at weekends. I’ll also shout Artemis and Dylan and see if we could get cameras hooked up and have a panic button installed wherever you do your readings. One of them can provide a guy for security.”
“Or woman,” Aurora drawled, her eyes cloudy.
I nodded.
“Or lady. Make sure the weekends you’ve planned for the next six months don’t change, though.”
“Well, I have three readings on Saturday mornings, with one slot free for a walk-in, and then planned to work until five in the shop. Sunday is my full day off. I’ve arranged to work Monday and Tuesday for four hours maximum doing the readings and then have the days free from one onward. Each reading is usually an hour, and I allow fifteen minutes of breath to cleanse the area and soothe myself. And grab something to eat and drink,” Aurora said a little cheekily.
“Then stick to that. Only four a day, babe, and should you become weary, we will cut it to three. Book the appointments, and we’ll monitor them. And only two months in advance for the extra readings. Then open the rest of the year at three appointments per shift,” I encouraged and saw happiness return to Aurora’s eyes.
“I need to advertise for a salesgirl and phone Dylan for a woman,” Aurora said, happier.
“Dylan doesn’t really do women agents,” I objected.
“Just contact him,” Aurora replied, and there was an air of knowing. She hugged and kissed me and waltzed off to ready herself to paint.
Once gone, my serene and happy front disappeared in a black cloud of anger. My past was fully disclosed in the article, and I was livid. It stated how I’d been two months from qualifying as a surgeon and starting my internship at my father’s prestigious hospital. It showed my arrest and spoke of how I’d fought for my innocence.
For everyone to read the dirty details, my beatings were mentioned, and the lawsuits I filed once my innocence was proven, annoyed the hell out of me. Although the reporter had stated the facts and the dominant theme was a black man wrongfully arrested for his white roommate’s crimes, I didn’t want it out there. I hated being seen as a victim. It also spoke of how my family had turned against me, even though they must have known I hadn’t committed the crime, and it vehemently ridiculed and judged their actions. A little ping echoed in me at seeing my family once again pay for their cruel judgement. Still, anger was prevalent because this was my private life, damn it.
Luckily, instead of focusing on the story of a black man wrongly accused, it detailed how I’d used my training and saved people’s lives. Paramedics had commented on how calm and collected I’d been and what a shame my loss of qualification had been to the medical community. The article was favourable to Aurora and me, but our privacy had definitely been encroached upon. There was no mention of Rage MC, which appeared odd, but I let it go.
A bang made me jump, and I spied two tall, built figures on the other side. With a wry smile, I opened the door, and Blaze banged it straight into my head. He stared at me in horror as he and Savage stormed in, looking concerned and wearing their cuts. I reached up, felt the lump grow like a cartoon bump, and sighed. Blaze looked guilty before I laughed. If shit was going to happen to anyone, it was a sure bet it would be me.
Savage didn’t say a word but stepped forward, gripped the back of my neck, and drew me to him in a man hug. I clapped my hand around his, bowed my head, and took the comfort he offered. Blaze went to shut the door when a third figure barrelled through, and Gauntlet locked the door behind him. Savage released me, and Gauntlet reached out and grasped my arm, just under the elbow, and held me tightly while silently offering his support.
“You okay?” Blaze asked, giving me his man hug when Gauntlet let go of me.
“Will be. Didn’t expect that in mine or Aurora’s face this morning,” I replied.
Aurora came bustling out wearing a tee and overalls. Her hair had been pulled back into pigtails, and she looked cute as fuck. Gauntlet grunted and swept her up, offering her silent support again as she patted his back. A surprised glance briefly crossed her expression, and then she cleared it.
“Hey!” she said as Gauntlet let her go, and Savage dropped a kiss on her forehead, and Blaze did the same. She started to speak when there was another knock, and Blaze rolled his eyes and let Lindsey and Ali-kat in. Lindsey didn’t hesitate but swept past us and curled her arms around Aurora.
Aurora responded a little hesitantly, and I knew this was because of how Lindsey had reacted to Casey, who Aurora had become extremely close to. And speaking of the devil, Casey blasted into the shop carrying Blue. Gauntlet looked panicked as Blue was shoved into his arms, and Casey joined the huddle with Aurora.
Slender arms wrapped around my waist, and I turned and was rocked with the weight of Vivie’s curvy pregnant body. I moved a hand down her back as Vivie murmured something. Lindsey left the cuddle and hit me with full force as she flung herself into my embrace and listened in amusement to Vivie.
“I think I understand some of that!” Lindsey quipped, and I nodded.
Vivie ran out of steam and grinned at us both.
“I shall skin them alive,oui?Je ne sais pas, maybe boiling them alive will be better?” Vivie continued, her eyes narrowing evilly.