3. Calista

3

CALISTA

“ A re you absolutely positive you don’t want to join me and Harry in New Mexico? The hot springs here are incredible. The water here has healing properties, you know. Plus, bathing in nature helps renew a connection with Mother Earth.”

“Sounds like you two are having a blast,” I tell my mom over the phone as I wipe down the counters in the latest property I’m showing Mr. Domino. “But I’m enjoying my job. Really.”

“Honey…”

I sigh, knowing there’s no use lying to my mother.

“Fine. Things have been a little stressful. I have my first client but I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing. I thought there would be more training or at least I would tag along with another agent to learn the ropes a bit before flying solo.”

“I get it, Calista. That’s why I was worried about you settling down and getting a normal job. I had exactly one desk job when I was twenty and I hated every second. I felt my soul withering away. It took me years to find my spark again.”

I nod even though I know she can't see me. I love my mother with all my heart, but we're two very different people. She's been telling me horror stories of her one month working as a bank teller for the last twenty-two years of my life. It's well-documented that Francie Rink isn't a pencil pusher and she has no interest in climbing up the corporate ladder.

“My soul isn’t withering, I’m just overwhelmed,” I tell her. “But that’s to be expected for my first sale. I’m just happy that I finally passed my final test and have the opportunity to prove myself at work.”

“Oh, that’s right! Your test! I’m sorry I forgot about it, hun.” My mom pulls the phone away from her ear to shout at Harry about passing my test. I hear a muffled congratulations in the distance, which brings a smile to my face. They are both well-meaning and I know they care about me. However, neither one is good at remembering important dates or checking up on the little things in life. “That’s great, we’re so proud of you!” she says back into the phone.

“Thanks, guys. I should let you go so I can finish getting this property ready. I’ll call you tomorrow?”

"Sure. Oh, wait, we're leaving for Arizona tonight for a jewelry showcase in Mesa. I told you I started making agate rings, right? Harry found a place to set up a booth and sell them! Isn't that exciting? I'll call you when we get back. It might be a few days. Or a week. I'm not sure."

“Have fun!”

“I always do, sweet girl. Love you!”

I hang up the phone and shake my head. Classic Francie. My mother is what most people call a free spirit. She follows her heart and leads with her emotions. Has she had her heart broken? At least a hundred times. But she’d say she comes back stronger and more in love with herself and her journey each time.

Growing up, my mom went through a lot of different phases. She became a yoga instructor for a while, then picked up shifts at an animal shelter where we ended up adopting three cats and a dog before they finally told her she had to leave. My mother is an ordained minister thanks to an online seminary and a two-hundred-dollar certificate sent in the mail, and she's a certified beauty technician as well. Then she got into tarot cards and did readings for twenty dollars a pop.

Of course, for each phase, there was a man who encouraged her and financially supported her every whimsical dream. It was fun and magical at times, but I've always wondered what it would be like to stay somewhere long enough to get to know your neighbors.

Focusing back on the task at hand, I take a final look around the large kitchen and nod. I’m confident Mr. Domino will be happy that this one is complete and won’t require any customizing.

A smile spreads across my face when I think about his one-word responses and grunts. Then the man went and shocked me with his wink and his whispered promise to keep my secret. There’s no way someone like him was flirting with me or found any interest in me romantically. He’s freaking hot as hell with his hazel eyes, strong nose, long lashes, and slight stubble dotting his sharp jawline.

And then there’s his body. The man is all muscle, yet he carries himself with a subtle, controlled grace. From my one meeting with him, I can tell Mr. Domino isn’t some meathead jock. He’s strong and bulky, yes, but there’s something about him that’s warm.

Or maybe I’m just as caught up in my emotions as my mother. I always thought I’d do things differently when it came to relationships. I have zero experience seeing as I’ve had zero opportunities to stay in one place long enough to catch feelings for a guy.

I was always with my mom on her next great adventure, switching from one school to the next until high school when she finally decided to homeschool me. Well, more like RV-school me from the road while we took a cross-country road trip to promote my mother’s self-published autobiography. To say life was a constant whirlwind of overstimulation would be accurate. It was also transient and lonely always being the new kid and then eventually withdrawing from my peers altogether.

The rumbling of a motorcycle startles me from my thoughts. I assume it’s Mr. Domino and I make my way to the front of the building to let him inside. When I open the door, I don’t see my client. Instead, the roaring of several engines fills the air, and I watch as three, four, five bikes creep along the frontage road bordering the property.

My heart hammers against my chest and I grow lightheaded as they approach, each man taking the time to look me up and down before speeding away. The last motorcycle in the line stops. The large man puts his foot down to steady his bike, the engine still rattling away and kicking up exhaust. He stares at me and I notice he has a black eyepatch with some kind of logo or emblem outlined in white. He’s too far away for me to read what it says and I’m frozen in place right now, so there’s no chance in hell I’m moving to get a closer look.

The man tips his head up, letting me know he sees me. I feel marked in a way, like there’s a bounty on my head. He speeds off in the next second, the revving of the engine so loud it’s almost painful.

I’m still shaking long after the rumbling sound has faded into the distance. It’s only when I see Mr. Domino coming down the road that I feel like I can breathe again. I knew he was part of a motorcycle club, hence needing the new clubhouse. I don’t have much experience with anything like that, but I didn’t want to assume anything negative. Now, I’m not so sure.

Still, I’ve never felt unsafe around Domino or threatened by him in any way. Grumpy, sure, but trustworthy.

I try not to gawk when the giant, six-and-a-half-foot slab of muscle with disheveled dirty blond hair and color-changing eyes steps off his bike, but I'm only so strong. Seriously, it's like this guy walked straight out of an action-hero movie set.

“Calista?” he asks, startling me a bit. He puts his hands up in front of him, palms out, in sign of surrender. It’s odd and kind of cute coming from someone who could snap my neck with his pinky finger.

“Mr. Domino,” I reply in my best professional-business-woman voice. “Good to see you again.”

“Thought I told you to call me Domino.”

His tone is gruff but his eyes… lordy, his eyes have a wickedly playful spark that’s making me feel some kind of way I’ve never felt before. Tingly? Sensitive? Like my skin is too tight and I’m overheated.

“Domino,” I repeat, hoping I don’t sound as awkward as I feel. “Ready to take a tour? I think you’re really going to love this place.”

“Lead the way,” is all he says in response.

I show him the kitchen and open dining area, fit for a bar or restaurant with just a few minor adjustments. Then we take a tour of several rooms in the back of the building along with a small hike around the edge of the property line. I’m feeling more confident this time around as I walk from room to room and point out certain features.

Domino hasn’t said anything, which I hope is a good sign. At least he’s not protesting, right?

“So,” I say once we’ve seen everything and are back in the front lobby area. “What are your thoughts? The complete commercial kitchen is a steal at this price,” I add, reminding him of the best selling point.

“So you’ve said.” His face is stoic as ever, not giving away a single emotion.

After an uncomfortable amount of time has passed, I finally speak again. “Any questions?”

“What other properties do you have lined up?”

Seriously? That’s your question?! I refrain from rolling my eyes, though just barely. Instead, I paste on my biggest smile and grab my clipboard and pen, eager to take notes.

“Maybe you could tell me some more specifics on what you’re in the market for? Let’s start with your current clubhouse. What do you like about it?”

“I like that I didn’t have to buy it and customize everything,” comes his grumbled response.

I should be annoyed, but he's kind of adorable. Domino is in over his head as much as I am, it seems. I just want us to be able to work together and find him something he's excited about. That is if Domino is capable of excitement.

I wait him out, not letting him get away with his non-answer. Finally, the confusing man lets out a heavy sigh and combs his fingers through his hair. My eyes are fixed on his thick arms corded with muscle, flexing as he reaches over his head.

“There’s nothing technically wrong with the old place,” he starts, focusing on the floor. I can tell it’s difficult for him to get the words out, but I’m just happy he’s talking. “The guys and I just need a new start. Someplace that doesn’t have the ghosts of the past, you know?”

Domino peers up at me, his eyes locking with mine. I nod slowly, letting him know I understand more than he realizes. This gives me a new insight. I thought he was looking to check off a few boxes and get the ball rolling, but this decision has a lot of emotion wrapped up in it. Domino is looking for a sense of renewal, not just a piece of property.

I have my work cut out for me but at least now I have a direction.

“The club, Deviant Souls, has had a rough few years,” he continues. I’m pleasantly surprised that he’s opening up a little more. Domino rubs the back of his neck and then crosses his arms over his chest. It’s like he doesn’t know what to do with himself as he’s sharing this information. My heart goes out to him. I wish I was brave enough to hold his hand or give him a hug. He seems like he needs one. “We kind of split up and some people went one way while most of us went the other.”

I nod, inching a little closer to him so he doesn’t feel so alone in this big, empty building.

“I got the shock of a fuckin’ lifetime when my MC brothers elected me as the new president. Never in a million years did I think I’d be in this position.”

“President?!” My eyes go wide and I feel the sudden need to curtsey or bow or something. I end up doing an ungraceful combination of the two, which I’m sure looks foolish.

I’m almost afraid to look up, but when I do, I see the barest hint of a smile breaking across Domino’s lips. I return his smile even though I’m blushing from embarrassment from head to toe.

The familiar beastly roar of the motorcycles from earlier echoes in the otherwise still and quiet air, making me jump and gasp. Domino turns to look out of the open door, reaching behind him and placing a large hand on my hip to tuck me behind his back. His protective hold sends shivers up and down my spine, and I automatically curl into him, fisting his shirt and pressing my forehead against his rippling muscles.

“You know them?” he grunts.

I shake my head no and Domino tightens his hold on my side.

“Just from when they drove by earlier. The guy with the eyepatch stopped to look at me,” I manage to stutter out. Adrenaline and lust rush through my veins, along with something wholly unfamiliar; safety.

That’s what I've been missing in my life. I've never felt unloved by my mom, but there have been times I've felt unprotected. Unsafe. Unstable. Right now, however, I feel like Domino would slay any dragon that dared look at me the wrong way.

The men speed past this time, not pausing at all, simply letting both of us know they’re here.

“Motherfuckers,” Domino mutters under his breath. His hand falls from my hip and he takes a step forward, leaving me cold and bereft of his comfort.

I follow him outside, not sure what to do next. “So, um, hold up,” I call out as Domino takes long strides over to his bike. I have to take two steps for every one of his. “Did you like this place? Finished kitchen, remember! Less customizing!”

“No,” is all he says before mounting his bike and searing me with an unreadable look.

I was expecting as much, but it’s still disheartening. “Are you free later this week for another showing? Third time’s a charm, right?” I laugh awkwardly at my own joke, getting no response from Domino. Damn, I thought we made some progress today, but then whatever connection he has with those bikers ruined it.

“Text me the details and we’ll figure it out.” Domino starts up his motorcycle and peels out of the parking lot, leaving me glaring after him with my hands on my hips.

I go back inside and make sure all the doors and windows are closed before making a few more notes in the file and crossing off this property from the list of potential places to buy. My phone dings with an incoming text. I’m surprised when Domino’s name pops up on the screen.

Text me when you’re home safe.

I roll my eyes but can't help the grin curling up my lips. It's a sweet gesture done in the most Domino way possible; demanding I report to him. This man has so many layers and surprises to him. I know my dreams will be filled with hazel eyes and rippling muscles tonight like they have been every night since meeting Domino.