8. ‘Kitty’

EIGHT

‘KITTY'

RUBY

The photos Lachi keeps sending me has me feeling a bit jealous of his friends. Wherever they are is beyond gorgeous. They've been horseback riding and did some fishing in, I think, a stocked creek on the property. He's sent me pics of the, I guess, house they are staying at and each meal he's eaten.

This is how I remember it with him. Easygoing as we started to get to know each other. I can't figure out what happened that set my anxiety to first make an appearance then hit the top and go nuts. Something did though, and I started second-guessing myself on why such a great guy would want to be with me. That's when I started to pull away, ignoring his calls and texts. Something scared me. Or maybe I heard someone talking about us and that freaked me out. I've not shared about Lachi with any of my club sisters, except Wildcat, and Squirt knows more than any of the rest. Not sure if it's because we're both prospects and around the same age. Well, not true, I'm older but I believe she's seen more of what the world is really about. What her biological dad did to her was beyond horrific and that she turned out to be the sweet loving young woman she is, a total miracle, for sure.

Today has been average, nothing too bad. I didn't have to go to the Wooden Spirits but took Addie to Devil's on Wheels Trucking Company to show her the ropes there. For some reason she seems more comfortable at this business than the bar and grill. Never one to be nosy, I just casually throw that thought out there to see if I get a response. And I totally do, which gives me some insight into our newest prospect.

"Yeah, Kitty, kind of like this one better. Quieter and by myself, well yeah, you too, but not a ton of strangers googling me, trying to get in my head. Just from the looks on some of those people's faces, I know they have an idea of where I was, which terrifies me. What if some of those really bad people are amongst them? Could they take me again and this time move away from here? Sell me to some sick pervert, say in Texas or Seattle or, shit, California or Maine. I don't know and that's why I prefer staying at the ranch. Yeah, some strangers come but mostly it's the club's family and friends. My level of anxiety isn't as high there as it is as soon as I leave the ranch."

"Addie, you suffer with anxiety too? Not sure you heard, but I've been trying to hide it since I got here, but lately it's showing its ugly head. I might have messed up the beginnings of a good relationship by being stupid and stuck in my head."

"Well, Kitty, you didn't fool me. Guess us head cases can see each other some way."

We both chuckle as I show her around the building of Devil's on Wheels. This is not only a real trucking firm, but also where we house some of our vehicles used to crack down on the circuits. Tink, once again, has invested a ton of her inheritance to make sure we have what we need. There's even a truck that's been tricked out and turned into a kind of bus that carries humans, though it still looks like the mix of a dump truck and tractor truckers use. Pussy usually drives it but has been training and letting one of the Intruders newer prospects be available since him and his ol' lady now have three kids. Yeah, thinking that brings a smile to my face. Pussy with kids of his own. Gotta love it, I sure do. When I first started with the club, his ol' lady was pregnant with his first. If I'm not mistaken, he's one of the main reasons that Chains from the Grimm Wolves club was found. Damn, Pussy sure does give me some hope. At first, I was afraid to talk to him but once you get to know him, he's—and this sounds stupid—but a gentle pussy cat.

Addie and I spend a good couple of hours going over all that needs to be done as far as cleaning. I explain that we don't touch any of the computers or trucks. Those are not cleaned by us. She asks some good questions and adds a few things that might work better while cleaning. I share with her that Tink wants to expand this building so maybe, if down the road, we have drivers who need somewhere to stay, they could bunk down here. Addie asks why not at the bunkhouses at the ranch, and I explain most of the victims we bring back after we bust a trafficking circuit are mainly women and children. We promise to protect them during their healing processes. Most of the women are petrified of men in general, so having a bunch of truckers around the ranch and bunkhouses is not a good idea. The only men the victims generally see in the beginning of their reintroduction into society are Noodles, Panther, and Avalanche. Oh, and some of the Intruders like Tank, Enforcer, and Yoggie, since they are usually part of the mission in one way or another.

Addie goes to dump the water down the toilet from mopping the offices, so I walk into the kitchen and grab some waters. When she comes back, I tell her to have a seat and take a break. Place never looked so good ; I think to myself.

"Hey, Addie, would you rather just clean this building and skip the bar and grill? Since I'm in charge of all the cleaning, I can schedule you here and maybe at the gym, and keep the Wooden Spirits off your list. Does that work for you?"

Before I know it, the poor girl is crying, looking at me. What the hell?

"Hey, what's wrong? Come on, it's just you and me, tell me. Did I say something to hurt your feelings?"

"Nope, the exact opposite. Kitty, I've never had anyone worry about me or my feelings. You blew me away, sorry I started to cry like a baby."

I look at Addie and it hits me; she's so very young. I know she's at least eighteen because our club won't let anyone prospect before that. She worked on getting her GED before she could wear that prospect kutte.

I give her some time then suggest maybe we go to the Wooden Spirits to grab some lunch. She nods and uses her sleeve to wipe her face. Yeah, Addie is young. We finish up then I lock up the shop and we both walk to our vehicles. Mine is my bike and Addie's is one of the club's vans. She doesn't have a bike yet, which she's okay with. She's learning to ride with Glory, Peanut, and Heartbreaker. Each sister brings something to the table so I'm sure she'll be on a bike soon.

As I go to get on my bike, Addie grabs my arm.

"Hey, Kitty, thanks so much. Didn't know you were so cool. For the first time since your club found me, I don't feel so alone. That group of sickos had us running all over but now I feel like I'm grounded. So I do appreciate it, even if I don't say it often enough."

She gives me a sort of a hug then turns and walks to the van. I'm kind of surprised but also glad we had this time together. We were able to get to know each other without the eyes of all the club sisters. Sometimes they can be beyond intimidating, that's for sure. Addie pulls up next to me, giving me the signal to lead. We both pull out and I stop to engage the fence to close and arm itself. Since the garage was attacked a few years ago, it's now on Raven's security rounds to keep an eye on everything. Once locked and the security is armed, I lead the way to Wooden Spirits. I'm starving and can't wait to see what the cook has as a special for today.

Addie and I have placed our orders and are waiting when she states she's going to the bathroom before the food arrives. I sit here sipping on my tea, looking around the grill, not shocked it's almost full. The last couple of months business has been steadily growing. Lunches are busy but dinnertime is crazy. Kind of glad I'm off tonight is my thought as one of the high school kids, Timmy, makes his way to me.

"Um, hi, Kitty. Can I ask a quick question 'cause I'm confused."

He asks me his question and as I'm trying to explain the procedure for closing down the kitchen after cook has taken care of her station, I see something toward the back of the hallway, Addie being cornered by two men. Something tells me she's in trouble. I get up, telling Timmy to get Wildcat and whoever is in the building. I move quickly and quietly toward where those two men now have Addie up against the wall, one has his hands on her. No way, not on my fucking watch, asshole. I reach at my back, grabbing my Sig Sauer P238 so I'm locked, loaded and ready for anything. The closer I get, the better I see the utter fear rolling across Addie's face. Her eyes are huge as the one asshole leans toward her, licking her cheek. My stomach turns because that tells me these two assholes are very dangerous if they would accost a prospect of the Devil's Handmaidens Motorcycle Club in their own place of business.

"I'm going to say this one time, you scum bag motherfuckers. Get your filthy hands off my sister now, before I put bullets in the back of both of your heads. Do it now, then turn around, hands in the air."

One of the men kind of snorts a laugh then slowly turns. When he sees my gun pointed at them, he turns gray.

"Let her go, we got some trouble."

I keep my eyes on both men, waiting for any sign of them feeling brave. If I can help not blowing someone's head off in the Wooden Spirits, that would be great. I feel her before I even have eyes on her. Shadow has that effect on people, including me. When she flies past me, I keep my weapon on the man who had turned around. Shadow grabs the asshole by the neck and literally moves Addie before slamming the cocky bastard into the wall, knocking him out cold.

The aura and atmosphere surrounding us feels pure dark and evil. Shadow is in her element when I hear voices behind me. Sister by sister makes their way to us. When I see Spirit push her way to where Shadow is kneeling next to the prick who licked Addie's cheek, I can't believe my eyes at what I'm seeing. Shadow has a knife and is just about ready to cut his tongue out. Spirit grabs her arm, shaking her head violently. Shadow's eyes are ice-blue and dead. They seem to speak without words because Shadow draws back while Spirit pulls her phone out.

Addie stumbles my way and I see her top is ripped, and she has the beginning of a black eye and a fat lip. The guy who was standing off to the side hasn't moved at all, though I can see that he's pissed himself as he keeps his eyes on Shadow, watching her every move.

"Wildcat, might want to pull those walls together as quick as you can. I have a feeling shit is about to go down. Might want to close early."

Hearing Glory telling Wildcat that tells me tonight is going to be one of those nights you never forget. I pull Addie to me, whispering quietly that she's okay, though I know that's a lie. She looks up at me through tear-filled eyes and softly asks me a question I don't have an answer to.

"Kitty, when is it going to end? All I want to do is try and have a life. Why are they so mean?"

Before I can even think of an answer, I hear loud voices on the other side of the building. Now that the walls are closed, I can't see who is having a hemorrhage. When I hear a familiar voice and then sudden silence, that tells me Avalanche is here to help Shadow and Spirit handle whatever is going on.