“I’m in.”
Kissing her head, I smile as I set her down, because I know she is and to her, that in isall in.
§*§*§
Alpha-Bit Security Zone
Sophie
We eat at the diner by the bakery and he ignores the women here. I point out the window toward the compound. “That is the rescued women’s compound. The bakery, Diner and little smart car hub are all run by them here. The hub ships their food all over the ABSZ then Phoenix and Bravo. Closer to Phoenix is the air field. There’s a town right before the Phoenix gate wall. They call it the north wall, anyway, the women send bakery boxes to all the Clubs by chopper on the regular supply runs.”
“Rescued?” He asks. I was giving him all the info that Falcon missed on his tour. He’s a president that doesn’t explain much so he missed quite a bit.
I lean closer. “The slave trading they shut down. Kids and women that don’t remember where they’re from were brought here. We have kids at Honor. The kids were adopted by Badass Officers all over the west.”
He nods. “D’Ability is the same. A lot went to Officers. The shift today is the two houses left. One Phoenix, one Champion. The third closed, not enough kids. Badass is into everything. Beacon said they shut down trafficking out of foster care. States didn’t know the traffickers were pulling kids out while D’Ability were getting double paid for, under their name, then a trafficked kid’s name.”
I shake my head. “I am so lucky I never got trafficked.”
He just looks at me and I see concern.
“What?” I ask.
“Do I need to talk to the women here more? All I see here are Prospects or waitresses.”
“The Prospects are Security. Now they have the drones so IT has them on Surveillance too. The reason I tell you is you look through women. It’s unnerving to skittish women. If they make eye contact, they’re working hard to move out of their past. Some won’t look at me, so they’re definitely not looking at you. You don’t talk much so pushing it will alert them. I’m just telling you so you get why they aren’t overly friendly. They take classes from Zion to help them interact with people.”
He nods slowly. “You mean men so they see what normal is?”
I giggle like a teenager. “Yeah, but I’m serious when I say some won’t look at me if I'm in uniform.”
He gets up with the bill and puts his hand out for me. I take it and stand by him loving this. He pays without looking at me for my half. I like that too since he didn’t let me look at the bill. He asked about me being ready like he didn’t want the extra time but the dating would get us more comfortable around each other in these situations. He didn’t have a problem talking to me over breakfast and definitely not the last two days. I did say I’m ready. I breathe deep while we wait at the counter.
Our waitress comes over quick. “Sorry, the girl is helping in the back.” She doesn’t look up.
“It’s okay. I don’t know her and don’t talk much. You don’t ask me a million questions. It was good and we’ll come back.”
The woman looks up fast, then back at her hands pulling change. “Thanks.” She looked at him. This woman was a basket case in the bakery. She hid from everyone.
Asa always stops to get Falcon six mini cupcakes. I think Asa eats two but I’ve never asked. He always gets two PB&J andfour vanillas with chocolate frosting. This woman hides until she sees him through the glass from behind the case. She never looks at me, or she didn’t until today. I nod letting her know he doesn’t talk much.
Hud slides the change back across the counter. “Tip.”
“Thanks.” She looks up again. Unbelievable. She doesn’t look at me but looks at Hud.
He nods and turns me around.
Outside, I ask him. “You got her to look at you.”
“Yeah. I don’t talk much and never look at the women. It’s not about you or anyone but me. Women in Badass work the service jobs or mostly do. Here they’re townies looking for Brothers to claim them.” He raises my hand in his so I get on the bike.
I do then ask. “Mika was a townie?”
His body freezes under my hands on his stomach. “No, met her at a bar, not the Club, a military hangout. She didn’t like the bike. Wanted me to sell it when I got out of the hospital.” He should have dropped her then.
“I’m glad you didn’t. Riding behind you is my new favorite. We should stop at the school on Web’s compound.” I add the last so he doesn’t have to comment on my new favorite.
He doesn’t answer, he grunts.
