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Her phone buzzed again and Skyla shifted, trying to ignore it. The vibrating stopped and Skyla inwardly sighed in relief, but then it started again.
Caden’s mom approached and was quickly brought into the fold. “My husband and I were over there talking to Tanner and Garrett about that fancy grill my son bought, but I overheard something about a color changing drink and I just had to come over here to see what that was all about.”
“I’ll pour some for you Mrs. Dobbs,” Hallie said. “I’m not sure if you know this, but Skyla runs the famous Madigan’s Bar and Grill and she makes the best mixed drinks. I’m hoping maybe one day she’ll teach me a few of the recipes.”
“I’d love to,” Skyla said, giving Hallie a quick side hug. “I’ll be right back.” She reached into her pocket and stepped away from the group. Looking at her phone, Skyla couldn’t help but wince at all the messages she’d missed from Arlo J.
AJ: We need to meet.
AJ: You still owe me.
AJ: It’s urgent. Answer or I revoke my protection of your old man.
AJ: Last chance.
Skyla’s eyes burned as she pressed his name on the screen and brought the phone up to her ear. The last thing she wanted to do right now was talk to the man who was literally making her life a living hell. But what choice did she have?
“You’re a hard one to track down today. Madigan’s. Twenty minutes.” His blatant demand sent a shiver up her spine, but the line went dead before Skyla could respond. It didn’t matter though. It wasn’t like she could argue or postpone. She’d made a deal with the devil and it was time to pay up. Again.
She glanced over her shoulder at her friends. Hallie and Orly were laughing, while the moms were trading recipes on their phones. The guys seemed to be in their element, manning the grill or in the case of Caden and Blake, talking about something serious. But that didn’t surprise her. Blake hadn’t been the same since his incident. The only one missing was Martin, but he was working today so he was going to swing by later.
“Hey Skyla, is everything okay?” Orly asked.
Skyla smiled, grateful to have friends who cared and noticed when she seemed off. “I’m good, but there’s a situation at Madigan’s I need to take care of.”
“Oh no, you’re leaving?” Hallie asked.
“Will you come back?” Hallie’s mom asked. “This drink is absolutely incredible.”
“Thank you, and no, I don’t think I’ll be able to come back. But it was really nice meeting you both,” she said to the moms. “I hope you stop by Madigan’s one day. Drinks are on me.”
“We’ll definitely take you up on that,” Mrs. Dobbs said.
“I live a little ways away, but I’m hoping to visit Hallie more often,” her mom said. “Maybe we can do a girl’s night.”
“I’d love that,” Skyla said. She may not have had a happy childhood, but with Orly and Hallie, she had a chance to be happy now. “I gotta run. I’ll see you ladies later.”
She hugged all the women goodbye, and gave a quick wave to Caden from across the yard before leaving. She wasn’t sure if he saw her, but she didn’t want to interrupt whatever he and Blake were discussing.
She collected her purse from the hall closet and rushed out to her car. She’d parked on the street to ensure no one could block her in the driveway. As soon as she pulled on her seatbelt, her phone buzzed with an incoming text message.
Skyla glanced at it, but tossed the phone aside, not even bothering to respond to the man responsible for this mess she was in.
Eighteen minutes later, she pulled into her designated parking space at Madigan’s in the alley behind the building. Without even going in, she knew the bar would be busy. It was a Sunday afternoon. There would be dozens of patrons inside, with several staff members to serve them. All five flatscreens would be turned on to various sporting events, and everyone would be cheering, talking and shouting over each other.
Skyla waited for the familiar black SUV to pull up behind her before getting out of her car. “Get in,” AJ snapped, his dirt brown eyes glaring in her direction through his driver’s side window. He was a large man with jet black hair and an enormous skull tattoo on his left bicep peeking out from under his short sleeve black t-shirt. He was president of the Deathly Hallows Motorcycle Club, notorious for their affiliation with drugs, weapons, strip clubs, and now, gambling.
It was the last part that made Skyla’s stomach want to revolt. This wasn’t the first time she’d had to use her gift to pay for her father’s gambling debts, and knowing her father, it wouldn’t be her last. Not even close.
Skyla steeled herself for what she had to do. It didn’t matter who AJ was or what his motorcycle club was known for. As long as she kept her end of the bargain, her father was safe. Even if it took almost everything out of her every time she healed someone, she’d do it to protect the only family she had left.
She opened the driver’s side back door and hopped inside, sitting on the bench seat next to a blindfolded man slouching over in a semi-conscious state. A growing red stain marred his striped shirt. His MC cut had been removed and tossed aside on the seat behind them.
At least AJ had honored her only request - whoever he brought for her to heal had to be blindfolded so they couldn’t identify her or bring any of their friends back to her without AJ. Afterall, her deal was with him and only him.
“Let’s go,” AJ ordered, glaring at her in the rearview mirror. “I don’t have all day, and he’s definitely running out of time.”
The slumped over man had dark, greasy hair, a strong brow, and a thick neck covered in various tattoos. Skyla rolled up her sleeves and unbuttoned the man’s shirt.
