Page 35 of Saving Helena

“What is it?” I already knew I wasn’t going to like it much. Then Dimitri told me how Helena strolled out of the club near midnight to work at the Duck. Jesus. I knew she was gone for her shift, but the description made me grumpy.

“Damnit. I mean, yeah. I knew that she had her shift there. Not real happy about it.” I admitted, trying to ignore the look of glee on Dimitri’s face.

“She was mad at us for telling her you wouldn’t like it. I was almost thinking I should follow her, but we had this thing,” he gestured towards the hallway, indicating our interview with Jake. “You think she’s safe out there in town?” Dimitri looked a little concerned at the thought.

“There’s been no sign of anyone. That's not exactly a place they’d look to first if they were on the hunt for her, though. They’d come here based on their records if they were looking. Right?” Suddenly, the anxiety welled up in me. Was it a mistake to agree to send her out there alone? I was thinking that by telling Vito to keep an eye on her, it’d be under control. And, like I said, they had no reason to start at the Duck. It made sense for them to come here first if they were looking for Helena. “Did I fuck this up?”

“Nah, prez,” he chuckled, nudging my shoulder. “She was pretty determined to go. Like you said, I don’t think they’d start there. None of her history would point them there.”

I let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the tension from my temples. "Damnit," I muttered under my breath. "I should have talked to her about this before she left. Not having eyes on her makes me a little crazy. She doesn't understand the dangers. Now, with this new deal with Pike, there is a new dimension too."

Dimitri shifted uncomfortably, clearly feeling the weight of the situation as much as I did. "I'll go check on her," he offered, though his tone was hesitant.

I didn’t hesitate to jump on the offer, and I’m grateful for his willingness to check on her since I’d be tied up for a few more hours. "Yeah, do that," I said, my voice tinged with urgency. "Make sure she's safe. She’d be super pissed if I went so early in her shift. “I can go a little later, though.” I smiled, thinking about having her sit beside me in one of those booths. Maybe she wore shorts, and I could touch her under the tables and make her all hot and bothered before she went on to the next customer. It made me hard just thinking about it.

“I gotcha,” he threw me a wink.

Being president of a motorcycle club like the Brotherhood was a pain. After Dimitri left, I hustled through my mental ‘to-do’ list. It’d already been a pretty long day. This morning, I hadn’t been joking with Helena when I said I’d not be able to lie around in bed, no matter how much I wanted to.

The Brotherhood had four legitimate businesses in town that needed to be run. While we had managers for those, for some fucking reason, the managers required managers sometimes. Then there were the businesses that weren’t so legitimate — those needed additional attention, too. We had a system for those that worked out pretty well. Like anything, though, there were grievances that needed micro-managing and supply issues that only I could handle to keep everything running.

Helena could be stubborn and wanted to keep her independence, but I couldn’t bear the thought of her being harmed. It made me feel better that Dimitri would check on her, although I wished I were the one doing it. Maybe I could have surveillance added to the Duck if she insisted on working there, but maybe she wouldn’t have to know—something to think on. I hadn’t decided to confess that I’d spent our time apart watching her, stalking her. Maybe honesty wasn’t the best policy there.

Not to mention, I should have been more vigilant and realized that creep Makarovich was working at Concorde Financial. Probably should have gotten her moved to another job. Now that she was here, though, I’d do everything I could to keep her happy if she’d let me. I knew she wanted to work for her own money, which would be a balancing act that I’d have to grit my teeth through. The call to the Duck had been my olive branch. I figured she’d be more willing to stay in town if she could work a little, and her life wasn’t so wrapped up in just the MC or the Open Road.

Now, all I could do was hope that we didn’t have any issues and that we couldn’t figure out. We just needed to keep her protected from this shitstorm with Makarovich if we could. Dimitri and I had talked it out, and the men from his brother were supposed to arrive sometime tomorrow. Once they did, we’d map a route directly to the auction site. Neither of us was comfortable just giving up on the victims. The club agreed during Church that we’d go after the traffickers with the full force of the Brotherhood.

Dimitri had wondered if he needed to tell club members about his past, but I’d told him he didn’t. In the end, he’d said he’d prefer they continued to think of him the same way they always had — without the Bratva past. I wasn’t sure how that would be possible, but I’d let Dimitri keep that fantasy. He was worried they would treat him differently if they knew where he came from. It wasn’t something he could put off forever anymore, but who was I to say? It was up to him anyway.

Buckling down on my office work, I kept at it. I wanted to get to the diner and surprise Helena. There was no way I was waiting until the end of her shift to see her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Helena

The bell above the door jingled as another customer stepped into the diner, bringing with them a gust of chilly night air. I straightened up from wiping down the counter, offering a warm smile as I greeted them. The shift had already gone well, and the diner’s atmosphere was homey and cheerful.

"Hi there, welcome to the Odd Duck. Grab a seat wherever you like, and I'll be right with you," I chirped, the words flowing effortlessly from my lips. Already, I felt like I was fitting in here. Daisy was a massive help in getting me trained and acclimated for my shift. There were still some things she was helping me with, but the Duck was old-school, so it wasn’t too hard getting into the swing of the place.

The diner was bustling tonight. A steady stream of customers were coming in for a late-night meal or a quick cup of coffee, which meant great tips. Despite the hectic pace, there was an energy in the air that I found exhilarating. Given that I had so much experience at the Open Road with a pace busy with demanding customers, it was easy to let myself get into a groove. I weaved through the crowded tables, balancing trays of steaming food with practiced ease. The people at the Duck were typically more relaxed than the men I was used to, focused on their food and moving on to the next part of the day, not hanging around socializing. At this time, we had customers just starting their day or truckers pushing through to their next stop.

"Daisy, order up!" Vito's booming voice echoed from the kitchen, prompting Daisy to act. She didn’t pause as she passed me, her red hair bouncing with each step as she went to the pass to pick up a huge stack of plates. She’d been waitressing here for a while, so she had no trouble maneuvering as she delivered plates of food to waiting customers. The girl had a seemingly endless supply of energy for the late hour. We were moving into the four a.m. range, and she hadn’t slowed down, either with her chatter or the spring in her walk. I wondered if she was hoarding a particular brand of caffeine somewhere that maybe I should be trying to find.

I couldn’t help but admire her efficiency. Her confidence shone through as she navigated the diner’s chaos with ease. Working alongside her and Vito felt like part of a well-oiled machine, each of us playing our part to keep the wheels running smoothly. The familiar system of restaurants everywhere had me picking up tables and the all-important tips as the night went on.

"Helena, table four needs more coffee," Daisy called out as she passed by me, her voice barely audible over the din of the diner.

I nodded in acknowledgment, mentally noting to refill the coffee pot on my next round. As I approached table four, a group of tired-looking truckers greeted me, their worn faces brightening as I set down a fresh pot of coffee.

"Thanks, darlin'," one said, flashing me a tired but appreciative smile. "You're a lifesaver."

Waiting tables wasn’t necessarily glamorous, but I’ve always liked it. Despite the long hours and the occasional demanding customer, there was something profoundly gratifying about making someone's day just a little bit brighter with a simple cup of coffee or a warm meal. During college, I’d waited tables on the side and worked in a little coffee shop, which I loved, probably more than my accounting job.

Even though the night wore on to early morning, the diner showed no signs of slowing down. As I navigated the bustling dining area, balancing trays and refilling coffee cups, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of contentment wash over me. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dimitri sliding into a booth. To my disappointment, he was alone. After our little conversation earlier, I was surprised to see him, although I guess I shouldn’t have been. I guessed that Maddox sent him to keep an eye on me. It hadn’t escaped my notice that there had been a few tables with prospects hanging around nursing coffee and sending glances my way.

Dimitri wasn’t in my section, so I didn’t bother going over, but I did give him a little wave. I spotted Daisy lingering at his table as I approached a group that just sat down. Craning my neck a little, I watched as they made conversation. I’d love to see Dimitri hook up with someone stable. He deserved it. Daisy was so bubbly and cheerful that she’d make a nice counter to the grumpy side he’d developed. However, I wasn’t sure if Dimitri could handle all her chatter. Dimitri cornered me a few moments later while heading back towards the kitchen.

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