Page 8 of The Sentinels

I smiled up at her. "Thanks." I noticed that she was wringing her hands, a nervous gesture of hers that I recognized. She had something to say. "Something wrong, Mrs. Bearden?" I set my empty coffee cup down and dug out my smokes.

Her mouth turned down, and a look of resignation came over her slightly wrinkled face. "Yes. I'm afraid this is going to have to be my last day, dear. My husband's not doing too well getting around these days, and it looks as if he's going to need me twenty-four-seven."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I'd never met her husband, but I knew that he'd had health issues for as long as she'd been cleaning for me. Since she was in her sixties, I assumed that he had to be as well.

"Yes, well, it's been coming." Her smile did nothing to smooth out the wrinkles in her face. "He's ten years older than me and ever since his bout with cancer; he's never been completely one hundred percent again." A big sigh escaped her. "Comes with old age," she laughed. "I'm sorry for such short notice."

"Don't worry about it." There were plenty of girls at After Hours; one of them was bound to need some extra cash.

She made a tisking sound. "I do worry about you," she said surprising me. "Living out here all alone, riding around town in that biker gang that you belong to, drinking and smoking . . ." She made a point of raising her eyes to the cigarette that I slipped between my lips. "You need to meet a nice lady and have some babies."

I knew that she meant well. "Someday," I said, to avoid anything more on the subject. "Is there anything I can do to help you? Need any repairs at your place?"

Tears brightened her blue eyes. "Oh, that's so sweet of you! But nothing that I can think of now."

"Well, you let me know if something comes up."

"I sure will." She released another breath. "Would you like me to try and find someone to replace me?"

I shook my head, blowing out a stream of smoke. "Not worried about it. I'll find someone sooner or later. Thank you for your years of service." I decided right then to mail her an extra check that would cover her salary for the next year. If she was giving up cleaning my house, it was a given that she'd be giving up her other clients as well. She could probably use the extra cash.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw her head bobbing. "It was a joy. I don't mind giving up my other jobs, but I'm going to miss coming here. Well, guess I better get going. I have a neighbor staying with Stan while I'm gone today."

"Thanks again," I said. I listened to the sounds of her leaving the house, and then her car starting up.

Eventually I was left with the peace and quiet that surrounded my home. When I was done with my smoke I flicked it out into the dirt, watching it spark before it died out. I should give up the habit. Hell, I had a lot of vises that I should cut back on. I drank too damned much, especially when I let the darkness in and hoped that alcohol would chase away the demons. I smoked, and fucked. Other than those vices, the only consistency I had in my life was breathing.

I snorted. I supposed that was how life went for a lot of us. We all had demons inside us, waiting to show up, waiting to destroy us. Mine were near the surface, trying to claw their way out and claim what was left of my fucking soul. I'd returned home from the service bitter and angry. I recognized it, but controlling it was another matter.

Harder still was seeing it every day when I looked in the mirror.

Chapter 6

Emerson

I gave myself a critical look in the mirror, wondering who the stranger was staring back at me. The girls' night out that had been planned on the eve of our spa day had been cancelled and rescheduled for tonight. That worked out better for me because I was off on Sunday, which meant that I could party all night if I had a mind to.

I'd gone out and purchased new clothes to go with my fresh, new look. The treatment I'd received at the spa had left my skin clear and glowing, and smooth and hairless where it needed to be, including my pussy. I still couldn't get over the fact that I'd had it waxed for the first time. The girls had practically ganged up on me and held me down on the table in order to get me to do it. I giggled looking back on it now. They had been insistent that if I did manage to hook up with someone he would appreciate a smooth pussy.

Hooking up wasn't on my mind, but a good time was. The little black dress I had planned on wearing was still hanging in the closet, replaced by a tight, clinging, red halter dress. The plunging neckline revealed a lot of the girls, but I couldn’t deny that it was flattering and sexy. So was the fact that it was backless, and very short. Daringly short. My black stilettos made my legs appear long and sexy. I'd arranged my hair in a messy bun on the side, my makeup was minimal, and I’d finished it all off with a light spray of perfume.

A knock at the door revealed that the girls had arrived. I opened the door to five smiling, sexy ladies all dressed to kill.

"Wow!" I couldn't help exclaiming, taking them in. "Are you the same women who belong to the Sentinels?" I teased. "It looks like you're all on the prowl tonight."

Laughter erupted. "You have a lot to learn about our men," Della quipped, taking me by the arm.

My eyebrows rose as she dragged me outside. Someone closed my door behind me. "Really?” I snorted, believing that I probably knew the habits of their men far better than any of them. "You mean like how big and tough they all act? How possessive they are of you, or how they can't keep their hands off you when you're in the room?" More laughter. "Or how about how they are dangerous, controlling, highly sexual, over-the-top alphas?"

"She knows our men," Ruby laughed.

"You forgot they're unpredictable and easily angered," Judith added.

"And they can be take-charge, don't-take-no-for-an-answer assholes," Cookie joked with a smile.

"Sexy as hell," Lonnie added to the conversation.

Everyone nodded their heads at that.

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