Page 3 of Scythe's Salvation
hand to make sure everything is structured just right. The brothers already helped us organize the break room, which has a full-size refrigerator, a huge microwave, some comfortable couches, a table and chairs, as well as two well-appointed bathrooms.
We have a restroom for clients, but the breakroom is our sanctuary. Since we anticipate hiring at least one female, we decided two bathrooms was needed. We also have a cleaning crew hired, even though we’ll clean and disinfect our work areas after each client. They’ll do a nightly clean, but once a month, we’ll have them do a deep dive to ensure all the nooks and crannies stay spotless. Ryleigh, Rory, and Belle came in and decorated, keeping with our retro theme.
Our goal is to become so well-sought after that we get bikers coming in, but also the general public. Which reminds me… “Heard anything back on the ad we placed?” We’re looking for another artist, as well as someone who can pierce. Both of us are able to do that, but I don’t want to be piercing nipples or dicks ifI can help it. Still, it was another way to bring in the green, so I don’t regret taking the classes or getting the certifications.
“Got a few candidates we need to interview,” he says.
“Chicks or dicks?” I question, making him snicker.
“Both, actually. One is newer to the industry but wants to apprentice, if possible, they might be a good fit for the front desk position. We can work with them on walk-ins so they can get their hours in, what do you think?” he asks. “Then we have one of each who are licensed to pierce, and two artists who strictly tat.”
I sigh because Ihatedoing interviews. They’re so damn time consuming and I have other things that need doing. “Think we should have Dragon and Brick talk to them? Suss them out?”
“Might not be a bad idea,” he muses. “I mean, we’re not gonna be talking about club business around citizens, but wearea club-owned business so they should have input to ensure that none of our new hires is a potential problem for the club.”
I agree, especially since we’ve basically rebranded ourselves.We’ve come a long way from being Raiders,I think.But the past has prepared us for the present.We’ve had so many changes, some good, some bad, and I feel a sense of pride that as a club, we’ve come away mostly whole. I mean, sometimes, I wish I had what my brothers who have old ladies do; someone to confide in and trust implicitly the way I do with my club, but it hasn’t happened yet and with me being in my mid-thirties, I’m losing hope it ever will.
Shoving that thought deep inside, I look at Cuda and say, “I think we’ve done as much as we can today, brother. Let’s hit the clubhouse and get some chow and a few beers.”
“You’re speaking my language,” he jeers, quickly grabbing the trash and placing it in the bin.
One of the things I like about Cuda is the fact that he’s like me in many ways. We both clean up after ourselves, which makes life easier in the long run. We walk alongside each other and check each room, turning off lights once we’re satisfied things are good, then after checking the front door to make sure it’s locked, we head out the back where our bikes are waiting, shining in the sun.
“Saber, Cuda was telling me your old lady found a massage therapist,” I say, setting my full plate on the table before sitting down next to him. “Can you get me that information?”
“I’ll do you one better,” Saber replies. Turning, he spies his old lady at the bar, cackling with Selah, Ryleigh, and Rory, and hollers, “Babe, need you!”
Roxy turns, glares at him, then slides off her chair and stomps over to where we’re sitting. “Do you realize that most of y’all call your women ‘babe’?” she asks.
“You should recognize who’s being summoned by our voice,” he rebuts, smacking her ass.
“Summoned? Really, Saber?” she retorts, her hand now on her hip and her eyebrow arched. She looks at me and smiles, saying, “Hey, Scythe. How’s it going down at the shop?”
“We’re getting there. If our chairs and shit arrive, we might do a soft opening in a week or so,” I reply. “Now that you’re here, I understand you found a good massage therapist. Can you giveme that information? I uh… well, when that ladder tried to kill me last week, I banged myself up. Gotta be able to use my gun, as well as stay hunched over a client without spasms.”
She beams and replies, “Oh, my God, you’ll love Tamara! She’s got all sorts of extra certifications and shit, but I don’t care about that, you know? My long hours at the hospital had me aching something fierce, and her hands are now my miracle workers.”
“She’s that good?” I question. I mean, I’ve had massages a time or two, but none that I would call spectacular enough that I returned to the therapist over and over again.
“Better, actually. I’ve had a residual knot toward the middle of my backforeverand within two sessions, she was able to bust it up and then get to the actual area that was causing the issue to begin with,” she replies. Then, looking at Saber, she smirks and says, “I know this one appreciates how she’s managed to fix me.”
Saber chuckles as he pulls Roxy onto his lap, kissing her temple. “Gotta say, I was a bit skeptical at first, but not gonna lie, Scythe, there was a place right about here,” he states, rubbing lightly around Roxy’s bra strap area, “that I couldfeelthe knot. The whole area was swollen and painful to Roxy whenever I touched it. The first visit, it was smaller, and after the second one, it was completely gone. She’s got more flexibility now, which I appreciate.”
I snicker when Roxy smacks his shoulder, glaring at him. I know what he’s referencing, of course, and the pink tinge to her cheeks says she’s embarrassed at him pointing it out to a brother. She should know by now, however, that as a biker’s old lady, she’s liable to see or hear just about anything.
“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see howinflexibleI’m going to be tonight,” Roxy says.
Saber suddenly reaches over and touches my shoulder and I immediately feel warmth spread throughout my body. I’m still a bit on the fence about the abilities many of the Cedar Creek brothers have, but right now, as the pain in my body eases, I’m leaning more toward belief than anything. “That should help until you get an appointment with Tamara,” he says, removing his hand.
“Appreciate it, brother,” I reply. Maybe I’ll get some decent rest tonight, once I grab my shower, that is.
“Never a problem, Scythe.”
Brick comes over and says, “Dragon and I wanna do the interviews for the people who’ve responded to the ad.”
“Cuda and I were going to ask y’all to do that,” I reply. “Do you want us there as well?”
“Couldn’t hurt. Y’all have the technical knowledge and can ask questions about that, while Dragon and I watch to get a feel for them as a person.”
