Page 43 of Wild Cub

“Oh, I am. It’s a bit of a business and pleasure thing. You know, early afternoon brunch with drinks.” I grab my drink. Reva isn’t far behind me.

I plop into a chair, crossing my legs, basking in the sunshine. “Lover’s quarrel? Jealous rage? Boss man won’t like it.”

“Well, he shouldn’t have been a dumbass and pissed me off.” I sip on my drink.

“Hell hath no fury, you’re here to do what? Shake the shingles off the roof?” Johnny continues to grill me. I hear the hinges on the door creak. Peering through my sunglasses, I see Keola and Darius bolt through the door. Both sporting a look of confusion and possible frustration.

“Boys, glad you can join us. I believe you have probably seen and stalked my friend and project assistant, Reva. Reva, the one on the left with the vein popping out on his forehead is Keola. I told you about him. Calm, cool, and collected, but will snap you in half. The man on the right is Darius Richard or Doc, as I call him. Surprised it took this long, boys.” I take a long sip. “What did you do, take a power nap?”

“I’m starting to think you’re back to your old self, boss.” Reva raises her glass to clink mine.

“Hey, would y’all mind getting a waitress? I’m starving. You know, make yourself useful instead of brooding in the doorway.”

Keola mutters something under his breath and Darius walks over to the bar, shaking his head. “T, you’re walking a fine line between understandable and questionable.”

“Doc, look. For some reason, y’all think that if I do what I’m told and keep my head down, I’ll survive. But I climbed my ladder by pressing questions, getting answers, and bending the rules. Sorry to disappoint.” I wave my glass for Johnny to pour another.

A bouncy, medium height woman, with caramel skin pops through the door. Short blue jeans ride up her ass and a shirt two sizes too small perks up her boobs. Her braided blue hair cascading around her face as she walks over to the chairs. “Hi y’all, I’m Topaz. I’ll be your waitress. First time here?”

She seems so sweet and sunshiny. Part of me doesn’t want to hate her, but I’m currently here to make a point to an audience. “No dear, been here before. I’m Tessa and this is my friend Reva.”

She starts bouncing, giddy and everything. “Oh my god, you’re Tessa. You’re even more beautiful than I imagined. Oh, Mr. Jackson is a lucky guy.” Reva looks at me and sinks a little in her seat.

“Yes, yes he is.” I start off slow and easy, keeping my voice low.

“You are simply beautiful. No wonder he is so enraptured by you.” Topaz beams. Crap, now I feel like a possessive bitch. I am a bit taken back. I anticipated a bit more of a fight or a sign that she wanted to sink her claws into Alexander. I think I made a mistake.

“Um, thank you. I wanted to see the woman who answered his phone..” I pause in the middle of my statement. Her face drops almost into a roaring laughter.

“Oh sugar, you thought I was one of the biker bunnies? Oh you don’t have to worry about me.” She gives me a wink. “Alexander, not my type. By a football field.” She leans on the table, her bright blue braids cascading down her arms. She is striking.

“And here I was going to give a word of warning.” I hunker down the liquor quickly taking effect.

“What was that word of warning? I can promise you, you are not going to scare me off.” Her angelic smile spreads across her face.

Reva looks at me and shrugs, telling me to entertain the thought. “Um. Well. I was going to say ‘if I see a single strand of blue on him, you won’t have to worry about keeping it blue. It will be bloody red once I’m done. Are we clear?’ And now I feel like a storming possessive bitch for thinking that. I’m sorry.” I said.

“Oh trust me, I think you could hold your own against all the bitches some of these men bring in. I’ll get your order in and be back in a jiffy.” She laughs it off and bounces back to the kitchen.

The fear had washed over me when she had picked up the phone. I heard Matthew and Seth talking about girls the club keeps around for company, and I don’t play by those rules. Alexander wants to be possessive with me? I’ll do the same. I walk over to the bar, grabbing my next drink. I attempt to make myself presentable. Keola and Darius are holding back laughter as they had just watched the train wreck.

Darius laughs at me. “Oh girl, you almost have crossed the line. But hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.”

I slap a hand on his back. “Doc, I think you and I are going to be best friends.”

Walking back to the table with my drink in hand, everything seems to stop. I turn around to see him, chest heaving, blue eyes staring at me. I turn back and sway to my chair, plopping back down with my legs crossed. A vicious but shy smile spreads across my face. Silently hoping that the two in the back don’t blow my cover.

“Ah, I was wondering when I would see your face. Reva, I should have bet money.” Sipping lightly on my drink, I cock my head at him. “Damn, it would have been good money too.”

Reva sips on her drink, choosing the accomplice side of things. “Jackson, it’s very nice to see you. Now that I know that you’re alive and decidedly not Mr. Jones.”

He marches over to the table, beelining to me. Casting a shadow down on me, he’s seething. “Darlin', care to explain yourself?” Alexander demands.

I tsk. “Oh, no. I don’t have to explain myself to you. But you do.” I take one final sip of my drink before standing up to face him. He’s the one playing with fire.

“Apparently, you also need reminding that if you’re going to be stupid, you better have the bravery to back it up.” I play with his gray shirt, fingers twisting the material. I lick my bottom lip, tempted to strip him bare here. “The next time a woman answers your phone and I hear howsweetyou are on them or how youtake careof them, she better run, and you better have the balls to face my wrath, Jackson.” I walk behind Reva’s chair to watch him squirm a little in confusion.

“D.R., did I fucking miss something?” Something tells me that no one told him about Topaz. Darius throws his hands in surrender, not knowing what to say. Reva raises her hand.Oh, this oughta be good.“Yes Reva, would you like to help out our dear confused Alexander here?”

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