“Nice to meet you,” I tell him.
“Likewise. Listen, I am going to cut to the chase, especially since I didn’t know you were coming. This is what I’m dealing with.” He motions to the room. “I don’t need you to be a genius. I need someone who can start by organizing this mess. Then I basically need someone who can manage the office—order things for the shop, pay invoices, take calls. That sort of thing. We can train you in all of it. Please tell me you will do it, because if I have to interview one more girl coming in here thinking she is going to land herself one of the mechanics, I will shoot myself. Seriously, I will do it.”
“Smoke, don’t pressure her,” Mac snaps.
It has my eyes widening as I look at him. He offers me a small smile before shooting a glare back at Smoke, but it seems more playful than angry.
“I’m only telling the woman the truth.”
I let out a small laugh. “I can’t have you committing suicide over paperwork. I haven’t had an office job in a long time—since I was like eighteen—but I can do my best. I mean, provided I can get the kids in school okay. I haven’t figured out how to get them enrolled yet,” I tell them.
“We will get that taken care of. We have a contact at the school. If you say yes, it is a done deal.”
I look at Mac, then back to Smoke.
“Then, yes.”
He nods. “Welcome to the team.”
I watch as Jane and the kids pull away in an Uber. We will need to figure out her transportation, but for now, I’m happy she said yes.
“I’ll call Ethel at the elementary school. She will sort everything for both of them,” Smoke tells me.
“Good. She wants them dropped off here after school. Make it happen. I don’t care who I need to pay,” I tell him.
“You are taking this little side mission your sister gave you pretty seriously,” he comments as Gunner and Tank come up behind us.
“Did you see the boy? He watched Jane when they were in the room. He witnessed whatever she went through. Emily seems oblivious, but she’s younger. How can I not help them?” I tell him.
“He was even worse when you took the woman upstairs. He watched the girl like a hawk. It was like as soon as the woman was out of view, he took on the parent role,” Gunner says.
“The woman has a name,” I growl. “It’s Jane.”
“Jane was mighty fine too,” Tank jokes.
I punch him in the arm, making him wince.
“Fuck. It was a joke.” He groans as he rubs his arm.
“No inappropriate jokes. I don’t know what happened to her, but she doesn’t need your bullshit. In fact, she is off limits. Understood?” I hiss at him.
“You claiming her?” he taunts.
“He doesn’t need to claim her. We don’t allow men to treat women poorly. Whatever she and those kids went through, it was enough to send them on the road. We will protect them from whatever we need to. They are under club protection. Understood?” Smoke declares.
It’s only the four of us standing here, but I know by tomorrow the whole club will know who they are and that they are protected.
Something settles inside me knowing that Smoke agrees with me.
“Did Sloane find anything else out?” I ask Gunner.
“Sloane,” he calls out.
She comes over, leaving the car she was working on.
“What’s up?” she asks, looking around our little circle.
“Did the kids say anything about what they are running from?” I ask.
