ONE
Zoey
“What areyou and Indiana doing for Valentine’s Day? Do you have anything planned?” Freyja asks me. I’m at her, Chaney, and Nova’s house getting some baby Gunter snuggles in. I had been at the mall yesterday and saw some of the cutest onesies and baby shirts in the Harley accessory store and snatched them up.
“Icer volunteered to watch Elodie so he and I could hit up a bed and breakfast cottage about an hour north of here,” I tell her as I discreetly sniff his little neck.
“Some time away will be nice,” Freyja says as she folds a load of laundry. It took a bit before I was introduced to the sisters seeing as Freyja never leaves the property and Chaney is always on the road, working one case or another.
“We haven’t had a lot of time with it being just the two of us. I’m looking forward to it,” I state, watching her smile as she folds one of Gunter’s little onesies. “You really like all of this homemaking stuff, don’t you?”
“It was my dream as a kid,” she tells me. “Being a mother, wife, and staying home while keeping it nice and tidy was what I always wanted to do. I had a different interest than most of the kids you knew growing up.”
Recently, I learned about the sisters’ background and can understand how her hopes and dreams were contrasting to mine. What we do have in common, however, is the fact that all we wanted to do was escape our parents, or in her case, her father. I think it’s why I feel a different sort of bond to her and Chaney than I do with Van. We survived hell at the hands of those responsible for our birth.
“My only dream was to get far away from my folks,” I admit. “Their beliefs and the way they tried to groom me always shot warning bells off in my mind. I knew they were bad people who were into shady things, but as a kid, there was nothing I could do about it.”
“How does it feel now that you know they’re gone? That they can’t hurt you anymore?” Freyja inquires.
“I wish I could tell you it’s a relief that they’re gone, but considering the fact that they put me on people’s radar that keep me in danger, it’s not,” I profess. “The only way I’ll be able to sleep peacefully at night is if they’ve all been wiped off the planet.”
“Nova told me and Chaney about the Onyx Dragons and what’s going on. Although, I’m sure he only hit the highlights. He wanted us to be aware in case we see strangers lurking around the house. Are they really that big of a threat to you and the club, Zoey?”
“They are a threat to the general public,” I declare. “They’re bullies who get off on hurting innocent people whether they’ve wronged them or not. Nova was right to warn y’all about them.”
“It’s sad that some people’s lives are so pathetic that they have to hurt others in order to feel alive,” Freyja somberly says.
“These guys are just like their parents. In every way. The old adage of the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree is one-hundred percent accurate when it comes to them and how they act. Evil breeds evil.”
“Not always,” she whispers, making me wish I could smack myself for not having more forethought about what I said before sticking my foot in my mouth and saying stupid shit.
“You’re right, Freyja. Not always. Look at us, we’re living, breathing examples that you can go your own way and that we are capable of thinking for ourselves,” I prattle, my words stumbling on top of each other. Feeling horrible about my misstep, I keep going, since I’m nothing likemyparents either. “We have a choice on if we’re going to follow the path our parents took or not.”
Gunter starts wiggling in my arms and rooting so I reluctantly hand him off to his mother. “I need to get going, is there anything I can do for you before I head out?”
“No. We’re good here, thank you for stopping by and seeing us,” she says, a broad smile on her face as she stands up and walks me to the door. “I’m gonna change him, feed him, and take a nap with him. He was up and down throughout the night and I’m feeling the wear and tear from it.”
“Chaney will be home soon, right?” I ask.
“Tomorrow,” she whispers. “Then Nova and I will have an extra set of hands.”
“And maybe you can catch an extra few hours each night of sleep,” I tack on.
“That’s an incentive,” she teases. “I just miss her when she’s away.”
“I know you do. Your entire lives it’s been just you and her. But you’re both adjusting well. Give yourself some grace, Freyja. There’s been a lot of changes in your life the last few months.”
“I’ll try. See you soon, Zoey.”
I wave goodbye as I step out on the front porch and breathe in the country air. For now, with the majority of the Onyx Dragons behind bars, things have been peaceful but us women still have a detail on them no matter where they go.
“Where to next, Zoey?” Hazard, one of the prospects, asks.
“Time to pick up the princess,” I tell him, hitting the key fob on my keychain and unlocking the car. “Icer will escort her to me and then you’ll be relieved of duty because he’ll take over. We’re heading to Van and Riptide’s after that.”
“Busy day. Making the rounds?” he asks with a slight tilt of his lips.
“An old lady’s job is never done,” I laugh. “My mandatory vacation has left me with a lot of hours to fill so I don’t become restless.”
