My heart clenches in my chest, and I hate that I’m jealous. I’ve never been that nigga except when it comes to her.
She smiles brightly and announces proudly, “Senator Benjamin Starling.”
If someone had thrown a bucket of ice water on me, I couldn’t have been any colder than I am right now in the midday summer heat. Ain’t no fucking way this is happening.
If that’s true, then the incident she experienced wasn’t a fucking coincidence at all. It’s just like I thought: She was set up. I know that nigga wants revenge on me for killing his wife, instead of his mistress whom I was hired to kill.
Rather than breathe a word of that to Charisma, I nod, grab her hand, and mumble, “Let’s go. Torch is waiting for you.”
We step inside the clubhouse, and Charisma pulls up short as she checks out the women, the bikers, and the atmosphere.
Jagged and Knuckles are playing a video game on the TV on the wall to the left. Some of the brothers are shooting pool, while others are either sitting around and shooting the shit or smoking a blunt.
A couple of my brothers are getting their dicks sucked by Champagne, while Moon is fucking Spank in a corner.
Charisma clutches my arm tightly and presses into my side. She looks at me with wary eyes and bites her lip as though she wants to run.
The air is thick with heavy marijuana smoke, and loud rap music blasts all around us. I must raise my voice to be heard.
“Come on.”
“I don’t think so,” she replies, stepping backward as if she’s about to leave.
“Aye, chill with all that before you offend people. Ain’t nobody gon’ fuck with you. Not when you’re with me.”
“I don’t think that I want to do this, Chaos. Isn’t there a better way?”
I grab her hand and tug her behind me so that we can find Torch. We walk through a couple of hallways before I find her in the multipurpose room with Kyte, Juicy, Bell, and Ember. They’re sitting around shooting the breeze and eating tacos.
“Aye, Torch.”
“Hey, Chaos. Is this the beautiful Charisma that I’ve heard all about?” Torch asks, walking up to us.
Charisma eyes her warily and forces a smile to her face.
Torch laughs and pulls Charisma into a hug. “Honey, it’s okay. I know that it’s not easy, but I promise that you won’t look like those skanks out there when you’re done. I’m a cosmetologist. I even have some photos of my clients to show you,” Torch explains, pulling out her phone.
“Thank you,” Charisma replies softly.
I see her visibly relax with Torch, and it makes me feel good. Torch is a sweet and warm lady.
“Charisma, this is Kyte, Juicy, Bell, and Ember.” They all hop up from their seats and welcome her with hugs and a lot of frenzied chatter that is overwhelming to me.
I have never been good in the company of a lot of females at one time, unless they’re sucking a nut out my dick. That’s the only thing their mouths are good for.
“I’m leaving her in your hands, Torch. I need to holler at Priest and Sunny. Come get me when she’s ready,” I state, heading for the door.
“Girl, you might as well accept the fact that we’re your new family,” Ember declares.
“Huh?” Charisma asks.
I turn to look over my shoulder just as Juicy explains, “The way he looks at you, that man ain’t ever gonna let you go.”
I mug all the ladies, and when Charisma turns to me, I wink at her and then saunter off. I’ve got more pressing matters to attend to, and this shit is about to blow up.
ONE WEEK LATER
I stare into the mirror again, not sure who the stranger is peering back at me. I’ve probably looked in the mirror a thousand times over the last week since my makeover, and I still haven’t become accustomed to the siren who peers back at me each time.
