“Oh my god, I can’t believe we all did it. We all passed!” Mackenzie yells.
“I know. Usually the lower percentages are culled during initiation challenges,” Maggie tells them. “So I’m impressed that we all made it.”
“I’m not surprised,” Elsie says, grinning. “Women are far superior in every way.” We all laugh but I have a feeling that she isn’t joking.
Just then, the guys come and join us, having obviously cleaned up from their simulation. Kalen rushes over to me and scoops me into a massive hug.
“Woo-hoo! Are we going to celebrate?” He lifts me up and spins me around. I smack his arm for him to put me down. Idon’t want him goofing off in front of the new recruits. I need to be the boss around them.
Sure, I know that means that I can still smile and be human, but I don’t think they need to see me being twirled around the room like a rag doll by my boyfriend. Especially by his mother. It’s certainly going to add another facet to our already complicated relationship. Fun.
“We are, you’re not,” I tell him, linking my arm through Elsie’s. “Ladies, welcome to The Order. The first round’s on me.”
They cheer and we walk out of the warehouse where I have a limo lined up to take us to a nearby pub. We’re not going to go crazy, but I am going to celebrate making history with these women.
I love my guys, and I want to share all of my achievements and accomplishments with them. But tonight is about us. The women on the inside who are going to change the world.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Amelie
SELF class with Maggie used to be one I would dread, now it’s one I actually enjoy. Kalen loves to stir his mother and she sent him on an errand. We won’t see him again for the rest of the class. She told me a few days ago that she sends him on a wild goose chase just to keep him busy and out of her hair.
The bell rings, and everyone packs up their belongings and races from the class. I make sure to wait behind until everyone leaves.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, looking up from her desk as I walk to the front of the class.
“Yes, I just wanted to give you this.” I hand her a credit card. “I know that Monty gives you money and you get a wage here, but I looked into it and I know it’s not that much. I don’t want you to rely on him anymore. Everything will change after you are fully initiated. Use that to get a dress, one that says a huge fuck you, fuck off and fuck her.”
She chuckles at my use of the word fuck but doesn’t chastise me for swearing in her class.
“As Kalen would say, eff yeah,” she agrees with a laugh. “I can’t thank you enough, I’ll finally be free.”
“We’re lucky to have you.”
She smiles and pulls me into an unexpected hug. Everyone here seems to be huggers. I wrap my arms around her to return it. I miss Chelsea and her motherly hugs. Laura sure as shit never gave out affection, and Debbie clearly didn’t think keeping me with her was an option for whatever reason. I got lucky when my dad met Chelsea and I finally had a motherly figure in my life. I miss it so damn much.
Maggie steps back and wipes a tear from my eye.
“I’m sorry. I miss my step-mum’s hugs.” I’ve never really referred to Chelsea as my step-mother; just the word mother would always taste like poison in my mouth, and I didn’t want her associated with that, but now she deserves that title. She is my mother in every sense of the word, and I make a mental note to tell her that when I talk to her next.
“If you ever need a motherly hug, you know where to find me and if my sons have anything to say about it, I have no doubt that one day I will be your mother-in-law anyway.”
“Many, many years away.”
She chuckles. “I don’t think it will be that long at all, my boys know what they want and they go for it. It’s the only thing I will credit Monty for instilling in our children.”
“I’m sure you’re to thank for that too. I should get to lunch before Onyx snaps at my friends. He isn’t taking well to his table being overrun by girls.”
“I’ll see you on the weekend.” She smiles.
I know she loves the fact that she has one up on Monty. I don’t know what went on between them or how Laura involved herself in that. Monty really isn’t a bad guy from what I’ve seen, but we never really know what goes on behind closed doors.
I leave the classroom and head towards the cafeteria. Nerves hit me full force as I’m left to walk with my thoughts. I’m eighteen and in charge of an entire secret organisation. Me. How the hell am I going to pull this off? I know that I’m brave on the outside, but inside I might crumble. I’ve always had strong men around to hold me up and protect me. I know I still have strong men around me and that they will protect me, but what sort of leader does that make me if I can’t protect myself?
Self-doubt is hitting me straight in the gut, so I need to stop having this pity party for one.
Walking into the cafeteria, I smile. The new recruits Mackenzie and Kathryn really fit in with Elsie and Adrianne. All four of them sit at the guys’ table. Kalen laughs at something Elsie has said and Slate smirks. Onyx scowls; he really isn’t impressed that his table has been overtaken by girls.
