Broken but Breathing (Jinx Tattoos 2)

She nodded. “Sounds good. I brought my resume, but it has nothing like this. I–I used to teach fourth graders in my previous life.” Her eyes dimmed, and her shoulders fell.

“Sometimes I feel like I watch children for a living,” Kali remarked, wrapping an arm around her waist. He watched as Kal steered her toward the back. There was a confidence in her step he hadn’t seen before. Having her where I can keep an eye on her is definitely the way to go. No asshole is going to take advantage of her on my watch.

§

Estelle

“I’m sorry, but I have to ask. How in the hell did you meet Snake?” Kali asked.

Estelle glanced up from the inventory list she was helping fill out. “I don’t think it’s my story to tell.”

“Oh, come on, just a hint,” Kali said.

Estelle laughed. “It’s tame. Whatever crazy scenario you’ve come up with in your mind, throw it out the window. I’m a really boring person, if you haven’t figured that out already.”

“I don’t believe that at all,” Kali said, studying her with an intensity which made Estelle want to squirm. She resisted the urge. She’d been around enough to know Snake’s friends smelled fear, and would never let up once they saw you were skittish.

“You should. It’ll save you from being disappointed,” Estelle replied, returning to the wells list of vodka.

“The way he looks at you tells me differently.”

“What are you talking about?” Estelle asked.

“Snake doesn’t just bring people around, especially not women.”

No, he wouldn’t. He was stuck in limbo the same as she was, but in a different way. Sadness made her frown. Do I even contribute in this relationship? He’d given her so much.

“We have things in common that are very rare to come by.”

“Usually there’s nothing deep to see in his eye unless he’s pissed. He hides behind a front. You bring out his humility. I’m still deciding if that’s a good thing or not.”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” she asked.

“Not sure what you plan on doing with the power you hold. A woman can twist a man up into knots and fuck with his head.”

“I highly doubt anyone could do that to Snake and I’m not into playing games,” she said as her anger flared. Does she think I’m playing a sympathy card? Estelle saw the lengths some of the biker bunnies went through to be with the men.

“We’ll see,” Kali remarked.

Estelle took a deep breath, unsure how to approach the situation. Last thing she needed was a tense work environment. But she’d spent too many years being walked over and wasn’t looking for a repeat now.

“Look, Kali, I get that you’re protective. I’ve been around long enough to see why. But what me and Snake have is between us. You want answers, I suggest you go to him. In the meantime, know I’m not here looking for anything but friendship and a job I actually like.”

Smirking, Kali nodded her head. “You got guts, I’ll give you that. You’ll need them around here. If anyone else told me to mind my own business, even in that nasty nice way you just did, they’d be getting cussed out. But for some reason, I really like you, Estelle. I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. Make no mistake, if you fuck my boy over you’ll be dealing with me.”

“I’ll be sleeping soundly at night,” Estelle said dryly.

Kali laughed. “Hot damn, I might’ve made a new friend.”

“I hope so. I could use all the friends I can get,” Estelle replied honestly.

“Can’t we all?” Kali asked.

They moved back to finishing inventory to create an order, and she observed the club. In the day it was all smooth black surfaces, chrome walls, and chrome seating. Black couches were arranged to create intimate seating arrangements throughout the large space. During the night water cascaded down the wall behind the bar that they lit up with blue lights, lending to the name, Rain. They had a mixed crowd in. It wasn’t what she’d expected when Snake offered her the job.

“What do you think of Rain so far?” Kali asked as they finished their counts.

“I haven’t seen it in action, but the day-to-day I can handle pretty well. I like that I’m learning the operation before I’m being thrown into the fire. I know I have my certificate, but I know doing it in a controlled environment versus performing on the fly i