Walk the Line (Kings of Chaos 5)

“I’m blessed to have her. She’s the right kind of crazy.”

“Every time I hear that phrase I know stories aren’t far behind.”

“Maybe when you’re older I can share a few with you.”

“Oh, we got jokes now?” I ask, genuinely amused by the woman surfacing, cautiously like a mermaid afraid of discovery, but unable to resist the lure of human interaction.

“Maybe a few.”

I glance down at the tiny shop, J.R’s shaved ice booth. Their containers hold a ration as big as my head. The rainbow concoction one lucky kid is walking away with is too tempting to pass up.

“Come on, let’s go get dessert.”

“I shouldn’t.” She frowns and her gaze becomes unfocused. She’s back in the past with a husband who as far as I can tell was an asshole who did a real number on her.

“Hey.” I hold her chin gently between my thumb and forefinger, bringing her attention back to me. “There’s not a damn thing about you I’d change, Blanche. Come on, my treat.”

She gives me a slow smile, so bright it lights up her entire face. “Well, if you insist.”

I release her face and stand. “I do.” I hold out my hand. Surprise colors her face. “Hey, I’m from the Midwest, I have manners, I’m just particular about when I use them.”

“Oh, is that how that works?” she asks.

“Yes, can’t you tell I’m on my best behavior for you?”

“Oh, I feel special.”

“You should. Not many people get to see this side of me.”

She blinks. “You’re serious aren’t you?”

“You want to know how I got my name?”

She nods.

“Because I keep my emotions in cheek almost all the time. I’m a quiet observer.”

She wrinkles her nose. “I can’t even imagine you that way.”

I laugh. I have grown men afraid of me, and she brushes off my story with a wave of her hand.

“I was at the bar that night to shed my skin, take a break, and unwind. Then I saw you looking like a lighthouse guiding me back home, and my veneer cracked like an eggshell.”

“How can I guide you when I’m lost in the wilderness?” she asks quietly.

“I don’t know. You did, though, and now, here we are.”

The line moves forward and the moment passes. When my emotions build up to the point of spilling out, fighting, fucking, and riding clear my headspace. Then this quiet-spoken woman and her sassy, smart mouth friend all but fell into my lap and made me remember how to laugh. It’s been awhile since I did that, and now I’m hooked like an addict who had their first taste of what will become their drug of choice. She reminds me of a time before my hands were stained with blood, my hands were calloused from harming others, and my head was full of gruesome scenes that would make Tarantino sick to his stomach.

I have been at this strong arm game for so long I’ve been on auto-pilot. Like a dog they train to fight, and keep caged until it’s time for battle. The club is shifting gears, and I’m needed less. I need to adapt or leave. I been here for a while now, usually the wanderlust sets in, but I like this chapter. Th

e brothers are solid, the majority of Old Ladies are likable and fairly low maintenance, and it’s starting to feel a bit like home. It should be a relief. Instead, it makes me antsy. Things in my life tend to go pear shaped when it gets too good. That’s why the MC life was perfect. I’m never one place long enough for the demons to get me.

I focus on the multi-flavored treat and the woman beside me. I don’t have to pretend when we’ve both clearly been touched by evil. She doesn’t make me feel strange or off. It’s a novel experience I don’t plan on losing.

“Jagger.”

“Hmm?” She hums around her spoon.