Page 30 of Colton (Raging Barons MC #17)

-:- NYX -:-

Well, this morning is turning out to be more than a little bizarre, if I say so myself.

All four of my ladies are buzzing with excitement.

Penny and Arabella are here along with Star.

Yes, that’s right, Star! Who offered to come and cover for Lincoln, Bones and Arrow who were supposed to be on sentry duty for us.

Now, Star is great but honest to goodness I think she has OCD, and some other thing that has her on a high all the time, as she has cleaned up the house in a quarter of the time I take.

She has laundry on the line outside, and she is singing, dancing and packing a weapon under the small dress she’s wearing.

Now the dress is over latex shorts which reach just above her knees. She looks like a Lara Croft knockoff!

I’m sitting at the kitchen table wondering why I even came to work today, because I’ve not done a single thing. Penny keeps looking at me and giggling right before watching Star’s antics once more.

Penny doesn’t bat an eye when Star picks Arabella up, kissing her silly, and walking away with her. “Are you sure that was a good idea?” I ask her.

“You worry too much, Nyx. Star is amazing, and I think I want to be her when I grow up.” Penny laughs at what must be my shocked expression.

I continue drinking the mug of coffee Penny handed me earlier, although it is lukewarm now.

Just as I’m about to swallow my head snaps up as I hear, “Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to work we go…

” That is not what shocks me, it’s Star with Arabella giggling as she is being carried, and the four ladies behind Star in a line singing along .

They go around the kitchen three times before Star hands Arabella to Penny, and the ladies take a seat. I stand so Tina can sit where I have been sitting.

“It’s good being a dwarf for a while,” Star states as she opens the fridge door and takes out eggs and other ingredients.

“We have had a gnome stolen out of the garden,” Carol states.

Star stops and looks at Carol. “A gnome you say? I’ve seen one, and I reckon we can steal it back again. But I thought it was a dwarf, so may not be the same one.”

Joan laughs, “Gnome, dwarf, who cares, let’s get it.”

Oh, no, I don’t want to know. I stick my fingers in my ears, hum Heigh-ho, and walk out of the kitchen and into the garden.

After Star has fed everyone, cleaned up in record time and piled everyone into a large mini-bus, and don’t ask where it came from, as I do not know, we are all herded into Walmart.

Now, I didn’t know we even needed to come shopping, but my ladies grab themselves a cart and they scoot off in all different directions.

Star is not worried a jot about that fact, and ignores all looks that are sent her way.

I stand with Penny and Arabella who is sound asleep in the body carrier Penny is wearing. “Shall we take a walk around?” Penny asks.

Looking at Penny, I can see she is amused and ready to explode with laughter. Me? I just nod and follow her wherever she wanders, because I’m dazed at how this day is progressing.

We keep seeing the ladies flashing past, Star not far behind any of them, and how the heck she is doing that I have no idea .

“Are you going to move in with Colton on a permanent basis?” Penny asks, taking me by surprise with her question.

“I don’t know, Penny. But if things keep going as they are, then yes I probably will.

” My mind makes a flip to Colton who is younger looking than he actually is.

With him being a fighter, he looks far too cute.

You would never imagine he can take down a man without even putting in much effort.

He has chocolate brown hair which is short and has a portion shaved on the sides.

He has a small mustache, a shadow of a beard, with a small dent thing going on, on his chin.

As I said, cute for a guy that is tough as nails.

He is well muscled, but not over the top like those that do competitions.

He has a few tattoos on his arm, and the club logo on his left pec, sexy as all hell I have to admit.

“Nyx, come back…”

Shaking my head, I look at Penny. “Sorry.”

“You were thinking about Colton weren’t you?” Penny grins at me with a knowing look.

“Yeah, I was. I think he’s my one and only, but I’m nervous,” I admit.

“Take it from one who knows, Nyx. Colton is a good one. He is not a dud. He is the genuine thing. If you think he is the one for you, grab him with both hands and hang on tight.” Penny squeezes my arm. “Honestly, Nyx, I think he is the one for you.”

I open my mouth to respond but snap it shut and frown when I see Joan at the end of the aisle we are standing in and she has Star standing in her cart, who is holding her hands to her forehead like she is searching for something…or someone!

“Shit, come on, Nyx. I think we need to follow them.” Penny takes off, leaving me to follow, and I’m thinking I wish I never took this job, or made friends with Star because something is bound to happen and get me in the middle of some shit or other.

We eventually get through the checkouts and without too much trouble, which surprises me. Although Star seems chaotic, that chaos is surprisingly organized. She has my ladies through and on the mini-bus before I can do anything.

Just as we are finishing loading the shopping we all stop and watch as Sherriff Forest, along with Deputies Aaron, Dep and Sober chase four men. Now, I only know who the Deputies are as Star tells the ladies.

When one heads our way with Aaron in pursuit Star jumps forward, wraps her arm around his neck and throws herself and him to the ground.

She has her legs around his waist and locks her ankles together.

Then brings her free arm up and throws her elbow down into the man's face.

We hear a crack and he squeals like a girl, and this is right before Deputy Aaron reaches us.

He cuffs the man, as Star lets the man free. But I stand with my mouth hanging open when Star dances around singing, ‘Another one bites the dust.’ How many people has she done this to? Penny uses a finger to push my chin up and close my mouth.

I’m done…I need a vacation. I climb into the mini-bus and look out the opposite window to everything that may happen next. I just don’t want to know.

Back at the house I sit in the garden drinking a soda and wondering what did I do to have a father like mine, and a crazy job like this?

I have no idea, but my father sadly is no loss.

My lawyer has written to him explaining I have disconnected from our relationship, which he called parental estrangement.

It’s an accurate phrase I think. At least it is not required I go to court to do that.

But, thankfully, my lawyer has it notarized.

Picking up my tablet that I’d placed on the small table beside me, I open it to read my kindle awhile, but noticing I have mail I take a quick look. Oh, nice, I have an email from the realtors selling my house.

Reading the email, I smile to myself. Yes, I have a buyer.

It’s an excellent offer, and I’m going to accept.

I’m positive my mother would be okay with what I am doing.

She’d have been disgusted with my father for what he has done, but then maybe she knew, and that’s why she made everything legal in her will?

I type out a reply, accepting the offer and agree to speak with them in the next few days. I explain I am busy with my job but I will call and speak to them. In the meantime, please accept the offer.

Heading back inside, I smile when I see my ladies all sitting quietly at the kitchen table eating cookies and drinking iced tea. They are all happy and it shows that they, although older, have so much life left in them, and to live.

It’s late in the afternoon. Star has everything in the oven for the ladies, and she’s whispering to them about something. I don’t want to know. I’m sure Star could get me into hot water, and if she’s going to do something bad, I don’t want to be involved.

Ruger and Colton walk into the kitchen via the back door.

Colton walks straight to me and kisses me fiercely.

“Missed you, Buttercup.” I look at him shocked because he’s never called me that before.

But I like it and give him a huge smile before grabbing him behind his neck and kissing him with everything in me.

“Well, if that’s the welcome I get I may have to go for a day out now and again, just to come back home.

” Colton smirks before kissing me again.

“God’s sake, get a room,” I hear a snicker from one of my ladies.

“Leave them alone. Are you so old you’ve forgotten what it’s like to kiss, cuddle, and, you know, have sex everywhere in the house? When my Elijah used to come home from deployment, we would…”

“Stop, Tina. Be quiet about how you used to have sex everywhere, and how you did it, and how many times,” Joan snaps.

I can’t help the giggle that bursts out of me. I’m not sure if it’s amusement or hysteria at this point. Colton wraps his arm around my neck and pulls me to his chest, kissing the top of my head. As I’m cuddled up to Colton, I listen to Ruger talking with Penny.

“You’ve got a job once the security firm is set up.

They’ll need your skills to make sure it’s running correctly, and you’ll need to keep them all in order I’m sure…

” Ruger is advising Penny, who has a shocked look on her face.

“Oh, the house that you rent now, I reckon needs bought or ditch it for a better one,” Ruger continues.

Now, I’m thinking what the heck is going on here.

“What are you talking about, Ruger? I have Arabella to consider.” Penny looks at me and I shrug because I’ve no idea what is happening.

“I just said. The MC is opening a security firm. Axel said you are to be the administrator, and secretary, or one of them. I don’t know, but you will be in charge of keeping the fuckers in line, and the company running right.

” Ruger nods as though he’s said all he needs, and then states loudly while looking around, “Punkin, where’s my Punkin? ”

“Ruger? What about Arabella? I can’t go to work as I have her to look after.” Penny is following Ruger as he’s seen the stroller with Arabella fast asleep inside.

“We will be Arabella’s four grandmothers. She will be here with us. We will be more than happy to look after her. Nyx will be here with us too, so you don’t need to worry about Arabella,” Joan states, and the three others are beaming at Penny as though they just won the lotto.

“I’ll be number one auntie, and don’t you forget it,” Star blurts, and I’m not having that.

“Hey, no you are not. I’m number one auntie,” I state loudly and clearly while giving Star a dirty look.

Star taps the weapon on her thigh under her dress, and I scowl even more at her, letting her know just because she’s carrying it isn’t going to worry me. After a moment or two, Star grins, “Okay, you’ll do. You can be number one auntie, and I’ll be number two.”

Colton chuckles, and Ruger shakes his head. The ladies are grinning like they just won a prize, and poor Penny is standing looking like she just escaped a major disaster. Star! Well, who knows what’s going on inside her head, and it probably would send us all insane if we knew!