Page 18 of Chef
“I won’t let you down, Flack,” he says earnestly.
“I know that, son. You’re gonna make a good fucking manager one day.” Flack knocks his big fist twice on the table before getting up and taking his plate with him.
“Holy shit,” Jason breathes out, his startled gaze snapping to mine.
“You deserve this, Jace. You’ve been working your ass off.” I slap his shoulder and follow Flack, the rest of the brothers starting to follow suit.
Dex’s whistle pierces the air and we all dump our plates. “You go, I’ll take care of these,” Joe smiles, her teeth bright in her dark skin.
“If you leave them there I’ll help you after Church,” Justice offers, but Joe just shoos him away by flapping a dish towel at him.
“OK OK, I’ll leave you to it.” He grins as he walks away from her, and he seems like he’s a new man. Stronger, less haunted by his past. I guess getting rid of your monsters is a good thing.
I head toward Church and try not to smile as Damian leans against the door jamb waiting for Justice. Dex runs the Keep slightly differently to Marx, allowing prospects into Church anytime Church is called outside of our normal meeting times and hours. It makes sense. If he’s calling emergency Church, it's because shit is going down and the prospects are always on the front lines. They need to know this shit to keep themselves and us, safe.
“Thanks for coming, brothers, and sisters.” Dex nods toward Loyal and Sage with a smile playing on his lips. “Damian, update us on what you’ve found.”
Damian nods once, clearing his throat. “See, alcohol got a way of loosenin’ lips and woo, lips be getting real loose at the dive bar.” He looks at me and gives me a wink. “I’m runnin’ my usual shift, Maman’s on security, nothing out of the ordinary,til this new crowd rolls in. All lined up neat, matching outfits. Same hair, shirts buttoned way up, pants like they’re tryin’ to tuck their ribs in.” His eyes grow real wide, “I swear I saw a camel toe.” His brows pull in, like he’s remembered something important. “No, hold up, what’s the man camel toe called? Cos whatever I seen needs to come with a warning label.” He shudders and we all stare at him.
Dex takes a breath, blowing it out, eyes laser beamed onto Damian. “What. Did. You. Learn. Brother.”
“Oh, yeah, so these guys, the camel toes? They're workin’ for Ashfall. Maman caught one of them graffiti-ing their little fucked up sign on the toilet stall.”
“They’re recruiting? At the bar?” TumTum asks, as if the whole idea is absurd.
“That’s what I thought! Why there? Anyway, when Maman frisked them she, ah, relieved them of their drugs, and their fliers. Shooed them away quick fast, we know they trouble.” The room is quiet for a beat before Damian clears his throat, eyes on me then Sage. “One of the men Maman kicked out was Nathaniel Mercy.”
Sage
I can’t help it. I laugh. It escapes me not because what Damian has said is funny; it’s incrediblynotfunny, but that just explains my whole fucking life at the moment. “Ofcoursehe was there. Why wouldn't he be? Jesus.” I whisper before burying my face in my hands and making a whisper screamy sound. Once that’s out, I look up at the men in front of me. “What the hell is Ashfall?”
Dex watches me for a beat, before waving at Jay and Theo. “Matrix twins, care to explain?”
“Hell, yes. We got new information that affects everyone.” They both look at me. Great. More shit. “Ashfall is very much recruiting. They’ve just started in Adonner, but they’ve been pretty fucking active in the surrounding towns, and guess who their preacher is?”
“Nathaniel?” Justice asks, with a bored voice.
“Yup. Oh, and he’s also pissed his betrothed or whatever the fuck you lot called it, is marrying someone else. Like,superpissed.”
“How does he even know? I only found out yesterday,” I huff out.
Jay and Theo the Matrix twins share a look before looking back at me. “Chewy,” they both say in unison, and I hang my head.
“Makes sense,” Flack says, nodding approvingly.
“Here is the announcement, in case you’re interested.” Jay shrugs, beaming a garish save the date up on the projector.
“Whoa, that's, um, a lot,” Loyal murmurs.
I stare at the pink, purple and blue save the dates. There are artistically drawn flowers all around the border, and the text is written in bubble writing that veers on neon blue. I squint a little at the flowers, trying to figure out what kind they are. They’re not daisies, or chrysanthemums, they’re something more exotic. Something a little off. Something a little-
“Dicks!” I yell out, pointing at the wall.
“Um, you OK, Sagey Girl?” Omen asks, as Sniper stares between me, and the projector.
“Dicks!” he says, before snorting.
Chef gives me a puzzled look, as does Damian who mutters something about me being unusual. I see when it hits him though, his eyes go wide and he giggles like a little girl.
