I pulled up to the front gates of the Troy chapter’s compound. A prospect ducked his head to my window and looked me over before gesturing to the other member to open the gates.
I was tired and my eyes were puffy and swollen, but I’d made it. Parking my car next to the large building, I sat in it for a few minutes, needing the time to help myself feel normal again. I’d driven down here on auto pilot, my navigator telling me where to turn. It was a slow ride, but I just wasn’t in a hurry. Jumping when my door flew open, I clutched at my heart.
“Hey beautiful.” The cheery voice greeted me. I ducked my head and looked up, the bright light of the sun stinging my eyes before I finally focused on the figure. He was staring down at me with a grin plastered on his face.
“Hi.”
He held out his hand to me and I took it, my body actually thankful for some support as I climbed out of my car. I got a better look at him now that the glare from the sun wasn’t shading his face. I recognized him from when the Troy men visited up north, but my brain fought to put a name to his face.
“Thanks,” I said with a soft smile.
“Chelsea, isn’t it?” he confirmed, still holding my hand in his.
I nodded. “Yeah, um…”
“Mix.”
“Sorry Mix. My brain is a bit fried at the moment.”
He just grinned before walking around the car and pulling my bags from the trunk. “Come on, Harmony is waiting for you.”
I was excited to see my friend. It had been strange going from seeing her every day to not seeing her at all.
“I thought she’d have been part of the welcoming committee,” I said as I followed him toward the massive industrial styled building.
He laughed. “She would have been, but Kit wouldn’t let her out of her lesson.”
I frowned. “Lesson?”
He just laughed, not telling me anything else as he dropped my bags in front of the doors and instead of taking me inside, gestured for me to follow him around the building.
We walked past some roller doors where men hustled and bustled around cars. Their overalls were stained with grease and among the sounds of clattering tools there was loud music booming. The sign above the doors read‘Oz’s Auto Shop.’
Mix stopped at two double doors a little further down the building and pulled them open, gesturing his hand for me to go through before him. I looked at him skeptically but shuffled through.
“Just hit me already!” A male voice prompted.
“No. What if I hurt you?”
“You’re not going to hurt me, pretty girl.”
My eyes took a moment to adjust to the change in light, but I soon made out two figures standing in the middle of a makeshift boxing ring. The room wasn’t big but had crazy tall ceilings along with a litter of boxing bags, mats and weights scattered around.
“If I give you a black eye, I’m going to have to look at that for days,” Harmony groaned as she stood toe to toe with Kit in the middle of the ring.
I grinned.
“Come on, Harm. You’re the one who wanted to learn this self-defense shit.”
I cupped my hands around my mouth. “Come on! Hit him!”
Harmony’s head flicked to me and a smile spread across her face. She started to walk toward me, but Kit grabbed her around the waist. “We aren’t done yet.”
Harmony swiftly lifted her arm and drove her elbow back into Kit’s stomach. He released her, bending over and groaning in pain. Mix and I both burst out laughing as Harmony climbed from the ring, grinning triumphantly. She ran over to me, throwing her arms around my neck. We both laughed as we hugged each other, rocking back and forth.
“It’s so good to see you,” Harmony muttered in my ear.
“Hell yes,” I told her, not able to wipe the smile off my face.