When Dakota and Onix said they wanted to come to the salon I wasn’t too keen, but I must admit that I am enjoying myself. I see the woman Gloria called Jenny earlier approach Sabre. His body tenses as he looks at her. I can’t hear what she says as the women are still bantering, but Sabre nods and then she turns towards us.
“Would anyone like Coffee?” At her question I deduce that she must have been asking him too, but by the way he tensed it is obvious that he hasn’t had many interactions with women. Being the only male in the room, he is distinctly uncomfortable, but he is holding up a brave face.
“So, what can we do for you today?” Gloria asks once Jenny leaves to go and prepare the drinks.
“Whatever you can, we are in need of a good pampering,” Dakota states as she leans back and stretches out her legs, stretching her back exaggeratedly as she groans.
Gloria laughs shaking her head, “Oh I know what you want, but I wasn’t expecting you so I might need to do some juggling around of clients between us. Let me just go have a look and I will see where I can slot everyone.” As she turns, she stops as she sees Sabre leaning against the counter, “umm, would you like a treatment too?” The horrified look that pops into Sabre’s face has everyone in stitches.
“She’s teasing Sabre, don’t worry, you won’t leave here with manicured nails,” Onix says.
“I could give him a pedicure; the other guys wouldn’t see,” Jenny says with a sweet smile that has Sabre’s face darkening with colour.
“No thank you,” he mutters as he glances behind him towards the door.
“Hey Sabre, come here,” I say as I pick up my handbag. He walks towards me with a frown on his face. Pulling out a wad of notes, I hand them to him. “Why don’t you go and have something at the diner, I bet you still haven’t had breakfast.” He looks at his hand where I placed the money and then back at me, shaking his head he tries to give me the money back.
“No mam, I should stay here to make sure that you are all safe.” I feel a warmth coarse through my body when I think of the people that now surround me, I might be in more danger than I have ever been in my life but I feel safer than I ever have before. In the past I had no one that would have cared enough to do what these people now do except for my family, but now they are my family and I am touched at how caring they all are of each one.
“We’re fine, nothing will happen in here unless Gloria decides to burn our hair,” Dakota says with a smile. “Why don’t you go and have a bite, you can come back after. I know this must be really boring for you.” Sabre actually glances behind him at Gloria as if to assess if she’s going to burn our hair, which has me smiling at his protectiveness.
“Here, please buy me a packet of skittles while you’re there, I love those things,” Onix says as she places more money in his hand, I can see the fight he’s having within himself to stay here and protect us or leave as he clearly would rather do.
“Okay, but I won’t be long. Please don’t leave,” he says.
“Sabre, you don’t need to worry about that as they are going to be here for a couple of hours at least. Take your time,” Gloria says as she joins us, Sabre reluctantly leaves, which has us smiling at his commitment.
“Skittles, really?” Dakota asks with a raised brow.
“I hate the stuff, but it’s the only thing that popped into my head that he could get me.” I laugh as I see her pulling a face at the thought of eating skittles. “I’ll give them to Hawk; I swear I haven’t seen a man with more of a sweet tooth than he does.” Hearing Onix, I realize that I don’t even know what Dash likes to eat, I know that they all love their rare meat, but besides that I haven’t the slightest clue.
“I can get you into the back for a massage Dakota, you two can go into manicures and we will rotate. I’m afraid that we are fully booked for hair today though,” Gloria says with a shrug.
“It’s okay, massage and manicures are perfect,” Onix says as she raises her hand to look at her nails.
“I agree,” I say as Gloria helps Dakota onto her feet, “you two don’t need to worry in getting up, we can do your manicures here.” Perfect, I was dreading having to stand as the bottom of my feet feel tender to the touch.
“Are you freaking out yet?” Onix asks quietly so for no one else to hear. I glance at her and see her raised brow as she considers my reaction.
“Well, I have never been in a situation like yesterday before,” I say and then turn slightly so that I am looking at her fully. “But it’s strange because even though I am in more danger than I have ever been before, I feel somehow at peace with it.” I shrug, “sounds mad but that’s how I feel.”
“That’s good, it’s the first time something like that has happened to me too, but as you say I feel a certainty that everything will be fine,” she says. “You know, when I first met Hawk, I thought I was mad in wanting to leave my whole life behind and stay with him. I had a career and a life which I had to give up so that I could come here, but I haven’t regretted it yet even though things like yesterday happened.” She places her hand over mine, squeezing gently.
“I have found a new life here, different but more fulfilling than the one I had before. Hawk is everything I could ever want or dream of in a man and even though I thought I would freak at the fact of living with a house full of testosterone it has become entertaining and some of the men are soft hearted sweethearts that hide it under their bluster.”
“Oh yes, I can see that in Frost,” I tease, which has her grinning as she shakes her head.
“I’m just trying to figure out what has made him so. . .” she quietens when Judy comes with the manicure items and starts setting everything up. “I think he’s quite sensitive under all that bluster, to be honest,” Onix says when Judy pops into the back to go and get something.
“How did he get the scar on his forehead?” When I first met Frost, that was what I immediately noticed. Contrary to the other men, he is the only one that had any evident scars not that it detracted from his good looks. Also, I noticed that his hair has a tendency to fall forward over his scar which covers it from sight most of the time.
“I don’t know, I asked Hawk once, but he just shrugged and told me that it was Frost’s story to tell not his, but I have a suspicion that whatever happened to give him that scar is what has made him into the man he is today.”
“It looks like it was done a long time ago,” I state as I remember thinking that when I first saw it as it’s just a light dented mark on his tanned face.
“Well, whatever happened, we aren’t going to know unless Frost tells us himself because Dakota also tried to get it out of Hunter, but he says that he doesn’t know.” I wonder if I ask Dash if he will tell me or if he will hold his friend's secret, which apparently is a secret as none of the men are talking.
“That just makes me curious,” I mutter as Judy takes a seat before Onix.