The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 77: Chapter 77

She might have turned a new leaf, but she was still skating on thin ice far as Kylie, and her inner she-Tiger, was concerned.
“They’re perfect,” gushed Jessica. “Brayden texted to say the tent is all set up, and the karaoke machine⁠—”
Kylie whipped her head towards Jess first, then Gretchen. Her blonde hair landed in her face as she spun around to confront the females. Lying heifers!
“I thought we weren’t doing that,” Kylie sputtered, dreading the inevitable.
Since their Nari was expecting, and could no longer partake in Wine Wednesdays, which had become a little ritual amongst the female members of the Pride, they’d done something Kylie had dreaded every week since.
They had bought the woman a karaoke machine. Wine Wednesdays had quickly become Whine Wednesdays since, unfortunately, most of the Pride females could not carry a damn tune. So far, Kylie had managed to avoid singing with those crazy beyotches, but that was because she always made sure to bring some new project she was working on.
Luckily, the ladies of the Pride were only too glad not to interrupt her work. After all, she offered a 25% discount to Pride members on all of her lingerie sets and separates.
“Well, it’s just in case Elissa feels like it. You know, you could have joined in on last week’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun rendition,” Jessica added.
"Not if I wanted to keep my hearing intact,” Kylie mumbled, but it was no good. Both women were Shifters and could hear her just fine.
“Anyway,” Jessica said, sticking her tongue out at Kylie before continuing. “The tent is up, we just have to decorate it, and keep the guest of honor away until the party starts.”
“I am on it. My kit is all packed with goodies. I’m going to give her a mani-pedi, a facial, and a prenatal massage. Then I am going to cut her hair and follow it up with this wonderful argan oil, mint, and honey conditioning treatment. Mama Elissa is gonna get some real pampering,” Gretchen said, and Kylie high-fived her.
“Who’s going to watch Cut It Out for you?” Jess asked.
“I left Marion in charge.”
“Good idea. He did a great job with my highlights the other day,” Kylie offered.
“Yeah, he’s the best. Anyway, he is loving that he gets to train our newest hire, Ms. Pamela Brown, herself,” Gretchen announced.
Kylie stopped in her tracks and looked at her friend. Did she hear her correctly? She couldn’t be serious. Pamela Brown was a first-class bitch.
It was one thing to let her make some labels and bows, but another to have her underfoot all the time. That sneaky little she-Tiger had tried to set a trap to hurt Gretchen only a few months ago.
“Before you say anything,” Gretchen began, holding up her hand to stop Jess and Kylie from interrupting.
It was all Kylie could do not to walk over there and shake her new bestie. Friends were hard to come by, or at least, they were for her. So, maybe she was a teeny weeny bit overprotective.
“I love that you both wanna protect me, but there is no need. I’m a Tiger now, remember? Anyway, she’s changed. I swear it,” Gretchen replied earnestly.
"Gretch, are you sure?”
“Yes, I am. Look, Pamela is a different woman now, or at least she is trying to be. I mean, look, she was manipulated and abused at the hands of someone who was in a position of power over her, who she trusted. Everyone did, right? I mean, Blake was the Beta.”
“Yes, he was,” Jessica agreed, and huffed out an annoyed breath.
The unfortunate events had happened right around the time Kylie had arrived in Maverick Point. The turn of events was what convinced her to ask permission to join the Pride. Hunter was a powerful Neta, and he was fair, too.
He did not cower under the pressure of having the man he was supposed to trust the most, his own Beta, try to usurp him and steal his position. Hunter Maverick had met that poisonous weasel head on.
Once the worthless man had attacked his mate, Hunter did what he had to. He’d ended his life and protected his own mate, and the Pride as a whole. It was that kind of strength and resolve to fight injustice that made Kylie want to make a home in Maverick Point.
“I mean, thank goodness he’s dead and all, but the havoc he’d wreaked before his fortunate demise was beyond damaging,” Gretchen explained.
“I can’t argue with that,” Jessica agreed.
“Anyway, Reg and I have been working with Hunter on a plan, and well, I was thinking a support group. You know, like a safe place for them to come and share stories so they don’t feel so alone. Maybe we can help them find ways to get rid of the taint or tarnish they feel as a result of what happened. It would be open to all, but especially for those in the Pride who’d been victimized by Blake and his associates. Well? Thoughts?”
There was a pregnant pause, and Kylie frowned. She should have known better than to sling judgment on others. Hadn’t she been cruelly treated to such hostile opinions for most of her life?
Badly done, Kylie, she thought to herself.
“Wow, I’m such a shallow ass,” Jess said, interrupting her own self-reproach. “I think it’s awesome Gretchen. Anything we can do to help, well, you can just count me and Brayden in.”
“Thank you,” Gretchen replied, squeezing Jess’ hand and smiling through tears. “Kylie? I don’t expect you to have like sleepovers and pillow fights with Pam, but I mean, at the very least, she deserves the benefit of the doubt. Are you going to mind it very terribly that she works for me now?”
Kylie blinked, surprised this woman cared at all what she felt or thought. She was humbled by the friendship so readily offered by the females of the Maverick Pride. They had been nothing but welcoming and kind, supportive in her personal life, what they knew of it, and in her business.
She’d taken their friendship greedily too. Maybe it was time she paid it forward, the thought with a frown.
“I’m so sorry, Gretchen. I might need some time to adjust to her, but it’s your shop. You don’t need me to approve of your employees. It’s just harder for me to forgive and to trust someone after they’ve been disloyal, but that is because of my own past and experiences. Now, that said, of course I will help you with whatever you need,” Kylie replied and nodded her head.
She worried her lower lip between her teeth, thinking about things she was better off forgetting. Damn it. She hated when those thoughts crept in. People screaming, the blows that followed, and, of course, the pain. Always so much pain.
“You don’t talk about your past much,” Jessica interrupted almost casually, but Kylie knew phishing when she heard it. “I just want you to know we are here for you, if ever you need us.”
“I know,” Kylie said. “I’m just gonna grab the last of the decorations, then I’ll follow you to the Pride House in my car.”
“Okay.” Jessica winked.
She and Gretchen grabbed boxes and bags and headed out to her SUV. They were all invested in this baby shower, and it had been so much fun to prepare for it all. Bonding with other women was so rare and precious a thing, she felt truly blessed for her time with these females.
Kylie was especially proud of the work she’d put into making Elissa’s gift. Her line of lingerie was her key out of the poverty she’d been born into and her own independence. Plus, she really loved designing.
Whenever she sewed a new creation, it was as if all the problems she’d ever had simply slipped away. Kylie became absorbed in the colors and patterns and neat stitching. She could forget her past then.
Luckily, her inner muses were always on the go, or so it would seem. She smiled and picked up the huge tiger striped box holding all the tissue paper wrapped goodies she’d made Elissa, along with a dozen unisex burping clothes for the baby in her hands. She already had the bag of decorations slung on her shoulder next to her purse. Thank goodness she was a Shifter, she’d have needed superstrength just to lug everything outside.
She waited as Jess gave some last-minute instructions to the college girls who worked for her after classes and on the weekends. They were younger members of the Pride and proved themselves reliable. She waved keys in hand and asked them to lock up her work room.
The Fates had truly blessed her when she’d found the Maverick Pride. They’d taken her in with open arms and very few questions asked. Which was just how she liked it. If that meant she’d have to put up with the likes of Pamela, she could do it.
Especially since she knew it would ease her friend’s mind once she did. Her inner she-Tiger chuffed at the mere mention of the nasty feline’s name, but Kylie silenced her animal.
Being on the run for so long, she’d forgotten what it was like to have friends. Sometimes, you had to compromise, and there was nothing wrong with giving Pamela a chance, was there?
The militant Pride where she had grown up didn’t exactly foster healthy relationships. Kylie shuddered as her mind wandered down the cold lane of her memories as she drove down the semi empty streets to the Pride House.
She could scarcely believe she used to live in one. A grand old thing, it was located on a former plantation that had been run by Shifters. The place always felt full of ghosts and memories to the much younger Kylie who’d never felt at home there.