The Viking Alpha

Night out

(Cassi POV)    

After she left the diner she walked her bike to pumphouse park. It was quite a travel but she needed somewhere calm to think. She made a few calls and sent out a few texts to some of the other girls telling them what happened. Alice, one of the waitresses on staff tonight called her immediately back. 

'When did this all go down?' Alice asked jumping to the point. Cassi shifted to sit criss cross on an empty bench. 
 'About twenty minutes ago.' 
'Leon is not here. His his keys and  wallet are still on his desk but no sign of him.'
Cassi rolled her neck to ease the stiffness in her shoulders. 
'He probably went to get something for what little he has between his legs. I just wish I was there to see how he may explain the blood stain he has on his crotch.' Cassi and Alice both laughed at the image.
 'Well the fat f*** deserved whatever you did to him. He tried to grope me last week on line when I was helping cook orders. I 'accidentally' elbowed him in the face while reaching up for a skillet.' 
'Has that detective ever called you back?' Cassi asked. Thinking back to the women that came to the diner six weeks ago. Cassi had a actually been the one to wait on her. Detective Elise Parks. She had been watching Leon and the way he was getting to close to the girls. Especially the underaged ones. Elise asked her questions then left her card and a big tip. After Elise left Cassi flipped the card over and it read "I can help. Call me." Cassi took it to the other girls on break and they all talked about it. Cassi called and set up a meeting. All seven of them went for coffee the next day. Elise instructed them to reach out to other women on day shift. All of them were on board and amazed he was doing it to so many of them. 
'Yeah. She text me on break. She wants to meet with us as soon as we can tomorrow. She said with our statements, she has enough evidence to bring him in and file a law suit against him.' 
Cassi sighed. 'Best news I've heard all day.' Cassi groaned in relief.
 'Alright chick. Go celebrate or something. You deserve it. Honestly none of this would have probably happened with out you. You were the only one that had the nerve to speak up.'
 'Oh no. I may have been the first to talk but you guys backed me up.'
 'Well either way. You deserve a night of freedom. Carpe diem, bitch. Don't let me down.' Alice scolded playfully. 'Okay. Chill.' Cassi smiled. 'I'll let you get back to work. Talk to you later.'
 'Later.' Cassi put her phone in her bag and stretched her legs. She walked her bike to a nearby store and picked up all the ingredients for sundaes. Once she got home she set her books and bag down on her bed. Set her bike her room and pulled up a YouTube tutorial on how to fix the chain. It wasn't too hard and she had it done in forty-five minutes. She quickly got the shower running. Eager to wash the grease from the chain and just the stress of today's evens off. The thought of actually going out tonight was looking less appealing by the second. She did need to blow off some steam but maybe tonight she could just veg out and just watch Netflix while consuming a fat filled sundae. She stripped off her clothes and the hot shower soothed her headache and released the tension in her shoulders as the water streamed down her body. She was crashing from the adrenaline rush she received during the confrontation with Leon. After lathering up and washing off she stood in the warm water for an extra fifteen minutes before turning it off. 
The red flannel plush pajamas felt like heaven. She made a hot fudge sundae and sat on the couch. She turned on the tv show Lucifer and settled in. She was going over her text books when she heard Amy's keys in the lock behind her.
 'Okay, kiddo! I'm home and you better have your dancing shoes on!' Cassi turned her head to see Amy come in. At the sight of Cassi on the couch in her PJs brought a scowl to her face. 
'Oh no you don't! I told you I'll drag you out by your hair. I'm going to shower and get ready. If your not ready by the time I'm done there will be hell to pay.'
 'But-' 
Amy halted her with a wave if her hand.
 'Nope. I'd say you got a half an hour. I'd get busy unless you want to have a sore head and bald spot. Up and at 'em.' With that Amy disappeared down the hall and to the bathroom. So much for relaxing. Cassi sighed and took her dishes in the sink. She turned and went down the hall to her room. What to wear? She scanned her closet. Nothing screamed club wear. Her style was second hand thrift store. Simple skinny Jean's and t-shirts or boho. 'Amy?' Cassi called while walking toward the bathroom. She heard the shower running and music thumping. Steam billowed out as she opened the door a crack.
'Amy?'
'Yeah?' Amy was behind the curtain. Her blue tooth speaker was plating 'Bad at love,' by Halsey.
'Do you think I could borrow something to wear?
'Yeah. Go for it. Just not the outfit laid out on my bed.'
'Okay. Thanks.'
The room across the hall was about the same sizes as hers. Same lay out and white paint. But it was immaculate. You could eat off the floor in this room. Cassi often teased Amy about her neat freak tendencies. Not that Cassi was a slob. Her room was clean too. It just lacked organization. She could do it too but, who was going to see her room besides Amy? Cassi thought with a wry smile on her face as she pawed through Amy's closet. All her club wear was to clingy or looked too S&M style. She paused in her flipping of hangers when something caught her eye. A light blue gauzy mini dress. Cassi picked it up and held it out to her. It was pretty. Kind of boho. There was spaghetti straps then left the shoulders bare before the long sleeps flared out. The neckline was a long slit in the middle. The skirt of the dress flowed like the sleeves. Cassi turned ad peeked on Amy's bed. A black tube top, a Carmel brown leather jacket, and a black leather skirt was laid out and ready to be put on. 
 Maybe just for tonight Cassi could relax her look. Carpe diem, She reminded herself. In twenty minutes she had her make-up done and the dress was on. It actually looked good on her. The dress hugged her curves but didn't cling. The hem of the dress flowed mid thigh and the neckline went almost to  her navel, showing off the ring hanging around her neck on a long chain her mama gave her when she turned eighteen. The ring was far too big for her mother's and Cassi's finger. She had no idea who it originally belonged too. It looked like a man's ring.  It was a thick smooth gold band. A fire torch symbol was on each side of the small red agate gemstone. Cassi remembered asking her mother if it had belonged to someone special while her mother slipped it over her head.. Her mother had a sad smile on her face when she answered.
'Yes, baby girl. It did.'
Cassi always wondered if it belonged to her father. But if it that were the case, why would her mother still wear it? Her mother dated men on and off through out Cassi's life. But her mother never seemed really into it. As if she was waiting for someone else. The suspicion of her mother waiting for the dead beat that knocked her up and left her to suddenly return always festered in Cassi's mind. Her mother did her best and did it well when it came to raising her. A memory of when Cassi was five played in her head. Her mother was waitressing in the small truck stop diner in Texas. Cassi was sitting at the bar counter, coloring and eating french fries. Her mother was standing in front of her on the other side of the counter rolling silver ware in napkins with her friend and co worker, Dolores.
'You still need me to babysit tonight?' Dolores asked, picking up a knife, spoon, and fork before rolling them up in a napkin and setting them in a bin.
'Yeah. I got that date. We're meeting here.' Debbie answered before looking at her daughter and smiling. Cassi smiled at her mother with ketchup on the corner of her mouth. Her mother reached over and wiped her daughter's mouth with a rag in her apron.  
'You don't seem really into these dates from what I can tell.' Dolores observed. 
Debbi shrugged her shoulders.
'Then why bother going out at all. You don't need a man, girl.'
Debbi smiled at her friend. 'Do you want the position?' She asked with her eyebrows raised.
Dolores smacked her friend with a dish towel. 'No. I'm just saying your doing a great job on your own. That little girl is going places someday. Its obvious she's got brains and personality. She doesn't need a man in her life because she has a strong mama.'
Debbi sighed before looking at her daughter again. Thinking she was oblivious to the conversation. Innocently coloring in a Scooby-Doo coloring book with her messy pigtails sagging and swishing around with her hurried motions. 
'I know. I just wish she had a father figure in her life.'
Dolores swatted the air. 'She's got you and half the truckers that come plowing through here, eating out of the palm of her hand. '
Debbi just shook her head before continuing her rolling.
Remembering her mothers face and voice brought tears to Cassi's eyes. She shook her head before squeezing the ring and kissing it.
Cassi put the happy but sad memories out of her head and focused getting ready. the dress was a little tight for her 32 C cup bust but it looked nice on the rest of her body. After putting it on she added a long light pink knitted boho style cardigan over it. The make-up she applied was minimal but accenting her features. Added with cheap chain link bracelet with a single sun pendant hanging from it was the final touch to the outfit.  Her hair was loose and wavy. The shoes were second hand black ankle boots with a two inch heel. A squirt of perfume and a breath mint and she was good to go. Amy was still putting her make-up on so Cassi went back to the couch to study while she finished getting ready. She was at the end of the chapter when Amy was by the door threatening her again.
They arrived at the inferno. It was still early but they were standing outside waiting with the rest. The rhythm of the music from inside could be heard from where they were standing. The line was moving slowly. 
'How long do you think the wait will be?'
Amy shrugged. 'I was told it was a wait to get in. But worth it. Maybe another half an hour.'
'It's cold.' Cassi grumbled. She could tolerate a lot of things but cold was not her forte.
'With as many bodies seem to be going in you'll warm up quick once you get inside. We've been waiting for twenty minutes a bit longer won't hurt.'
Cassi was about to argue when a man in a dark suit and tattoos all over his neck and hands came down the line and stood right next to them.
'Are you Ms. Stone? Cassandra Stone?'
Cassi furrowed her brow at the man. Who was this guy. 'Yes.'
'If you and your friend would come with me, I'll escort you inside.'
'And you are...?'
Amy nudged Cassis arm. 'What my friend means is, thank you.'
'This way please.'
Amy dragged Cassi and followed the man to the front of the line where the velvet rope was unhooked for them and were ushered inside the club.
Cassi didn't know what but she had a feeling something ominous was about to happen.