A Wild Ride (Hell's Tribe MC Series) [Book 7]

Chapter 24: Back In The Saddle

Song for this chapter: Half Grown by Zach Bryan

~Maggie~

Days had passed in a blur. I was training at the restaurant for only a shift or two before Rhonda and Thomas realized I was more than qualified to be in that kitchen and required little to no direction. I'd worked double shifts three nights straight and surprisingly enjoyed every minute of it. Mansfield's Chophouse might not have a Michelin Star, but it also didn't have a Greg—my last manager breathing down my neck, making suggestive comments or threatening to fire me every time I refused to go out with him. When Greg went so far as to grab my ass, I decided I was done for good. Rather than cutting his hands off, I ordered some expensive new knives on his company credit card, stole some Beluga caviar that was under lock and key, and a few bottles of Dom Perignon from the owner's personal stash. I also set it up to make it look like Greg had been the one who'd taken it, and I opened the register with his employee login before I cleared whatever cash was in there.

He was quick to figure out what I had done but offered to look past it if I gave him a blowy. I hadn't considered the idea for even a second before I was handing him my uniform and giving him a big old "Fuck you." I had the cops at my door the next day and threatening to press charges if I didn't return it all, but shit it had been fun.

Working for Rhonda and Thomas was so wholesome in comparison. You could tell this place was a family-run business, but they had put every effort to make it feel like an upscale steak house you'd find in the city. The menu prices were higher than most restaurants here in Tooele, but the quality of the food they used was top-notch. Thomas took his cuts of meat very seriously, and it was evident in just how much the customers loved it here. The brown leather booths weren't fancy, but they were worn in and cozy. The glassware and dishes were no fine china, but the place felt welcoming and warm. The walls were littered with framed photographs of the Mansfield family spanning generations, starting with Thomas's grandpa in the early 50s. The photos throughout the years showed the beginnings of the Chophouse, all the way to the grand re-opening a few years ago after the space got some minor renovations. It was one of many photos that featured Jonah, but probably one of my favourites cos he had the biggest smile on his face. I itched to ask Rhonda about Jonah, but I knew it wasn't my place to pry and that technically, Blaze wasn't supposed to tell me what really happened to him. Even still, I wanted to know what Jonah was like. Blaze had told me about him before, but I was curious. I wanted to know more about Blaze too and what he was like before his best friend's death changed everything.

I had only been here about a week, and I really was trying to behave myself, so instead, I busied myself in the kitchen, doing whatever I could to make shit easier for the chefs. I didn't think I'd like just being an extra hand, but weirdly, it was nice not to have so much stress on my shoulders and to just cook again. The kitchen was well-equipped and fully stocked and none of the other staff pissed me off—yet. Everyone seemed nice enough and no one bothered me, mostly cos I'm pretty sure they'd all heard about me and were scared shitless of Maggie Campbell—The Tribe Trainwreck. I didn't mind it though, I kept to myself and got my shit done without issue. I'd forgotten how much I actually loved cooking for more than just a paycheque. Working at the Chophouse this last week ignited my love and passion for cooking again, so much so that I wanted to do it just for fun.

When I finished my shift after the lunch rush had come to an end, I decided to venture off into Salt Lake and hit up Whole Foods. It was nothing like the specialty store across from my apartment in Chicago, but I'd driven over forty minutes from the restaurant just to find some half-decent ingredients to stock Blaze's fridge.

I'd been staying with him for over a week now and he was quite literally out of food. I could only be creative with ramen noodles and a bag of frozen vegetables with freezer burn for so long. I needed something with sustenance and Blaze's place was severely lacking it. Plus, I figured cooking him a couple of meals was a start at thanking him for everything he'd done for me.