Callen's POV
Jan. 14th, 2028 (Friday)
I was drinking some of the coffee Mitchell brought for everyone when Prez and everyone else showed up.
After everyone sat down, Prez looked around to make sure everyone was here.
He looked at Gavin, Daisy, and me after that.
He signed do one of you want to tell me why a new girl was hired here without it being approved by me?
Gavin quickly signed Katherine isn't going to be a problem. She isn't one of us.
Prez shook his head before signing everyone that works at a business I have my hands in gets approved by me. Do we know her background? Where she is from etc.?
Daisy signed she is from Georgia, she is 30 years old, and she is a Preacher's kid like me.
I signed she doesn't have any tattoos or piercings so I don't think she will be a problem.
He gave me a look.
He snapped his fingers then Garrett (second in command and he is 36 years old) handed him a folder.
He threw the folder on the floor in front of my feet before giving me a mad look.
He signed before you get in too deep with this girl you seem to like, you should look into her background more.
I picked up the folder then put it on something behind me before shaking my head.
I signed no, if she wants us to know her past then she will tell us and there is nothing going on between us.
He looked at Gavin then at Jake and them who quickly looked at the floor.
He signed I'm not stupid Callen. You wouldn't hire a girl without knowing them unless there was a good reason. I'm not saying you can't date her. I'm just saying with what we do, tread carefully.
I nodded my head.
Garrett signed yeah, how would she feel to know you are a member of an MC and a killing machine?
I saw the lights on the walls go off then I looked towards the door just as everyone else did. I saw Katherine and her eyes were big as she stared at Garrett which meant she knew what he signed. I saw Daisy get out of her chair but Katherine quickly turned around and ran out of the parlor.
Daisy kicked over her chair before giving Garrett a look then taking out her phone.
I looked at my phone to see it was 9:15 since we had gotten started later than usual.
The rest of the meeting was business as usual, everyone getting caught up on current missions etc. that was going on and Prez giving out assignments to the other guys but Gavin and me are always at the tattoo parlor unless we are needed on a mission.
When it was time for clients to show up, everyone else left and Katherine never did show up.
The next day she didn't come to work either and I could tell Daisy was worried about her because she kept looking at her phone. So that afternoon, I closed the parlor early at 4 since we didn't have clients after that then I decided to go to Katherine's rental house (I looked at her employee paperwork to get the address).
Katherine's POV
Saturday (Jan.15th)
I was looking at take out menus trying to figure out what I wanted to eat when the doorbell rang. I looked at the clock in the living room to see it was 4:45. I got up then walked towards the front door. I looked out the small window near the door and I saw Callen. He was holding take out containers from the local Chinese restaurant and a drink carrier with two drinks. I slowly moved away from the door and went back to the living room. The doorbell rung two more times before I heard him walk away. Not even 5 minutes later my cell phone made a noise and I saw I had a text message.
Hey Katherine, it's Callen. I came by to check on you to make sure you are okay. I left food for you to eat. Take your time and come back to work when you are ready. – Callen
I got up after that and opened my front door to see he had left all the take out containers from the local Chinese restaurant and 1 drink.
This continued for the next couple of days, he would come back and leave food on my porch then text me asking if I was okay then letting me know he left food for me.
Daisy texted me on Tuesday asking if I wanted to meet up with her to continue sign language lessons but I didn't text her back. On Wednesday, I started to not feel great so I decided to head to the local health clinic to get checked out.
Jan. 19th (Wednesday)
After leaving the local health clinic, I went to the local diner to pick up my to-go order I called in. I was surprised to see Daisy, Harrison, Gavin, and Callen there eating lunch. They all looked up to see me as I walked into the diner. Daisy smiled at me and waved for me to come over. I just looked away and walked to where I needed to go to pick up my to-go order. I was signing the receipt for the order when someone stopped on my left side. I looked to see it was Daisy.
"Are you ignoring us?" She asked in a sad voice as I grabbed my stuff.
"I need to go. I have to pick up medicine." I said.
"Wait, you are sick." She said looking closer at my face.
"I'll be fine." I said then I walked around her and towards the exit.
I was halfway to the pharmacy when someone behind me yanked on my left arm before turning me around to face them. I saw it was Callen right as he put his right hand on my forehead. He shook his head and got a mad look on his face before grabbing my left hand then leading the way to the pharmacy. He made me sit in a chair once we got inside then he walked towards the counter to pick up the medicine. I saw Callen take out a credit card before paying I don't know how much for my medicine then the pharmacy tech handed the bag with my medicine to him. I stood up when he got near me and when I went to take the bag away from him, he moved it to his other hand before interlacing our fingers together then walking towards the exit. He lead the way back to his parlor and Gavin plus Daisy was already there when we got there. I quickly took my hand away from Callen after we walked inside then he gave me a look.
"It's better to not go against him right now Katherine. Just let him take care of you." Daisy said.
"No." I said while I signed it at the same time.
Callen shook his head and before I could get out of his reach, he pulled me towards him before putting my food on the counter then picked me up and threw me over his shoulder before walking towards the back of the parlor. Gavin shook his head. Callen walked towards stairs after we got to the back then we went into his apartment. He didn't put me down until we got to his room and to his bed. He pulled back the covers before putting me in the bed. He gave me a look that said don't move before walking away then returning with a glass of water. He gave me my medicine to take after that and I took it then he walked away and closed the door behind him.
At some point I fell asleep and when I woke up, I looked at the clock to see it was almost 5 o'clock. I slowly got out of the bed then walked downstairs then towards the parlor. When I got to the parlor, I saw Gavin and Callen were both working on clients. Daisy was behind the counter doing something on her phone. Since none of them noticed me, I went back upstairs then I grabbed my medicine before going back downstairs then out the back way that I had seen. When I made it home, I went straight to my room and went back to sleep.
I woke up again around 11 and I looked at my phone to see I had text messages from Callen.
Where are you? – Callen
I'm at your house. Answer the door. – Callen
I'm not leaving until I know you are okay. – Callen
I shook my head before quickly getting out of bed since I saw that last text was sent almost an hour ago. I went downstairs then towards my front door. The porch light was already on since it comes on automatically at nighttime, so I looked out the small window then I saw Callen was leaning against the porch railing as he sat on the porch facing the house. He wasn't asleep but I could tell he was sleepy and he didn't have that thick of a jacket on for how cold I knew it probably was outside. I shook my head before opening the door and he quickly stood up when he saw me. He walked past me then I closed the door behind him plus locked it. As soon as I turned around, he put his left hand to my forehead then he shook his head. I walked past him then to the kitchen where I had my medicine. He grabbed a glass then got some water in it as I opened my medicine. He held the glass out towards me after I had my medicine in my hand. I took the glass then took my medicine. I walked out of the kitchen after that then I went upstairs, I stopped outside the only guest bedroom I had then I opened the door before turning to face him. He looked in the room then at me. He shook his head at me then signed no. I gave him a look then he just walked past me and towards my room which was at the end of the hall. When I made it to my room, he had taken the extra pillow off the bed and put it on the floor on my side of the bed and he was looking in my closet for extra cover. He found the extra cover then walked towards the pillow and made him a make-shift bed. He took off his jacket, shirt, shoes, and socks after that. I quickly looked away when he took off his shirt then I got in the bed on the opposite side. I moved to my side of the bed once I was in the bed and I closed my eyes as quickly as possible after making sure to not look at him.
I was woken up the next morning when I felt him kiss my forehead as he put his hand to my cheek. I kept my eyes closed the whole time then I heard him do something before walking out of my room. He returned later with my medicine and a glass of water. I took the medicine then he left to go to work.