Chapter 3
Jackie
I never expected tonight to go this way, and if I didn’t come up with a plan quickly, I feared these two assholes were going to hurt me. Cheyenne and I brought food to the guys over at the stock show this afternoon, and I’d hung around for a few hours before I got bored. Knowing Trent’s friend, Nick, was working the VIP room for the week, I called a ride share and came over for a drink.
Content with enjoying myself as I watched the people dancing their cares away, I was pleasantly surprised when the two guys offered to buy me a drink. I didn’t see the harm in one drink with them, and I’d admit, the attention was nice. For months, I’d been fawning over Jagger, but every time I tried to make a move, he’d walk away. So, I decided to quit trying and let the universe work things out for me.
After finishing my drink, I thanked the guys and made my way outside, ready to get back to the ranch for another long day tomorrow. What I didn’t expect was the two of them to follow me out and corner me on the side of the building. They insisted that I owed them something for buying me a drink, and when one of them made the comment about being a cock tease, I reacted without thinking.
Slapping him felt good for about two seconds, then I saw the anger on his face and feared I’d just made things worse. Trying to determine if I could get past them and back inside, I took a step away and locked eyes with the one man who I hadn’t been able to quit thinking about.
Jagger.
He and Phantom were standing behind the two guys, and when I made a break for it, Jagger caught me in his arms and wrapped them around me tightly. I felt safe, safer than I ever had, and I never wanted him to let me go.
But Cheyenne had warned me that he was a loner and didn’t date. He would bed women, but never allow anything more than the physical aspect connection, so she said I shouldn’t let my heart get involved. But being wrapped in his arms, safe from the danger threatening me, sent all her warnings flying out the window.
“Is there a problem, gentlemen?” Jagger asked as he shuffled me to his side and widened his stance.
One of the guys—I forgot his name—stepped closer and started ranting about me.
“That bitch got us to buy her drinks and then she refused to—”
He didn’t get any further before Jagger simply stated, “Do not call her a bitch. And why do you think she owes you a fucking thing? You spent your money, expecting something in return, but that’s not the way we do things here in Rapid City.”
“Who the fuck are you to say what goes and what doesn’t?” the other guy asked.
I pressed my cheek closer to Jagger’s chest, and when he leaned over and placed a kiss on the top of my head, I nearly swooned like a schoolgirl. But now wasn’t the time for me to lose focus. They were still pissed, and Jagger and Phantom were still going to have to diffuse the situation.
After he kissed my head, Jagger released me and gently guided me behind him as he took a step closer to the men. Phantom cast a quick glance at me, indicating I should step back and not get involved. He took a step closer with Jagger, and I watched the entire thing with my arms wrapped around my waist and a tremor in my body.
Fear was still coursing through me, and the realization of how close I came to being hurt, or worse, made me almost sober.
“That woman right there is property of the Sinners Revenge MC.” Jagger lowered his voice. “You know who we are, don’t you?”
The first guy nodded without speaking, and the other guy cut his eyes from side to side, suddenly terrified. The club’s patch-over was spoken about in whispers, and their fierceness was legendary in the Black Hills. Since Nitro died, no one fucked with them, and hearing I was property of the club made my heart flutter.
Deep down, I knew it wasn’t true, and that they were only protecting me because of Cheyenne and Trent, but at that moment, I would take their shielding me.
“I’m going to give you one chance to tell her you’re sorry for calling her a name and then I’ll let you leave without an issue,” Jagger warned.
“And what are you gonna do if we say no?” the first guy asked.
I couldn’t see Jagger’s or Phantom’s face, but I could hear them mumble something to the men. The second guy, the one I’d slapped, took a step back from Jagger and shook his head. Almost instantly, he looked around the side of them and directly at me.
“I’m very sorry, ma’am, for the unpleasant name I called you. It won’t ever happen again.”
The other one didn’t say anything, but when the second guy grabbed his arm and dragged him backward and away from us, I felt like I could breathe again. Jagger and Phantom watched the two men walk around the front of the building, and when they were out of sight, they both turned to face me.
Jagger was glaring at me with his piercing green eyes as Phantom looked between the two of us. “I’m going back inside unless you need me,” Phantom said. Jagger shook his head without taking his eyes off me, and Phantom began to whistle as he walked past me, gently patting me on the back.
“Thanks, Phantom,” I acknowledged, finally taking my eyes off Jagger.
Phantom threw his hand into the air as he walked to the entrance and disappeared back inside the party. I turned back to find Jagger still standing in front of me, his intense gaze locked on me. I twisted my hands together, suddenly feeling stupid and reckless when all I wanted was a drink before going back to the ranch alone.
“Thank you,” I muttered, and when I felt his finger under my chin, I squeezed my eyes closed quickly before allowing him to raise my gaze to meet his.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he slowly released me.
I nodded and tried to look away, only to have him step to the side and meet my eyes again.
“Are you okay, Jackie?” he asked again, and a fresh round of tremors overtook me.
I shivered in front of him as my phone chimed in my hand. Looking down, I saw my ride was pulling up, so I pushed my phone into my pocket and tried to offer a reassuring smile.
“I’m okay. I didn’t expect them to be such assholes, but I’m glad you were here to help me.” I glanced over my shoulder at the car stopping at the curb then looked back to him. “That’s my ride.”
“Tell him you have a ride home,” Jagger stated, and I gave him a confused look. He reached down and took my hand into his as he guided me to the car. Leaning over, he spoke to the driver, and my phone chimed again as Jagger pulled a twenty out of his pocket and handed it to the driver. “For your troubles.”
The driver seemed happy for the money without the work as he put his car into drive and pulled away, leaving me confused and without a ride home. Jagger, without words, guided me toward a pickup truck.
When we got to the passenger side, I went to open the door, but Jagger instantly put his hand in front of mine and opened the door for me. I gave him a confused look before I climbed inside. He watched as I put my seatbelt on before he closed the door and walked around the front to the driver’s side.
The truck smelled faintly of cologne with a hint of weed, much like Jagger smelled when I was pressed against him. He hadn’t cranked the truck yet, and when I finally allowed myself to look at him, he was smiling at me.
“What?” I asked, afraid I had makeup running down my face or hay from the stock show in my jet-black hair.
“Nothing. I’ve just always wondered how you would look sitting in my truck.” He cranked the truck, and before he put it into reverse to back out of the parking space, he added, “Or the back of my bike.”
My stomach flipped, and I hoped the dark would hide the blush on my face as he pulled onto the road and headed out toward the ranch. We didn’t speak as he traversed the streets of Rapid City, and when he turned onto the road leading to the ranch, I finally broke the silence.
“Thank you again for taking care of things back there. I didn’t expect things to get out of hand like they did.”
I looked out the window at the passing scenery as the houses became less frequent and the open land grew more and more. A touch against my hand on the seat startled me, and when I looked over, Jagger had his hand on top of mine as he drove. He had a brilliant smile on his handsome face, and I had to remind myself of Cheyenne’s warning.
If I let things go too far, I would lose my heart. And with someone like Jagger, there would be no getting it back.