Mace’s Madonna (Pagan Souls of Cherokee MC #5)

Jessamy Chapter 4

Last night was a very restless night. When I finally convinced Zari to leave me and go home to her bed, sleep came slowly. Then, it was filled with nightmares and dreams. I was exhausted, and the idea of uninterrupted sleep sounded terrific. Too bad it didn’t happen. It was seven in the morning. I stretched as I sat up, causing my ribs and other bruised areas to twinge with pain. I dropped my arms. As I threw back the covers to go to the bathroom, I thought of what happened before I came here to sleep.

Zari and the others were kind, and someone always stayed with me. After I took my first doses of antibiotics and pain meds, Bones said I didn’t need to remain in the exam room and could be given a real bed.

Immediately, Zari and Eliana offered up a bed in their homes. I was touched that they offered, but I didn’t want to interfere with their daily routines or add to their workloads. Both had kids and worked. Admittedly, Zari’s were older and could care for themselves, but they still needed help and supervision. Plus, I discovered she and Twisted only recently got together.

They weren’t happy with me asking if the clubhouse had an empty bed. I thought there had to be based on the size. After arguing a little, they conceded there was, and I was shown to one. It was more than adequate for my needs. It wasn’t like I planned to live here. They disappeared for a while as I settled in, only to return with gifts. They brought me everything I’d need for personal care and a big stack of clothes, including shoes. I didn’t know where they came from, but I was thankful. This hospital gown was the pits.

The idea of a bath was calling to me. Again, they hovered to be sure I was strong enough to do it alone, then they left. A prospect was outside my main door if I needed something. I’d soaked and changed the water, washing myself three times before I felt fully clean. When I was done and dressed, I found a hair dryer among the goodies they brought. I was able to blow my hair dry. I chuckled when I saw they’d even included some makeup. Damn, they thought of everything.

The attention to my comfort and needs kept coming. I was served a delicious meal. I had to make myself eat it slowly and not finish it. Otherwise, I’d get sick and throw it all up. Leland hadn’t been big on feeding us, mostly energy bars and enough water to keep us alive. After that, I napped for a couple of hours. Waking up, I’d been restless, so Eliana suggested she give me a tour of the clubhouse. I was curious, so I said yes.

It was eye-opening to see the size and what they had in there. The biggest surprise was being shown the common room with pretty much the entire club in it. It was loud and slightly chaotic, and I could see they were having a good time. We were stopped by various people, mainly more club members, asking to be introduced. Eliana did the honors. I found them friendly and sweet, which kept surprising me.

We left the common area, and she took me outside to show me what they had. It was a dream place to hang out. There was a complete outdoor kitchen with a pass-thru to the central kitchen inside, which was a beast. There were lots of pergolas and seating scattered around. Some were chairs and outdoor loveseats. Others were tables and chair sets. The custom smoker slash grill out there was high-end.

Beyond that was a playground for the kids. It was killer. I could imagine how my students would go crazy if they had something like this. It included covered mini-buildings, slides, swings, and short bridges, to name a few. Everything was connected to the main structure. I thought of it as a fort. I told Eliana how lucky their kids were and shared a couple of stories about my kids.

After admiring it, I got a promise she’d take me around to see more of the property tomorrow. It was dark. I was all for that. Lying in bed all the time wasn’t me. I needed to stay moving and busy. If I had to stay here awhile, I needed to make myself useful. I refused to accept charity. I’d pay them back somehow.

Eliana and I wandered back inside and into the common room again. We were still discussing what I saw, and she asked what I thought. I was telling her when a voice I recognized caught my attention. I turned to see where he was. I wanted to say hello, but then I heard what he was saying. It was about me. It seemed that Mace wasn’t happy that his club would be cleaning up a mess and taking on trouble because of me.

My heart dropped into my stomach. His words weren’t horrible, but they stabbed my heart like a knife, nonetheless. He turned to look at me. Our eyes met for a moment, then I whipped around and walked away.

Eliana came with me, and she was furious with Mace. She swore he’d be straightened out as we returned to my room. That led to us talking about it. I told her I didn’t want the club doing anything. Not long afterward, Agony and a couple of others joined us. My room was crowded. Agony had been apologetic.

“Jessamy, I apologize for my brother, Mace. I don’t know what’s gotten into him, but I promise you it’ll be taken care of.”

“Agony, I appreciate that you want to help me. However, I don’t want Mace punished for what he said. For all you know, others feel the same. I don’t blame them. This isn’t your problem. It’s mine. I think the best thing to do is for me to go back to Cottonwood and get the police there to investigate. After all, the issue started there. They need to know they might have a problem. Plus, I need to talk to my boss and explain what happened so they might take me back. School started for them, but they’re probably using substitutes. I hate to ask, but if you’d give me enough money for a hotel tonight and to get a bus ticket to Arizona, I’d appreciate it. When I get home, I swear I’ll repay it and then some. You didn’t have to do what you did. Thank you.”

There had been more disagreements. Ultimately, Agony sternly refused to give me money or let me leave. He told me to get a good night’s sleep. Zari had come in at some point. The two women stayed after the men left. They chatted with me, trying to ease the tension so I could sleep. It wasn’t long before I asked them to leave.

Now, it was a new day. I didn’t know what I’d do with myself. It was Tuesday, so everyone should be at work. Aliya and Arif were at school, and possibly Cara was at preschool. I met her last night. She was so funny. Adorable was the word that came to mind. She was smart, and I’d love to have her in a classroom with me.

Another reason I didn’t sleep last night was that Mace came to the door. He wanted to talk to me, but I wasn’t in the mood. Eliana and Zari refused to let him come inside and sent him off. I didn’t want his false apology. I had no doubt Agony and a few others had spoken to him and ordered him to apologize. He said what he thought. That was his right.

After using the bathroom, doing some personal care, and getting dressed, I was ready to get out of here. I hoped no one minded me exploring on my own. With the whole club at work, I’d have the place almost to myself. Since I’d seen the inside already, I wanted to go outside.

I bypassed the common room and kitchen. I knew I should eat something, but my stomach kept cramping at the thought of food. I’d force myself to eat something after I explored, which was the promise I made myself.

The weather outside was great. This time of year in Arizona, it was usually still blazing hot. The temperature here was maybe in the eighties, and while there was humidity, it wasn’t awful. The sun was shining, blue skies, and only scattered white fluffy clouds. I let the sun beat down on my face. I’d never underrate the sun and my need for it again. I swore I could feel that vitamin D soaking into my body.

I shook off my trance and walked past where Eliana and I were last night. To the side of the outdoor area was a spot with caution tape around it. When I got close enough, I saw why. There was a huge hole dug, and a tall cement structure stood in it. I was trying to figure out what they were building when I was surprised.

A man who I hadn’t met came strolling up to me. He was smiling, which put me at ease despite his dangerous appearance. I was getting used to their look. I gave him a small smile in return. When he reached me, he was the one to initiate a conversation.

“Hi, you have to be our guest, Jessamy, whom I’ve heard so much about. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Wire.” He held out his hand cautiously like he was worried he’d scare me. I grasped it and gave him the firmest handshake I could muster. His smile got bigger.

“Hello, Wire. Nice to meet you. I am Jessamy, though I think it would be a given that I am her. Unless you often have strange women running around the clubhouse,” I teased. He hesitated before answering.

“Actually, it does happen. Some of us might have overnight company that doesn’t leave until morning. However, I knew the way you were looking around and the way you’re dressed doesn’t scream that you’re one of them.”

I felt my cheeks heat up as I understood what those overnight companions were here for. It was no wonder after seeing the guys and finding out from Zari and Eliana that two-thirds of the club was single. I bet they had to beat the women off them with a two-by-four. And for a determined one, that wouldn’t be enough. Letting it go, I asked him something to appease my curiosity.

I approached the large hole and asked, “What in the world is this? Surely, you’re not expanding the clubhouse. It’s already a monster.”

He laughed and shook his head. He came to stand next to me, another guy taller than me. At five foot five, I was of average height, but it seemed the Pagans were all six feet and taller. Hulk was the tallest, I think. Mace was at least an inch or so over six feet. Why he came to mind, I don’t know, but I shoved any thoughts of him away.

“No, we’re not expanding that monstrosity. This is our future swimming pool. We hoped to do it last spring, but it didn’t happen. Agony said the damn thing will be done for next year. There’s a lot of construction happening around here right now.”

“What else are you doing, or should I not ask? Sorry, I’m being nosy. Forget it.” I went to walk away, but Wire’s hand on my wrist stopped me. I glanced back at him.

“Don’t go. And you’re not being nosy, nor is it a secret. I don’t know if anyone showed you in the clubhouse, but we’re having several rooms converted to a playroom and a safe room for the kids. Next will be a smaller area for the old ladies, where they can relax and have gossip sessions.”

I loved that they thought of that, but I had to defend his last remark. “Women don’t gossip. We relay important information that men should pay attention to, but you don’t. You pretend to listen, but it goes in one ear and out the other. That’s why we have to get together with our own sex. I think it’s a great idea.”

He laughed again. “I knew that would get you fired up. You have some fire in you. Good. It’ll keep you strong. Okay, back to the projects. With how much they have to work on, the last one will take a while until it’s finished. We’re replacing a large section of fencing with cinder blocks. It won’t encompass everything because that would be expensive as hell. But it will be from the gate to well behind where the houses are. The rest can stay fencing. We have a hundred acres.”

“Wow, that is an undertaking. Are you guys doing it yourself?” I could see that the front of the fence was made of chain link. They had barbed wire strung along the top. It was kind of intimidating.

“No, we have a company doing all of it. We have the know-how but not the time to do it ourselves. It would take years, and we aren’t patient enough to do that. The committed brothers want to make their women and kids happy and also want them safe. I don’t blame them. When I find the woman right for me, I want everything we can get to protect her and our kids.”

I was somewhat stunned to hear a sexy biker talking about settling down so openly. I knew they lived more freely than your regular person, and they lived by their rules. Having women around and willing, I’d heard, was typical. Why give that up? Or would he continue to have those women on the side? The thought of it made me curl up my lip. He saw it.

“What’s got that pretty face all scrunched up?”

“Nothing.” I smiled at him.

“Nope. That won’t work with me, Jessamy. Tell me what I said that made you look like you smelled shit.”

I gasped at his comparison. He hiked up an eyebrow and folded his arms. Well, shit, it seems I was about to offend a biker. Fuck my life.

“I wondered why you’d give up your freedom of being with whoever you wanted to settle for one woman. Then it hit me that you might not give up the variety of women, even if you did have a wife. The idea doesn’t sit well with me, but it’s your life and none of my business,” I hurried to add.

He had a slightly irritated look. I ever so slightly eased away.

“Jessamy, don’t. I would never hurt you, honey. I’m upset that you think that, but then I have to remind myself that you don’t know me, and it’s an assumption often made about bikers. When Agony, Dare, Knight, and Twisted claimed their old ladies, some thought they’d still fool around. They learned quickly that shit doesn’t fly here. If a brother ever did that, he’d get the beatdown of his life and put on the right path. Although, I don’t see that happening. When we claim a woman, she’s it for us. She becomes the center of our universe. We’ll do whatever we must to love, cherish, and protect her and our kids.”

Hearing him say that made my insides gooey. Wow, men who actually treated a woman right—or at least Wire and a few others did. Even in my short time here, I saw how protective and loving the four guys with an old lady were. I couldn’t help being a tad envious. From what Zari explained about old ladies, it was a protection and honor to be one.

I moved closer to Wire and put my hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I swear. What you just said sounds amazing. I hope you’ll find the perfect woman for you and settle down in the life you described. She’ll love it and you.”

His smile was back. He took my hand on his arm and secured it tighter. “Okay, I forgive you. How about I show you around out here? You can ask questions. Tell me, though, if you start to get tired. You’re still recovering. I don’t want to do anything to make Bones or Eliana come after me.” He pretended to shudder. I had to laugh. Taking him up on his offer, I nodded.

Wire turned out to be a great tour guide. I was intrigued when I saw the houses. He explained which belonged to whom. I was surprised that Wire and Mace had one since they were single. I admired the outside of Wire’s house because it was the one he showed me last.

“Come on. You have to see the inside. Besides, I want to show you something,” he said.

I barely hesitated. Wire had been nothing but a gentleman. I doubted he pretended to be one just to lure me into his house. What if he did? Oh, shut up and go. You’re being ridiculous , my inner voice said.

“I’d love to see it,” I told him.

He didn’t waste time entering. I noted that his house wasn’t locked up and remarked on it. He explained that there was no need on the compound, and then the tour began. It took a while, and I was enjoying it. I pointed out some places that needed some TLC. When he asked what I suggested, I gave it to him. I might be a preschool teacher, but it wasn’t my only interest. I loved to decorate, and I thought I was good at it.

We had a glass of icy lemonade after touring. I was enjoying it when he made my day. There was one room in the house he hadn’t shown me—his office. He merely pointed to the door and said it was in there. My curiosity made me imagine what it was like inside.

“Jessamy, would you like to see my office? I’d like to hear your opinion and show you some things.”

“Wire, I’d love to see it. I’ve been dying and picturing what it’s like.”

He chuckled. “Well, it’s nothing fancy or even pretty in the decor realm. It could use some help, but I don’t know what.”

As he talked, we made it to the door. Instead of opening it, he pushed buttons on a keypad while I turned my back. He let me know when it was okay to look. He opened the door and gestured for me to go ahead of him. I stepped inside a plain room from a decorative aspect, but from a techy point of view, it was a dream. Computers and other equipment—I had no idea what they were or what they did—were everywhere.

“These are my babies. I do most of my work here, though I sometimes go to Souls Striptease since I help Hulk manage it.”

“You guys have a strip club?” I asked.

“We do. Before you get upset, no one is forced to work for us. They come to us. They’re protected and treated well. There’s no backroom sex happening, either. It’s all legit,” he hastily assured me.

“Hang on, I wasn’t thinking that. I was excited. I’ve never been to one, and I’ve always wanted to see what it’s really like,” I confessed.

“Well, hell, we can arrange that. You haven’t thought of doing it yourself, have you?”

I gasped and shook my head. “No! I’d be awful even if I wanted to do it. And I’m not the kind of woman that men want to see up there.”

We were winding our way through his maze of stuff. He came to an abrupt stop and swung around to face me. He had what I’d call an incredulous look on his face.

“What the fuck are you talking about? You’re not what they want to see? Christ, Jessa, they’d go wild for you. You’re exactly what they want. Don’t ever talk down about yourself like that. Just know, if you did dance and wanted a job, you’d be snapped up.” He winked at me.

I was still giggling when he took me to a desk. It looked like it was where he sat and worked. He offered me his chair. When I sat down, he got behind me, bent over, and got close.

“You know that Agony asked me to take your information and do some investigating to see if those men who took you had been planning your kidnapping or if they just got lucky.”

My stomach clenched. I couldn’t say anything, so instead, I nodded. His hand came up to gently squeeze my shoulder.

“If this is too much for you, just say so,” Wire said softly.

Inhaling a fortifying breath, I shook my head. “I’m not letting anything about my kidnapping or what happened afterward intimidate me. I want to find those animals and have them all pay.”

“Good. That’s what we want, too. So, I can tell you I’m still researching. I started with your life back in Arizona. First of all, honey, you need to get out more. You seem only to work and do things for others. Jessa needs some pampering. Goddamn, woman, before this is over, you and I are going out to party and let loose.”

I threw back my head and laughed. He did, too. When we were done, he got back to the screen. His fingers tapped on his keyboard, bringing up a shot of my apartment. The following picture was of the preschool where I worked. I looked up at him.

“Why are you showing me these? Did you find something?”

“Not yet, but I have questions. Since you don’t seem to party, and I found no indication that you have a man in your life, I’ve got to ask about past men.”

“Why?”

“Just bear with me. Have you had any ugly breakups? Men who wouldn’t take no for an answer?”

“I wouldn’t call them ugly. The last guy was kinda upset when I told him I wanted to break up. He kept insisting we could work it out. After a couple of months, he stopped. I haven’t seen him in ages.”

“I’ll need that guy’s name and anything else you can tell me about him. Has anyone been pushy or overly attentive to you when you’re at work or out and about shopping?”

He handed me a pen and a small notebook as he kept going. I wrote down what I could recall about my last boyfriend. After I did that, I thought about his previous question. I was about to say no when another thought popped into my head. I couldn’t see him doing something like this. Wire was making it sound like I was targeted for personal reasons.

“Wire, do you think someone paid those guys to kidnap and sell me over some personal issue?”

“I don’t know, but I’m considering every angle. The likelihood someone did that is slim, but I can’t rule it out, so I have to investigate.”

“God, okay, there is one guy. He works as a driver for my school. He picks up and drops off the kids. He flirts and has asked me out a few times. I’ve gotten to the point that I hide when I see him coming. At a party we had for everyone who worked there and the parents, he kept pestering me to dance until I did. Then he kept trying to cut in when I was dancing with other guys.”

“Put him down, too. Anyone else?” he asked.

I took time to think. When I was done, I shook my head. “No, that’s it. I wrote everything down that I remember.” I handed him the notebook. After skimming it, he grinned.

“You’re the fucking best. I gotta hug you.”

He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed me. I felt his lips on my temple, but I didn’t mind. I knew it wasn’t anything more than a friendly thing. He placed a second one on my cheek. I was turning my head to give him one when I heard a snarling voice break up the good mood.

“What the fuck is going on here?”

Wire slowly stood up. He left a comforting hand on my shoulder. Standing by the door was a furious Mace, judging by the scowl on his face and the angry wave washing over us.

“What’s it looking like is going on? I was hugging and kissing Jessamy. She just gave me a couple of leads to follow. She’s great. We’ve been having fun, haven’t we?” Wire grinned at me.

“We have. Wire has been showing me so much. This was our last stop. He’s working on a theory, and I was giving him information to help him see if it was right,” I defended.

Then I recalled what he said last night. My anger over it came back. Why didn’t he just stay away from me? I came to my feet. I was stiff, and my pain was climbing. It had been a long time since my last pain pill.

“Shit, I forgot, you need your meds. Come on, I’ll get you back there and tuck you in. We’ve done a lot today, honey,” Wire said as he put an arm around me. I heard what sounded like a growl come from Mace. I gasped. What was wrong with him?

“I think you’ve done enough for one day, brother. I’ll take you. I need to speak to her anyway.” Mace came toward us.

“I brought her. I should be the one to take her home. Isn’t that right, honey? Whoever brings you is the one to take you home,” Wire stated.

“It’s not a goddamn date!” Mace thundered.

I was stunned when Wire responded by prodding his brother. What was going on between these two? Had they had some disagreement, and I was unfortunately caught in the middle?

“How do you know it wasn’t a date? Jessamy is a very desirable woman. I appreciate her many assets. She’s witty, fun, and can keep up with me intellectually. Not to mention, she’s beautiful and sexy. I’m not blind.” Wire smiled at me.

“You’ve monopolized her long enough. Jessamy, it’s time for you to rest, but first, I’ve got to talk to you,” Mace stated.

“If it’s about last night in the common room, forget about it. I don’t need to hear all the reasons you see me making a mess for your club. I don’t need to hear insincere words you’ve been forced to say. I don’t want to talk. Wire, would you be so kind as to walk me back? I’m tired, and it is time for meds. Thank you for everything, especially for letting me decorate.”

He laughed, and with an arm around me, we walked out of his office. Mace was right behind us. Wire paused only long enough to shut and lock the door. Then we were off. Instead of leaving through the front door, we went out the garage door. I saw he had a bike and a sexy sports car.

“You’re tired, so I’ll give you a ride there. Does that sound okay?” he asked.

“I’d love to see what that baby can do,” I said as I pointed to the car.

“The car it is. Mace, we’ll see you later. Maybe I’ll be at the clubhouse tonight. Later.”

Wire didn’t waste time helping me into his car. Mace watched the whole time. It wasn’t until we were pulling out that he left. As Wire drove me the short way to the clubhouse, I tried to fathom why Mace insisted on speaking to me. Maybe Agony was pushing him. I’d talk with Agony. To be safe, I’d avoid Mace. It was the only logical course. My attraction to him would go away if I ignored it. It had to.

Wire insisted on walking me inside and to my room at the clubhouse. The common room was empty. I told him I was more than capable, but he wouldn’t listen. After we got to my room, he watched to be sure I took my meds. When he asked if I’d eaten, I told the truth. He told me to hang on, and then he left. I was drifting off when he came back with a makeshift lunch. His care made me smile. These Pagans sure were a surprise.

“Hopefully, I’ll see you later in the common room if you feel up to it. Don’t push yourself if you don’t,” Wire said.

“We’ll see. I am going to try to rest, and I’ll try to join you,” I told him. I only said that because I would likely run into Mace if I went there, and I had to avoid that.

He closed the door behind him. I was feeling tired, so I lay on the bed. I’d closed my eyes and began to drift when I was jerked to the surface by knocking on the door. It was loud and insistent. I knew it had to be Mace. Why would anyone else be here? Wait a minute. Shouldn’t he be at work? I ignored it and stayed where I was.

Moments later, there was another knock, but this time, he accompanied it with words. “Jessamy, I know you’re in there. You can’t ignore me. We’re going to talk. Now. This can’t wait,” he growled.

I flipped off the door, even though he couldn’t see it. I stubbornly kept my back to it and my body on the bed. He could knock and yell all day if he wanted. I determinedly closed my eyes.

There was only one problem. I hadn’t locked the door behind Wire when he left. I forgot that until I heard my door open. I sat up and whipped around to glare at him. Mace wore a stern look.

“Get out. I didn’t invite you in!” I snapped.

“No, you didn’t. I wouldn’t typically do this, but you’re not freezing me out or whatever this is. We need to talk about last night and what you heard. I came to apologize,” he said as he came inside and shut the door behind him.

He locked it. I wiggled myself into a position where I could see him better. I was covertly scanning for something I could use as a weapon. I probably didn’t need one, but it was better to be safe. My kidnapping taught me that in a harsh way. I scooted closer to the head of the bed. The only possible weapon was the lamp on the nightstand.

“Mace, you don’t need to apologize. You have every right to express how you feel. Everyone does. Did it hurt for a second? Yes, but I got over it. You don’t know me, and your club doesn’t owe me. I asked Agony not to get involved and to let me go home. The police in Arizona can handle this investigation. For some reason, he’s being obstinate.”

“You’re in no shape to go anywhere. And even if you were, we wouldn’t let you,” he responded.

“Why not?”

“Because you could walk right back into what got you kidnapped in the first place. The cops won’t assign you a protection detail. You’d be vulnerable there. Here, you’re secure and have several sets of eyes on you. We’re more than capable of finding whoever is behind this. Didn’t Wire tell you that while playing tour guide?” he asked acidly.

I didn’t know what made me do it. Maybe I just wanted to instigate him, but my next words did that and more.

“Oh, Wire was the best tour guide. The things he showed me were incredible. I didn’t want to stop, but we were interrupted. He promised to show me more later.” I even used a sultry voice as I spoke.

“What the fuck happened between you two today? He’s supposed to be investigating, not flirting and doing other shit. How far would you have let him go if I hadn’t interrupted your little petting session?” he snapped.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know, but that’s between us. As for you and me, I know your stance. You want me gone and the club free of my mess. I want the same. So what you need to do is convince Agony of it. Until then, I’ll stay clear of you, and you do the same with me. This place is big enough that we shouldn’t run into each other. To make it easier, I’ll try to stay out of the common room during the evenings when you’re off work. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m tired and want to nap. Goodbye.”

He wore a frustrated expression. I could tell he was warring with himself. He no doubt wanted to say something ugly but was holding back. After a good minute or so of silence, he did say something.

“I don’t want you to avoid me. You’re free to go anywhere at any time. However, you will be staying here. I’m not talking to Agony. And take my advice. Stay away from Wire.”

Without another word, he unlocked and opened the door. He shut it hard behind him. I rushed to it and turned the lock before I lay back down. It took me a long time to drift off because Mace incessantly occupied my mind. Eventually, the crappy night of sleep last night caught up to me, and I slept.