Chapter 9
“Hey, Marty.” The asshole looks surprised when I let myself into his office, Troj and Jessie follow in after me, and he immediately stands up from his desk and looks panicked.
“I’m takin’ it from the look on your face that my message got back to ya last night?” I rest my ass on the edge of his desk, while Troj and Jessie casually move around the room, checking out the fancy art that”s on the walls.
“Jimmer… I… I had no idea that the woman had anything to do with you. If I did, I would never have…”
“You had no idea, I can understand that.” I nod my head slowly, giving him the impression that I’m sympathetic to his situation. “Still don’t explain what you”re doing offerin’ your services in my town.” I tilt my head and stare at him curiously.
“She ain’t from Manitou Springs. She lives in Castle Rock, last time I checked that wasn’t your territory.”
“You’re right, Joanne wasn’t from Manitou Springs, but the three other names that came outta your boy’s mouth, while I was reshapin’ his face, were.” Unfolding my arms I pick up the letter opener that”s resting on his desk and check the sharpness of its tip. “You know, I heard a story ‘bout a girl who stabbed one of these right into her own father’s throat.” I chuckle to myself and enjoy the scared look on his face as I place it carefully back down.
“I’m sorry. That’s all I can say to ya, Jimmer, that and that I… I promise that I won’t do business on your territory again.”
“He’s sorry.” I look at Jessie and repeat his words. “That’s cute, ain’t it?”
“You sorry for makin’ the mother of my daughter get on her knees and suck your cock?” I turn things very fuckin’ serious. “Are ya sorry for puttin’ ridiculous amounts of interest onto her debt knowin’ she’d never be able to pay you back?”
“Jimmer, like I said. I had no idea.”
“Then ya need to be careful.” I take my knife outta my belt with one hand and pin him to his office wall by his forehead with the other.
“You wonder why only one of your boys came back last night?” I question as I slide the blade of my knife over his cheek.
“You let him go to give me the message,” he mumbles as he watches the knife slip over his skin from the corner of his eye.
“Give Marty our gift.” I look over to Troj who places the wooden box on his desk and opens it for him.
“What the fuck is that?” His nose wrinkles up in disgust.
“That is the ballsack of the poor guy who had to break the news to me, that you used my daughter’s mother like a whore. I lost my temper with him because I didn’t like what he had to say.”
“Is he…?”
“Believe me, that”s the only part of him you”re ever gonna find. We figured you might wanna bury it, or cremate it. Say a little prayer over it or somethin’.”
“You killed him… I… I…”
“I’ve been runnin’ this town since before you were an itch in your papa’s pants, you will have already heard about the consequences of fuckin’ with me. Now, maybe you’ll have the sense to listen. Manitou Springs is the town that I raise my family in, we don’t take advantage of desperate people and we don’t turn housewives into whores.” I make a long, deep gash in his cheek, a permanent scar will be a good reminder of this conversation. Then, backing away, I head out to my bike with my boys following behind me.
“Jimmer, please talk to me.” Joanne is waiting for me on my cabin porch when I get there, and when she stands up I move right on past her so I can get to the door and open it. I’m too mad to deal with her right now. I don’t want her to see a side of me that she won’t like.
“Jimmer, please,” she begs.
“What are ya doin’ here, Joanne? Don’t ya have a dinner date to be gettin’ back to?” I turn around and hate that she looks so cold and fragile. Hell knows how long she’s been here waiting for me.
After I saw her in the diner with that guy’s hands all over her, the only thing I could do to stop me from murdering him was ride. I’ve been gone hours, trying to clear my head, and I’m still not feeling any fuckin’ calmer about it.
“Just let me explain,” she begs.
“Explain why I gotta let another man have his hands all over my old lady and not do jack about it because her fuckin’ parents are sat there?” I laugh at myself. “Can you hear that, Joanne? You know who I fuckin’ am. I don’t let shit like that slide.”
“I’m not your old lady.” She stares back at me blankly as fresh tears build in her eyes.
“What?” I shake my head, wondering how that”s relevant right now.
“I’m not your old lady. Mary-Ann is your old lady,” she reminds me.
“That still doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have served that preppy little dick who thought he could touch ya, his fingers as a fuckin’ entrée,” I point out, opening my door and punching it on my way through.
“Jimmer, calm down. I came here to explain and to say I’m sorry.”
“What ya sorry for?” I turn to look at her, suddenly feeling weak and fuckin’ helpless. “None of this is your fault. It’s all mine.”
“What…? How do you figure that?” She looks puzzled.
“D’ya know what I thought when I first saw you with him and your folks sittin’ at that table?”
“That you wanted to serve him his fingers as an entrée.” She smiles, trying her best to lighten the mood.
“Before that.” I shake my head, making it clear that I’m serious about what I’m about to tell her.
“No, Jimmer, I don’t know.” Now she looks curious.
“I wished I was him.” I throw my keys at the table in frustration. “You’re twenty years old, you”re a woman now, Joanne. You don’t have to keep me a secret from them. You choose to.” I take the bottle of Jack from my kitchen counter and slump into one of my kitchen chairs. “And I know why. You”re this beautiful, precious, little thing that”s been raised so perfectly and I’m me. I’m never gonna be the guy you take to dinner with your folks because they fear me. I may have screwed up in the past with Mary-Ann and she may have some shit over me, but I’m not the one keepin’ us a secret. I want the world to know you’re mine. I wanna put you on my saddle and let this whole town know you”re my girl. But I saw the look on your face when I walked into that diner tonight. You were ashamed of me.” I point my finger at her accusingly.
“No, I just… I have to please them,” she tries to explain.
“Why?”
“Because they’re my parents, Jimmer. They’ve raised me to be this person and?—”
“D’ya even like that person?” I cut her off and when she gives me a weak no, that I can barely hear, I can’t help feeling sorry for her.
“You know what I had Thorne workin’ on when you left here earlier?”
Her head shakes back at me.
“I had him lookin’ into ways of gettin’ Mary-Ann off the deeds. I got Roswell lookin’ into some rape her dad was accused of ten years ago to see if I can buy myself some leverage, and I got my solicitor ampin’ up his game so I can get some rights on Hayley before she tries to use her as a weapon when shit goes west. I did all that because I want you to be my old lady. I want all this to be yours. I wanna share all the memories me and my club are gonna make here, with you.” I feel as if I’m ripping my heart out my chest and handing it to her on a silver platter.
“Jimmer, I can’t.”
“Yes, ya can. Everythin’ you said before you left here earlier was so unselfish, it made me realize what I really want. I want this club to grow into somethin’ special and I want you by my side. You make me a better person Joanne, the kind of person this club needs to lead ‘em.”
“I do love you,” she tells me, reaching out and taking my hand.
“Love ain’t enough. Times are gonna be hard and there will be plenty of ‘em when you’re ashamed of the man I am,” I warn her.
“Never.” She launches herself onto my body and smashes her lips onto mine, and although it’s not gonna resolve the mess we’re in, I carry her straight to the bedroom so I can show her just how much I’ve fallen in love with her too.
I lay her out on the mattress I have on the floor and kneel in front of her, lifting her leg and resting her ankle against my shoulder.
“He shouldn’t have touched ya here.” I kiss the inside of her thigh where that asshole had his hand, gradually lowering my kisses until I’m just a whisper away from her pussy. I can’t get enough of the way her body responds to me, the noises she makes has my cock desperate to be inside her.
“Jimmer, I don’t like him. Our parents are friends and they think we would be a good fit but—” I press my fingers over her lips.
“D’ya really wanna be talkin’ about him when I’m about to make ya come?” I lift my eyes up to hers and watch the menacing smile form under my finger as she shakes her head.
“Tell me you’re mine, Joanne. That’s all I need to know.”
“I’m yours,” she promises, and I give her my tongue as a reward for the correct answer.
* * *
“You good?” Joanne comes outta the bathroom looking real pale.
“Yeah, fine.” She smiles as she takes a seat at the table.
“Good, because I’m gonna make ya breakfast.” I rub my hands together and open the refrigerator to see what I can rustle up.
“No.” She holds up her hand. “I don’t do breakfast anymore.” She sips on the orange juice I’ve put out for her and holds up her other hand in refusal.
“You did breakfast before, are you tryin’ to tell me somethin’ about my cookin’?”
“No, your cooking is just fine. I just don’t like to eat breakfast these days.” She gets up from her chair and sits on the kitchen counter in front of me, curling her arms around my neck.
“Did you really mean what you said last night about making me your old lady?” She questions me again.
“I never say anythin’ I don’t mean.”
“And what about your little girl? You know Mary-Ann is gonna make seeing her difficult for you if you piss her off.”
“I love Hayley, but Mary-Ann’s exploitin’ that. I wanna be her father but I have to show Mary-Ann that she can’t use her as a pawn. I’ve always been respectful to her, more respectful than she deserved, but I got a limit and I won’t put what we could have at jeopardy for her. My lawyer will come through on that.” I kiss her before I have to pull away and take the kettle off the stove.
“Joanne, I know this is a lot to ask of you but there’s a chance Mary-Ann might go off the rails when she realizes what I’m doin’. If that happens, I’m gonna need help with Hayley.” I don’t want to see her reaction in case it’s bad. I know what I’m putting on her is way more than we ever agreed on, but my little girl has to come first.
“I never really thought about having kids.” She shrugs. “Especially not at my age.”
“Mary-Ann’s made it clear she wants Hayley growin’ up away from the club. I’m startin’ to see that it”s more for her own benefit than our daughter’s. It’s unlikely she’d abandon her, but Mary-Ann”s unpredictable. I need ya to know what you’re gettin’ into with this.”
“Of course, I’d help.” She takes my face in her hand. “I’d do anythin’ for you.”
“Even tell your folks we’re a thing?” I grab at her ass and rub my nose into her neck and when she’s finished giggling, she pushes me away just enough for me to see her face.
“Yes,” she tells me seriously.
“Just gimme a few months to get this place finished. I promise you won’t regret this. My vision for this club is gonna rock your world,” I promise her.
“You already rock my world, Jimmer Carson,” she tells me, hopping off the counter and tugging me by my belt toward the bedroom.