Chapter Thirteen
Jack
I cleared my throat, and every head in the room turned to us.
“Shit. Samantha, I’m sorry.” Beck ran over and pulled Sammy into a hug. “I’m not sorry I yelled at Micah, but I am sorry you had to hear it.”
“It’s ok,” Sammy murmured.
“No, it’s not. I just found out what happened in church.”
“Because Tank can’t keep his fucking mouth shut. You didn’t question his fucking loyalty,” Blade snarked from the other side of the room.
“Shut it, asshole! Or you’ll be sleeping here tonight,” Beck threw back.
“Let’s get some breakfast.” I picked up Charlie and walked to the table filled with food that sat along the wall. Hash and the club girls worked hard every morning and evening to make sure we all ate well. For lunch, you were on your own.
Sammy followed quietly behind me.
I held Charlie’s plate while Sammy filled it. Once both my girls had plates filled with food, I walked them over to sit down with Cash and Rachel.
“Good morning, Charlie,” Rachel greeted my daughter first.
She was always the first to smooth things over. That was just one thing that made her perfect for Cash, and the perfect head old lady, until King settled down.
If he ever did.
I quickly made a plate for myself and returned to my family. Sensing the tension in the room, I realized I had to say something.
Standing from my seat, I addressed the room .
“Listen up. When I claimed Sammy in church, I had forgotten about her still being married. Let me make this clear. That is a technicality that we will rectify soon. As much as it pains me to say this, because I think he would have objected anyway, Blade was right to remind me of that.”
I looked down at Sammy. Her head hung over her food. I knew this shit made her feel guilty, but I needed to cut them off before they said more.
“Sammy will be my wife. It makes no difference to me if you accept her as an old lady or not, but as my wife and the mother of my child, you will show her some fucking respect,” I commanded, my glare directed at Blade.
Sitting back down, I pulled Sammy close and kissed her.
The room was quiet.
Awkward.
“So, what do you have planned today?” Rachel asked, breaking the silence. That was the signal that allowed everyone else to continue talking amongst themselves.
I waited for Sammy to respond. When she stayed silent, I answered,
“We need to talk with Nav, then hit the store and swing by Sammy’s old place to get her things.”
“You two moving in together? Will you be staying here or getting a place in town?” Cash asked.
Sammy spoke then, and I wasn’t happy with what she said.
“Um, I’m not sure we will live together, but I want Charlie to spend some time with Jack. So, while we’re here, we need some clothes and things.”
I leaned over to her. “We already decided this, Sammy.”
“We’ll talk about it later, Jack,” she dismissed me and dug into her breakfast.
Yes, we would talk about it later.
Sammy gave me directions to the home she shared with Carrie. I wasn’t eager to deal with Carrie again, but my girls needed their things.
Pulling up to the small cottage, I wasn’t expecting it to be as small as it was.
“How many bedrooms?”
Sammy swallowed. “Um, two.”
I looked at Sammy. “So, you and Charlie sleep together?”
“No, I sleep on the couch,” she quickly replied, then opened her door and hopped out. Sammy opened the back door to unbuckle Charlie from her seat, and I sat there, frozen.
Instead of climbing out of the truck, I turned around to confirm I heard her correctly.
“You sleep on the couch?”
“Yes.”
Yes. That was all she said before she and Charlie walked toward the front door. That got my ass moving.
I followed them into the house.
“Sam! Oh, I am so glad you’re home!” Carrie rushed over and gathered Sammy in her arms.
She appeared to love my girls, but there was just something I couldn’t put my finger on. Something about this woman had my hackles up every time we encountered each other.
“Sam, we have to pack,” Carrie said urgently.
“That’s why we’re here,” I bragged. “To pack up Sammy and Charlie and move them to the clubhouse.”
Carrie turned her head slowly, like she hadn’t noticed I was there.
Her demeanor changed in an instant.
“Jack, I didn’t notice you were here.”
“Clearly,” I snarked.
“Jack,” Sammy reprimanded, and I looked at her.
Don’t start, she mouthed. I shrugged at her.
“Sam, there was a note,” Carrie said.
Sammy froze .
I watched her throat as she swallowed slowly.
“I am so glad you came home. We can get packed up and on the road in an hour. We’ll pick another small town. It will make it harder for us to be found.”
“What the hell is going on?” I questioned.
Sammy turned to me, her eyes wide with fear. “He found us,” was all she said before she started grabbing up her things.
“Sammy, stop.” I seized her hands, pulling her in front of me. “I told you. You and Charlie will be safe. He can’t get to you at the clubhouse.”
The tears in her eyes broke my heart. Once this shit was over, I would make it my mission to ensure she never cried again.
“Come on, let’s pack everything up and get you both settled. Where’s all your stuff?” I asked.
Looking around the room, it was sparse. It wasn’t much bigger than my room at the clubhouse. There was a small, faded couch against the wall on one side, no TV. The other side had a small round table with four chairs. The only other thing I saw in the room was a small pile of clothes. No toys. They must be in Charlie’s room.
“Where’s Charlie’s room? I can pack up her stuff while you get yours.”
“Wait, Sam, we have to leave!” Carrie urged.
I growled. “My family isn’t fucking leaving.”
Taking a deep breath, I called to my daughter, “Charlie, can you show Daddy your room?”
She grabbed my hand, pulling me down a narrow hall.
“Down here, Daddy.”
I followed my daughter into a room that was the size of a large closet. It was barely big enough to fit the toddler bed, which was pushed against the wall. A small tote bucket sat in the corner and had what looked like clothes in it.
“Charlie, where are all your things?” I asked, searching the room.
“These are my things, Daddy. That’s my bed, and this is my clothes,” she said, standing by the small tote .
“Where are your toys, Shortcake?”
Charlie reached over her bed, grabbing the small doll that laid against her pillow. She showed me her doll with the proudest smile.
Jesus Christ, my little girl didn’t have any fucking toys.
I slid the lid on the top of the bucket and took her hand, guiding her back to the living room.
We entered the room to find Sammy and Carrie arguing in hushed tones. They both went silent once they noticed I had returned.
“Jack, maybe Carrie is right,” she said, her hands twisting. “Charlie has to be kept safe. Nothing else matters.”
Setting the tote on the faded couch, I pulled Sammy to the side of the room, away from Carrie.
“You matter, just as much as Charlie.”
“Jack, I—”
“No, Sammy. You matter too. I won’t let anything happen to you or Charlie. You will be safe at the clubhouse, I promise.” I looked over at Carrie.
She stood there, her arms crossed over her chest. I knew she wasn’t happy. I didn’t give a shit about her happiness. My family was all that mattered.
“Why doesn’t Charlie have any toys? And where are the rest of your things?” I asked, looking at the duffle bag Sammy had set by the door.
“That’s everything,” she said, pointing at the bag.
“What? How can that be everything?”
“Jack, we have been living in hiding. We had to run at a moment’s notice. Too many things would slow us down,” Sammy explained.
I stood there, dumbstruck.
Until that moment, I hadn’t really understood what Sammy had lived through. Amber’s words about how strong Sammy was, came rushing back.
My woman had sacrificed everything to keep my daughter safe .
That ended today. No more sacrificing. If I had the power to do it, I would give Sammy everything she ever wanted and more.
Looking back at Carrie again, I asked, “Where’s the note?”
I needed to know what we were dealing with.
“I got rid of it. Just like all the rest,” she responded.
“What did it say?” I demanded.
She hesitated. “The same as always.” She lowered her voice. “He wants Sammy back, but not Charlie.”
“If you get another one, I want to see it before you get rid of it,” I hissed. “Let’s go.”
Picking up the tote, I walked to the door. Lifting Sammy’s bag, I placed it on top of the tote and walked out.
Placing my family’s meager belongings in the back seat of the truck, I waited outside for Sammy and Charlie. I refused to walk back into that house and see what my girls had been living without.
After a few minutes, Sammy and Charlie walked outside. I placed Charlie in her seat and buckled her up. Opening the door for Sammy to get in, I kissed her hard.
“You will never be without again, Sammy. I will give you the world if you let me.”
Sammy placed her hand on my cheek, and I leaned into it.
“I have you and Charlie. That’s everything I need.” With that, she climbed in, and I closed the door. Walking around the front of the truck, I saw Carrie leaning against the doorway.
Trying to be the bigger person, I waved.
She ignored me.
Sliding into the driver’s seat, I turned over the ignition and backed out of the driveway.
“Why were you sleeping on the couch, Sammy?”
“There were only two bedrooms, Jack. Charlie’s room wasn’t large enough for a bigger bed.” She shrugged as if her explanation was logical.
“Does Carrie work?”
“No, she took care of Charlie for me while I worked.” Sammy just stared out the window. She wouldn’t look at me, and I knew why. She understood what I was saying.
“So, Carrie had the one decent room? Why didn’t you and Charlie share that room? Surely, Carrie could have slept on the couch?”
“Jack, I would not ask her to do that.” She lowered her voice so Charlie couldn’t hear her. “Taking care of a child all day is more taxing than waiting a few tables.”
“Bullshit,” I growled. “Sammy, I know how many hours a day you spend on your feet. There’s no way you got a good night’s sleep on that fucking couch.”
“Just let it go, Jack. Charlie and I are moving into the clubhouse, so it’s not a concern anymore.” She sighed.
I reached over, connecting our hands. “I love you, Sammy. You and Charlie are my world now. It breaks my heart to see how much you were living without, is all,” I said, squeezing her hand in mine.
“I know, Jack. It wasn’t that bad, I promise. I would give up even more if it meant keeping Charlie safe.”
“I know, baby. That’s one of the many reasons why I love you. Before we go back to the clubhouse, we’re going shopping. Both you and Charlie need so much.”
“Jack, that isn’t necessary,” she protested.
“It isn’t always about necessity, Sammy. Let me spoil you both.”
She shook her head at me. “Fine, if it will make you happy.”
“It will.” I winked at her. “And tonight, after we hook up the monitor in Charlie’s room, I will make you happy.”
She just laughed at that.
Once the tension that had surrounded us at the cottage finally dissipated, we spent the day shopping. I spoiled my girls with lunch and enough material things to make up for the years they had been living without.
After we returned to the clubhouse, the monitor got hooked up in Charlie’s room.
Thank you, Nav.
Then, Sammy and I spent the first of many nights to come in each other’s arms.