Chapter 17
*~* Jamie *~*
Back home, after running the gauntlet of the brothers at the clubhouse, we are sitting in the kitchen and I’m tired now that the adrenaline has run its course.
The brothers cheered and boot-stomped when we left the shed and tried to head home.
Molly, Bri and Marcia accosted me, wanting all the details.
Bri and Marcia immediately assumed that we'd done the dirty deed while making up in the shed. How gross would that have been? So, I quietly pointed out that he wasn’t getting anywhere close to doing that until Tom or Simon had given him the all-clear.
Unconsciously glancing up, I saw Floss giving me an evil stare from the kitchen. She quickly dropped her eyes and moved away. She was only doing what the club women do, but even then, you’d think there would be some girl code amongst them.
Fury got mobbed by the brothers, and there were lots of ‘about time’, ‘at last’ and other comments to go with a back slap from each. I noticed he had a satisfied smirk going on, along with a healthy flush on his cheeks.
“So, what happens now, Fury?” I ask him while I still have enough left in the tank to argue if necessary.
“Well, Smoker will get the windscreen replaced, but it will take a few days. That won’t be easy to come by.”
“Not with the truck, you asshole. With us, damn it.”
“Oh. I thought we were good now. With stupidity behind us, we were moving on. Am I wrong?” He watches me closely for my reaction.
“No, you’re not wrong, but we can’t just carry on as though nothing happened either.
If you’re saying I’m the one, then I had better be the only one.
I meant what I said about getting physical, too.
Nothing of mine, or yours, is getting touched until I know there are no hitchhikers or nasty viruses lurking anywhere on your person. ”
“I would never have gone with anyone that wasn’t clean, Jamie.”
“Clean? You think that a skank like her can be classed clean? I can’t have this conversation right now.
Let yourself out when you’re done, but make sure the door is secured when you do.
” Standing from the table, I notice he hasn’t made a move.
“When I said, ‘when you’re done’, I meant you are done. Time for you to leave.”
“No. I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying to keep you safe. This thing isn’t over, and whoever it is has upped their game by taking shots at you. I’m staying close to you from now on.” Fury raises his eyebrows as if I hadn’t considered this already.
“Well, you haven’t exactly been my protective fairy godmother so far, have you? At least Bandit was on the scene as soon as it happened.” I can see how deep those barbs went as soon as they were out of my mouth, and I regret them instantly. “I’m sorry…”
“I was under orders to stay well clear of you. Pres gave me the order in church in front of all the club. Despite not being there, I was still the one who saved your life, even though you don’t realize it.”
“What do you mean, Fury?” The truck...Whack said something about Fury and my truck.
“It doesn’t matter. I was right. I’ll never be good enough for you, no matter what.”
“Enough of the self-pitying crap. Out with it. How did you save me when you weren’t allowed near me?” I need to push this as I want it out in the open and from his lips.
“I bought the truck for you. I arranged it through Smoker. Nobody was expecting shots to be fired, but I wanted you in an armored vehicle in case they tried to ram you again. I wanted to protect you, even though I couldn’t physically be with you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me from the get-go?” I think I already know the answer to this, too.
“You wouldn’t have gone within ten miles of that truck if you’d known it was from me, Jamie. We both know that.”
“You’re probably right in that, Fury. I was hurt and wouldn’t have accepted your help.”
“We kept it from as many people as possible. He won’t be so sure of himself anymore, and he knows that you’re not vulnerable in your truck.
His choices are getting fewer each time he fails.
His options now are one of your houses or the practice.
The practice will be too public. He can’t just walk in and do the deed without someone seeing him.
You’re only going to be allowed to stay here now.
Your main house is off-limits. Too far out to be able to protect you adequately.
That means here is where he’ll try again.
Here we can catch him and put an end to this shitshow, once and for all. ”
“Great, so I can’t even relax now that I’m home, is that what you’re saying?”
“No, you can relax, just don’t get careless, is all.”
“Careless, yeah. Stay away from the windows, don’t silhouette myself against a light, let someone else take the garbage out.
Just how am I supposed to get to the practice, and home again, each day?
Don’t tell me I can’t leave the house because that is not happening.
” I’m starting to get seriously angry with this now, the more I think about it.
How dare someone disrupt what little life I have to this extent?
“Then we should lure them out into the open. I’m not living my life dancing to someone else's tune.”
“Yeah, and we can’t just hang you out there as a target and let him call the shots. Literally. You’re going to have to be patient and let us do some more digging and…”
“I don’t like that word. It doesn’t fill me with confidence.” I give him a stinky-eyed look.
“What patience? You’ll just have to develop some.”
“No, the other word, digging. It has a certain finality about it that I don’t appreciate.”
“Oh, I see. Well, information gathering, then.” Fury smiles as though this will make me feel better.
“You can’t be here twenty-four-seven, either. You must get to the practice and get checked out. If we’re going to revive this relationship, it’s not going to stay platonic forever. I’m already done with this celibacy lifestyle, mister.”
The rest of the day and evening passes uneventfully.
We eat takeout and watch a movie, though we do it from separate spaces.
I take the couch and Fury gets a chair. I’m deadly serious about there being no sexual contact between us, not even a cuddle.
The hug in the shed doesn’t count. That was just an emotional thing that happened, and in my mind, I’ve decided it didn’t count.
Waking from the sleep of the dead, I feel remarkably fresh.
I check that I’m alone and that Fury hasn’t sneaked in during the night.
The smell of coffee wafting down the hallway has me almost sleepwalking to the kitchen.
I’m only in my boy pants and a t-shirt, but let’s face it, it isn’t as if it’s anything Fury hasn’t seen before.
Maybe it will encourage him to get the checkup sooner rather than later.
I’m not desperate for sex, but I am a healthy woman with wants and desires.
Walking into the kitchen, I do a double take, let out a squeal, and rush back to my bedroom. Goddamn it. What is a prospect doing here at this time of the morning? Throwing a sweatshirt and some joggers on, I try a more respectful entrance.
“Morning, Doc. You sure look hot first thing in the morning. I thought women were supposed to look like they’d been dragged through a hedge backwards when they woke up!”
“Morning, Mateo. What are you doing here so early? Not that it isn’t good to see you at any time, of course.”
“Fury called me and said I should get my ass over here, pronto. So, here I am.” We both look to Fury for some form of explanation.
“I have a couple of errands to run, and you can’t be left alone, so Mateo is going to be my apprentice for all things security. In fact, he’s going to be my apprentice full-stop, until a business opportunity presents itself for him.”
“Thank fuck. Something to do other than gate duty. I was getting ready to leave the MC if things didn’t change soon.” Mateo positively glows with excitement, but I see Fury turn to him and give him a look.
“You were what? Have you spoken to anyone about how you’re feeling?” Fury questions him and doesn’t look as though he might like the answer.
“Of course. I wouldn’t just up and go without trying to fix things first. What do you think I am?”
“Who did you speak to?”
“I’m not getting anyone into trouble, Fury. They didn’t take me seriously, but they did point me to Vortex. He’s been teaching me knife skills, which filled the void a bit.”
“It isn’t a case of getting anyone into trouble, Mateo, but they should have had your back more than just to pass you on to someone else like that.” Fury is not pleased, and I don’t think we’ve heard the end of this, somehow.
“So, what’s the plan for today, then? Who is escorting me to work and back, sitting outside my office door all day, riding shotgun for any home visits? Hmm?” I look from one to the other and see them side-eyeing each other.
“Well, Jamie, home visits are out the window, certainly until the Ford is repaired. Pres told Molly to remove you from any schedules until further notice, so you don’t need escorting to the practice.
I guess that means the two of you are stuck here for the time being.
Good luck trying to talk Whack into letting you go back to work.
I’ll only be gone a couple of hours, I would think.
Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Mateo, you treat this place just the same as you would the compound and when I get back, we’ll start your training proper. ”
“Well, at least I get better-looking company for this gate duty.” Mateo winks at me, and I see Fury’s eyes flash green with jealousy.
“Maybe you’d better stand by the shower while I’m in there, Mateo. Just in case someone tries to throw a toaster or something in there with me?” I look all innocent as I say this, and Fury bites right away.
“You will stay well away from the shower, Mateo. You hear me?”
“Sure thing, Fury, I hear you, but what’s a prospect to do when he’s given orders, eh?” Mateo is quick to pick up on the wind-up and Fury takes the bait.
“I guarantee that if I find out you’ve been anywhere near that shower, whatever you’ve learned from Vortex so far will not be enough to keep you safe.” Mateo just laughs it off as Fury leaves the kitchen, heading for the front door.
Once he’s gone, I resign myself to the fact that I’m going to be closely monitored until this threat is neutralized, and they are doing it for the right reasons. I don’t have to like it though.
“How about you go get that shower, Doc, and I’ll make us some breakfast? I’ll raid your fridge and see what can be had, eh?”
“I like the sound of that. I’ll be about ten minutes.” Walking through to the bedroom, I grab some clothes and a fresh towel. I’m dressed and brushing my hair when I hear what sounds like a shotgun going off.
Rushing out of the bedroom, I glance at the front door, and my shotgun is still where I left it, but there’s smoke and dust coming from the kitchen.
“Mateo? Mateo, are you okay?” The kitchen looks like a bomb went off in here, and Mateo is just coming back in through the back door.
“Are you okay, Doc?” Mateo looks me up and down differently from how he looked me up and down when I burst into the kitchen earlier. There’s blood pouring from his cheek.
“I’m good, but what the hell happened to my kitchen?
What were you trying to make?” I step over the remains of what looks like my kitchen table and chairs, then take his face in my hands.
Turning it slightly, he winces, and I see a piece of wood sticking out of the wound.
“We need to get you over to the practice right away so I can deal with that properly.”
“Sure, Doc. Just let me call Fury.” Mateo takes out his phone, and I take it off him, placing it in my own pants pocket.
“That can wait. Let’s go.”
“No, Doc, it can’t.” Taking his phone from my pocket, he takes a step away and calls Fury.
“Fury, you need to get yourself back here right now. Someone just threw a bomb into Doc’s kitchen. She’s fine, and he got away, but you never said that someone might throw a fucking bomb through her kitchen door. We’ll be at the practice when you get back.”
Handing me the phone, Mateo says, “Okay, Doc. Now we can go.”
“A bomb? A bomb, Mateo? Someone threw a bomb through my kitchen door at you?” I am totally gobsmacked at how this thing is escalating.
Mateo steps outside and has a good look around before gesturing me forward, and we quickly make our way to the practice. Walking into reception, Barbara looks up, and her receptionist smile disappears in an instant when she sees Mateo’s face.
“Molly! Tom! Reception, now,” she shouts out, rushing around the counter.
She grabs Mateo from me and drags him into one of the Nurse Practitioner’s rooms. “Lie down on this bed,” she instructs him and then shouts for Tom again, who appears looking worried.
“Pointing to the nurse’s room she tells him to get in there and sort the young man out.
Molly appears, and Barbara shoves me, yes shoves, no gentle push, she almost shoves me off my feet towards Molly.
“Take her into your office and find out what’s happening. I’ll call Fury.”
“He’s on his way, Barbara. He already knows.”
“Knows? What does he know?” Molly asks with genuine concern. “What’s happened and who’s in that room?”
“Somebody threw a bomb into the kitchen and tried to blow up Mateo!”