Chapter 5 Raff #2
Bile rises in my throat as a fire burns through me like acid in my veins. I slam the laptop down.
No fucking way.
There is no way in hell he gets to torment her living next to me. This is not going to happen. The games, the taunting, that shit is not okay.
Taking one more long pull of my beer, I feel the anger building.
More than that the need to protect overcomes me.
I drop the garage door to stroll inside. I have to compose myself.
I am too on edge. Even if we were friends if she saw me in this state, I’m sure she would be afraid.
No woman ever has to be afraid of me, but Josie doesn’t know that.
I can’t shake the feelings. Yes, I should have showered earlier, but I was distracted.
After reading the text, it certainly seems to have been for the best because I need this time to calm down.
The water beats down on my skin. The cold of it causes me to blink and my eyes open wide as sleep will not come easy now.
Typically, a cold shower will clear my head and help me get control of my emotions.
Not tonight, though. It’s only taken the edge off, but there is nothing stopping this caged feeling inside me.
I’m not one to sit idle when I know there is a situation.
Sliding on some sweatpants, I walk over to her house. Ringing the doorbell, I hope I don’t wake Justice. I hear the patter of her feet coming before she pauses and looks through the peephole.
Good girl, I think to myself. Stay aware.
She opens the door and peers around me like I have eight heads. I’m sure I seem crazy. “Dean, are you okay?”
I shake my head feeling like the biggest fucking idiot. Why did I come over here? She’s going to think I’ve lost my damn mind. Because I have.
“Got some sugar?” I ask letting the first thing that comes to mind tumble from my mouth.
She looks at me stunned. “You unpacked my groceries, I have sugar. It’s a little late don’t you think?”
Fuck!
I run my hand through my wet hair before wrapping my hand around my long beard pulling on it. “This is fucking stupid,” I mutter.
“Not sure I follow, Dean,” she whispers.
“Saw a car, little Ford,” at my words she pales.
Bingo.
She is scared.
“I don’t want to scare you.”
She swallows and nods. “I’m not easily scared, Dean. I prefer to know what I’m facing so just tell me why you’re at my house at eight pm on a school night without a shirt on.”
“Well, the neighbors are all out of town. Didn’t like the idea of you and Justice over here because that car isn’t one of the Johnson’s grandkids. I don’t know who it is.”
She blinks rapidly, “Um, thank you for your concern. We’re okay.”
“You armed?” I ask and instantly, I know the answer.
“I said I’m fine, Dean.”
“Havin’ a young kid, smart not to have something if you don’t know how to use it. You workin’ this weekend?”
Her mouth drops open, “Dean, I don’t know if you realize you’re standing in front of me with sweatpants, no shirt, no shoes, and talking about strangers, being armed, and frankly, I don’t know you well enough to know if you’re safe.
I appreciate whatever you think you’re doing here, but I am good.
I hope you have a goodnight.” She begins to shut the front door.
Putting my hand against it, I stop her. “Fuck, I’m doing this wrong.
I’m sorry, Jo. Just got a lot on my mind.
Need to get you a system like mine. ‘Til then,” I reach in my pocket and hand her the key fob, “this links to my system. Press the panic button you see something, you need help, whatever. It alerts the necessary people.”
Those people being me and my club, but I’m not going to tell her that. This key fob is a set up I worked on and it’s a prototype, but I know it won’t fail her. Yes, I have an alarm system in my house, but this will help her anywhere.”
She studies it and tries to hand it back. “You’re next door, you need to keep it close to your box. I have a system. Even have the little key fob for mine,” she explains.
“System you got, basic shit. Not this, Jo. It goes where you go. Works off cellular networks. Push the button you need it, and it will give the location ping and alert help.”
“Dean, why are you worried? Do you know something I don’t? We’re strangers.”
She at least asks the right questions.
“Not strangers, we’re neighbors. You gotta understand my world, Jo.
You matter to Sara. Sara matters to Country Boy.
It’s the domino effect. And Country Boy, he’s been a lifeline when I was at my lowest. Sara wouldn’t like something happen to you.
That makes trouble for Country Boy. This is added security. ”
“I do not understand all this brotherhood,” she whispers.
I lean in grabbing the back of her neck to give it a squeeze. “Don’t need you to understand. Need to know you’re safe. Consider it a favor to me and then I owe ya one.”
She looks up at me, her eyes locking to mine, the uncertainty in them. Leaning down, I press my lips to her forehead.
Her eyes widen in shock as I pull back. “Dean, I don’t think this is a good idea. I don’t know you and you don’t know me.”
“I know this is unorthodox. Much about my life isn’t.
One day, maybe I’ll share why, but for now, just know that I’ve lost someone before because I wasn’t diligent enough.
Until I can figure out if the Johnson’s had someone doing work while they are gone or why the car was here, just have the fob, Jo. Please. For my peace of mind.”
She studies me and I try to keep my face gentle. Giving her neck one last squeeze, I drop my head, “for my peace of mind, Jo.”
She nods, wrapping her hand around the fob.
“Good girl,” I whisper before backing up. “Lock the door, Jo. Get some sleep.”
“Okay, Dean. Goodnight,” she mutters still in shock while she closes the door. I stand there listening as she engages the lock and deadbolt.
Still feeling uneasy, I go back to my house, grab my sleeping blanket from the garage before climbing in my truck bed.
A cool Carolina night under the stars isn’t the worst place I’ve ever slept.
Not that I’ll sleep much. Any noise, a change in lights, anything, I’m already halfway to her house being in our shared driveway.
Funny, I hated this design for the longest time, but now it gives me a strange sense of comfort.
Just get through tonight.
Tomorrow it’s time to put things into action.
No female remotely in my world will ever live in fear of a man.
Even if it means I go back to the cage.
Josie doesn’t need to know that. She just needs to be able to sleep easy for her and her son.
I’ll be the man to make sure she does.