Chapter Eleven
Lane
I whistle as I put away my tools from the repair I just did on a dump truck at Forge Creek Public Works Yard.
“Damn son, you’re usually a chipper fella, but you’re almost crossing into creepy clown territory with that perma-grin and whistling,” Hank Mullins declares. “Gotta be a woman.”
“Isn’t it always?” I chirp, my smile getting wider if possible. Honestly, my cheeks are starting to hurt, but it’s impossible to keep the smile from my face at this point. Jessa has me ass over teakettle and I couldn’t be happier.
Well, I could. I’m not thrilled we’ve been split up now she has her bearings and has proven her skills as a first-class mechanic. But getting to go home with her every night goes a long way to making things fucking right as rain.
Hank’s thick gray mustache twitches. “I suppose you’re right. Glad you found a woman who makes it all worthwhile. This truck good to go now?”
I pat the fender of the big vehicle. “Good as new. And thanks, I am too.” I glance at my watch. “Perfect timing too. It’s time for me to head back to the yard. See ya around Hank.”
“You too Lane, have a good one.”
“I most certainly will.” I send him a wink before hauling ass to my service truck so I can return to the yard and Jessa.
My pulse picks up just thinking about the spellbinding woman who I now get to call mine. She’s everything I never knew I wanted. From her enticing body to her guarded heart to her capable, skilled hands.
I pull into the yard, parking in line with the other trucks already there and pocketing the keys before I climb down with my gear.
“Hey you’re back.”
I spin to find Jessa standing there. A quick glance around confirms we’re alone, so I tug her into me, dropping my mouth to hers.
We’re keeping our relationship on the DL other than letting Bill and Marnie know.
It’s not anyone else’s business, and we don’t want it causing problems for Jessa with the rest of the guys.
Especially since she’s still new and fitting in around here.
Unfortunately, we get so lost in our kiss, as we tend to do, we don’t realize someone else is in the yard until a door slams. We jump apart like teenagers caught by their parents. I glance around again but don’t see anyone, so hopefully they didn’t see us.
“I’ll go turn my paperwork into Marnie, and then we can get out of here and continue this at home.”
She nods, the corner of her mouth tipping up. “Sounds like a plan. I forgot my phone in the truck. I was just coming back out to get it. I’ll meet you at Carla.”
We head our separate ways. Marnie’s left already, so I leave my paperwork on her desk before heading out. Glancing toward the parking lot, I don’t see Jessa at the car yet, so I head back to the yard to see if she needs help searching for her phone.
I have déjà vu at hearing a voice and vile shit being spewed. Again a haze of red clouds my vision, but with an intensity which has me feeling like the Hulk this time, now she’s mine.
“Come on now, honey. I saw you givin’ the bossman sugar. Aren’t you going to share with the rest of us? I knew it was only a matter of time when we’d all get our turn with you. How about you give me mine now?”
Rounding the corner of the service truck, I see Rico, another mechanic, has Jessa backed up against the door. She’s got her arms held out as if she’s pushing him away.
The sight snaps whatever control I had left. I reach for the motherfucker, ripping him away. “Listen here, you piece of slimy shit. Don’t you ever fucking disrespect her like that ever again.”
He sneers at me. “Come on man, you can’t expect to hoard her all to yourself now, can you? What did you expect to happen with her parading that sweet ass and big tits around he—”
My fist connects with his face repeatedly. I bunch his shirt in my hand, holding him in place. The rage coursing through me takes away any rational thought. It isn’t until Jessa screams in my ear, pulling on my arm, that I realize he’s not fighting back.
“Jesus Christ, Lane, you nearly knocked him out.” She kneels next to the fucker as he slumps to the ground.
“The asshole deserved it,” I growl.
“What the hell is going on out here? I heard screaming from clear in the office.” Bill charges up to us, huffing, taking in the scene at a glance. “Christ, tell me this isn’t what it looks like.”
“This fucker had her cornered, spewing vile shit at her.”
“I had it handled. You didn’t even give me a chance to deal with him,” Jessa seethes.
She looks as enraged as I currently am, but for some reason that anger seems to be directed at me.
“Alright, you two get out of here. I’ll handle this. But this better not happen again,” Bill commands. His tone leaves no room for argument.
“You’re damn right it better not,” I challenge.
“Jesus Lane, let’s go before you cause any more damage,” Jessa insists, stomping off toward the employee vehicles.
Bill nods. “You’d best listen to her.”
Scurrying after her, I’m half afraid she’ll leave me behind with the mood she seems to be in. I’m not quite sure why she’s so pissed at me though.
I flat out ask after scrambling into the passenger seat. “Are you mad at me?”
She scoffs. “Mad doesn’t begin to cover it. I’m fucking livid.”
My brows furrow. “But why? I was defending you. There’s no way I’m going to stand for anyone talking to you that way.”
She sighs heavily, her face crumpling. “Then there’s no way this between us is going to work, because the reality of it is, this is my life.
I’m used to it. I’m not saying it’s right, but it is what it is.
I know how to deal with these assholes. My skin is thicker than the Great Wall.
You broke through and I took a chance you were different, but apparently not.
I left my last job because of drama with my ex, and here I am again with more fucking drama. ”
Outrage courses through me that she would lump me in with any of those other assholes. I was fucking defending her. “I don’t know how you can expect me to listen to them spouting that shit and not expect me to do anything.”
“What do you think it’s like for me? If I don’t let it go—if you don’t let it go—we’d only end up in jail.” Her shoulders slump on a heavy exhale.
“But it’d be worth it,” I insist.
She pulls into my driveway but doesn’t turn the car off. “That’s the difference between us then. I don’t think it is. They win then. It sounds like we’re done here.”
She stares straight ahead, jaw tight, hands clenched on the wheel. It’s obvious her mind is made up, and I won’t apologize for protecting her. There’s an ache in my chest and a boulder in my stomach as I climb from the vehicle.
“I think we just need to take some time to cool down,” I suggest.
“You take all the time you need,” she mutters.
The door clicks shut with a finality that’s deafening. I can’t help but watch forlornly as she backs up and drives off without a second look, taking my panicked heart with her.