by M. Merin
I nod, happily losing myself to Jasper’s kisses.
Chapter 15
Emma
After another night with more orgasms than actual rest, I drag myself from bed the next morning. Getting coffee started, and quickly giving up the search for anything suitable for breakfast; I grab Jasper’s phone to make a couple arrangements since I’ll be staying here.
“Whatcha up to so early, Ems?” He growls, his tattooed arms circling my waist, startling me.
“I was just about to wake you!” I say leaning back, further into his embrace. “There’s no food for breakfast and I need to get to town.”
“No, you need to get this ass back into bed!” My caveman rumbles as he nuzzles my neck. As tempting as that is, I hold firm.
“Go get dressed!” I laugh, shrugging out of his embrace then nudging him to the bedroom. “I called the Sheriff. He’s going to meet me at the high school to introduce me for the Cross Country / Track Coach position. Then, I want to run by the clinic. You know where that is, right?”
“You don’t need to work, Darlin’!” Jasper starts, as he’s pulling his jeans on. “And it’s too soon for a pregnancy test.”
“I want to work, Jasper, that’s not negotiable.” I say, crossing my arms. “I think being in place as a coach may help me get a teaching spot once I take my boards for this state.”
He grunts.
“And, I want to get tested; I need to make sure we’re safe.” I say in a lower voice.
Crossing the room, Jasper quickly gathers me in his arms. “You’ll be fine, Darlin’; I’m sure. But we’ll both get tested for peace of mind, alright?” I nod into his chest. “Now about your running, you’ll have to slow that down when I get you pregnant, you know that right?”
“Something else we should talk about, maybe?” I nudge him towards the door.
“I probably got you pregnant already anyway. Once those tests come back clean, I’ll be bare in you the rest of my life, Darlin’” He smirks at me as he gets on his bike, then laughs at my major eye roll while I get my helmet on.
Jasper
I hang back while Sheriff Michaels walks her into the school. His sister is the Principal there so I’m sure the job is already Emma’s, but I’ll owe that fucker one for what he’ll see as a favor to me.
Won’t let on to Emma about that; this seems important to her and I guess that comes from years of working towards her degree, so I’ll let it be. I’m just hoping one of my swimmers took root inside her yesterday; and we can get started on our own family.
Even though we come from different backgrounds and I’ve been on the wrong side of the law most my life, I still want that dream with Emma. I want to come home to see her playing with our children in the yard. To keep them all safe and happy; to give them all something I never had and that Chris never got a chance to experience.
A year ago, fuck, a couple months ago, I would have laughed my ass off if someone suggested it but it just all clicked for me when I found her.
Nearly an hour later, a beaming Emma strides confidently from the building. Hopping down the last couple steps and running to jump into my arms, “I got it! I start in a few weeks! The Sheriff already had done a background check on me so I don’t have to wait on that. I have to have a drug test done but it’s at the same clinic we’re heading to.”
“That’s my girl!” I smother her face with kisses. “My truck is all yours, Darlin’.”
“Oh!” She leans back from me. “Jas, I didn’t even think…”
“Shush. You’re my Ol’ Lady now. Everything I have belongs to both of us.” I say, leaning down to press my forehead against hers. “Now, let’s go get those blood tests out of the way before breakfast.”
Gunner
Reached out to my guy in Nebraska. As soon as he heard the name of the town, he laughed and said he had a cousin near it who could nose around.
A little annoyed he wasn’t doing it himself; I had to cool it down when he pointed out that a stranger in a town who’s his size would raise eyebrows. Especially him.
He was in fairly good shape while in the Corps, even then his nickname was Whale for a reason. Shorter than me at six and a half feet, more inclined to fat than muscle even though he could always pull his weight.
Whale stays in touch over the next couple weeks. Turns out his cousin is a hunting buddy of Emma’s friend, Henry, so staying there wasn’t an issue.
Keeping eyes on the Reverend became more and more of a problem, Whale’s cousin was sure the guy was going to ground.
Two days after that, the Reverend took off. Headed right towards us.
Christmas was going to come early for Jasper.
Jasper
Fucking dealing with the books is the worst part of being the MC’s President. I can handle all the other shit, but this crap sucks. Most the other Chapters have Treasurers, but neither Flint nor his father trusted anyone enough for that so I’m stuck with it for the time being.
The earlier meeting about dealing with the Spiders went a different way than I expected. It’ll be shoot on sight, next time they venture into our area.
I’m almost fucking relieved to hear someone banging on the door.
Someone. Huh. Only Gunner’s fist makes a knock sound like a jackhammer.
“Get in here!” I yell.
“Jas, good news.” He says, lighting up a smoke in my office; cancelling out my goodwill. “Fucker’s coming our way. Should be here tomorrow.”
“Fucking A!” Finally a goddamn break. “I want eyes on the roads. He gets picked up and taken to the safe house.”
“And his vehicle?”
“Stash it for a week or so then have a couple of the boys dump it in Spiders territory.” I say after a moment. “We need him to sign the divorce papers before he dies, Gunner. We’ll have the lawyer notarize it for us.”
“You need to be real visible when this is going down, Jasper.” He reminds me, looking around for the ancient ashtray that’s buried on my desk.
“I have business around town tomorrow, then maybe I’ll take Emma to Boise for a few days.” I lean back grinning. “Let her pick out her ring and her dress.”
“Shiiiit, you really going to tie yourself down, Pres?” Gunner is grinning and shaking his head at me, simultaneously. “Fuck, more pussy for me I guess, but still…”
“I will, absolutely, let that woman tie me up and do whatever the fuck she wants to me. I ain’t even wrapping it up with her, that’s how far gone I am.” I say, shocking the hell out of Gunner.
“Fuck.” He whispers a moment later. “Kids, even? Fuck.”
“Yep, I want the whole fucking package with her. Knew it the minute she looked at me.” Gunner’s normally stoic expression has turned nearly comical.
“I’ve never been bare in anyone, Jas,” He shakes his head at me like I’m from a different dimension. “And kids?
“One day, Gunner, one day, you’ll know how this feels.” I smirk at him.
“Bite your Goddamn tongue, Pres.” Gunner’s scowl has returned. “That ain’t for me, and the sluts that want to spread ‘em for me are hardly ‘mother of the year’ material.”
Leaning back, I change the subject. There would have been no telling me differently before meeting Emma. Finishing up with Gunner, I make a few calls; first I book a room for a couple nights in Boise before I reach out to some owners of Rowansville businesses. I pull together a lunch meeting for the next day, under the guise of organizing a fundraiser to benefit a Meals on Wheels program that is trying to get organized around here.
Heading out, I remember to pick up a cell phone for Emma. Not having a landline at the house keeps her pretty isolated, even though she has the keys to my truck now. Getting home, I see an orientation package for the gig at the high school and a note, letting me know she’s out for a run. Suddenly nervous at the thought her ex could have slipped past my sentries, I turn to head out to track her down.
Breathing a sigh of relief when I see her walki
ng up the porch steps, I catch her in my arms and swing her up fireman’s style.
“Jasper!” She screams, laughing and grabbing my back for balance. “I’m all sweaty! Put me down!”
“Mmmm, seasoning!” I quip, hauling her to the bathroom. I get her all clean before we work up a sweat, together this time.
Lying in bed afterwards, watching Emma sleep; I struggle over what to tell her about my plans for her ex. She’s been on edge since he was served with the divorce papers. That tension was somewhat broken earlier this week when we got our test results from the clinic. I was able to show her that I am clean plus her drug-free / clean bill of health results took a weight off her shoulders as well.
Grinning to myself, I make another silent prayer that she’s pregnant already. She let me stop using condoms the day the results arrived and I’ve been giving that little project my all ever since. Snuggling closer to her, I bury my face in her neck, inhaling her scent.
“Again?” She whispers, pushing me onto my back.
“As the Lady wishes,” I smile up at her, while tweaking her nipples into diamond hard peaks as she starts to ride me.
Emma
Waking up early, I am starving. Jasper and I spent another night with little more than cat naps in between reaching for each other over and over again.
I had stopped by the market the day before, so I get the coffee, bacon, and rolls in the oven before jumping in the shower. Always having lived in an older home, I am constantly excited about a shower large enough to do my stretches in. Between getting back to running and Jasper’s constantly hard dick, I tend to wake with tenderness in some muscle or other.
Scrambling eggs to go with the other items, I finally hear Jasper stumbling around.
“Darlin’,” He calls, coming into the great room. “I know we forgot to eat again, but I’d much rather have you in bed with me when I wake up.”
“Yes, but that results in yet another missed meal!” I wave the spatula at him, as he tries to pull me away from the stove.
Dishing up our meal, I ask about what he has planned today.
“Well, we never got to that last night,” He grins wolfishly at me. “I have a couple meetings in town then we need to pack!”
“Pack?!” I ask, with a mouthful. “Do tell!”
“I booked a few nights for us in Boise,” He smiles mischievously. “I desperately need some help shopping.”
“Oh, you do, do you?” I raise an eyebrow at him.
“You might have noticed, this house is a little bare. I want us to pick things out together. Then I thought we could look at rings.”
“The plot thickens…” I smirk at him.
“I know nothing about rings. In particular, nothing about what kind of ring you would like.” He walks around the island to where I’m standing. “I want us to pick out your ring together. I want it to be something you look at proudly every day, the rest of your life.” He says, cupping my face.
Tears spontaneously flow from my eyes.
“No, no, no, Darlin’.” He kisses my cheeks. “Please don’t cry. Not anymore.”
“I love you, Jasper. I love you so much.” I say with a shaky breath as I wrap my arms around his neck. “Happy tears, I promise.”
“I need you again, Emma. I just love you and need to be in you.” He holds me tight, before cupping my face again. “Are you alright, I don’t want you to be sore?”
“I am, a little,” I blush. “But I want you too.”
“Well, I know just the thing then…” He lifts me up and deposits me on the couch, kneeling in between my legs.
I lose all sense of time. As my consciousness starts registering my surroundings again, my voice has nearly gone hoarse and he’s cradling me in his arms. My body is still trembling from the stream of orgasms his mouth and fingers brought me too. I try to shift, wanting to reciprocate.
“No, no, Darlin’. Fuck. I came in my shorts like a fucking teenager.” He nuzzles into my neck. “You sure you’re a Preacher’s daughter?”
I try to glare at him but even that seems like too much effort right now. I get a laugh for my attempt.
“Tuck me in? I may need a nap.” I moan to him.
“When do you need to be at the school again?” He asks.
“Oh, a run through this afternoon, then two o’clock on Monday.” I snuggle into his chest as he carries me to the bedroom. “We’ll be back in time, right?”
“Yes, Darlin’, I’ll get you back for that. I gotta get rolling – you’ll be ready to go this evening, right?” I nod, or at least I think I do before I drift off.
Jasper
Walking into the lunch, my phone rings. Looking at the bank manager and some of the other town board members, I hold up my finger asking for a moment and walk outside.
“Gunner?” I answer.
“Connal found the part you were looking for,” He says, letting me know Connal picked up Emma’s ex on the road.
“Feels like I’ve been waiting forever for that.” I laugh, nearly giddy. “Can you get the work started? I understand that it’ll take a while.”
“Got it covered.” He grunts. “What do you have going on?”
“I’m walking into a meeting then I’m whisking my Ol’ Lady away for a few days. I owe you, Gunner. You and Connal.”
He grunts again. I know saying that shit to Brothers is unnecessary but getting Emma’s ex buried has become my most immediate priority. Now, I have to sit through this lunch and discussions to have an alibi in place.
Fuck. Why does Gunner get to have all the fun?
Chapter 16
Jasper
Hours later, after listening to members of the town council and other business men tell me about how their wives won’t let them get a motorcycle; I finally get out of there. The MC will host a Poker Ride next month to raise money for the town’s jubilee celebration in addition to running a BBQ at the Fall Celebration to benefit Meals on Wheels. Other than making the MC look good, I have eight upstanding citizens who know where I was for a solid chunk of the day.
From there I ride around town, circling past my place I head toward the county line, to one of our safe houses. Pulling around back, I nod to Gunner as I enter the kitchen.
“They’re downstairs,” He says before lighting a cigarette.
Pushing open the hidden door that’s flush against the long wall of the kitchen, I click it back into place before heading down the old stairs to the sounds of muffled screams.
“How’s it going, Brother?” I ask Roy, entering a large room with a drain in the center of the floor. Roy is spraying Emma’s ex down with the hose that’s on a far wall.
“He was getting sleepy, this works better than caffeine,” Roy chuckles.
“Can he still hold a pen?” I ask. Roy cuts off the water and we move to untie his wrists from the hook above his head. He groans through his gag as we lower him into a chair.
“You have to help me,” Adam mutters as I remove the rag from his mouth. “They have the wrong person, I’m a man of the cloth. People will come looking for me.”
“Yeah. You been a little slow signing your divorce papers, thought I could just help you along with that.” I say, moving a chair so I’m sitting across from him, pulling the document out of my cut’s pocket.
He starts laughing and I know this’ll get uglier before I get what I want.
“You nailing that whore wife of mine?” He snarls and Roy slugs him, causing his head to loll to the side for a moment.
“She still taste like my shit when you first had her?” Adam laughs, almost acknowledging that he knows he’ll never leave the room but seemingly wanting to hasten his end. I lurch from my seat but Roy is already next to him and grabs him by the throat; looking more enraged than I’ve ever seen anyone.
“Give me that hammer, boy.” Roy grounds out. I grab his arm, pulling him back.
“He’s got to sign this first, then he’s all yours.” I wave the divorce papers in front of them.
&
nbsp; After a nod from Roy, I concede, handing him the hammer, he goes to work on Adam’s feet. He was ready to sign after the third hit but Roy was enjoying himself too much to reign himself in.
After the paperwork was signed, Roy and I secure him before heading upstairs.
“My turn?” Gunner asks when he sees us. Roy just nods, heading to the sink to wash up.
“I’d appreciate it.” I say. “Keep him a live a couple days, want to make sure this is everything the lawyer needs. Get some probies out here with bleach as soon as…”
“Done this before, Pres.” Gunner says, lighting another cigarette. “They’ll have this place spotless when it’s time.”
“I’m getting these to the lawyer then we’ll be gone a few days.” I pause, knowing they don’t expect anything else. “I owe you both.” I feel like I’ve been saying that a lot lately.
Happy to get home, I find Em all packed and ready for our weekend away. I still haven’t figured out a way to broach the subject of her divorce. Before long, we get on 84 heading to Boise.
“What’s in that bag, Darlin’?” I ask, as she’s rifling through a grocery store bag.
“I bought Road Trip Supplies!” She says, taking out an orange soft drink and red Twizzlers.
“What the fuck is in there? Since when do you drink that shit?” I ask, majorly confused.
“Jas – it’s a road trip. You can’t go on a road trip without buying a bag of junk food you liked when you were a kid!” She says, while trying to shove a Twizzler in my mouth.
“What? Hey!” I try getting away from her but the minute I opened my mouth, she jammed it in. “It’s only a few hours, how much shit did you buy, woman?
“Woman? I prefer Emma, or Darlin’. Ol’ Lady will do in a pinch, but “woman”?” Emma says and I can feel her rolling her eyes even though I’m looking at the road. “Oh, and I got us Mad Lips.”
“Yeah, pretty sure, that’s ‘Libs’, DARLIN’.” I say, choking down the red licorice.
“I know, but I always said it wrong when I was growing up, so…” She grins at me and I can’t help but smile along; loving this happy, carefree side of her and loathe the idea of casting a shadow over it.
