by Kayce Kyle
“Need some help?” Ty comes in asking Joker as he picks up a now mumbling and coming to Roxie.
Oh lovely, we may as well call the whole cavalry in here. Justice further tugs the T-shirt I’m wearing down ensuring it’s covering my bare ass. Now that I’m coming out of my rage, he must sense how uncomfortable this is for me.
“Yeah.” Joker accepts Ty’s assistance. “Follow me.”
Turning his attention toward me before he exits the room. “You okay Jenalyn?” Ty’s voice drips with pure sincerity.
“Yes, thank you.” I manage to express. Ty just nods and a glimpse of relief appears hinted on his face.
“Look, not to be disrespectful Pres, but if everyone could leave so Jen can get dressed,” Justice says firmly in a more telling and not asking manner.
“Yeah, I’ve seen more titties and ass than I wanted too,” Ace declares.
“Out! Now!” Justice demands pointing toward the door.
My dad smacks Ace upside his head as he can clearly and embarrassingly see I’m barely clothed. “Fuck’s wrong with you, boy? Show some respect for fuck’s sake.”
Tess, still holding her swollen jaw briefly comforts me by rubbing my arm. “Love ya.”
“Take Tess to Clarke, Ace. At least make sure she gets an icepack to reduce the swelling.” I make him promise.
“Yeah, yeah. I got this,” he says wrapping his arm around Tess as they walk out. I know his pride is hurt being chastised in front of Tess by my father.
“Before y’all go home come see me, Princess. Oh, and get some ice for those knuckles,” my dad asks of me before walking out last.
I nod yes as I look down at my swollen, now aching knuckles that have slight cuts on them.
Justice
What just happened keeps spinning like a broken record over and over in my head. Fucking Roxie, that obsessed idiot started this whole mess.
I look down at Jenalyn’s knuckles and pull them to my lips gently and kiss them. “I’m sorry, baby.” Still holding her hands in mine. “Do me a favor, though. Never show that beautiful body of yours to anyone else again, deal? It’s for my eyes only. I don’t care how furious you are.”
Narrowing her eyes at me. “Really, Justice Paine? Says the man who showed my goods to my best friend. You certainly left nothing to the imagination. You tried to cover it with your gun. I’d say we’re pretty even.” She sasses.
Squeezing her perfect face, but not hard enough to ever hurt her. “What am I going to do with you, woman?”
“Plenty,” she spouts off. “But first, we’re going to get dressed, pack up and get the fuck out of here. I cannot wait to see your house.” Her eyes gleam as she stands on the tip of her toes planting a perfect kiss on my lips.
On cue, she looks down at my swelling cock in my boxers and pats it, like you would a puppy. “Down, boy. Not only are my knuckles sore, but an ice pack sure sounds good right now…and I’m not talking about one just for my knuckles,” she says tugging the T-shirt downward in between her legs.
At first, my ego swells at her last statement. What man doesn’t want his woman acknowledging his dick is big? Yet, it’s also this very acknowledgment that forms the tiniest bit of pity for her. It doesn’t last too long, though as a chuckle breaks free. She looks too damn cute standing there all pouty. Even if it is melodramatic.
“What is it? Why the hell are you laughing at me?” Pouting her bottom lip. “It’s been awhile. I’m just going to have to get used to…you again.” As a shade of pink tints her cheeks.
I quickly take notice and change the subject as she has been through a lot. I’ll give her a break just this once.
“Ace and Tess if she wants, are coming with us to my house.” I throw out there.
Sharp and abruptly turning her head around. “And why is that?”
Giving her my sternest look. “Pack Jen, just pack. I’ll explain later.”
She throws on a pair of those skin tight jeans like Tess had on with rips in them from thigh to knee. Topping it off with a short ass white shirt showing more skin than I’d like, but my girl is so beautiful and she’s just that, mine. Then throws on her white converse.
“Let me brush my teeth and hair, and I’ll be ready,” she says.
Quickly I change my bandage while I wait on her to return.
I throw on my usual pair of jeans with natural holes from wear, a black T-shirt, and my cut. I’m wearing my black boots today as it’s easier to conceal a pistol in them, and packing my forty-five caliber into the back of my jeans covering it with my shirt.
“All done,” she says smiling huge and dramatically showing me her beautiful smile, even if it is a bit sarcastic. “Oh! I almost forgot,” she continues as she fumbles around in a small black mesh bag.
She pulls out some kind of chapstick or something and applies it onto her plump lips. The way she’s methodically tracing and brushing that stick thing over them, her mouth parts slightly. It’s shiny and shades her lips a darker pink. Whatever it is, it’s fucking turning me on. Once again, I need to adjust myself and begin feeling annoyed with her unintentional teasing.
“Now I’m done.” She smiles again. “Justice close your mouth, babe. You look like I just fucked myself and forced you to watch. It’s called lip gloss.”
I gulp back my need to fuck her so hard right now and it’s motherfucking torture. “Watch those lips of yours, smartass. They’re moving, but I’m quickly making other plans for them.”
She puckers her lips as if to blow me a kiss, leaving a tiny popping sound in its wake. Grabbing the painted canvas and framed picture she leaves my room.
I won’t forget about this sassing and teasing.
Chapter 14
Jenalyn
Making our way downstairs I see Tess sitting with Ace on one of the pool tables having a drink. They appear to be in deep discussion. Even from where I am I can see the slight swelling on her jaw line. Fucking Roxie.
“Hey Princess,” my dad calls to me. “Come in here with your mom and I for a minute before you leave.”
I look back at Justice who is hot on my heels looking annoyed as he’s toting my pink luggage behind him. He arches an eyebrow. “Go. I’m gonna load this shit into the SUV and fucking pray nobody else sees.”
“The SUV?” I question.
“Yes, Ace is driving it to my house. We’ll be taking my bike,” he snaps back quickly losing patience.
Fuck, he sure seems pissy today. One minute he’s kissing and caressing my hands, the next he’s snapping at me. Ass. “Don’t forget to see Clarke for your shot of antibiotics.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbles.
Setting my painting down next to him I go into my father’s office and shut the door.
“Sit down, Jenalyn,” my mom says flatly.
Now my heart is picking up in pace and I’m beginning to worry. I scan both their faces for any trace or sign of what’s going on.
“Listen,” my father begins, “We know about Dane.”
Those four words cause me to jump straight out of my seat. What? How could Justice betray my confidence? I feel suddenly ill.
“Sit down,” my mom orders. “Hear your father out.”
“Justice didn’t betray you, Princess, if that’s what you’re thinking. Burkes found some things out and we sort of started piecing things together. Justice had no choice but to fill in the blanks. You know I didn’t give him a choice. So don’t you dare leave here mad at him.” My father looks away, arms crossed and a range of emotions haunt his face.
“So now the entire club knows. Isn’t this a treat!” I cross my own arms and I can feel the heat start to burn my now furious face and body.
My mom walks up behind me and hugs me. Wrapping her gentle arms around me in what I consciously know is support, but I’m still pissed.
“So what did Burkes find out, Daddy?”
Cutting his now darkened eyes to me, I can see he’s both tormented and hurting for me. This is why I never wanted anyone
to find out. I don’t want anyone treating me like some fragile, damaged and broken woman.
“Jenalyn Strong, you know how this works. I won’t have you involved in any part of what happens next. Neither will Justice, so for once in your stubborn life cut him a break on this one especially. What I will tell you is that we have our suspicions this somehow ties back to someone here. So I want you to be very careful until what’s done is done.”
He reaches behind him and pulls out the very first gun he ever bought me when I was thirteen. My nine millimeter. The one he taught me to shoot with and all about gun safety. Walking toward me, he extends it to me. “Keep this with you at all times. I know and trust Justice with your life otherwise I’d make you come home with us. I also understand he can’t have his eyes on you twenty-four-seven.”
I huff out an exaggerated breath at that last comment. “Oh, you’d be surprised.”
Tilting his head and narrowing his eyes down at me. “Just humor me and take the damn gun Jenalyn.”
“Fine.” I take the gun.
“Safety’s on. It’s already got a full magazine and a bullet chambered,” my dad explains, then kisses the top of my head. “Now give your dad a hug before you head out.”
My emotions are all over the place and questions run through my mind as I hug my dad and then my mom.
My mom kisses my cheek. “Love you, sweetheart.”
“Love you too, momma. You too, Daddy.”
As I look at my father if I didn’t know better, I’d swear his eyes looked a little watery as he returns my sentiment. “Love you too, Princess. Now go. I saw all that pink shit you had Justice carting downstairs. Get back to your ‘Ol Man.”
We exchange one last look at each other and part ways.
Justice
My baby walks out of the office holding a pistol. Immediately I recognize it as the one she got as a kid. I knew Pres was gonna tell her, so I expected her to walk out pissed and pouting. Even ready to bitch at me. Nope. She says absolutely nothing to me. She looks fierce and ready as she tucks the pistol into the back of her jeans never missing a stride as she walks toward the door.
Once reaching the door she looks back at me as I’m honestly shocked and just stand there. There is nothing sassy or even prissy about her demeanor. She looks and acts like one of us. Which I always knew she was, but god damn it’s fucking hot. My girl looks exactly like what she was born and raised to be. A fucking badass, and she has finally shed that prissy skin and is becoming who I always knew she was if she’d just given it the chance.
Surprisingly, she even gives me a sultry deviant grin. Like she’s ready for anything. “We going or what, babe?”
In just a few short strides I’m in front of her. Leaning down I whisper in her ear. My breath blowing backward a lone strand of hair draping around her cheek. “There’s my girl. Yes, let’s go,” I say, as I lay a kiss on her neck directly behind her ear.
As if she’s one of the guys, she glances over at Tess and Ace giving them a chin lift nod. Heads straight for my bike, grabs her helmet and puts it on. Hell, I’m having trouble keeping up with her pace. This total transformation is literally unfolding before my very eyes.
This right here is exactly what I’ve waited five long years for. My partner in life. She was completely meant for me, and this life.
I never waited for just her to be back in my life, but to have her own, and accept who she is. Right down to her very core. Calling her mine is just a bonus. I would fight to the death to have her, though. I hate thinking back at what a fucking pushover I was five years ago. I can teeter back and forth on regret, but a larger plan was always in the works. Fucking took long enough that’s for sure.
I hop on my bike and she slides on behind me and wraps her arms around my waist. I start my other baby right up and she purrs to life. God damn everything about this feels so fucking right, because it is. This is us and how it’s always supposed to have been.
I glance over at Ace and nod. He’s going to follow us to my house. Be the eyes in the back of my head. At least Jen has Tess for now. Although I’m not sure Tess is gonna even recognize this complete shift and transformation from the Jenalyn she knows. Not sure what all Ace has told her, but I know it can’t be much. Poor girl has gotten a real taste of this life, and in just a day. I do actually feel pity for her this time.
I know this demeanor all too well. The one Jenalyn has now. It’s not a façade she’s putting on, either.
You wake up one day, and something just clicks inside of you. Or this is all you know so it’s just who, and what you are. Jen and I both grew up in the club. Yet we both fought who we truly are.
It took losing her once for me to give in to who I truly am. Apparently for her, it took five years, an assault, and knowing he’s still lurking. That fucker definitely knows someone here and we’re pretty sure it’s Littlejohn.
As eager as I am to get my fucking hands around both of their necks, Pres wants us to cautiously go on as if everything’s normal and we know nothing. Giving Burkes more time to gather information, and some of the other brother’s as well.
For now, my only job is to keep my girl safe and wait it out.
Jenalyn
As we pull up to a very nice, gated subdivision, sheer confusion drowns my thoughts. Are we stopping somewhere else first? Surely this is not where my big bad enforcer lives?
A large rustic looking wrought ironed sign arches the gate reading Sunrise Meadows Estates. I cannot contain my laughter and thank the heavens Justice can’t hear it over the bike.
As he punches in a six-digit code I quickly realize he must live here.
We begin to proceed through, and we cross over a miniature two-way concrete bridge that has been built over a beautiful pond. The lavish landscaping is absolutely breathtaking. The smell of fresh cut grass and a multitude of floral scents flow through the air. I breathe them in deeply. The smell of freedom outside the clubhouse is always a welcomed one.
As we weave around the streets they are all lined with lovely brick homes. A variety of both large and small. Each home must sit on an acre of land itself. There actually aren’t very many homes in this little subdivision.
At this point I’m unsure if I’m more stunned by the beauty of it all, or the fact that Justice actually lives in a place like this. Oh, the fun I’m going to have giving him shit about this. It’s ridiculous for me to have pink suitcases? Yet he lives in a community barely shy of somewhere a celebrity might live?
We do a few quick circles around the same street still followed by Ace behind us. Justice is scouting, I can tell. However, I am perplexed as there are literally only two houses on this damn street.
Each one is on opposite sides, and opposite ends.
Finally, we ride up one side of the alley and to what must be Justice’s house as the garage begins to open up. It’s a single story tan brick home. Definitely not one of the enormous ones, but not small either. It’s actually very nice on the outside. I mentally note the landscaping I’d seen earlier in front of this house. Hell, both of them. Both had very well-manicured lawns.
I feel the laughter threatening to erupt again as a mental picture of Justice gardening crosses my mind.
There is already a car in his garage. A black older Camaro. Since I’m not good with older cars, or what my dad and the guys call ‘muscle cars’ I’m unsure of its year. All I notice is that it’s all black. Every damn bit of it. Yeah, it’s definitely had some newer extra’s added and it is fucking badass looking. I better be getting a ride in that bitch, soon.
I squeeze him a little harder as we pull into the garage as I’m excited. Ace pulls in the driveway behind us.
Chapter 15
Justice
As excited as I am to have my girl at my house, our house, I’ve got to check it out first. She’s strapped, and can shoot. Ace is also packing, as am I. I’ll have her stand behind me, and Ace behind her.
“Yo, bro,” I call over to Ace. “Gonna do a walk throu
gh.”
Ace nods in acceptance.
“Jen, you stand behind me. Ace, you stay close behind Jen.” Then I eye him once more. “But not too close, fucker,” I growl as he’s all but pressed up against her and it’s pissing me off.
“God dammit, bro make up your fucking mind. You’re acting fucking crazy. Calm the fuck down and let’s do this,” Ace snaps back.
My nerves are fried and my emotions all over the place. I’m just making sure my brother knows his fucking place. No accidental ass rubbing and shit or I’ll have to beat his ass.
“Guess I’ll just walk behind Ace,” Tess softly mumbles.
“The fuck you will. I’ll solve all this bullshit now,” Ace proclaims as he slides Tess behind Jen, and himself finally as the tail end.
“Oh for fuck’s sake, boys. Can we just get on with it already? Y’all are fucking ridiculous. And yes, I called you both boys. Spank me later. I don’t care. I’m just ready to go inside,” my baby says very demandingly. I’ve told her about watching her smart mouth.
I give her a quick glare before the line formation we’ve made begins to enter my house through the door in the garage.
After checking literally every room and closet in the house, we’re finally free to relax a little.
Not too long, though before there’s a knock at the door. On cue, myself, Jen, and Ace all jump up from my sofa, guns drawn.
“Dammit, baby,” I whisper to Jen. “Sit the fuck down.”
Her eyes turn darker and she glares at me and without saying a word, I know she’s gonna fight me. We don’t have time to waste, so I just make sure I’m placed in front of her as we make our way to the door. Ace and I are on both sides. With my right hand I push Jenalyn slightly back more behind me. Ace looks out the peephole.
