by Kacee Kupser
“Does it really mean that much to you baby?” I asked gently.
She turned over, pushing me to my back. She put her head on my chest and looked up at me seriously. “I didn’t think it did, but after the day I’ve had today I kind of want to know the name of the man I’m sharing myself with.”
“Okay, I’ll tell you, but you’ve got to promise not to tell anyone else.” I didn’t really care if she told anyone else, but I’ve never liked my name and no one but my mom calls me by it anymore.
“Why don’t you want anyone to know your name?” She asked with curiosity.
I shrugged, “I’m just not a fan of my name and I’ve been called Joker for 15 years, I don’t go by anything else. My name is Declan Peters.”
Everly lifted her face off my chest to look at me. “What’s wrong with that? I like the name Declan.”
“I don’t know, I’ve just never liked it.”
“Where did you get the name Joker from?”
This questions made me smile. “When I was in the SEALS I had a tendency to play practical jokes on people and it followed me when I came into the club. I don’t really joke around anymore, but it’s stuck with me.”
Brenna sat up and pulled the sheet up under her arms. “Topic change…are you able to drive me in to work later? Since the detective said I could go back tomorrow I’d like to go in and get things ready to reopen tomorrow.”
“Sure, what time are you wanting to go?” I said while looking up at her and tugging on the sheet to see if she’d let it go.
She smirked down at my hand and held the sheet tighter. “How about after dinner? I should only be a couple of hours. I just need to clean up my office and get some items baked for the breakfast rush.”
“That works, I’ll get a couple of prospects to come with us. They can go pick up some paint and get that all sorted for you.”
“You really don’t have to do that for me Joker, I can get it done myself.”
I smiled at her marveling at how she just doesn’t get that I like to help her. “I know I don’t have to Red, but I’m going to.”
I rolled her over and started kissing her. One thing led to another and before we headed out to have some dinner we made slow love to each other.
Chapter 11 – Everly
The past couple of days might have been the worst of my life if it wasn’t for the time I spent with Joker. After we made love and jumped in the shower together, we headed out to an early dinner at a local diner. We had burgers and chatted throughout dinner and it had to be one of the most relaxed dates I’d ever had. We click, and not just sexually.
Once we were finished dinner we headed out to the bakery so I could get started baking for the morning. The prospects had already picked up the painting supplies and were currently over there fixing up my bakery. It was nice not having to worry about it.
When we walked in to the bakery we could hear the prospects in my office. They had music blasting and were laughing as we walked past. I had a quick look in and it looked like they were just finishing up the first coat. They hadn’t just painted the wall with the spray paint on it, they did the whole office.
We walked into the kitchen and I started pulling out ingredients so that I could get muffins, scones, and bagels started for the morning. While I was doing that Joker sat on a stool at the island.
“So, what are you making me Red?”
I looked at him over my shoulder, continuing to work while I answered. “I’m making muffins, scones, and bagels. Since you and your boys are helping me out I guess I can pay you with baked goods.”
Leering at me Joker responded, “Oh Red, you already gave me a down payment earlier today and I will be claiming the second half when we go back to your place tonight, but I’m more than happy to accept a tip in the form of your baked treats, and I’m sure the prospects wouldn’t say no.”
“Okay, you can help me by sitting back and letting me get to it. Feel free to go see the prospects. Once I get started this goes pretty quickly. The baking is what takes the longest.”
He started searching through his phone while I got set up. I’ve got it down to an art form. I’m not someone who likes to get up early in the morning, but because I own a bakery I have to get up at the crack of dawn. To help myself out I’ve learned to get ingredients ready as quickly as I can.
Half an hour later I had two different types of muffins mixed up, one of them already in the oven baking and the other waiting to go in. I started on the scones. Thankfully the base of the bagels was prepared previously and all I needed to do was take them out of the fridge an hour before I baked them.
Once I was finished mixing up the scone batter I looked up to find that Joker had left the kitchen. Obviously I had been in the zone to not even notice him getting up. Listening into my office I could hear that the music had been turned down and he was talking to the prospects. Since I had time before I had to switch out the muffins I cleaned my hands off and walked to my office to see what kind of progress they had made.
Standing in the doorway I saw that Joker had joined the prospects in painting and it looked like they were almost done, just one wall left to do.
I cleared my throat and Joker looked up at me. “Done already Red?”
“Not yet, it’s almost time to switch over the muffins again and the first batch is almost cool enough for you guys to have some if you’d like.”
“That would be fantastic ma’am” said one of the prospects.
“No problem…???” Here I was with these two men helping me fix up my office and I didn’t even know their names.
Joker put his roller down and came over to me. “Sorry Red. This here with all the southern manners is Griff and the quiet one is Nick. We’re almost finished here. We’ll finish up and then come into the kitchen.”
Smiling at the men I replied, “Sounds good. Thank you so much for your help Griff and Nick, I really appreciate it.”
“No problem, ma’am, it’s part of the job.” I swear if Griff had been wearing a hat he would have tipped it to me.
“Well thank you all the same, and please stop calling me ma’am. Call me Everly or Ev, either is fine.”
Griff smiled at that and turned back towards the wall he was working on. “Okay, we’ll just finish up and be in to see you in a bit.” Nick still hadn’t said a word to me.
I turned on my heel and headed back to the kitchen. I started forming the scones and putting them on the baking sheets. When I was finished with the first sheet the muffins were done and I put the next batch in. Everything should be baked in the next hour or so. Hopefully when Griff and Nick were finished I could get back into my office and figure out if I can salvage any of my paperwork while the scones bake.
Joker, Griff and Nick came into the kitchen and somehow they weren’t covered in paint. Any time I painted anything I got paint all over me.
“All right gentleman, I have two different flavours for you. I have chocolate muffins and I have glazed apple crumble muffins. What kind would you like?”
The guys grabbed a muffin each and with a mumbled thank you Griff and Nick left to go clean up the mess in my office. Joker sat back at the island and started eating one of the apple crumble muffins.
“So, how are you liking it?” I laughed at Joker. He had to have half of the muffin in his mouth.
Taking a few bites, Joker swallowed and answered, “Best muffin I’ve ever had Red, not that I eat a lot of muffins. Where did you learn how to bake?”
“My grandmother baked a lot while I was growing up and I’ve always loved sweet more than savory so it’s something that interested me. I used to bring baked goods to any get together I went to and Brenna convinced me that I was good enough at it to make it into a business. I started baking in my parents’ house and once I built up a customer base I took out a loan and bought this building. Thankfully things have been going well and I’ve been able to make my loan payments and still save for a rainy day.”
Joker looked fascin
ated. “Wow, that’s hard work. You’re really young to have your own business and to be doing so well.”
“Oh, I’m not that young. I’m almost 30 and I’ve been making and selling my baking since I was 20. It’s been a lot of hard work, but so worth it.”
“I’ve gotta say, I’m impressed Red. There aren’t a lot of 20-year-olds that I’ve known who have such a good work ethic.”
“Thanks, I get it from my parents, they were both very hard workers before they passed away.”
The timer on the oven went off and I switched out the last of the muffins and put the scones in. When the first batch of scones were in I took the bagels out of the fridge and set them out on the counter so they would be ready to go in when the scones were all finished.
“I’m going to go into my office and check out the damage to my paperwork if you’d like to join me. Everything should be done in another hour or so. I’m sorry this is taking so long.” I said guiltily.
“It’s all good Red, I’ve got all the time in the world tonight. Do you need me to do anything?”
“Nope I’m good.” I say with a shake of my head and start going towards my office.
“Okay, I’m going to step out to the front of the bakery and make some phone calls. Just call out if you need me.”
Walking into my office Griff and Nick had cleaned up and left. There was still a lot to sort through, but it wasn’t as bad as I had expected it to be.
When the bakery had been open for about six months I got a couple of restaurants that ordered my pastries and desserts and I would send them out invoices every two weeks.
Going through the papers that had been piled up on my desk there were only a few invoices that needed redoing before sending them out.
After working for a short time the timer went off and I went to pull the scones out of the oven and put the next batch in.
Coming back to my office I could still hear Joker in the front talking on his phone. Having a look around my office, it looked like it would only be about a half an hour and I would have it cleaned up enough to move on with my day tomorrow.
It was getting late and I had to be up at 5. When we get to my house tonight Joker is going to be disappointed. I am so tired that there is no way I’m going to be up for anything. The activities of the last two days were catching up with me and I just needed a good nights’ sleep.
I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and when I looked over Joker was leaning in the doorway looking at me.
“Shit, you scared me. You are stealthy when you walk around.” I said with a nervous laugh.
“Comes with the training babe.” He winked. “How’s it going? You look tired.”
“Almost done, just have to put the bagels in the oven when the scones are done. So we can go in about half an hour.”
“Sounds good. I just got off the phone with Bear, he’s the one working on your car and he told me it should be ready to go by the end of the day tomorrow. So, I’ll come and get you when you’re done for the day and take you to get it.”
“That’s great. How much do I owe you?”
“We’ll worry about that later. Just finish up in here and when you’re done we’ll get going back to your place.”
“Thanks for being so patient, I appreciate it.”
“I’m going to go back to the kitchen and grab one of those chocolate muffins, I have to compare them to the apple crumble so I can give you an honest review.”
“Oh, you’re doing it for me are you?” I smirk at him.
“All in the name of science Red.” Joker laughs as he leaves the room, heading to the kitchen.
I laughed at him while he walked away and got back down to business.
Chapter 12 – Joker
We arrived back at Everly’s house after getting everything set up for the reopening of the bakery in the morning. She looked exhausted so I told her to go and run herself a bath and while she was in there I got her a glass of wine. When I walked into the bathroom her eyes were closed and she was submerged up to her shoulders with her breasts floating on the top of the water and my mouth just started watering. I knew she didn’t need me starting something with her so I put the glass of wine on the side of the tub and left her to her relaxation.
Walking back to the kitchen I got myself a beer and went to sit down on the couch. Being that I’m usually busy with club business I don’t watch a lot of TV, so when I turned the TV on I started watching sports highlights for the day.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of movement and when I looked up there was Everly looking all fresh faced with a fluffy robe on. Even like this she was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.
“How was the bath? Did it help to relax you?”
She nodded and looked at me sleepily. “It really did, thanks for the wine. That was a nice surprise.”
“No problem. Want to sit down and chill for a bit or just head to bed?”
“I’m okay with just chilling for a while.” She walked over to the couch, put her head in my lap and stretched her legs out to the end. I put my hand in her hair and gave her a scalp massage as we both concentrated on the TV.
I have to say, I’ve never had a woman’s head in my lap and kept my pants on. It was a new experience, but not a bad one.
When the sports show was over I looked over and Everly was sound asleep. I turned the TV off, slid her head off my lap and locked up the house. When I came back to check on her she was still sleeping so I picked her up and put her to bed after getting her undressed. I undressed myself and crawled into bed behind her. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow and my arm was wrapped around her with my hand cupping her breast. This was my new favourite sleeping position.
I woke up some time later to the sound of breaking glass and tires squealing away from the house. I jumped out of bed, grabbed my gun from the bedside table and ran to the front of the house. By the time I got there, no one was there, but looking outside Everly’s car, which was done early and had been dropped off by a prospect, had a broken windshield.
I heard Everly come up behind me, “Stay inside Red, I’m just going to check it out.”
“What are you talking about? What’s going on?” She sounded confused and a little bit afraid.
“Someone wrecked your windshield. I’m going to check it out and make sure they’re gone.”
“Be careful. I’ll grab my phone just in case I need to call help.”
“That’s fine, just stay inside. Do not come outside no matter what.” I demanded.
I turned away from her and walked out to her car with my gun at my side. Looking around there was no one in sight. When I got up to her car there was more damage than I could see from the house. All four of her tires were slashed too.
Hearing someone coming up behind me I whipped around with my gun raised, only to find Everly standing there looking like a deer caught in headlights.
“Jesus Christ Red, you scared the shit out of me! I told you to stay in the house!” I practically yelled at her. I don’t know what I would have done if my reflexes were any slower. I could have killed her.
“I’m so sorry. It looked like there was no one around and I wanted to see what happened. Why does this keep happening to me? It doesn’t make any sense.”
I walked up to Everly and wrapped my arms around her, putting her head on my chest. “I don’t know Ev, but we will figure it out. Go back inside. I’m just going to call some of the guys to come over.” I say as I lean over and kiss her on her forehead.
She looks up into my face to see the determined look on my face. “Okay. I’m going to call Brenna to come over.”
“Sounds good. Now back inside.” I’m on the edge here. I want to kick someone’s ass. I don’t know who is doing this, but when I find out I’m going to make them pay for putting my woman through this bullshit.
She started to walk back to the house, putting her phone to her ear to call Brenna. Once she was safely inside I got my phone out and sent a mas
s text to my boys to come over so we could figure this shit out.
Once the text went out I headed back into the house to find Everly in her room getting dressed.
“You okay baby?” I asked cautiously.
She looked up from pulling her pants up her legs. “I don’t know what I am Joker, I’m confused and I’m scared. I just don’t understand all of this. I’ve lived here my whole life and have never had any problems. Why am I suddenly being harassed like this?”
“I know Red. We will get to the bottom of this and we will make someone pay.”
