Emma

I wake slowly from another night of the deepest, most comforting sleep I’ve had in what seems like years, to a gentle ache in my bladder and a slightly dry mouth. Moving further into the warm blankets that surround me, my eyes snap open. Oh Shit! That’s not a comforter!

Jasper is at my back with an arm around me and another under my pillow. With one of his legs intertwined in mine, there’s no way to move without waking him up. He moans and buries his face into my hair.

“Morning, Darlin’,” He whispers, kissing my neck. “How are you feeling?”

“I have to pee!” I exclaim, rushing from the bed and his embrace.

“Hurry back!” He yells to me.

Locking myself in the bathroom, I quickly attend my needs then wash my battered face. He can’t possibly think I’ll just go back and lie in bed with him, does he? A silent knock on the door startles me.

“Emma, Roy is here to check on you.”

Shit, does this man think of everything? I hesitantly open the door and walk right into his chest.

“Easy there, Darlin’. Go lie down, I’ll bring Roy back.” He turns me in the direction of the bed pressing a kiss to my temple. “Whoops! I meant ‘please lie down’.” That smart ass.

I lie belly down and lift my shirt up, hoping to get rid of some of these bandages.

“Good Morning, Miss Emma! How are you feeling?” Comes Roy’s chipper voice.

“Hi Roy. I’m good. Thank you so much for coming out here!” I am genuinely happy to see him again. “Please, you can just call me Emma, no need for the Miss.” I smile up to him.

“Well, that doesn’t seem quite right to me; I do remember some things my mama taught me. I’m from Alabama originally and we…” Roy continues on amiably as he cleans and checks my wounds, before he has me sit up to shine a light in my eyes again.

“You’ll be better in no time, Miss Emma. Just keep getting as much rest as you can and keep your walks shorter than the one you took yesterday.” He wags a finger at me and I know he’s heard about my escape attempt. I quickly look to Jasper, he hadn’t mentioned it to me but doesn’t look surprised.

“Probie isn’t in trouble is he?” I ask, remembering Gunner’s comments yesterday.

“No, he told me as soon as I got here. You burned up his one free pass while he’s on probation though,” Jasper speaks up. I don’t like the sound of that but don’t really understand the whole MC thing. I narrow my eyes at Jasper, determined to speak with him about that later.

“Roy, can I fix you some breakfast?” I speak before thinking. “Well, I don’t know what there is, but I’m happy to check.”

“Miss Emma, you’re the patient. In the interest of your rest and almost uninhabitable accommodations, I brought breakfast for you two. Oh, and Probie sent some clean laundry back for you. It’s all in the front room.”

“Thank you Roy! Jasper? Perhaps we could discuss going through other people’s belongings?” I turn to glare at him, remembering he knows how much money I have and had mentioned my album.

“That doesn’t sound like a topic I’d like, Darlin’.” He smiles like that’s the end of it and turns back to Roy. “I’ll call you if I think she needs anything else.” It seems he’s used to dismissing topics and people at will.

I wish Roy well and he heads out as I take a bite of my breakfast sandwich. “We aren’t done, Jasper. You can’t just go through my things.”

“Well, ok, you don’t have anything else, so how is that even a problem anymore?” He says taking a huge bite of his sandwich.

Then my new life really hits me. I don’t even have enough to fill a duffle bag.

I spit out my sandwich, suddenly nauseous. My head hanging, I head back to the bedroom, willing my tears away and curl into a ball in the bed.

I feel the side of the bed dip under his weight, and he is trying to lift my chin up, kissing my forehead. “I’m sorry, Emma, I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Darlin’, please?”

“Don’t say ‘please’ to me right now!” I snap at him. “That’s worse than expecting me to do everything you say.” I’m crying and barely making sense. He took a swing at my pride and while that’s as beat to hell as the rest of my body, it’s really all I have left.

“I actually meant it that time, Darlin’. I think it’s the first time in my adult life I’ve said it sincerely,” He holds my hands in his and starts to lightly kiss them. “Hey, if you feel better tomorrow, how about we go shopping? On me? I also need to go and pick out the backsplash for the kitchen, maybe you’ll help me?

“Vice and his team are coming by in a couple days to put the new kitchen in. I can bring you to my office at the clubhouse, that way you won’t have to deal with their noise? Will that be ok, Emmy?”

“I won’t be here, Jasper. Remember?” I look up at him. Wanting to kiss this man I barely know. This man who, arrogantly, seems to have an answer for every problem I have.

“I don’t want you to go, Emmy. Will you, please, stay with me? Get to know me a bit?” He smiles softly at me as I continue to shake my head.

“I can’t, Jasper. You don’t even know me and I don’t really understand the MC. Things I’ve heard about them, Jasper? The little I have heard kinda scares the crap out of me.” I say truthfully, unable to meet his eyes as he and Roy have gone above and beyond to take care of me. “I was never really cut out to be a Preacher’s wife, but I’m not exactly on the other end of the spectrum either. And if Adam comes after me? You’ve been good to me and I can’t bring trouble to your door.”

He lets me finish, and then releases a deep breath before starting to talk about his life.

He talks passionately about the Club that gave him a family again. About Flint cutting out the prostitution side, focusing on the pipelines they have for guns and drugs, all while keeping those things away from, Rowansville, their backyard. About the investments in the town businesses the MC has, and the side investments he personally has. I’m struck by what an intelligent man he is, how if his life had been slightly different, I’m sure, he would be running a large company and not a group of bikers.

He doesn’t hesitate to tell me about the women. About the Ol’ Ladies, then about the Girlies and honey holes; I cringe inside thinking about all the women he’s probably been with and how they’d be all around if I stayed. How they would still be trying to catch his eye.

He quickly figures out where my thoughts are heading and speaks towards them.

“You give me a chance, Emma, I’ll be faithful. No messing around with anyone but you. One of them don’t respect that, I’ll ban them from MC activities and the clubhouse. Let me show you?”

“Why me, Jasper?” I get out, in between hiccups, “You don’t know me, know what I’m like.” My heart is in my throat and right now I’m more terrified of this man than the monster I married. This man I could love. And if the past year has taught me anything, I have to stay on guard and strong; I can’t give in to the darkness and relinquish control again.

“I have a feeling about us, Darlin’.” He sighs, “I don’t know how to explain it, ever since you first looked up at me with those big blue eyes…”

Jasper

Dammit. I’ve gotten used to telling people what I want and having them do it. Especially women, I can’t remember the last time when one of the skanks I’ve been around didn’t leap to do what I wanted. My Brothers, we put big items up to vote but I say how it’s executed. None of that will work this time and the need I’ve felt for her has been growing minute by minute these last couple days.

A week ago, I would have shit myself laughing at the thought of taking an Ol’ Lady, now the woman I want is trying to let me down easy, I can see it in her eyes.

“How about you give me a week, Emma?” I don’t know what else to offer her. “Will you stay with me a week, get to know me a little?”

She takes a deep, shuddering breath but seems to consider it, so I push on. “I’ll show you the town, you can check the schools, you can spend time at the clubhouse, and I’ll get Hawk to bring Anne around. She’s his Ol’ Lady, they’ve been together since they were kids.”

“And in a week?” I’m hoping her whispered reply is progress.

“I don’t know, I guess I’ll ask for another week?” I grin at her, trying some charm; this is unchartered territory for me.

“No sex, Jasper. Promise you won’t…” Her voice sounds panicked again, so I enclose her hands in mine to focus her.

“Darlin’, I wouldn’t mind some kisses once your lip feels better, but I won’t push you for sex. I won’t go anywhere else for it either. Well, I mean, I’ll be beating it if off alone in the shower, until you join me.” Goddamn, what am I even saying? I’m acting like a twelve year old.

But I get a smile for my efforts.

“I don’t consider what he did to me sex, Jasper. I just also don’t want to sleep with the next man who happened to have crossed my path to get over it. That’s not who I was before, just not who I am.” She says.

“Shhhh.” I say pulling her close, not wanting her to see the rage I feel towards the bastard she is married to. “I don’t want to hurt you, Emma. Not even close.”

“I’ll stay the week, Jasper. I really do feel like shit, truth be told.” She reaches for one of my hands and pulls it to her lips for a kiss. It’s all I can do not to grind my cock into her.

“Um, are you going to sleep?” She looks up at me and nods in reply.

“I’d like to for a little while. Who’s watching me today?” She asks, smiling. I’m guessing I’m not the only smart ass in the room.

“I’ll be here. Do you think you can sleep with a noise canceling headset? I need to do some work up front to be ready for Vice’s crew and I don’t want to bother you. Then when you get up, we can go for a walk? Or maybe grab a meal?”

“That sounds good. Will you let me buy you dinner?” She looks shyly up at me. “Or I can cook here? As a thank you?”

“Darlin’, how about you don’t torture my Probie anymore and we call it even?” I throw out since she looks like she’ll object. “Maybe scramble up some eggs for me in the morning?”

She leans up and rubs her un-bruised cheek against mine. “I think that’s doable, Jasper.” She says, giving me the sweetest smile I’ve ever seen, before I walk up front to grab the headphones. She’s snoring when I get back so I leave the headset beside her before going up front to complete the demo ahead of Vice’s crew coming in.

I work for several hours, thankful for the distraction so I can think about the problems that Emma and I will face. By noon I’ve called a Brother; Wrench is brilliant with a computer and I give him the names I want him to look into. Checking in on Emma from time to time, she’s still been mostly asleep.

Getting frustrated at waiting for both the info I requested and Emma to emerge. I call a lawyer, a weekend rider who is loosely associated with the MC. I lay out the names I know, the story she told me and ask him to start divorce proceedings. As he starts to ask about any money involved and a dozen other questions I don’t have answers for, I realize how over my head I am.

Finally, I hear the shower turn on, so I know I’ll get time with Emma soon. Next my phone goes off and I quickly answer it, instantly excited about the news from the lawyer. Looking up, I see Emma walking towards me in jeans and a t-shirt, her wet hair tied up and her lips curled up in a soft smile. I quickly end the call.

“Did you know Adam had been married before?” I blurt out.

“What? No!” She answers quickly. “He came to work with my Father about five years ago. How do you know?”

“I had my guy do a search. He was and his ex-wife had an order of protection taken out before the divorce papers were filed. This will make it a pattern, so if you’ll allow it we can get the same type of papers drafted and served.”

She stops walking towards me. “Why are you doing this?” She suddenly looks trapped and scared again, which pisses me off.

“You said, that night in the truck, you said you wouldn’t go back to him! Did you mean it? Or does that do it for you?” I am so angry I can’t hold back. I can’t stand the thought of this woman going back to her abuser, of me being the man she doesn’t trust.

“Never!” She draws herself up to her full height, looking as angry as I feel. “But why are you investigating me? Are you after what he was?”

“What the fuck are you accusing me of?” Dumbfounded, I yell back. Angrier at myself for wanting this woman to the point I have MC members looking into her affairs; while she will barely commit to a week with me.

She studies me for a moment, not sure of what she’s searching for, I can only maintain eye contact. “I won’t let another man use me, Jasper. Not. Ever.”

“You’re the one who’s running, Darlin’, I’m trying to hold on.” Her jaw twitches at my statement and she relaxes a bit.

“Think I’d rather stay in for dinner, feel free to head out; do whatever. Good night.” She turns back to my room but I’m so wound up in my need for her I won’t stand for this. I start towards her and she starts to walk faster to get to the bedroom first. Seeing her trying to run from me in my own home makes me freeze.

This isn’t what I want.

I stop and sit down on the hallway floor, calling her name softly. She slows, seeing that I don’t mean any threat to her, she stops and turns; holding the bedroom door, as if for protection.

“What, Jasper?”

“I want to be with you. Tell me what you meant,” I pause. “Please?”

Moments pass as she studies me; appraising my meaning, and I know by sitting and not making her feel overwhelmed, I have gotten her to calm down again.

“Land, Jasper. I didn’t pay attention. I was crushed when my sister died. I didn’t pay attention and it had never been talked about.” She stops to assess me again. “Through my Father’s Father, it turns out that the acres around the Church fell to me. I heard my Mother and Adam discussing it one day, she hadn’t been left much as Father hadn’t done much planning. There was a Trust that left Grandfather’s land to me. Mother had talked to groups who wanted to buy the land.”

Just as she finishes, my phone starts ringing. Looking between her and it, she nods towards it.

“Fuck Jasper. Who is this Emma Jones to you?” Wrench asks.

“She’s right here; I’m putting you on speakerphone.” I need everything out in the open if I’m going to get her to stay.

“Emma, Wrench is on the phone. Don’t let him near ANY tools cause he’s useless with anything other than a computer. Wrench, Emma’s here and she just mentioned some land that might be in her name.”

Silence on both ends.

“Uh, yeah. Hi Emma.” Wrench starts in. “There’s about two hundred or so acres in her name that oil companies have a serious hard on for.”

We stare at each other; she shrugs like she has no idea about the last part.

Wrench throws in the next tidbit. “And, um, her mother and husband recently filed a missing, possibly dead report on her. Saying she’s been suicidal?”

“Fucking, Goddamn, Bastards, Sons of Whores!!!” Screams the Preacher’s daughter at the top of her lungs.

I grin, looks like my Darlin’ will be filing those legal papers. “Later, Wrench.” I stand up, disconnecting the call.