When I wake and stand, Jack’s there, holding up the blanket for me. “Come here. I’m too tired to get up.” I crawl under and relax into him, inhaling his pine and leather scent. “Goodnight, baby,” he says.
“Goodnight, Jack,” I whisper.
CHAPTER 34
JESSI
Jack
Want to go for a ride tonight?
Me
Sure! I’d love to.
Jack
Great. I’ll leave a bit early and pick you up. Sonny keeps asking about you. You cool if we go to the club for an hour or so? We have a meeting, but thought you and Sonny could hang out until that’s wrapped up?
Me
Sounds perfect. See you then.
Jack
Be there in five.
Me
Can’t wait!
Jack guides me into the club and beelines to a barstool.
“Sonny, you can get off my ass now. Delivered as promised,” Jack jokes.
“Thank you, Jack!” Sonny says while scooping my arm up in her grasp. Jack pats my shoulder then heads toward a back room full of the guys and closes the door.
“Hey, girl!” Sonny says, her black hair spilling over her shoulders and her brown eyes drinking in the light of the room. “How are you? Last time you were here, I noticed you and Tanner dancing and then Jack got pissed. I need the details.”
“Don’t remind me. Actually, this is perfect. I want to talk to you about something. Tanner took me on a ride last week, and we ended up at another MC. It was scary. Nothing like this place.”
“Hmm. I’m surprised he would take you to another club, but maybe he assumed since you are spending time with Jack, you can be trusted. Anyway, not all clubs are the same. They all are based on members being a brotherhood or whatever. They never snitch—they will go to prison before they betray their club—and they all have each other’s backs. If there is a disagreement, they handle it in ‘church,’” Sonny makes air quotes with her fingers and points to the closed door.
“I see,” I say, studying the door with too much focus. “I’m not sure how I feel about all the ‘illegal’ stuff that happens, but I know I want nothing to do with the biker bunny shit. The guys in the other club were eyeing me like they wanted to eat me.”
“I can promise Jack isn’t going to let anyone treat you like a biker bunny, but yeah, some of the clubs are worse than others and treat women like crap. That’s getting phased out, and part of the reason that this one is so large is because Mike and Jack will not tolerate women being disrespected. Anyone who does gets tossed out.”
The door to the club swings open and Austin, David, and Rachel stumble in.
The heralds of the Apocalypse, I think.
“Hey, Tanner still trying to make a go at you?” Austin asks when he sees me. “I can’t imagine that guy would want another date with you. I guess some weak-ass men allow women to dig their claws into them. My mom is a perfect example with my dad and then Jeremy. Let them learn the hard way.”
Rachel and David chime in with insults and laughter. I’m not sure why they think they’re funny. Nothing they do is remotely clever.
“Jack is taking me for a ride, not that it’s any of your business,” I tell him, steeling my gaze.
Austin gapes at me. “What, do you, like, have a thing for him now?”
