He disappears into his room and emerges to hand me some rumpled clothes and a folded T-shirt. “I hope you’re washing the shirt you sleep in too. I thought you might need one for tonight.”
I tuck my hair behind my ear. “Thank you.”
He marches back to his room. I’m unsure where my bold courage comes from, but I yell to him, “Maybe I’ll try sleeping your way. Naked.”
He tosses his head back in laughter. “Goodnight, Jessi.” Then he shuts his door.
CHAPTER 41
JESSI
Over the next few weeks, I get the hang of the club. I manage to only lose one invoice. Jack helps me find it, since it’s for the job he recently finished. Women flaunt themselves at not only Jack but all the men. Some are nice, but I wish they had more self-respect. They are willing to sleep with any member who gives them attention. They have frequent meetings in the back room. Members are the only ones invited in. My curiosity about what exactly happens in that room nags at me, but I don’t ask. Often, when they go on runs, one or more come back in rough shape—split lips, bruised faces. Everyone pretends not to notice, and no one asks questions, so I follow their lead.
I get to know Sonny more, and she’s great. Bubbly, full of tea and spice.
Jack and I avoid any more lust-filled interactions at work and at home, despite our almost nightly movie nights. But it’s hard to wrap my head around who Jack is with me and who he is at the MC. In some ways he’s himself, but in others he’s . . . someone I would usually stay away from.
“Would you like to catch a movie sometime?” Sonny asks.
“Sure, let me know when. I don’t do much on the weekends besides grocery shop and meal prep with Jack,” I reply.
“Cool. Friday night it is! It’ll be our first official hangout outside of work. Does this mean we’re real friends and not just coworkers?”
“I think it does.”
She squeezes me into a hug. “P.S. With a weekend as boring as that, you and Jack sound like an old married couple. I would think twice before giving out those details again. If you do, you might never get a boyfriend.”
The door bangs open, grabbing everyone’s attention. Medusa saunters in, acting like she is the queen of the castle.Greeeeat.Of course she would make an entrance that puts her at the center of attention.
“What’s wrong?” Sonny asks, catching my expression.
“Medusa’s here,” I say flatly.
“Ahhhh.” She laughs so hard she snorts, which makes me spit out my drink. “That’s really funny, and now that you say it, I see the resemblance, but why do you care about her?”
I regain my composure. “Just because Jack and I are not together or anything doesn’t mean I don’t care about him, and she uses him. Plus, she was a bitch to me the first day I visited, remember? I don’t like her.”
Sonny’s eyes travel behind me. A familiar raspy voice warms my back. “Looks like you’ve infiltrated our ranks, haven’t you?” Natasha says. “What’s the story with you and Jack? Ever since you came around, he hasn’t answered my calls or texts. He can’t possibly be fucking you. If he were fucking someone other than me, it wouldn’t be a goody-two-shoes kid. Jack needs someone who understands his needs. That’s over your head and experience level, little girl.”
I scoff, whipping around, no longer able to ignore her and rein in my anger. “We are not fuckingyet. However, I canassure you that Jack has thought about it, especially when I wear nothing but his T-shirt to bed. I guess he isn’t calling or texting you because he’s no longer interested in a dried-up biker bunny.”
She barks. “Aw, honey. How would you know about anything between us adults?”
I stand tall and lower my voice, speaking for her ears alone. “I know everything about you and what you don’t do for him. If a man isn’t happy, he will find what he wants and needs elsewhere. Believe me. He wants nothing to do with you.” I reel back, smiling sweetly.
Her face is purple with fury, her body shaking with rage. “You bitch.”
She raises her hand to slap me, but Jack catches her wrist. Her furious gaze never leaves mine. She is fighting to free her wrist from Jack’s hold. “You will pay. You don’t know who you are fucking with. You think you can just waltz in here? Some of us have been at the club for years. You need a lesson in how things work around here.”
“Oh, I can tell you’ve been around here for a while,” I say. “What are you? Forty? Forty-five?” I know damn well she’s probably in her thirties, but screw her for thinking she lays claim to Jack or any other man here.
Jack stands between us. “Natasha, that’s enough. Jessi works here. If you can’t leave her alone and you keep disrespecting her, you’ll be removed and not allowed back.”
Her face scrunches into an ugly mask. “Jack, this is ridiculous. We have been together for years, and you’re going to throw us away over some young piece of ass?”
Jack grabs her wrist tighter. “I’m going to give you a pass because we have history, but we have not beentogetherfor any span of time. We fucked. That’s it.”
My skin crawls, and jealousy flares through my veins.
