“Think you won’t. It happens no matter how cool you’re trying to be.”
“Not gonna lay any hurt on her,” Deke repeated.
She got closer. “I know you’re a good guy, Deke, but I’m not thinkin’ you’re getting me.”
“No,” he grunted. “You’re not getting me. I. Am. Not. Gonna lay any hurt on her.”
Krystal stared up at him and she was wide-eyed now.
“Go in, find out what she needs, round up your posse,” he ordered. “Got some calls to make and I’ll be back in. You guys hang until I’m back. Don’t want her alone.”
“Okay, Deke,” Krys agreed readily.
Krystal Briggs agreeable.
Deke blew out another sigh.
She gave him a shit-eating grin, kept on giving it and didn’t move.
“I got calls to make,” he reminded her.
“Right,” she said, still grinning and doing it as she moved around him and headed back to the trailer.
Deke leaned against her car, eyes to the road leading up to his property, pulling out his phone.
Chace first, see if it was good Joe Callahan started the work tomorrow that he should have done three weeks ago and see if someone could have access to the house to board up the window.
Next up, Max to share what was going down and get him to share the same with Callahan. Not to mention tell him that Deke was not at work that day but if Chace opened up the house, he was taking Jussy back the next day and getting on with it. The longer it took for her to get back in the saddle, the more fear she could build up about being in the place where it all went down.
It was her home. Deke needed to help her sweep that away.
That said, she’d be with him while he worked and they’d be back in the trailer when he was done until Callahan was finished with his work.
Then they’d stay at her house.
Last, Jacob Decker.
He needed to find Bianca Constantine’s ass.
For Jussy’s peace of mind for her friend.
And to find a way to get this shit done.
* * * * *
The women took off when Deke returned to the trailer and when he returned he saw they’d gotten her into his bed.
Fuck, Jussy in his bed.
She was eyes aimed his way down the trailer, on her side, hands under her healthy cheek, those eyes open and on him.
He moved that way and made his decision when he did.
So when he got there, gentle with her like she was crystal, he adjusted her so he had his back to the wall at the head of the bed, ass to the mattress and her cheek on his thigh.
He slid his fingers through her hair.
It was soft, the curls tangling around his fingers, clinging like they didn’t want him to let go.
“Called Chace,” he started on a whisper and kept going that way. “They’re finishing up what they need to do at your place. It’ll be open tomorrow. Called Max too. He’s sendin’ Bubba over to board up your window and he’s ordering another. It’s custom. It’ll take a while to get in but he’s on that.”
“Okay, Deke.”
She was talking in a whisper too.
Deke went on the same way.
“With the cops done with what they gotta do with the house, we’re goin’ back tomorrow. Callahan is good to get started and I’m gettin’ back to work. You’ll be with me. Callahan can stay with you while I get us sandwiches.”
He felt her snuggling her cheek in his thigh, he didn’t know if that was for closeness or to hide discomfort, before she repeated, “Okay.”
He decided to go with discomfort even if it wasn’t just so he could make sure it wasn’t but get her beyond it if it was.
“You need to get back there, Jussy. It’s your home. Work’s gettin’ done for you to be safe in it. But you will not be alone there and tomorrow night until Callahan has your system done, you’re stayin’ here with me.”
There was a pause and no movement before she said again, “Okay.”
She didn’t argue.
Good.
“Talked to Decker,” Deke carried on. “He’s a busy guy but he’s clearing things, favor for a friend. Means he’s on the job. He’s good, Jussy. He’ll find her.”
She lifted a hand and curled it on his thigh under her nose and gave him a squeeze.
She gave him a squeeze but he could feel the tension all through her.
Deke kept sliding his hand in her hair as he asked, “How do I get you to relax, baby? Close your eyes. Sleep a little.”
“Daddy,” she whispered.
“Say again?”
“My phone, Deke. It’s on your nightstand. Can you pull up my music? Play anything. Anything by my dad.”
Deke reached out, got her phone and he knew what he’d play.
It was on Johnny Lonesome’s album Living Room, one of his last, the album her dad and his band recorded in one go during an acoustic session in that same room in his house.