Bounty:Fury Riders MC(69)

"Not untrue, though." I lean forward, toward the computer. "I guess you've read through everything?"

"Yeah, and I've counted to ten around a dozen times just to keep my  temper under control." He scrolls through the messages. "Who the fuck  does this? I wish he'd get on right now and try some shit like this."

"That wouldn't be a good idea, and you know it. Besides, I blocked his ass."

"Good girl. You're learning."

"Yeah, at the time I thought that was the only way left for him to reach  me. Stupid me." I think back to the clipping, the sick feeling in my  stomach when I pulled it from the envelope and the truth hit me all at  once. He knows where I live. He wants me dead.

"You got this in the mail?" Jax is holding the clipping in his hands. I  can't help but notice how they're shaking. It's not fear, though.

"Yeah, in this envelope." I hand it to him. He inspects the postmark.

"Texas. Is he from Texas?"

"We went to school there. We were living there together before I left."

"I guess he stuck around, then. And that's all that was in the envelope? Just this clipping?"

I nod. "But it's obviously from him."

"Sure, unless you know somebody else in Texas who would send something like this."

I shake my head. I'm biting my nonexistent nail again. He moves closer to wrap his arms around me.

"I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how you must have felt when you opened that."

"I thought I'd die. I really did. He knows where I live. Not just the  town. The address. All of it rushed at me all at once. He found me. And  he wants me dead now."

Jax's arms tighten. "I shouldn't have brought it up. If he was in front of me right now … "

"Don't."

"I'm sorry. And I know you don't want to hear this." He pulls away from  me, looking down at me with great seriousness. "In my world, the world I  lived in for a long time, one of the worst things a man can do is be  violent toward a woman. Only cowards do that. It's part of our code.  Never hurt women."

I can't help but think of Marissa as he's saying this, though I stay mum.

"After all that conditioning you can imagine how hard it is for me to  hear the things he's done to you. And to see the evidence of how batshit  crazy he is. Jesus." His arms tighten ever so slightly. "On top of it  all, you're not just any woman. You're you. He's doing this to you. You  deserve better than that. He won't ruin your life any more than he  already has. That I promise you."

I snuggle against him again. "Thank you."

I need to believe him.         

     



 



***



I call out of work, giving Amy an excuse about feeling under the  weather. It's a weekday morning, which, aside from the pre-nine o'clock  rush, is generally dull. I have complete faith in her. Not for the first  time do I count my blessings for Amy, knowing I owe her so much.

The fact is there's no way I could go to the shop today. My mind  wouldn't be on the work. I would most likely cost myself a lot of money,  burning everything I tried to bake, giving customers the wrong change,  throwing away mixed-up drink orders.

Besides, I'm scared. Screw Tommy for taking away my life. I feel like a  prisoner in my own home, but the idea of going out is too much to handle  right now. Which is exactly what I know he wants me to feel.

I decide to do a little baking for Jax instead. It's the least I can do  for him after everything he's done for me in the last twelve hours  alone. He's enthusiastic, to say the least.

"What are you making?" He's craning his neck from his spot at the  kitchen table, trying to get a look. I've already had to ask twice for  him to sit down and stop crowding me.

"Muffins, okay? Blueberry muffins with a streusel topping. Sheesh."

"God, I can't remember the last time I had a fresh blueberry muffin. Or  if I've ever had one, come to think of it." He laughs, drinking more of  his coffee. He was impressed to find me grinding the beans fresh for  him. Even if I can't afford a fancy coffee maker yet, I can at least  drink the best coffee available.

I slide the muffin pan into the oven, then turn to him with a smile. "I  remember my grandma making blueberry muffins when I was a kid. She'd ask  me to help her. All I was doing was pouring the berries into the  batter, of course, but she made it seem like the most important part of  the recipe."

"It is, when you think about it. Otherwise, they wouldn't be blueberry muffins, would they?"

I grin. "That's exactly what she used to say."

"I've never been very good at cooking for myself. I do a few things  pretty well, but the little luxuries like fresh muffins? Cookies? No  way."

I'm laughing now. "You didn't do too badly with the dumplings! I think we can make a cook of you yet."

"Great, and I'll let you do the landscaping work. We'll make a great team."

I go to him, still chuckling, and wrap my arms around his neck. His arms circle my waist, his head against my stomach.

A team. Is he thinking along the same lines I am? Here he is, spending  time with me because he knows how terrified I am. Joking with me,  leading me into conversation to take my mind off Tommy and the clipping  he sent. I can't forget the way he already saved me from freezing to  death either. He puts the angel tattooed on his chest in a different  light.

"What are you planning to do today?" I look down at him.

"First, I'm gonna eat at least three muffins. Then I'm going to find  some tools in this place so I can fix up the locks on the windows like I  said I would. I might even install a new lock on your front door if you  wouldn't mind."

I feel warm all over. "Thanks, that would be great."

"After that, maybe we'll spend a little time doing … other things … " He  grins at me, making it impossible for me not to kiss him. Lucky thing I  set a timer for the muffins, or else we'd have been humping like rabbits  while they burnt to a crisp.



***



"Are you sure you want to come with me?"

"Completely sure. I'm not going to stay here alone. I know it sounds  insane, and you're not going to move in with me or anything, but for  right now I don't want to be here by myself. Besides, it's just the  hardware store. I think I can handle a trip there."

"It's not that." He's standing there by the front door, arms crossed  over his flat stomach. "I wonder if it's the best idea for you to be  seen with me."

Oh. I hadn't thought of that.

"Well, so what? Let somebody ask me why I'm with you. I'll tell them the  whole story. About how you saved me, and how you're keeping me safe  now. I'll tell the whole world!"

I watch as a slow smile spreads across his face. "That's pretty risky  for you, though. You realize that, right? People might not understand. I  don't want to see you lose your customers because they don't approve of  the people you spend time with."

"Would they do that?" Another thing I hadn't considered until now.

"Are you kidding? I wasn't joking when I told you stories about how they  act around me. They treat me like a leper. You haven't lived here for  very long. I'm not trying to ruin your image of the town, I'm really  not. I hate anybody who pisses on other people's parades. But these  folks aren't as nice as you think they are. You're in a bubble now. In  their favor. If only for your business, I want you to stay that way."

We might have stood there all day, arguing about this, were it not for the sound of a motorcycle pulling up in the driveway.         

     



 

"Who could that be?" I'm instantly terrified. Did Tommy get a  motorcycle? Or maybe it's one of Jax's buddies. I don't know which would  be worse.

I peer outside from behind the closed blinds. "It's a man. I've never  seen him before." I sigh with relief. At least it's not Tommy.

Jax stands behind me, looking out the window. "Holy shit." He doesn't sound happy.

"Who is that?"

He's already walking to the front door. "Trouble."





Chapter 23

"Trouble? What's that mean? Jax!"

He doesn't hear me, or else doesn't listen. Jax is already out the door  and on his way down the steps to confront the man in the driveway. I  follow, pulling on my coat. As always, I can't just have one person to  worry about at a time.

"Christina, stay back." Jax holds up a hand in my direction, willing me  to stop. Immediately, I rankle at his command, needing to bite back a  retort. As much as I hate being spoken to like a child, I can't miss the  danger in his voice. He's deadly serious. I hang back on the little  porch, close enough to hear what's being said.

The stranger is handsome in a rough sort of way. Jax might come from a  tough background, might be covered in ink, but there's a nobility about  him. He's a born leader, I realize, charismatic without even trying to  be. The other man looks like he could have been a football star in high  school but let himself go in the years after that. There's a nice body  in there somewhere, hidden beneath an extra twenty pounds. He's soft.  Too much beer, I think.