Mayhem (Deathstalkers MC #5)(38)

I hang up and fight the urge to walk back to my bedroom. Whip is nowhere to be seen. Where the hell could he have gone? I toss the container back into the bag, tie it up twice, and then toss it into the trash.

The house is quiet. No sounds are coming from the bedroom so I'm guessing Lucy managed to calm Jasmine down. I wander into the kitchen, looking for Whip.

"Restaurant hasn't heard from the guy in over an hour." I turn around to see him walk in. "Checked the street. There's a car parked in the lot with some food orders in it. I looked in the back seat and there's a tarp there. Can't be certain but I think he's on the floor. Car is locked so I don't know if he's alive or not."

"Fuck, that means it wasn't him who brought this shit up here."

The fact that Dylan had the nerve to come to my place makes my blood boil. With each passing day, the amount of pain I want to inflict on him grows. One thing is for sure: he won't survive what I'm ready to do to him.

Whip takes out a smoke and lights up. "You got a plan?"

No. I do not have a fucking plan.

"She can't stay here, obviously-especially if I'm not here. When I'm not home with her, she'll be at the clubhouse." I know that it's gonna be a problem for her. I doubt she's ready to deal with all the bullshit that goes on there, and I honestly don't know how her damaged mind will make out there. I don't have a choice, though. I can't even send her to Ambrosia because I'm sure the asshole knows to check there. "You heading back to the club?"

"Yeah. Gotta get some shit done."

"Let Pres know what happened. Tell him to text me if he needs anything."

"Sure thing, brother. Luce!" There's a moment's pause before Lucy comes walking out of the bedroom, slipping her patch on. "We gotta go."

Whip heads out to his bike. Lucy starts to follow but then stops and turns, coming over and giving me a hug. "She'll be okay. She's got it in her, she just needs help finding the strength."

"Thanks, sorry about this shit."

She offers me a smile before following Whip out the door.



       
         
       
        

I take a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself down before I walk down the hallway. The last thing Jasmine needs right now is for me to be angry. She's had too much of that in her life. There isn't enough time for me to completely cool down, but as I skirt the edges of livid, I go to the bedroom and find Jasmine is sitting cross-legged on the bed. I sit down next to her, not having a clue what to say.

My instinct is to pull her to me, tell her that I claimed her today and she's mine. Let her know that I want her to be mine in every sense of the word. I'd vow to protect her from this crazy psycho and then I'd take her until the memory of today was erased. That won't work with her, though. I think the thought of being property would do the opposite of what I'm trying to accomplish. I'm also sure that me taking her and making her mine would scare her more than being my property.

Fuck.

So instead of saying anything and potentially fucking this situation up even more, I lie back and pull her down next to me, tucking her into my side, my arms wrapping around her, holding on until her body relaxes against mine. "I won't let anything happen to you," I say, pressing my lips to her hair. She nods and the both of us just lie quiet for the longest time.

My fingers are running through her hair when my phone buzzes.

Pres: I know you have your own shit going on there, but you need to be on this run. Leaving tonight back tomorrow afternoon. I'm having Nikki get your room ready for your woman. Whip said you didn't want her at your place. Understandable.

"Shit."

Jasmine turns in my arms. "What's wrong?"

Her face is creased with worry lines and her big eyes look up at me. My arms tighten around her as I rest my forehead again hers. "I have to go on a run tonight. I won't be back until tomorrow afternoon."

It takes a minute but as the realization sets in her body hardens.

"I can't leave you here alone so you're gonna stay at the club, but I don't know how that will go for you. It's not an easy place to be sometimes." The parties, the club girls looking for a fight, none of it is what she needs to be around right now.

"I'll be okay." I know she is trying to be brave-finding the strength that Lucy said she had.

I pull my head back and look her in the eye. "Nothing will happen to you." I can see the trust there-barely. It's mixed with fear, though, and that guts me.

I lean my head down, touching my lips to hers. I know that taking her would be wrong, but I need to touch her, need to feel her. Her hand fists my shirt and I pray it's a good feeling running through her because when her mouth opens to me, I take full advantage. She tastes sweet and it's like an addiction that's taking over me, I can feel my need for her grow. It forms a haze around us where nothing else matters. When a tiny moan escapes her mouth I pull back, knowing that if I keep going I won't be able to stop.