The Outlaw's Obsession(19)

“Thank you, for everything,” she whispered, but kept looking at him.

Jagger knew she couldn’t stay here. The clubhouse was not a place for her, but thinking about her leaving didn’t sit well with him or his bear. “Listen, I’m not going to keep you prisoner or anything, but I want to highly suggest that you stay here until your wound heals all the way.” He gently placed a finger on her shoulder where he knew the bandage was right beneath her shirt. “One of my guys is trained a little bit in the medical field, so he can keep an eye on it. After that I can help you get set up someplace where you will be safe.” Jagger had no idea where he could put her up, aside from another clubhouse because that was the only sure way she would stay safe if they hadn’t killed Trick by them, but he would think of something. Keeping her here with him was not a good idea, not with how turbulent his bear was around her, or the shit that went down within the clubhouse. Yeah, she had been around that for years, but why add salt to a not healed wound? But even thinking about her leaving made him pissed, and that was a very strange feeling for him to have about a female.

“I don’t have any money to pay you back.”

He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

“No, I can’t let you help me without me repaying you in some form,” she said almost hesitantly, as if she knew what those words would mean to him.

Like the dirty bastard he was Jagger thought about some of the things she could do to pay him back, and they were in the form of having her naked and spread on his bed. He shook those filthy and totally inappropriate thoughts out of his head. Yeah, he was one big, dirty fucking bastard and made himself sick.

“Maybe I can clean?”

He shook his head and then ran a hand over his stubble covered jaw. “You need to rest so your shoulder can heal. I’m not going to have you do anything as payment. It wouldn’t feel right.” He leaned back on the couch. “I want to help you because it feels good and is the right thing, okay?” He looked at her.

“Okay.” She said that one word very softly and smiled. Her gratitude covered her face.

“Good, now come on, you must be hungry, and I know you’re in pain.” He stood and held his hand out for her to take. She looked at it for a moment but slipped hers in his after a prolonged second. The spark that traveled right up his arm when she touched him was powerful, and Jagger saw her reaction as she felt it, too. Her skin was so soft and warm, but once she was standing he let go of her and took a step back. He needed to get himself in control, and not let his bear take control like it normally did, and like it wanted to do right now. He led them out of the room, and although there was a party going on in the main area of the clubhouse, he needed to have Court look at her shoulder since she was up, get her some food, and also something for her pain. He stopped right before they entered the main room, and he looked at her. “You opposed to something a little stronger than Tylenol for the pain?” She didn’t answer right away. “It’s nothing potent, just some Percocet, but it’ll make you feel better a lot better than the over the counter bullshit. You trying to put on a brave front is good and all, but we need to get you relaxed and back resting so you can heal, okay?”

“Yeah, I know. Can we just try the Tylenol first?”

He smiled at that. “Sure. But you promise to let me know if the pain gets worse or the Tylenol doesn’t help, and we’ll get you something stronger.”

“I will, thank you.” She smiled, and he was stuck there staring at her like some kind of damn hormonal teenager.

“You want to come with me or go back to the room and wait until I bring Court to you? It’s kind of rowdy where I need to go and get Court, and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.” Shit, he was growing all soft with this female, and she hadn’t even been in here for twenty-four hours. Her going back to the room was probably the best course of action, but this was her choice. He wouldn’t force her to do anything, at least not this soon. Even if he wanted her in the room, safe from everything, he wasn’t going to lock her up like Trick had done to her.

“Actually, I don’t want to be cooped up in the room. Besides, I don’t think there is anything in there that can shock me.” She tried to smile, but he grew pissed by her statement. Not because of what she said exactly, but because he knew damn well what she had suffered at the hands of Trick, both mentally and physically.

He turned and led them into the main party room of the clubhouse, and even though she was clearly not unaccustomed to what MC life was like—at least a part of it since he knew how fucked Trick was in the head—he hoped she could handle what was she was about to see.