Page 43 of Condemned Soul

“Jimmer, I…”

“Take it off.” My voice comes out low and husky, and when she starts to do as I say I sit back and observe the way her confidence grows.

“Did you miss me?” She slowly, seductively undoes the buttons of her blouse and lifts it from the waistband of her skirt.

“Yes,” I admit, feeling my nails dig into the arm of the chair from the honesty of my confession. Joanne must like what she hears because she smiles and steps a little closer, unzipping the back of her skirt and leaving it on the floor as she continues toward me.

“I missed you.” She takes my wrist and guides my hand to cover one of her tits, and when I squeeze it tight in my fist her back arches and she makes that same sweet sound I remember from all those years ago. Standing up from the chair I overpower her body, walking her backward toward the bed, and she smiles victoriously when I push her onto the mattress and climb on top of her.

“Jimmer.” She moans my name when I dance my lips close to hers and tease her with ‘em. Then, studying the desperation on her face, I wrap my fingers around her throat and pin her to the bed.

“I know,” I growl into her ear as my fingers stiffen around her neck.

“We…We don’t have to miss each other anymore, Jimmer,” she tells me, closing her eyes and breathing me in, and I watch the woman at work and chuckle to myself.

“No, darlin’, I mean, I know. I know all about you and the conversations you’ve been havin’ with Cliff. I know that ya targeted him because he was on the sick man list your husband had. I know ya told him that I was comin’ for him, and I know that ya blackmailed other men on that list for your own gain instead of handin’ it into the authorities.” I watch the fear spread on her face. “You knew what Walker was doin’ when you were married to him, and you raised my little girl among that instead of comin’ to me. You're a deceitful, lyin’, nasty whore.” I squeeze my fingers a little tighter and watch the panic on her face amplify. Then just when I wonder if I could break my own rules, the door crashes open and Sheriff Armstrong barges inside. I release her and take a step back, holding up my arms defensively so he can put her in cuffs.

“What the hell is this? Jimmer?” She screams as he turns her onto her front and cuffs her hands behind her back and while he reads her her rights, I kick the clothes she was wearing when we came in here under the chair outta sight.

“She got anything more appropriate for me to take her down in?” he checks and when I shake my head at him, he shakes his head and continues to drag her out the door.

“What are you arresting me for?” she screams at him as I follow them down the corridor toward the staircase.

“Shall we start with aiding and abetting a pedophile ring?” Armstrong informs her, forcing her down the stairs in her underwear to where a crowd of my club members and hangouts have been gathered to see her off.

“Goodbye, Joanne.” I stand on the top stairs and watch her be escorted through them and toward the door.

“Jimmer! Jimmer! Help me” she calls over her shoulder as she struggles against our sheriff’s hold. Her reputation always meant so much to her, I wanted everyone to witness her humiliation and shame.

Everyone except Ella, that's why I ensured Nyx got her outta here this morning.

“I ain’t in the palm of your hand now, Joanne,” I throw back the words that had been written in one of the emails Maddy had found.

“Jimmer!” Joanne screams over her shoulder at me helplessly and when Rogue stands in the way of the door, blocking her and the sheriff’s exit, she looks ready to kill.

“You had a list of names. Men who got off on hurtin’ kids,” she says with haunting eyes.

Sheriff Armstrong looks back at me, and I nod my head at him, so he knows to let Rogue continue.

“You used those names for your own good, bribed those sick bastards for money, then you came here and played with your grandchildren.” Rogue spits at her face, causing Joanne to jump in horror. “Get this nasty bitch outta here before I fuckin’ kill her.” Rogue steps aside and lets them pass and when Grimm wraps his arm around her, I can tell from the way she lets him comfort her that she’s not just angry. She’s hurting, and I'm real glad I spared Ella from witnessing all this.

I can still hear Joanne screaming from outside as I make my way down the stairs and follow my brothers into the barroom.

“I’m sorry, Prez, that can’t have been easy.” Jessie slaps me on the back as we make our way to the bar.

“It wasn’t easy, but it was the right thing to do.” I look to my VP and feel kinda foolish. I should have known not to trust Joanne, I guess my need to be proved wrong clouded all my judgment.

“Come on, let’s get you a drink.” He slaps my back.

“Nah, I think I need to be alone tonight.” I appreciate him wanting to make me feel better, but the truth is, nothing is gonna take the pain of her deception away. I always figured everything she did when she was younger was done with the right intentions for Ella, but the more I think about it, the more I see that it was for her own selfish gain. Joanne deserves everything she’s gonna get.

“You know where I am,” Jessie reminds me as I turn back around and walk out the door.

One Week Later

It’s been a long trip back from Long Beach, and I have to admit taking down the Lambronis did bring a little job satisfaction. It also impressed my boss, which is exactly what I need. Now I’m back in Manitou Springs I realize that I’m nowhere near where I should be on the Souls case. I really don’t know if putting all my faith in Jimmer Carson is the right thing for me to be doing right now. I rub the back of my neck as I walk through the door, then kicking off my heels I head straight for the refrigerator to grab a bottle of wine. I fight with the corkscrew to get it opened and release my hair from its pins, before grabbing a glass on my way into the living room.

I moved here five months ago and I still haven’t unpacked any boxes. It’s kinda pathetic that I’m a thirty-four-year-old woman coming home alone to a dark, empty house with nobody to greet me, not even a cat. Pathetic, but not surprising since the only thing I’ve ever really been committed to is my job.

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