Page 48 of The Gentleness of Rage

“Yes,” Jaelynn whispered, leaning her head on his chest.

Slate wrapped his arms around her. “My dick may misbehave around you, but I can control him,” he muttered, aware of his cock standing proud for Jaelynn.

Jaelynn giggled and kissed him. “You must hate me.”

“Never, babe. My cock might sulk, but trust me, he’ll be happy to meet you when you’re ready,” Slate assured her.

“Good. Why don’t you go and fetch some clothing and meet me back here? I want to get some of this finished. I don’t want to dwell on today,” Jaelynn said, and Slick admired her strength.

Despite the knocks Jaelynn had received, she was still trying to move on with her life. Jaelynn’s fight was something that really attracted him. She’d get knocked down and would claw her way back up. Slate wondered if he could push his luck.

“Come and work at the strip club?”

Jaelynn’s eyes narrowed, and Slate guessed he’d pushed too far.

“What about the bar and Ezra?”

“You can give notice,” Slate answered.

“No. You’re not going to control me. This is a team effort, or nothing happens. I won’t allow another man to mould me into what he wants. No, Slate, I’m not quitting my jobs,” Jaelyn stated emphatically.

“Worth a try,” Slate replied.

“Yup, but the answer’s no. Thank you for offering, but I am happy with what I’m doing.”

“I’ll be back soon. Don’t leave the office, babe, not for anything. And lock the door,” Slate said and headed outside for his bike. He needed to grab a duffle bag because he wasn’t leaving Jaelynn while this lunatic was running about.

Chapter Ten.

Slate

Slate dumped his bag in the bedroom that Jaelynn had shown him. As much as he didn’t want to stay in a separate room, he respected her boundaries. She’d escaped an abusive relationship and had come within a hair’s breadth of being raped. His sexual needs weren’t important here. Jaelynn’s fears and worries were.

Downstairs, Jaelynn was pottering about, and a delicious smell wafted up towards him. Jaelynn was cooking dinner, and it smelt wonderful. She was working tonight until two, but she’d assured him she had slept in late. Slate also planned to join her at the bar. Hell, Jaelynn might as well call him her stalker because he’d no intention of leaving her to go to work without him.

Jaelynn smiled at him as he entered the kitchen, and she slid a beer over to him. Damn, he could get used to this.

“What are you cooking?”

“Hunter chicken and home-made fries with salad. Can you get me a wine, please?” Jaelynn asked as she began pulling plates out and shaking pans. As he did, Jaelynn served up dinner, and his eyes widened.

“Shit, babe, this looks amazing,” he said, sniffing.

“Aunt Elsie made sure I could cook.” Jaelynn smiled.

“Along with hunting, fishing and everything else,” Slate commented, and Jaelynn laughed.

“Yup.”

“She never had kids?” Slate asked.

“No. Her parents tried to force her into marriage, and it backfired because she up and ran away. Aunt Elsie lived an interesting life, she made a killing gambling, then when my grandparents’ ranch went bankrupt and was up for sale, Aunt Elise bought it. She is my great aunt, but she’s amazing. My parents and I do not speak much. We don’t understand each other. But Aunt Elsie understood me, so she took me in.

“It’s a shame because my parents are good people, but they are… very academic, and I wasn’t a planned baby. We talk on birthdays and Christmas, but that’s the extent of it. It is a shame, but they’re very linear. I think is the best way to describe them.”

“Anal retentive?” Slate asked curiously. Jaelynn was opening up to him, and he craved more.

“Yeah. Mom’s a lecturer at a university, and Dad is a very respected food critic. Their careers meant everything to them, and I was literally a mistake. Don’t get me wrong, they never made any bones about me not being planned, but they were never cruel. They love me in their own unique way,” Jaelynn explained.

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