Page 1 of Jag

Prologue

Jag

The door to my townhouseclosed with a slam worthy to shake the pictures on the wall, then the clicking of heels on the wood floor echoed throughout. I closed my laptop and leaned back on the chair and waited.

“I can’t believe you’re going through with this,” Simone said as she waltzed into the kitchen and stopped in front of me. Not a hello, a kiss, or even a fuck you. Nope, straight to jumping my shit. But it was what I expected out of her.

“What part of I’ve decided to resign my commission, did you not understand?”

Simone’s hands went to her hips, and she glared at me. How the hell had I put up with this woman for three months? The only redeeming quality she held was her adventurous nature in bed. She was always up for anything. Though that was growing old with her.

“Nothing. I figured you would come to your senses about being a small town attorney for some motorcycle club. I thought we shared something special. That’s why I asked Daddy about you working for him. He called and said you turned down his offer at the firm.” She jerked her head, and the move tossed her blond hair over her shoulder. Like I hadn’t seen that move a hundred times.

The offer from her dad had been a great one. Top salary and junior partnership with full partner in five years. Any attorney would have salivated over the proposal; however, I knew it wasn’t my experience that brought the interest in me. It was the woman who stood in front of me whose daddy indulged her every whim.

Simone was a spoiled twenty-four-year-old woman who had never held a job. She’d been twelve when her mother died from ovarian cancer, leaving her dad a single parent with a daughter entering her teenage years.

“Did you listen to anything when we talked last week? I’m going back to Shades Valley, Washington, it’s my home. And it isn’tsomemotorcycle club, it ismyclub. I never planned to be away permanently, Simone. Do you recall any of that particular conversation?” I asked, and she rolled her brown eyes. I wasn’t sure what I’d expected from her; in the last week, Simone’s behavior had changed. After telling her my plans, she began hinting about how she didn’t know if she could live away from her dad. That ifwestayed in DC, we could have a fantastic life.

Not sure what brought on her line of thinking because I’d not once mentioned that she and I were headed toward that type of commitment. Hell, I hadn’t asked her to join me in Washington. She knew the deal when we started going out because I told her. I never planned to settle anywhere other than Washington. The Navy was temporary as was the women who passed through my life. There had never been any deception on my part other than a mutual companionship, nothing was going to lead into anything permanent. Each woman I dated knew that it was exclusive between the two of us until one of us was ready to move on. I found over the years that honesty, in the beginning, helped with hurt feelings in the end. Or at least minimized them.

Simone and I met at one of the many Navy functions the Judge Advocates had to attend. She’d come with her father who happened to be the college roommate of the DJAG (Deputy Judge Advocate General). Hobnobbing with the brass was the part of the job I despised, but I played my role well.

Now I planned to not only do what I loved—but live in a place I loved as well. My stint in the Navy had taught me a lot, but it was time for me to move on.

Simone placed a hand on my shoulder and moved closer. Watching her face, I knew when she decided to use a different tactic to try to get me to comply.

“Oh, Dominic,” she purred and straddled my lap, “won’t you rethink Daddy’s offer? We can visit your club whenever you want and still have a life here—together.” She bent her head and ran her tongue up my neck and circled my ear while she rubbed her tits against my chest. “We are so...good together. Do I need to remind you just how good? Take me here. Any. Way. You. Want.” She ground her hips down for emphasis while she continued to kiss and nibble down my neck.

A part of me wondered just how far she would go to try to convince me to stay, but considering I hadn’t even hardened from her gesture, it would be a waste of time. Besides, I may be an asshole, but that didn’t mean I would nail her in my kitchen, then boot her out the door.

I grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled until she stopped what she was doing and leaned away. Whatever her endgame, I was done playing. No reason to drag out the inevitable.

“Up,” I said, and moved to give her no other choice than to stand. I let go of her hair as she lifted off me. I stood along with her, took a deep breath, and prepared for the next scene because with women like Simone, there was always a next one when they didn’t get their way.

“We are perfect together. We could have everything if you would just think about it,” she said and pouted. I once thought the move was cute. Once. Now, I was disgusted more with myself than with her for letting my lower region rule.

“I’m leaving as soon as the Navy releases me. It’s a done deal, Simone. I have no plans or desire to stay here. When we got together, I never hid the fact that the Navy nor a prestigious job were in my long-term plans. As for us...I told you point blank that I wasn’t the relationship long haul guy. You told me you understood and that you weren’t looking to be tied down either. But even knowing, you took it upon yourself to have your daddy offer me a job.”

“Please, men always say they aren’t looking to get tied down. But when two people get along like we do, it is the next step. But you won’t give us a chance. You can’t even keep a commitment to the Navy. And you know what? You’ll never be anything without me.” She cocked her hip and placed a hand on it. The expression on her face said she was gearing up for a good show. One I had no desire to purchase a ticket for.

Christ, what the fuck was I thinking? Yeah, she had wanted to take the relationship to the next level by moving in with me after a month. As I looked at Simone, I inwardly groaned. I so didn’t want to deal with any of this.

“I gathered the few items you’ve left here. They’re by the front door. Come on, I’ll see you out and carry the box to your car.” I started out of the kitchen, and my exit was followed by a crash. By the sound, seemed I would be purchasing a new laptop.

I kept walking and hoped she’d have the tantrum out of her system before we were outside. As I bent to pick the small box up something hit the wall above my head. Pieces of glass rained down on the floor along with a wooden frame, then a photo floated to join the debris. I reached for the photograph, and my brothers’ faces stared back at me.

We’d taken the picture in front of the clubhouse before the six of us went our separate ways. I couldn’t help but grin because I knew if they were here, they would be enjoying the hell out of themselves at my expense.

“You’re a fucking bastard, Dominic!” Simone yelled as I rose and turned in time to receive a slap to my cheek. When she moved her hand back to do it again, I balanced the small box under one arm and caught her wrist in my other hand before she was able to land it.

“I’ll give you the first one, darlin’. But that’s all you’ll get. Enough.”

“My father knows a lot of people. He’ll ruin you in that podunk town along with your precious club.”

“Oh, darlin’, he won’t. Because unlike you, he knows that every action comes with a consequence and your daddy is too smart of a man. Besides, my club’s reach is a lot longer than his. Now, think of the nice European vacation you’ll be able to work out of him for this,” I said and let go of her wrist to open the door. It wouldn’t be the first time the man paid for her to go overseas on a whim. He’d paid for her to go to Naples, Italy when I was sent on a two-week assignment there. All because she whined about missing me. And that had taken place less than a month after we met. Imagine my surprise when she showed up, then when we came back, she started dropping hints about moving in together.

I should’ve cut her loose then. Never again. Hot, sweaty sex be damned.

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