Page 5 of Jagger
I reached into my pocket and slapped a ten-dollar bill onto the counter. “Beer. Whatever’s on draft.”
He pulled the money into his hand and walked away as people began shouting orders at him. He poured my beer and returned to hand it to me. “Thanks,” I acknowledged, and he turned and began addressing the line of thirsty cowboys waiting their turn.
I leaned my back against the end of the bar and sipped my beer as I watched people dancing, drinking, and enjoying their evening. Phantom caught my eye from the dance floor as the song changed again, and as he swayed his hips in time with the little woman in front of him, I couldn’t help but shake my head. As I watched him enjoying himself, I silently chastised myself for not being able to relax and have fun in the moment.
My chaotic upbringing, coupled with being on edge about Nitro and Blur, meant I was usually too high-strung to cut loose. When another woman walked past Phantom, he turned his head and watched her, practically ignoring the woman who had caught his eye earlier. Realizing he was moving from person to person, I knew I wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon. My beer was halfway gone, and after, I would switch to water or soda while I waited for him to pick someone up for the evening. Or he may strike out and I’d have to drive his mopey ass home.
When I finished the last swallow of beer, I pushed off the bar and pointed outside, making the phone gesture to Phantom, letting him know I was going outside to make a call. The noise was too much, and I didn’t want to yell at Nana, so I walked out of the hotel and leaned against my truck as I dialed her number.
“Hey, Lincoln. Did you have a good evening? Was the auction a success?” Nana asked when she answered.
“The auction was good, and we just stopped for a minute, but I wanted to check on you before you went to bed. Did the prospect stop by and check on you?”
“He did and he was very nice. He offered to take me to the post office tomorrow so I can get some stamps.”
I chuckled, knowing she wasn’t afraid to ask the brothers to help her with whatever she needed, and in return, they got to enjoy her cookies, pies, and cakes. It was a miracle none of us had gained weight with all the sweets she liked to bake for the club. Sometimes, I thought she believed we were a simple gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts.
If she knew some of the shit we’d been involved in over the years, I was sure she would scold all of us. Or not. With her, it depended on the day.
She and I made small talk for another few minutes as people walked past me in and out of the hotel. When I heard her yawn, I wished her sweet dreams and hung up the phone. I knew she would watch something on TV until she went to bed, but I didn’t want to be the reason she lost sleep. It was my job to take care of her, and if that meant not talking so she could rest, then that’s what I did.
I began to scroll my social media page, seeing the few people I kept in contact with from school and my time in the oil fields, when I heard a voice that I recognized coming from around the side of the building.
“I can’t,” the female voice giggled. “My ride share is almost here.”
“Cancel your ride and we’ll make sure you get home.” The man’s voice sounded much clearer than the females, and on instinct, I pushed off the truck and stepped onto the sidewalk, getting a better visual of the side of the building.
There were two large cowboys with their backs to the parking lot, and in front of them, I could see small woman’s boots.Whoever she was, they were twice her size, and I didn’t like the looks of what was going on.
Continuing to watch, I made sure to listen, trying to figure out how I recognized the woman’s voice.
“I appreciate the offer,” she began, and I watched her feet stumble as one of the guys reached out and held onto her, “but my cousin is expecting me back at the ranch soon.”
“Don’t be like that,” one of them said. “We paid for your drinks, so the least you could do is repay us.”
“I never asked you to pay for my drinks,” the woman said as I began to get closer to the situation.
My phone was still in my hand, and I fired off a quick text to Phantom, hoping I didn’t need the backup but deciding it was better for him to step outside than it was for me to try and handle two drunk cowboys alone.
Me:I need you outside. Right side of the building.
Pushing the phone back into my pocket, I silently walked closer to the edge of the building. The voices were getting clearer, and the closer I got, the more I was certain I knew the woman. And I wasn’t going to let these two assholes think her body was theirs because they’d spent a few bucks on some liquor.
“You bitches are all the same. You’re a cock tease until it’s time to pay up.”
The clear sound of someone getting slapped echoed at me, and I took two more steps closer as one of the men grabbed his cheek and began to yell.
“You’re gonna wish you didn’t do that,” he said.
The door opened to my right, and Phantom stepped outside. I made eye contact with him, and when I looked at the door, Nick was sticking his head out, silently asking if we needed help. I shook my head, and he disappeared back into the party. I didn’twant him involved, and I knew these two assholes weren’t any match for Phantom and me.
The woman still being shielded by the two men stepped to the side, and it was then I knew there was no way they were going to lay a finger on her. Jackie, the beautiful little warrior, stood in front of the men, looking for an escape route. Her eyes lifted, and I instantly saw the fear in them. The relief on her face as she darted away from the cowboys and straight into my waiting arms was evident.
I glanced at Phantom before looking back at the approaching cowboys. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do to make sure Jackie was safe, even if it meant claiming her as my own.
Chapter 3
Jackie
