Page 5 of Bloody Jack's Treat
Jack's expression didn't change, but something in his eyes shifted."And you thought dressin’ like this was gonna fix that?"
"I didn't know what to expect," I admitted."Wren's been talkin' about bringing me to one of these parties for months.She gave me the clothes and I just...I dunno.Thought it might be fun."
"Fun."He spat the word like it tasted bad."Getting caught in the middle of a club war is your idea of fun?"
"No!I didn't — how was I supposed to know that would happen?"My voice rose slightly, a flicker of indignation cutting through my fear."I'm just a barista, for God's sake.I serve coffee.I don't know anything about...about motorcycle clubs or rivals or property vests!"I was starting to spiral.But, honestly, who wouldn’t in this situation?
Jack never once blinked while I spoke.His face remained impassive, but I could feel the intensity of his focus like a physical weight.He was cataloging every word, every expression, filing them away for future reference."You sure about that?"His voice dropped lower, the gravelly rumble sending involuntary shivers down my spine."You were in that hallway with Shank.What did he want from you?"
I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly cold despite the warmth of the room."He asked what I'd heard.Said to tell him what I knew."
"And what do you know?"Jack took a step closer, and the room seemed to shrink around us.
"Nothing!I swear!"The words tumbled out in a rush."I was just trying to get away from the fighting.He grabbed me and dragged me down that hallway."
Jack studied me for a long moment, his head tilted slightly.I shrank under his gaze, acutely aware he was much larger than me.Close to a foot taller and probably twice my weight, all of it hard muscle.He could break me in half without breaking a sweat.But he'd also protected me.Claimed me as his.Which, I really needed to get defined sooner rather than later.
"Doesn't matter what you know now," he finally said, his voice a low rumble that I felt more than heard."You're in this.They saw you with me.And I staked my claim."
"About that..."I began, then faltered when his eyes narrowed."Why did you...I mean, what made you..."
"Claim you?"His mouth quirked up at one corner, not quite a smile."Because you were about to be sentenced to a fate you couldn’t even imagine.What do you think would have happened if Shank had taken you back to their clubhouse?”When I couldn’t answer, my mouth going dry at the mere thought, he nodded.“That’s what I thought.You had no clue what you were potentially walking into yet here you are.The damage is done.You're mine now, Honey.Whether either of us wants it or not."
The way he said my name, like he was tasting it, maybe trying it out, sent a shiver through me that had nothing to do with fear.Which made me too stupid to live because this was not someplace I could stay and it very much looked like I’d be staying for an extended period of time.
I swallowed hard.The finality to his statement made me believe this could possibly have been the biggest mistake of my life.His claim on me should have sent me running for the hills, but here I was, standing in his bedroom while my heart performed gymnastics in my chest.The question burned in my throat, demanding to be asked despite the danger.I took a deep breath and met those icy blue eyes.
"Why did you protect me like that?"I asked, my voice steadier than I expected."And why are we pretending to be a couple?There had to be other solutions."
Jack didn't answer immediately.He moved around the room with controlled precision, each motion deliberate and economical.No wasted energy.He checked a handgun that had been tucked into his waistband, ejecting the magazine to inspect it before sliding it back into place with a click that made me flinch.He peeled off his leather vest with the club's insignia and hung it carefully on a hook by the door, his fingers lingering on the patches for a moment.
I watched him, transfixed by the fluid way he moved.For such a large man, he had an unexpected grace, like a tiger padding around its territory.It was obvious he was taking his time, choosing his words carefully.
"I staked my claim on you in front of a rival club," he finally said, his voice flat and matter-of-fact."There's no backing out.That's not how this shit works."
"But—"
"No."He cut me off with a single sharp word."You don't understand how this world operates.Once I marked you as mine, that's it.If I walk it back now, I look weak.The club looks weak.And you?"His eyes raked over me, sending heat crawling up my neck."You become fair game."
My throat tightened, making it hard to swallow."Fair game?"
"They'd take you to get to me.To prove they could.To humiliate me and my club."His voice stayed eerily calm, but his eyes hardened."And they wouldn't be gentle about it."
The blood drained from my face as the implication sank in.I didn't want to believe him, but the memory of Shank's hand around my throat, the way he'd looked at me like I was a thing to be used, made his words ring with terrible truth.“Why would you do this?To your club?To me?”I shook my head, unable to believe this was actually happening.
“Because, in a war, nothing is off limits.The only question is degrees of risk.”He sank into a nearby chair, scrubbing a hand over his face.It surprised me that this huge, battle hardened man who was obviously not in the habit of explaining himself, who had just beat the living shit out of several men, would bother to even talk to someone like me, much less let me know what was happening and why.I wasn’t even supposed to be here!Not to mention the man owed me nothing.I was the one who didn’t belong.“Shank wouldn’t have hesitated to take you or come back for you if he knew you were here on your own.If for no other reason than to plant a spy in our midst.Reluctant or not.What I’m interested in is what Shank thought you knew.”
“Something about wanting to know what I heard.But I don’t know what he was talking about.”I swallowed hard.Though I hadn’t done anything, whether or not this man believed me remained to be seen.
“Anyone else in the hallway before I got there?”I nodded, afraid to say much, terrified to say something wrong and bring down his wrath on me.“Do you know who it was?”
“No.”
Jack narrowed his gaze, his jaws bunching at the sides as he clenched his teeth.“I get you’re scared, Honey.You’re right to be scared.But I need the truth from you.I’ll protect you with the full weight of my club, but you’ve got to be honest.”I nodded again, unsure what to do or say.The last thing I wanted to do was to make this situation worse because I couldn’t navigate the social system.When I said nothing else, Jack gave me a threatening look.“Girl…”
“It was a woman,” I blurted out.“I don’t know her name but Wren would.”
“Club whore?”
