Page 39 of Q: Satan's Fury MC

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” I glanced around the room as I asked, “Can I get you anything?”

“No, I’m good.”

“Okay. I’ll let you get back to sleep.”

When I turned and started out of the room, she whispered, “Don’t go.”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing. Sorry. You can go.”

“I don’t mind staying. If that’s what you want.”

“I just get a little uneasy when I’m in a new place. And it’s kind of dark in here, and I’ve gotten in my head.” Her voice grew softer as she said, “It’s silly. Just forget I said anything.”

“How ‘bout I just stick around until you fall back asleep?” I walked over to the other side of the bed as I told her, “I won’t even get under the covers. I’ll just lay here next to you.”

“That would be great.” As promised, I laid down on top of the covers and rested my head on the pillow. Once I was settled, Jules rolled to her side to face me. “I don’t get you.”

“What don’t you get?”

“Why you’ve been so nice to me when I’ve been so awful to you.”

“You haven’t been that bad. Besides, I like a challenge.”

“A challenge?” she scoffed. “I’m more than a challenge, Q. I’m a walking nightmare who’s treated you like crap. You should hate me, but here you are taking care of meonce again.”

“It was twice, and you and I got more in common than you might think.”

“Oh? How so?”

“My ol’ man was a drunk and liked to knock me around when he was on the bottle, too. Knocked my mom around, too, until the day she decided to walk out on him. I wouldn’t have blamed her if she hadn’t walked out on me, too. Hell, I was only ten at the time.”

“Oh, Q.” Her voice trembled as she whispered, “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

“I am, too, but it wasn’t all bad. I grew up fast. Learned to steer clear of him when he was drinking and eventually, gave back what I was given. Knocked him on his ass a couple of times, and he finally quit coming after me.”

“I wish I’d been able to do that. Best I could do was run away.”

“You did what you had to do. No shame in that.” I turned and looked at her. “No shame in any of it. Wasn’t your fault your ol’ man was an asshole. The same goes for your piece of shit ex.”

“I wish I could believe that.” She held up her hand as she quickly added, “Before you come at me, I know it isn’t my fault and I did what I could, but that doesn’t erase the shame I still feel. It doesn’t take away those hurtful words I still hear in the back of my head. They stick around no matter how hard I try to make them go away.”

“I get it. I really do.”

“I know, and it helps more than you could possibly know.”

“Good. Glad to hear it.” It was getting late, and I didn’t want our night to end on such a heavy note, so I said, “So, I know some of the basics. I know about your dad and your ex. How you left home and came to work for Smokey. I also know your car is less than spectacular, and that you suck at pool. What else is there?”

“First of all, my car is perfectly fine. It might be a little rough around the edges, but it gets me where I’m going.”

“As I recall,it doesn’t always get you where you’re going.”

“That doesn’t count, smartass.” She giggled. “She was having a bad day.”

“Um-hmm.”

“And as far as pool goes, I’ve never had anyone to teach me how to play, so you can’t hold my lackluster skills against me.”

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