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Delia wrote back.
Don’t worry about that right now, Jesse. We’ll talk about it later.
I sent $1500.00 to Delia’s cell number.
She rejected it and told me it was only $1175.
I sent $1175.
She accepted it, but wrote back.
You didn’t need to do that. But I get why you did, so I’m not gonna argue. Alpha badass: 1. Delia: 0
Instead of replying by text, I called her.
“Hi Jesse,” she answered, voice laced with a combination of suspicion and affection.
“Wanted to say I’ve got all the respect in the world for you. If you ever need anything, please just ask.”
***
I pulled up to the trailer. I was alone, which – if he knew – Deke would hemorrhage about, but after the day, it was either pull resources from protecting people here and at home or wait until tomorrow. I was doing neither. I needed to see her, touch her. Get her home and into my sheets so I could fuckin’ sleep tonight.
Today was a close call that could’ve gone very fucking badly for Fork and for Jojo.
Rash was sitting on the deck when I pulled up. Trudy, one of the old ladies, a biker broad of about sixty, was sitting beside him.
“Folks,” I greeted.
“Hey, handsome,” Trudy greeted.
“Brother,” Rash stood and shook my hand.
“You see her? She okay?” Trudy asked.
“Jojo? Haven’t. But heard all’s good. Not a scratch on her, thanks to Fork.”
Trudy breathed out relief. “Thank God for Fork.”
Fork disposed of the two lower-level Jackals that’d forced them into their van at gunpoint. I didn’t know many details and the jig was obviously up as far as the heist setup that was planned, but we’d find another way to nail whoever was left.
He’d pulled her out just seconds ahead of a fire and now this. And the way I’d seen that girl look at Fork every time she was in his orbit along with the way I’d caught him looking at her a couple times when nobody else was watching – I wondered if his control had finally snapped. It wasn’t tough to read that he wanted her.
And knowing as much as I’d surmised so far, he wasn’t the type of man to deny himself what he wanted. Though a sweet young thing like that along with who she was to this club – you didn’t go there just for the fuck of it. You only went there if you meant it and you were willing to fight for it. Because you’d have a fight on your hands proving your worth to the men who protected her.
Tongues were doin’ a whole lot of wagging about the two of them with the fact he’d rescued her twice, not to mention the way she blatantly flirted with him in the mother charter lounge during Delia’s birthday party. But now none of the tongue-wagging was happening near anyone with the last name Valentine as it’d undoubtedly turn hostile instantly.
“You here for long, Trudy?” I asked. “’Cuz I told Delia you could all be off duty permanently.”
She shook her head. “Just popped by to pick up supplies we’d brought. Cleaning stuff. Casserole dishes. Brought a few more meals in disposables since the patient is now perfectly capable of heating food up herself. Delia told me you were picking Gianna up, so we’ve set her aunt up and given her a couple numbers if she runs into trouble and needs help. But if so, she’ll be puttin’ her hand in her pocket. And in fact, she’s been told we’re expecting a donation to Biker Big Bros in her name. A sizeable one, since she’s in a better financial position than most and benefited from a whole lot of good will these last several weeks.”
I smiled. Trudy returned that smile.
“Just having a natter with Rash here and then we’re heading home.”
“Your help has been very appreciated. By G and me even if the patient was ungrateful. She even need help at this point?”
“Been a couple weeks since her last treatment so she should be on the mend. That girl of yours is still lookin’ after her and has kept up most of the work on her own, us just bringing food, helping with cooking and shopping. I think Francie could get by with just a little housekeeping and a meal service rather than twenty-four-seven care. If she has to do more treatments she might need more help than that, but she can afford the professional kind.”
“Good to know. Thanks, Trudy. For everything.”
“My pleasure, handsome.”
I opened the door and the old bitch greeted me with a grimace from the kitchen bar where she stood pouring herself a glass of pop, a lit cigarette dangling from her mouth and my woman’s beautiful blonde hair on her head.
And I knew from my time here that her standing at that counter meant she could hear the conversation out on that deck as clear as if she were out there with us.
