Jesse helps me out of my clothes, lets me borrow one of his tees, pulls the sheets back, and then waits for me to climb in.

“You want to call your mom and dad?” he asks, reminding me I completely forgot about them in all this.

“God no. Let’s find out some more information first. I don’t know how my mom will react to this news. It could break her.”

“Okay, sweetheart. Whatever you need.” He kisses me gently again, but I can’t bring myself to feel anything from it.

“Jesse, I’m scared out of my mind,” I admit, my head throbbing with tension.

“I know you are, baby.” Drawing me closer into his arms, he comforts me. I release a soft sigh before relaxing against him. Finding sleep is going to be hard. I have too many scenarios running wild and rapid through my mind.

I don’t know how I am going to manage it, but I know lying in Jesse’s arms, I need to do more.

Tomorrow, I’ll figure it out. Until then, I’ll enjoy Jesse holding me. Enjoy the freedom I’m living. Be grateful for it. And I am. I would never take this for granted.

Ever.

Twenty-Three JESSE

“Bell?” I whisper, against her hair. She stirs a little but doesn’t wake. After waiting another ten minutes, I slowly move her off me and creep my way back out to the clubhouse. My head’s too messed up with everything that’s happening. I realized while I was trying to talk her down, that I would do anything for Bell Johnson, and it scared me. Having her in my life scared me, but worse, I couldn’t step away.

“You back up?” Beau asks when I walk into the kitchen.

“Can’t sleep,” I say, walking to the coffee machine and pouring myself a cup.

“Bell okay now?” He watches me carefully as I add cream and sugar.

“As good as she can be.” I nod and pull a chair up next to him. He holds my stare for a minute before going back to the paper.

“You think it’s wise letting her in on it all?” he asks, keeping his eyes down.

I don’t reply straight away because I’m not sure it’s wise. “I can’t keep it from her, Beau. She’s a fuse ready to go off.”

“Well, Nix made the call to T. We got a meet tomorrow night.” He smiles more excited than he should be. He’s never liked the assholes and any sort of tension with them seems to get him going.

“Good. Hopefully we can walk away without getting into it with them.” I nod, feeling good about the club’s decision to move forward. Jackson might not be impressed, but there’s not much he can do about it. As long as we stay out of any illegal shit, we should be good.

“And if we don’t? You willing to put the club through this for her?” Beau asks, pulling me out of my head. I know what he’s getting at. But he’s the last person to be giving his opinion. He just fucked us all over by taking one of the Warriors’ women.

“You want me to answer that?”

“Yeah, I want to know what your motives are. I’d fucking die trying to save a woman from that sort of life, you know that. But you? You willing to bring bloodshed for her?”

“I’m not doing it for fucking pussy.” I straighten my shoulders ready to defend my actions and what Bell means to me if I have to. He stares me down before smirking and taking another sip of his coffee. Okay, that was easy.

“T and his men are the last of our concerns. Bates and the shit he’s into is where I’m concerned.”

“I know.” Shaking my head, I think about what the poor girl could be going through and it makes my stomach roll.

“It won’t be pretty. You need to prepare your woman for that.” I let his dig about Bell being my woman slide.

“She knows. Fuck does she know,” I answer. But deep down, I know that’s not the case. The truth is I don’t think any of us are prepared for what might come out of this.

“Remember, this is just a friendly visit. You keep your cool, Jesse, you got it?” Nix says the following night. We’re thirty minutes out of town, ready to meet the Warriors.

“I think I can handle it,” I reply, ignoring that jab.

“You told him seven?” Beau asks as we walk inside the small diner T told us to meet at.

“Yeah, take the back table.” Nix points to our normal table. Brooks and Hunter hang back, keeping an eye on the crowd, while Nix, Beau and I take a seat in the back.

We don’t meet with the Warriors often, but when we do, we keep it on neutral ground. Out of town. No guns, and no bullshit.

“Hey, there, can I get you anything to drink?” A cute waitress walks up eyeing each of us before landing and staying on Beau.

“Just a coffee for me, darlin’.” He looks up at her briefly, before diverting his gaze anywhere but on her.

“And what about you guys?” She barely looks our way before moving back to Beau. The man is clueless as he keeps an eye out for T and his men.

“Water,” I answer.

“Coffee will be good,” Nix orders.

“Okay, great. I’ll bring that right out.” She keeps her stare on Beau, but he’s still oblivious.

“Thanks,” I answer and watch her sway her ass as she moves away. “You fucking dick head, cute waitress flirting with you.” I knock the table to get his attention.

“Unlike you, brother, I’m not interested in bitches who want to flash their smiles and point their tits in my face while I’m trying to order a fucking coffee.”