Chapter 16: Jocelyn
The ride into town with Jake only took ten minutes. I didn’t want him to pick up things for us, because I wanted to pick up feminine hygiene products and some pregnancy tests. I wanted them on hand for when the time came. We hadn’t told the others we were trying to get pregnant. I didn’t want to accidentally let them know. Devyn was picking up a refill on her vitamins and I’d called Doc Weeks to see if he would call in one for prenatal vitamins. With my age, I wanted to be sure to have them onboard from day one.
Jake wouldn’t let us out of the car until he checked out the store and then he escorted us inside. He took up residence outside the front door. His protectiveness was kind of adorable. Ace was working at the garage today. We were perusing the aisles to see if there was anything else we needed while we waited for our prescriptions to be ready. We were in the back of the store near the restrooms when Devyn told me she needed to use it. I told her I’d wait outside the door.
She’d barely been in there a minute when I felt a hand come up over my mouth. A hard arm pulled me back into a muscular chest. I struggled, then I felt something cold and sharp prick my neck. Freezing, I tried to calm my breathing.
“You’ve caused me enough problems, bitch. You had to run your mouth to Lloyd and get me fired. You know you’re nothing but a cocktease. Well, let’s see who you tease now.”
It was Jonathan. How had he gotten past Jake? Then I remembered there was a back door to the store. If it hadn’t been locked, he could have easily come in that way. It was behind me. I’d been facing the opposite direction waiting on Devyn.
He jarred me from my musings as he pulled me backward. He was headed toward the back door. I knew if he got me out of here, I was most likely dead. My gun was in my purse. I couldn’t reach for it without raising his suspicions. We’d gone about five feet when Devyn came out of the restroom. Her eyes were narrowed, and in her hand, I saw her gun. She must have heard him talking outside the door.
“Let my mom go, you bastard!” she yelled. He jerked me to a stop and the knife bit into my neck. I felt the trickle of blood run down my neck.
“I’ll kill her!” he yelled.
“And I’ll blow your fucking head off, you bastard!” she yelled back. I could see she was scared but also was determined.
Racing around the corner, coming in behind Devyn was Jake. He abruptly stopped. He had a gun out as well. “Listen man, let her go. You can’t get away with this. If you kill her, you’ll never have a moment’s peace, looking over your shoulder every day for the rest of your life,” Jake told him.
I could hear Jonathan muttering under his breath. He pulled me the last few feet to the door. I saw they didn’t have a shot. Taking a deep breath, I threw back my head to connect with his nose. He screamed out in pain and shoved me away from him. I fell to the floor as he slammed out of the door. Devyn and Jake ran toward me.
“Are you okay?” Jake asked worriedly. I waved him off.
“I’m fine. Go get him.” He nodded and sprang past me out the door. Dev kneeled beside me.
“Shit, you’re bleeding, Mom. Here, let me put something on it to stop the bleeding.” She slipped her gun back in her purse and pulled out some tissues. I hissed when she pressed it to my wound. Several workers chose this moment to come investigate. The next ten minutes was chaos. The employees were freaking out. Devyn was worried. Jake came back in swearing because Jonathan had had a car idling outside the back door. He’d gotten away. Suddenly, even at the back of the store, I heard the roar of several bikes. I looked at Jake.
He shrugged. “I had to call him. You’re the Pres’ old lady. Anything happens to you. He’s to be told immediately. Hell, that man wants to know if you stub your toe,” he teased. I knew he was trying to lighten the mood. Heavy boots thundered toward us. Bull was the first one around the corner, and Ace was right behind him. Their eyes looked wild. When Bull saw me, he tugged me into his arms and kissed me. Ace went straight to Devyn to do the same.
When he finally broke away, he narrowed his eyes on me. He was looking at the bandage I was holding to my cut. The manager had brought one to me. Right behind the Warriors came the cops and paramedics.
“Baby, let me see your neck,” Bull growled. The paramedic was trying to get him to step back. Bull just glared and bared his teeth at him. The police officers hung back. They seemed to know the Warriors. I lowered the bandage. He hissed and his eyes flared even more.
He looked at the paramedic. “Check her out, then we’re going to the hospital.”
“Bull, baby, there’s no need to go to the hospital,” I told him, trying to reassure him. He narrowed his eyes.
“I don’t give a shit. You’re going. These things can get infected. It was a fucking knife, Jocelyn. He cut you. Jake texted me what happened, or at least what he saw. And we have no idea if you’re pregnant yet or not. I want Doc Weeks or another doctor to check you out. And I want Devyn checked. She’s pregnant and this is stress she doesn’t need. Now, tell us what happened.”
I decided not to push him. He looked like he was about to lose it. I told him what happened from the time Jonathan grabbed me until he ran. Devyn then told them what she heard while she was in the restroom. Jake was the last to talk about chasing him and him getting away. By the time we were done, the paramedic had my neck cleaned and dressed. He had also checked my vitals. He said both my blood pressure and pulse were up, but that was understandable. His partner checked out Devyn under Ace’s watchful eye. The cops told us they’d let us know if they had any other questions or found Jonathan. Outside, the two of us were hustled in the SUV. Jake drove us to the hospital with a Warrior escort.
When we got there, Doctor Weeks was waiting. Apparently, Bull had called him. Ace and Bull stood with their arms crossed, scrutinizing anyone who dared to come close to us. We were hustled into an exam room. As we were taken into the room, I saw a wall of Warriors take up guard positions at the door to the ER. Damn! He was worried. I’d be lucky if he let me leave the house before I was ninety.
A quick check of Devyn and an ultrasound to check the baby had shown she was fine. Doc Weeks, or Bill, as he insisted we call him, told her to take it easy for a day or two. When it came my turn, he checked the cut and then Bull told him he wanted him to check to be sure I wasn’t pregnant. I rolled my eyes. We’d only been trying for a little over two weeks. A tech came in and pulled blood.
Bill told him he’d call us as soon as he got the results. He asked if I got my prescription. I told him I had to leave it at the pharmacy. In all, we were in and out in an hour. I could see Bull clenching his jaw the entire time.
When we got back to the compound, we headed straight to the house. The guys all stopped at the clubhouse except for Ace and Bull. After Jake let us out, he left to go get our prescriptions. Devyn and I were led to the living room and sat on the couch. Bull paced the room.
“Honey, you need to relax. You’re worrying me,” I told him. He stopped and swung around.
“I need to relax? Relax? My fucking woman was almost taken at knifepoint. Her throat was cut. She could have been killed and you want me to relax! And my daughter and grandchild could have been hurt or killed. Of course, I’m fucking pissed. I want this motherfucker dead. I didn’t kill him before, but, Jocelyn, you must know that all bets are off. As soon as we find him, he’s dead.”
My heart warmed at him calling Devyn his daughter and her baby his grandchild. I saw the tears in her eyes. Ace sat down and pulled her onto his lap. I stood up and went to Bull, wrapping my arms around him.
“I know. I know. But I don’t want to lose you from you stroking out or having a coronary. I’m alright. I know you must do what you feel is best. He’s unstable. I’m sure he’s the one who broke into my place. Who else would it be?” He held me for several minutes. After he gained his control, he kissed me.