Chapter 10: Jessica
My car wasn’t the most comfortable place to sleep. I was startled awake every time someone came close to my car. I had the windows up and the doors locked, but it still didn’t make me feel safe. I made sure to stay in the driver’s seat in case I needed to make a quick getaway. I’d tried the backseat, but I was too far away from the steering wheel. There were some scary people who came into truck stops. Thank God, it was just for the night.
As soon as it was morning, I’d go back to Hunters Creek and call Madisen. I could do it from the bakery. She could get my purse to me then I’d tell her about my resignation. I hated to do it but staying wasn’t an option.
I’d just drifted off again when a knock on my window had me screaming and sitting up. I peered out to see a scruffy man who looked like he hadn’t bathed in days. From the looks of him, he looked like he might be a trucker. He had on a cap and wore a t-shirt and jeans. I barely cracked my window.
“Yeah?”
“What are you doing out here, sweetheart? You shouldn’t be here. It’s going to get cold tonight. I have a nice place in the back of my truck. You can stay there and be all warm tonight,” he told me with a leer. I could see his rotten teeth as he opened his mouth. I shivered.
“No, thank you. I’m only going to be here for an hour or two, then I’m headed out. Thank you. Have a good night.” I hoped by being polite and telling him I was leaving, he’d move along. No such luck.
“Come on, open the door! You come on out here and keep old Clarence company. I know about women like you. You’re looking for someone to take care of you. If you come spend some time with me, I’ll give you a little bit of money to help you out.” Jesus, he thought I was a prostitute. Did I look that bad? I mean, I know sleeping in my car was bad, but seriously.
“I don’t need your money. I just need to get a little bit of sleep. Please, leave me alone before I call the cops,” I told him more forcefully. He didn’t need to know I had no way to call anyone. I shouldn’t have stopped here. Damn it. He scowled at me and banged his fist harder on the glass. Could he break it with his hand?
“Get the fuck out here, bitch. I know what you need. I’ll give it to you. I want a taste of that pussy. If you weren’t selling it, you wouldn’t be sleeping in your car here,” he snarled. I sat up and scrambled to find my keys. I was going to get the hell out of here.
I searched frantically to find where the keys went. I thought they were in the cup holder. I saw out of the corner of my eye that he’d bent down. I looked over to see him hefting a rock in his hand. I watched frozen as he slammed it into my window. The glass shattered and I screamed. I tried to get across the seat to the passenger side, but he got a hold of my hair and was pulling me toward the shattered window. I cried out as the broken glass cut into my hand.
One second, I was struggling and crying out, and the next, my hair was free and I heard yelling and a bellow. I looked up to find Clarence on the ground and Ajax was on top of him beating him. Joker was standing beside the car. He reached in and unlocked my door. I sat there unable to move. He opened the door and gently picked me up out of the car. He took me to the hood and sat me down.
I was crying. I couldn’t stop. I grabbed his arm. “Stop him before he kills him, Joker. Please,” I begged him. I didn’t want Ajax to get into trouble because of me. He studied me for a moment then went over to them. He pulled Ajax off Clarence and whispered to him. Clarence stayed on the ground, moaning. His face was beaten all to hell.
I couldn’t stop crying or shaking. What in the hell had I gotten myself into? As I watched, Ajax’s head snapped around to look at me. His face was still enraged. He started stomping toward me. I didn’t think, I just reacted. I jumped off the hood and backed up. I held up my hand as if that would somehow shield me. He stopped.
“Jessica, baby, don’t move away from me. I won’t hurt you,” he said softly. I couldn’t speak. All I could do was back up. He looked like he could kill. He took another step toward me, and I turned and ran. I heard him shout something. I don’t know what it was. All I could see was them fighting and feeling Clarence’s hands in my hair. I screamed as arms closed around me then a mouth was on my ear.
“Shhh, babe, it’s me. You’re alright. You’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you. I’m not going to hurt you,” Ajax whispered. I sagged in his arms and sobbed. I couldn’t hold myself up any longer. My legs gave out. He swung me up in his arms and carried me back toward my car.
As he held me, I heard a vehicle pull up and more voices. I didn’t pay attention. All I wanted to do was close my eyes and disappear. Maybe when I woke up, this would be over. The stress of the day did something it had never done. It had me fading to black. Sweet oblivion.
Ajax:
I held Jessica in my arms and shook. When we had pulled up and I saw that man smashing her window and trying to pull her out of the car, I’d fucking lost it. Her screams echoed in my head. If Joker hadn’t stopped me, I would have beaten him to death.
Now I had my woman in my arms, acting like she was afraid of me. It tore up my guts to think she did. I’d scared her twice in a matter of hours. Not only that, but I’d caused her to run from me right into danger. God, what if I hadn’t gotten here in time?
As I walked back to Joker and the piece of shit on the ground, a van pulled up and out jumped Tate and Alex. I heard Joker ask, “What’re you two doing here?”
“Bull thought you might need help,” Tate answered. As he did, I felt all the tension suddenly leave Jessica’s body. I looked down. She appeared to be out of it.
“Jesus, she’s out!” I shouted. Joker came running over. He looked at her.
“I think it’s just the shock, Ajax. Just give her a moment. In the meantime, why don’t we have the prospects go dump this piece of shit somewhere? Maybe a long walk and this beating will teach him not to touch another woman who isn’t his again.”
I nodded. Though I’d love to teach him more of a lesson, Jessica needed me more. I sat down in her car with her in my arms and rocked her as I waited for her to wake up. I smoothed back her hair.
“Baby, open your eyes. I need to be sure you’re okay. God, Jess, why did you run? You know I didn’t mean any of that shit I said.” As I held her, something wet dripping on my leg got my attention. Looking down, I saw her torn up hand. I shouted over to Joker who was giving us space.
“I need the first aid kit! Her hand is all torn up.” He ran over to his bike as I turned on the overhead light to get a better look. As he brought me the kit, I inspected the cuts. I couldn’t see any glass, but I’d have a closer look at home. He helped me clean and bandage her hand.
As we were finishing off, she stirred, then her eyes slowly fluttered open. She gave me a confused look then I saw her eyes clear and panic set in. I laid my mouth down on hers and kissed her. I made sure that kiss was full of love and tenderness. That’s what she needed right now. Though I wanted to yell at her for leaving, I knew now wasn’t the time.
“Hey, Nymph, are you okay? You scared me. Your hand is cut up. Did he hurt you anywhere else?” I didn’t think he had, but I wanted to make sure. She shook her head.
“No, just my hand getting cut on the broken glass and my hair hurts where he pulled it,” she croaked. Joker came up and handed her a bottle of water from his bike. She gratefully gulped it down. When she stopped, she looked around us. “Where is he?”