“Be good for me, won’t you?”
“You know I will.”
“Are you still sore?”
I nod, sliding my cheek up and down his chest.
“Do you need me to get something for you before I go?”
I snort into his skin. “No, it’ll fade. I’m a big girl now, I think I can handle it.”
I tip my head back and peer up at him. His dark hair is pressed to his forehead, his blue eyes are intense and his lips are quirked up in a half smile. I reach up and cup his cheek.
“I love you, Johnny Black.”
“You have no idea just how much I feel that,” he murmurs.
“Stay safe for me, please?”
He strokes a thumb over my bottom lip and then kisses my forehead. “I promise.”
10
JAGGER
“Where were you, Jagger?”
Mick is pacing the room, stopping to glare at me every now and then. He’s convinced I was somewhere I shouldn’t have been, and he’s right, but I’m not going to tell him that. I’ll do everything I can to make sure he doesn’t ever know where I was.
“What the fuck is it to you? I haven’t done anything I shouldn’t. I go off all the time when it’s my days off.”
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
I spin on him when he approaches, arms crossed. “I don’t have to answer the fucking phone every five minutes. I do enough for you, Mick. Back off.”
“If I find out you’re seeing her ...”
“Do you really think I’d do that to her? Make her your fucking sex slave? Or someone other dirty bastards? Over my dead fucking body. This conversation is finished. I’m staying at my place on my days off.”
“No, you’re not. That pathetic attempt at a gang are too close to your old place.”
“My life, Mick.”
“You go there,” Mick warns. “I find your woman and do all the wonderful things you just listed out for me.”
“You’re a fucking bastard, anyone ever tell you that?”
He smirks. “Every day.”
I turn and walk out of the room, not bothering with a response. I can’t believe I was spawned by such a fucking pig. I walk down the long halls of the house we’ve rented for these fights. It’s huge, eight bedrooms, and right over on the expensive side of the city. Mick did that on purpose, and I know it’s going to be hard to contact the guys and Willow. I have no doubt he’ll track my phone. Luckily for me, I thought ahead.
One, I scoured my bedroom for cameras. I’m not stupid, he’s trying to catch me out. After smashing every ornament and scanning every square inch of every surface, I’m certain there are no cameras. I then got myself a small burner phone. I gave the number to Ace and Willow, but told them never to call unless it was an absolute emergency and that I’d contact them when it was safe to do so. I keep that phone in my safe, with all my cash. Mick can’t get into that.
As for the cars that follow me every time I leave the house, I’d just have to find a way to lose them when I wanted to go see everyone. When I get into my room, I shut and lock the door, then pull out the phone from the safe. I punch in Willow’s number and send her a text, I know she’ll be waiting. I can just image her pretty eyes lighting up when she sees it. I hope to God it gives her something to hang onto until this is all over.
J: Hey baby. Missing you x
A minute later, she responds.
W: I miss you more. Cody is misbehaving today. I think he misses you?
I wish I was there with my son. A stab of pain penetrates my heart. He’s missing out on me, on getting to know the father I plan on being to him. So, the sooner I get this done, the better.
J: Sorry I can’t be there. What’s wrong?
W: Just wind. He’ll be fine. He’ll only scream for a few hours ...
J: Fuck. That’s not good. Give him a kiss from me. Are you getting sleep?
W: Not really.
J: Try and rest. I’ll come and see you as soon as I can.
W: When’s you’re next fight?
J: You know I can’t tell you that. I know you too well ...
W: *Sighs* I want to see you.
J: I know, but I’m not risking your life. I have to stash this phone now. I’ll try and see you soon. I love you x
She doesn’t reply, and an image of her sitting on her bed with tears running down her face crosses my mind. Fuck. I miss her so God dammed much it burns.
WILLOW
I’m given a nice little place around the corner from the old apartment complex. It’s close enough that they can keep an eye on me, but far enough away that there is no chance of Mick finding out I’m here, let alone finding out about Cody. The last thing I ever want that man to know is that I have a son. God only knows what he’d do if he knew.