Page 80 of StoryTeller's Tale

Concentrating, I don’t give much thought to the meaning behind his words. Jake goes quiet as I put the next few stitches in. The only sign he’s suffering is that he holds his breath and looks away as I press the needle in and pull it through. By the time I’ve finished, I sit back and even I’m impressed by the line of neat sewing. Hopefully it will heal and not leave too unsightly a scar.

“How about instead of looking for a job in Arizona, you get your GED, then go to college and study nursing?”

Jake’s suggestion takes me by surprise, and I look at him sharply. “I’m pregnant.”

“So? No one said you need to rush it. But from where I’m sitting, you’ve got a talent for this. And Mex is right. Helping clean up cuts and scrapes could be a useful skill to have around the club.”

My mouth opens and shuts. At first, I want to say I probably won’t be any good at it, but then I remember how I nursed my mom, how the doctors trusted me to take care of her, and how I learned so much medical jargon just by being around her and the hospital so much. If I had a skill, I wouldn’t be a waste of space and I could have something to offer for which I’d be appreciated.

The hard work doesn’t bother me, nor the thought of trying to juggle a pregnancy and college. Something does though. “But that would take money.”

Jake’s got an answer for that. “I already said I’d support you. And I bet the club would contribute if you were going to practice your skills on us.”

“I don’t know.”

“Mex. Get out of here.” Jake speaks to him without taking his eyes off me. Mex smirks but gets up and leaves. As soon as he’s out the door, Jake takes hold of my hand, tugging me so I fall into his lap. “It’s you and me, babe. Whatever you want to do, I’m going to be right there with you.” He pauses, then cups my face in his hands, making sure I’m looking at him and taking in every word. “I know you’ve never been put first, but I swear, Sheri, I’m going to love you like you’ve never been loved before.” My eyes go wide as I realise that wouldn’t be hard. But he hasn’t finished. He continues earnestly, “You impress me at every turn, babe. You’re so damn brave, and what you did just now? You didn’t turn a hair at stitching me up. You were made to be a biker’s ol’ lady.” His eyes get a spark in them. “Marry me, babe.”

Marriage?Although everything in me screams out a yes, I decide to mess with him. “I kinda like my last name.”

He snorts. “Only names that bother me are the one that comes out of your mouth when you’re screaming it, and my road name which I worked fuckin’ hard to earn. Don’t give a fuck about anything else, if you want, I’ll take yours.”

I’m floored. Stunned. Honestly at a loss for words. Truthfully, I’m not wedded to the name I inherited. It’s not served me well up to now. Once I’m capable of speaking, I let my mouth curve. “Sheri Cameron does have a nice ring to it.”

“Fuckin’ straight it does.” Using his good arm, he pulls me to him and crashes his mouth down on mine. I respond, though I’m aware that I’m cuddling a man whose body is sticky with drying blood.

“This isn’t all yours.” Feeling uncomfortable, I pull back, indicating the discolouration that’s now also on my clothes. If this amount was his, he’d be unconscious or dead.

“Not all mine,” he confirms, his eyes hardening.

It’s an obvious assumption. “Knuckles?”

His eyes narrow. For a moment, he says nothing, then imparts, “You’ll never be bothered by him again.”

“Did he hurt you? Did you kill him?”

“Sheri, don’t ask questions I’m not going to give you answers to.”

That response won’t wash. “I deserve to know. He shot at me—”

He doesn’t relent. “What you don’t know, can’t hurt you.”

I huff. “So what you’re saying is that I’ll never know what happened.”

“You don’t need to. Just trust me.”

I suppose this is life as an old lady. Either I trust him, or I don’t. I suppose if I’m ever asked, I can truthfully say I haven’t a clue what happened to Knuckles. But is this how I want to live?

Jake touches his hand to my face. “I promise you, Sheri, I won’t keep you in the dark for the sake of it, but there will be some things you’ll be better off not knowing. I won’t be an ass, and I’ll keep those to the minimum, okay?”

What can I say? He’s trying to meet me halfway. I take it as a sign he’s going to give this relationship a chance. All he’s asking is for me to have faith in him.

I stare straight into his eyes. “I trust you.”

He gazes into my face for a moment, as he reads the sincerity in my promise. Then his lips start to curve, and his eyes flick over me. “You’ve got blood on your clothes. Best get out of them, babe.” There’s a glint in his eyes that I have no trouble interpreting and don’t need to look at this crotch to see he’s aroused.

He’s covered in blood though. My nose twitches with disgust. “You need a shower.”

With a shake of his head, he pulls himself up and in a husky voice objects, “I need you.”

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