Page 20 of Knuckle's Dispute

“Where the fuck are you now?”I bark out as Brick enters the locker room and comes to stand with me.

“Compound.Janessa saw them and said they were the two guys followin’ her before the fire.The day we caught her in the boutique on Main Street when everythin’ went wrong at her office.We managed to lose them in town, but she’s freaked the fuck out.Seth’s inside the cabin with her and the baby and I’m outside.Eric is grabbin’ what she needs from the store.Not sure what you wanna do about this shit, Micah.I can’t get her to calm down,” Tease says as I turn and slam my fist into the locker behind me.

“On my way there now,” I rush out the words before grabbing my cut and leaving the locker room.

I end up not changing my clothes because there’s no fucking time if Janessa is freaking out after another encounter with the two twatwaffles who are after her for some reason.

“What do you need?”Brick questions as he follows me out.

“Grab all security from the grocery store they went to and find out who those stupid fucks are messin’ with Janessa.Maybe you can actually give me this fuckin’ information since you won’t share anythin’ else when it comes to her,” I growl before straddling my bike and starting the engine without hesitation.

I race out of the parking lot of the gym and head straight for the compound where I know Janessa is.This time, I don’t pay attention to anything around me as I fly through the streets of Frostford and don’t stop for anything on my way to get to her.My heart is thundering in my chest as I think of what could’ve happened to Janessa if Tease and the Prospects weren’t there with her today.She would’ve been out all alone with a new baby and wouldn’t have been able to protect herself or her child.I don’t even know if she can fight.That’s something we’ll have to talk about and make sure she knows the basic self-defense moves in case something happens when no one’s around.

When I finally pull into the compound, I don’t park my bike where I normally do.Instead, I head straight for her cabin and park my bike there.Tease is waiting right outside her door and I know Seth will be inside with her.I hate that he’s inside with her and I’m not.That’s about to fucking change and I don’t give a fuck what Seth thinks about it.

“She still inside?”I question Tease as I get closer to him.

“Yeah.Seth was out a minute ago and said she’s layin’ down in her room with the baby.Not sure if she’ll be able to sleep or not, but she needs to rest and lay down,” he answers me, his voice almost a whisper because he doesn’t want to disturb Janessa or the baby.

Without knocking on the door, I head inside the cabin and find Seth sitting at the small table in the kitchen with a bottle of water in front of him.He immediately stands up when he sees me and doesn’t back down like he normally would.

“If you’re here to hurt her, Knuckles, she doesn’t need that shit.Janessa has been through more than enough and cries every fuckin’ night because of you.I hear her in the bedroom when she thinks she’s all alone.That woman has been through hell and back and you’re makin’ shit worse for her.If that’s what you’re here to do, get the fuck out,” Seth says, his voice harder than I’ve ever heard it before.

“Not gonna fuckin’ argue with you, Prospect.And you’re sure as fuck not gonna tell me what the fuck to do when it comes to Janessa.Now, get the fuck outta here before I make sure you’re Prospectin’ days last a lot fuckin’ longer,” I order him, stepping up in his face.“And from now on, you stay the fuck outside when you’re watchin’ over Janessa.Don’t give a fuck what she says or thinks.You’re outside and one of the others can be in here with her.”

Without waiting for Seth to reply or acknowledge my words, I turn and head for the bedroom where Janessa is.There’s only one bedroom in this cabin.I know because I was one of the people who cleaned it out and made sure it was ready for her.The crib her child has in the bedroom is one I put together for her.All the baby furniture are things I put together while everyone else worked on other things around here.

Opening the door, I find Janessa asleep with a white blanket held firmly in her arms.Her body is curled around the baby as I walk up to the bed and lean down over her.My eyes don’t go on the baby yet as I reach out and gently brush some loose strands of hair off of her face.Even in sleep, she looks troubled and filled with nightmares.This isn’t a peaceful rest and my heart breaks into a million pieces for her.My eyes slowly roam over to the baby held in her arms.I see a spattering of dark hair on the head underneath a little hat that’s started to fall off.The little face is serene while his or her lips move as if they’re sucking on something.A pacifier rests just below the baby’s face.Considering the blue blanket wrapped around the baby, I’m gonna guess she’s got a son.Is this baby boy mine?

I don’t hesitate any longer as I climb into bed behind Janessa and wrap my body around hers like she’s wrapped around the baby.Wrapping my arms around both of them, I focus on keeping them safe and the upcoming conversation Janessa and I have to have.One that will determine what our future is moving forward.The first thing we need to talk about is the paternity test I’d like to have done.That’s the only way I’ll ever be able to move forward with whatever is about to happen between the two of us.Because I’m sure as fuck done staying away from her.

Chapter Ten

Janessa

THANKSGIVING DAY IShere and I’m completely alone.My brothers have all managed to find themselves girlfriends and are spending the day with their families so they won’t be home.I’ve never shared a single holiday with my sister since the day we were old enough to have plans of our own.Our parents are on a cruise or vacation of some sort.I tend not to pay attention to them and where they are.As long as they leave me alone, I don’t give a shit what they do or where they go.Sadness fills me as I think of my brothers all being away and the fact that I’ll be spending the day alone.Honestly, this is the first holiday I’ll ever spend by myself and I’m not liking the feelings I’m having.Though, even when Seth and the others are around, I still feel completely alone in the world.

---