Page 22 of Fearless
Reaper was a deeply emotional man, but a man of actions more than words. On some level I knew every caress and kiss after that trip was a silent thank-you. A wordless whisper of appreciation for accepting him, loving him, despite what he perceived as flaws.
And every time I touched him and kissed him back, I hoped he understood that I didn’t see his past as flawed. The fact that he missed his family, that he wasn’t there in time to save them and it ate him up with guilt—it all just made him human. And seeing that side of him made me love him even more.
Jandro, on the other hand.
He talked endlessly compared to Reaper and still, I felt like I barely knew him. I couldn’t always tell what was his flirty banter and what was the real him. Today, I was certain I got a glimpse of the real Jandro. But what would tonight at his house bring? A smooth-talking man trying to charm me into his bed or a deeper look at who he really was?
Rather than wrapping his heart in steel, he seemed to hide behind jokes, banter, and charm. The life of the party and a mind for mechanics. But the way he advised Reaper and helped Shadow was anything but attention-seeking. Helping others came so naturally to him, his most selfless actions seemed to slip by without notice.
Not to me, though.
I noticed. And I knew what it felt like, giving so much of yourself to help someone without a word of gratitude or appreciation. Jandro wouldn’t be taken for granted, not by me.
My floating feet carried me to the clubhouse, stopping first at my medic office for some IV bags before heading down the hall to where Python was being kept. Dallas saw me coming from the far end.
“I take it you’re having a good day,” he teased me gently.
I laughed lightly, looking down at my feet. Not even tending to the prisoner could put me back into a work-mode mindset after the lunch I just had with Jandro. I was excited to see his house and spend more time with him.
“I am, Dallas. How’s your day?”
“Oh, can’t complain. Counting down the minutes until Drea’s done schooling the kids so we can ride around on the mini-bikes I made them.” He turned to unlock Python’s cell door as he spoke.
“That sounds like fun.”
“Sure is! My daughter’s popping wheelies already. Scares me half to death, but I’m still proud as fuck.”
I grinned at the mental image. Dallas seemed like such a sweet family man under the beard, the tattoos, and the leather cut. Andrea was lucky to have him. A passing thought of what kind of father Reaper or Jandro would be made my chest flutter.
Dallas opened the door to the quarantine room and stepped aside to let me through. I should have been more aware as I walked in, but I was looking down, fiddling with the IV bag when two hands grabbed my shoulders in a painful grip.
“Mariposa!” Python rasped, his rank breath in my face.
He startled me so badly, I dropped the bags and froze up. Thankfully, Dallas was right there.
“What the fuck d’you think you’re doing?!” the gentle family man bellowed as he shoved Python away from me. “You don’t put your hands onanyonecoming in here, much less a woman!”
Still weak from his wounds and bare minimum care, the prisoner stumbled backward across the small room until he hit the frame of his bed. Dallas turned to me, concern and anger in his large blue eyes.
“You okay, Mari?”
“Yeah, thank you.” I picked up the IV bag with a shaky hand. “I just wasn’t expecting that.”
He turned back to Python with a growl. “You have no right to be touching her and getting up in her face, shitbag. You bet your sorry ass the president is going to hear about this.” He crossed his broad, tattooed forearms and widened his feet. “I’m not leaving you alone with him, Mari.”
“Look, I’m sorry,” Python groaned, moving to sit painstakingly back in his bed. “I didn’t mean to scare you, just wanted to grab your attention before you stuck me and left.”
“What for?” Dallas demanded. “You don’t need to grab her attention for shit!”
“I have a…medical issue.” Python’s sunken eyes darted at me. “And I’d like to talk to the medic about it in private.”
“Absolutely not!”
“He does have a right to privacy,” I said, looking at Dallas. “Regarding medical information.”
“Mari, I am not leaving this room. Least of all because Reaper would kill me if I left you in danger.”
“I’ll stay right here. I won’t touch her again, Jesus fuck.” Python laid back against his pillows, arms flopped defeatedly down to his sides. “I just have questions about…issues I’m having.”
