Page 60 of Love Me Back
“There is.” I smiled at her. She was terrified of what she had just gone through, but she was still worried about my horse eating.
Someone had left the paddock door open, and Thunder made his way through the opening, as Carl shut the gate behind him.
The sound of thunder could be heard in the distance, and when I scanned the horizon, a cloud of dust headed straight for us. The men on horseback had finally made it home.
I rolled closer to Jessie and held out my hand. “Come here, baby.”
She scrambled up and into my lap, wrapping her arms around me. She buried her face in my neck. “I was so fucking scared.”
“You were so fucking brave. What the hell happened?”
“Someone was shooting at us.”
“Did you see them?” She shook her head against me. Her breathing was ragged, with a stutter every few breaths that told me she had been sobbing.
“You’re safe now.” I rubbed my hands up and down her back as I held her. Seeing her on the back of the horse after hearing gunshots made my heart race with fear. I never wanted to feel that shit again.
“Yessica.”
Jessie’s head snapped up and hit my chin. “Fuck,” I groaned in pain.
“Wh-what are you doing here?” she asked the man I assumed was Armando Garcia.
“I have come to seemi sobrinaand to buy some horses.”
Jessie launched herself off my lap and looked behind Garcia. “Father? Jamie?”
“Jessie, what the fuck is going on?” She turned and looked atme, an expression of guilt spreading over her face.
“Armando Garcia is my uncle,” she muttered. “I know I should have told you.”
“Yes, you should have fucking told us!” Tyson shouted. I hadn’t realized he was there. He stood beside Jessie’s father with three of his brothers.
Hudson and Emerson walked over after handing their horses off to the hands. It wasn’t something we normally did. We always took care of our own horses, and I would need to brush Thunder down before much longer, but this required them to be present.
“Tyson, shut up,” Emerson shouted. “She doesn’t have to tell us shit.”
“Her uncle is the head of the fucking cartel.”
I watched Jessie. Her head was down as if she were... ashamed? No, that wasn’t it. Submitting to her uncle? I couldn’t see Jessie submitting to anyone. Something was going on here.
“So fucking what? You’re in a motorcycle club. And should I remind you about Dan—”
“EMERSON!” I roared.
“Sorry, Gray.” He stalked off, shoulder-checking Tyson as he walked by.
“Maybe we should move this inside,” I offered as I reached for Jessie’s hand and squeezed. When she turned to me, I whispered, “I love you. This doesn’t change anything.”
“It does.”
“Jessie.”
“Let’s go inside.” She grabbed the handles of the chair and pushed me toward the house. Tyson, Hudson, and Addie followed.
“Carl?” I called back.
“I’ll make sure he’s alright.”
