Bounty

by Kristen Ashley

  He turned his attention again to Jussy and said quietly, “She wants to do a tribute concert. For your dad. To benefit his music program. She’s asked Terrence, Lace, Perry, Jimmy, Tammy, me. We’ve all agreed to do it. Back in Kentucky. Big thing. Jiggy and my manager, Ricky, are gonna sort everything. Thurston’s also involved. But Dana, well, all of them wanted your mom and me to ask you.”

  “You don’t have to do it, baby girl,” Joss said gently. “But we’d love to have you there, if not onstage, just there. For your dad.”

  More respect from Deke, when Joss said “your dad” in a way her grief clung to those two words openly and Rod pulled her tighter into his hold.

  Jussy said nothing for so long, Deke looked down at her.

  She was staring in a fixed way at the cold fireplace.

  “Gypsy,” he called.

  Her eyes instantly flicked up to him.

  Even though they did, they were still blank.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “Did I tell you about Dad’s music program?”

  She had. She talked about Johnny all the time. She did this because he prompted it as smooth as he could. And Deke did that because she needed to talk about him. She needed him to be a part of her life in the new way he was. She needed to get used to that way, celebrate him, keep him close in mind and memory.

  So he knew Johnny Lonesome had started a charity where they raised money to give to schools, rec centers with kids’ programs, boys clubs, girls clubs, anyone who had music programs so they could pay for instructors, equipment, rental blocks for space.

  “You told me,” he confirmed.

  “It’ll die without him,” she said, a tremor of sorrow in her voice it fucked him to hear. “I hadn’t thought about it.”

  “It won’t.”

  At Rembrandt’s declaration, both Deke and Justice looked to him again.

  “Dana talked to us about that too,” he shared. “All of us. She asked us to take places on the board. All of us.” He gave Joss a shake and Deke felt Jussy take a deep breath at this additional surprise, Dana offering Joss the opportunity to work together on something that was Johnny’s, Rod along for that ride. “We gotta sign contracts as members of the board that we’ll raise or donate a certain amount of cash every year, do shit to keep the profile high, recruit donors that’ll keep the accounts rockin’. We all agreed.”

  “She wanted us to talk to you about that too,” Joss said softly.

  Her mother spoke but Deke knew Jussy didn’t hear her because she said in a choked voice, “Rod.”

  Rod straightened uncomfortably on the couch, cleared his throat, but still only muttered, “Fuckin’ fine musician. And the man made one of my girls happy for a spell. That bein’ only a spell means I get the privilege of doin’ the same. And just plain played a part in makin’ my other girl. And that program does good work. So…” he shrugged with forced detachment, “I’m in.”

  It took a few long beats before Jussy replied.

  “You’re the shit, dude.”

  Her words made a shit-eating grin spread on Rod’s face. “Know that, sister.”

  Deke looked down at Jussy and saw she was grinning back.

  “Take your time,” Joss cut in and got both Deke and Jussy’s attention. “You don’t have to answer now.”

  “I’m totally on for the board and I’m totally on to perform. You tell me when, I’ll be there,” Justice declared.

  That had Deke grinning.

  But it was clear both Joss and Rod were surprised.

  Joss looked from her daughter to Deke, assessed his grin, her face blanked and she looked to her girl.

  “I’m pleased, Jussy.”

  “Me too, darlin’. A shit-hot lineup just busted out,” Rod stated.

  “Will you be there?”

  Even if he wasn’t looking at her when she asked it, Deke knew Joss’s question was for him.

  “Yes,” he answered.

  “We’re thinking April, Johnny’s birthday,” she told him like it was a warning.

  “Great idea,” Jussy muttered.

  Deke didn’t respond to the warning.

  He had Jussy’s love so he had nothing to prove.

  Her mother still thought he did but there wasn’t shit he could do about that except giving it time.

  He’d have that time.

  And she’d see.

  But straight up, he wouldn’t have it any other way. Not for Jussy. Just for her but also for all she was, all she had, the best of it being family that would show to look a man over who was becoming a part of her life, sleeping in her bed, all but living in her home.

  He could easily be some jacktard player, getting in there for the sole purpose of all she could give, that being all he could take, none of this all she really had to give. All that was Jussy.

  So yeah. Deke didn’t give a fuck. They felt he had something to prove, he’d take his time.

  And he’d prove it.

  “I’ll call Ricky and Thurston,” Rod muttered, leaning forward, pulling out his phone at the same time he pulled his ass out of the couch.

  “I need a drink,” Joss declared.

  “I’ll get it,” Jussy said and he felt her eyes on him so he gave his to her. “Beer, honey?”

  “Yeah, babe.”

  She grinned, a light in her eyes, excitement shining there.

  Seeing that light, Deke had no choice.

  He smiled back.

  She got up.

  He settled in and looked to her mother.

  Not a surprise, she was watching.

  “Want some chips with your bourbon?” he asked.

  “You getting them?” she asked back.

  “Wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t,” he told her.

  “Then not chips, crackers and cheese,” she ordered like the diva she was that she covered up in jeans and a rock chick top.

  “On it,” he murmured and pulled his own ass out of the couch.

  “Deke?” Joss called when he was around the side of the couch.

  He stopped and turned back to her.

  “Pancakes were the shit, big man. Thanks for breakfast.”

  A peace offering. Détente. She loved her daughter, that daughter threw down at the barest hint of attitude aimed her man’s way, she was good to settle in and give Deke that time to prove what she felt he needed to prove.

  He made no reply, just lifted his chin, changed the direction of his body and went to the kitchen to get crackers and cheese for Jussy’s mother.

  He did this not thinking about Joss or Rod or the crew of people showing in less than two hours.

  He did it thinking that Jussy had just agreed to take a stage, a big one, for her dad.

  And she was excited about it.

  So he did it not smiling on the outside.

  But he still had that smile for his gypsy.

  It was down deep in his gut.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Deke Watched

  Deke

  Deke walked through the room, six open longnecks dangling from his fingers, scanning the space and realizing something he didn’t have to ask to know Jussy understood it before she put money down on the place.

  It was perfect for a party.

  There were a fuckload of people there and everyone fit, everyone was comfortable, everyone could see the others, drift from group to group, plant their ass in a seat, kick back, relax and enjoy.

  He stopped at Ty, Tate, Ham, Decker and Wood, handed out the fresh beers and stood in their huddle, but he wasn’t paying attention to their conversation.

  He looked out the windows to the back, saw the fire pit glowing, Shambles wearing his round sunglasses, the lenses red, a big grin on his face, his hands moving while he obviously told a story to Dominic, the guy who owned the salon in town, Nadine, a regular at Bubba’s, Faye, Bubba himself, and Decker’s wife, Emme.

  Lauren was holding court at the kitchen island, surrounded by folks on stools, Max’s friends, Mindy and Je
ff, Zara, Ham’s wife, their kid on her lap, Maggie, Wood’s wife, and Daniel, Dominic’s partner.

  He turned his attention all the way across the space and caught Rod in Jussy’s music room, smiling and nodding his head at Tate’s boy, Jonas, who had Jussy’s guitar on his knee. It looked like Rod was giving Jonas a guitar lesson.

  Deke then took in the corner seating area and saw Max and Chace had kids crawling all over them, this overseen by Nina and Lexie.

  And in the center area, the fireplace blazing but set low, Justice sat with Sunny, Jim-Billy, Twyla, Twyla’s lover, Cindy, and Krystal. This with the addition of Joss, having commandeered Breanne, the baby was up against Joss’s chest, her little face in Joss’s neck, looking, even in the muted clamor of conversation with music playing in the background, like she was getting ready to fall asleep.

  There were bowls of chips and dips and nuts placed around seating areas, used paper plates and plastic utensils that Deke had talked Justice into buying (just barely) with the residue of fully-consumed Steph’s chicken set down wherever the person who finished it was sitting.

  Deke had noticed that Jussy unsurprisingly wasn’t a rush-around-and-clean-up-after-everyone type of person, making folks think they needed to walk their shit to a trash bin or giving them any indication they should do anything but relax. She made certain if bowls got low to fill them, and if she happened to be walking somewhere she (or anyone) would grab a plate to take it to the trash.

  But it wasn’t about keeping tidy. It was clear the place could look like a festival lineup of rock bands partied in it after everyone left and she’d just deal with it in the morning.

  Like she felt he was looking at her, Jussy’s eyes came to him.

  Seeing as Krystal, Sunny and Joss were in deep conversation and Cindy was giving Twyla longing looks at the same time patting Breanne’s diapered tush (with Jim-Billy just sitting there because he’d planted himself there when he’d arrived and hadn’t moved), Justice didn’t say anything when she pulled herself out of one of the armchairs.

  She came to him, but as she did, her gaze drifted to her music room and a sweet smile started playing at her mouth.

  He lifted his arm high when she got close and the men took this hint and shifted to accommodate a new member to their crew. She ducked under it, pressing herself to his side as he curled his arm around her shoulders.

  “Chicken was the shit, Jus,” Ty decreed.

  “Thanks,” Jussy replied.

  “If Zara hasn’t asked for that recipe already, give it to me before we go,” Ham said.

  Jussy looked up to him. “I should have printed out twenty of them.”

  “There’s time,” Wood put in.

  Jussy grinned at him. “I’ll get on that.”

  Wood winked at her.

  Her grin got bigger.

  The men’s conversation resumed and Deke found himself surprised as time passed and she did nothing but rest deeper and deeper into his side, doing this not joining in.

  He looked down at her and called low, “Gypsy.”

  She tipped her head back and caught his eyes.

  She looked content, but still distant.

  “All good?” he asked.

  “I wish Lace was here,” she answered, then gave him a small smile. “And even though you don’t wish the same and she’d have some ‘splainin’ to do, I wish Anca was here too. Without Tony, of course,” she hurried to say the last.

  He knew she wanted this.

  Rock star and stylist to the stars or not, Joss and Rod fit in with this group with ease.

  Joss had made Jussy, and Rembrandt had been in her life for a good chunk of time, so this wasn’t totally a surprise.

  It still was a surprise how down to earth they actually were, demonstrating this immediately when folks started showing. Putting people at ease. Making it clear this was a party, not a party with a famous rock star and his wife in attendance.

  So Deke had no doubt her girl Lacey would be the same.

  Bianca, he didn’t know and hoped it’d be a while before he found out.

  What he did know was, for Jussy, it was about wanting her girls with her.

  She still left something unsaid.

  He dipped closer and noted quietly, “And your dad.”

  She nodded. “Yeah, and Dad. Though if he was here, Dana would be here, him and Joss would get into a rip roarin’, Rod would get shitfaced and Dana would spend a lot of time in her room.”

  “Right,” he said through a short chuckle.

  Her eyes coasted to her mom. “Sucks, they got all their shit together after he was gone.”

  He knew their conversation with her mom and stepdad earlier had been playing on her mind.

  “Bottom line, they got their shit together,” he stated and she looked back to him. “You know, baby, it wouldn’t have happened any other way. But now you get to know these people where they always were but history wouldn’t let them go there. They have it in them to pull it together to keep somethin’ alive that meant somethin’ to your dad, they always had that but couldn’t go there when he was here. Now you have that. And that does not suck.”

  She turned slightly to him and pressed closer, now with her front to his side, and the smile she had wasn’t bright, but it was better than the ones he’d been getting.

  “You’re giving me a complex,” she told him.

  His brows went up. “How’s that?”

  “You’re too wise for my own good.”

  “You wanna wallow?” he asked.

  She shook her head, her smile brightening. “Nope.”

  “Then I’m just wise enough,” he said.

  “You’re wiser than that, honey,” she returned.

  He loved it that she thought that.

  To share that with her, Deke bent in and kissed her nose.

  When he straightened, she slid an arm around his stomach and put her cheek to his chest as they turned back to the huddle.

  He saw Tate’s eyes on Jussy, his look sober in a way Deke didn’t get and didn’t much like but he didn’t say anything about it because he heard another car on the lane.

  He glanced around the space then down to Jussy. “Anyone else you ask to this shindig?”

  She tipped her head back. “No. Why?”

  “Car comin’ up the lane.”

  Her head twitched and she separated just enough from both of them to look through their bodies toward the front door, Jussy murmuring, “That’s weird.”

  Deke started to move but stopped when he saw Chace heading to the door, two empty wineglasses in his hands, and he was shaking his head at Deke.

  “Catch it on the way for refills,” he called.

  Chace had heard the car too.

  Deke nodded.

  “Maybe someone invited somebody,” Jussy remarked and Deke looked again to her. “Though, no one said anything.”

  She was detaching, getting ready to head to the door Chace was arriving at in order to offer her greeting.

  Deke started to move with her when he saw the door was open and he heard Chace, who was partially blocked by the open door, saying loudly into the night, “Can I help you?”

  “Who’re you?” a voice came back, sounding distant, and Deke figured Chace spoke before whoever it was made a full approach.

  But Deke had tensed because the question was asked, it wasn’t voiced nice, and most importantly, it made Jussy get tight at his side.

  “That’s my question but I asked it a different way and I’d like you to answer it,” Chace pointed out and Deke saw his body had switched from cool to alert.

  “Outta my way, I wanna talk to Justice,” the voice from outside said, definitely closer, and Deke noticed Jussy hurrying toward the door but doing it glancing at Joss.

  He also distractedly noticed their friends becoming aware of the situation and conversation beginning to falter, attention shifting, as well as bodies.

  These the men’s.

  And now Chace was not alert
at the door.

  He was barring it.

  “I’m afraid that’s not gonna happen until you tell me who you are.”

  “Don’t know who the fuck you are either but do know whoever you are, you got no right to stand in the way of me havin’ words with my sister.”

  Hearing this, blood rushed to Deke’s head, a sensation he hadn’t felt since the last bar fight he’d been in over half a decade ago.

  He and Jussy were almost to the door and he had just enough of his shit together to push her back gently, but not enough not to put some serious pressure behind the grip he took on Chace’s shoulder to tell the man to get the fuck out of the way.

  Chace’s head jerked to the side at the contact but he read Deke and got the fuck out of the way.

  That was when Deke was confronted with Jussy’s near-twin, the male variety, a boy who refused to become a man who looked a fuckuva lot like a young Johnny Lonesome.

  He took that in in half a second before he got right in Maverick Lonesome’s space and used his bulk—this mainly being his chest, he didn’t lift his hands—to shove the shitheel back.

  “Hey! Fucking shit! What the fuck?” Maverick shouted.

  Deke kept bumping him back then lifted one hand to plant it in his chest and give him a shove that sent him sailing four feet.

  Only then did he turn and growl to Chace, “She stays inside.”

  “Deke—” Jussy started, already one step out the door and still on the move.

  That’s all she got out. Chace pulled her back through the door and shut it behind her.

  “Seriously, dude, what the fuck?” Maverick clipped and Deke turned his attention to the kid.

  He heard the door open behind him, tensed, felt it wasn’t Jussy just as he heard her protesting deeper inside the house, and knew someone he didn’t mind joining them was joining them.

  Other than that, he didn’t take his attention off Lonesome.

  “First, you’re gonna tell me why you’re here,” Deke informed him. “I’m good with what I hear, you’ll get to talk to your sister. I’m not, you’ll get in your car and drive away.”

  “Who the fuck are you?” Maverick asked, his gaze skidding from Deke to whoever had joined them.

  From the fear that instantly glinted in his eyes, Deke guessed it was Ty, definitely. Decker, probably. Tate, undoubtedly, because Tate would always be at Deke’s back. Also Twyla, because, she’d deny it to her dying breath, but the woman would take a bullet for any of them. And with the length of the kid’s sweep, Deke figured, maybe Ham.