Jagger

by S. Nelson

  “Listen, we’ll go, but you better tell that ass of a friend of yours to stay away from me because if he says the wrong thing, I’m gonna deck him. You got it?” Braylen spewed her words faster than I could understand. It took my brain a few extra seconds to comprehend what she’d said, but apparently it was too long because she started in on me again. “Jagger,” she shouted. “Did you hear me?”

  “Yeah, I heard ya. I’ll warn Ryder that he’s gonna get junk-punched if he steps over the line.” He’d told me why she left the park so pissed off that day. His telling her she needed to get fucked probably hadn’t sat so well with her, and while I found it funny, I cautioned him to cut the shit because he could potentially ruin things between Kena and me. Her familial loyalty to her sister no doubt surpassed anything she felt toward me.

  Chuckling to myself so as not to piss her off, I complied with her amusing demands and wasn’t even offended when she hung up on me. Seconds later, a text message came through.

  Kena: Sorry about that but she refused to go unless she talked to you first.

  Jagger: No problem. I won’t be there until nine thirty, so I’ll see you then.

  A tentative smile lifted the corner of my mouth, and while I’d been thrilled Kena had decided to come that evening, I couldn’t help but feel like something bad was gonna happen.

  Kena

  The roar of the crowd should’ve excited me like it seemed to do for everyone else, but instead it frightened me. I hated watching grown men fight, and while I came to see and support Jagger, I couldn’t wait until we could leave.

  As soon as we entered the basement of the abandoned warehouse, two men in leather cuts flanked us on either side. I recognized Ryder from the park, and I believed the other guy’s name was Tripp, briefly remembering him from the night I’d first met Jagger. I raised my hand to both of them in greeting and they returned the welcome with a simple nod.

  I saw Ryder lean down and whisper something to my sister, the slight flush of her cheeks warning me she was set to explode. Grabbing her hand, I hurried down the narrow walkway and toward two empty seats in the middle of the growing crowd. Once seated, I raised my hands and asked, What did he say to you?

  Biting her bottom lip, she tilted her head to the left where Ryder stood, then looked back to me before saying, “That his offer still stands in case I’m interested.”

  I instantly smirked, a reaction which made my sister scoff and slap my arm in irritation. Her admonishment only made me smile bigger.

  While I’d thought Ryder and Tripp would sit next to us, they chose to stand on either side of the aisle instead. Our lookouts, or bodyguards I supposed. It should’ve been a warning of things to come, but as soon as the lights dimmed and the announcer started speaking, all I could think about was Jagger. And sure enough, as if my mind willed the sight of him, I spotted him moments later coming down the walkway, fans patting him on the back as he took his time advancing toward the ring. Women shouted obscene things, vying for even just a second of his attention. Right away, I was thrust back to the reason why I’d denied Kevin a date.

  Fighters were no different than band members.

  Although, what I’d felt toward Kevin didn’t even compare to what I felt about Jagger. Not even in the same ballpark. So I dismissed my insecurity and tried my best to focus on him as he approached. When he turned his head to the right, we’d locked eyes and everyone else ceased to exist. I found it hard to breathe, let alone make any kind of movement while I continued to stare at him.

  Jagger wore a pair of black shorts which hit just above his knees, and as my eyes traveled the length of him I noticed he was not only bare-chested but also barefoot. As naughty images of the two of us penetrated my mind, he winked before continuing toward his destination. Spreading the ropes, he stepped inside the ring and walked to the far left-hand corner, his opponent already boring holes through him like he wanted to rip him to shreds.

  Both men were cut, but Jagger looked more powerful. Maybe it was the way he carried himself, confident the other guy never stood a chance. Jagger was undefeated, after all. I’d heard it from his mouth as well as from his buddies muttering the same before Braylen and I took our seats.

  My mind raced to the explanation he’d given me about why that scary guy had pulled a gun on him, and I wondered if every time Jagger stepped foot in the ring he was worried about ending another man’s life.

  The sound of the bell rang out and I couldn’t help but become fascinated with the dance both fighters performed. But it quickly changed as soon as Jagger’s head shifted to the side after his opponent landed a punch. From that moment on, I looked away often, dreading what I’d see when I lifted my eyes to the gruesome scene in front of me. Braylen, on the other hand, cheered right along with everyone else, often standing on her seat so she could have a better view of the action. A sentiment I definitely didn’t share.

  While my head hung low, someone sidled up next to me. At first I had an uneasy feeling, but when I raised my head, I saw Tripp casually standing there, his hands in his pockets while he watched the fight with appreciation. When he finally turned toward me, he started to speak but because of the noise, he had to lean down quite a bit so I could hear him properly.

  “Don’t worry about him. He’s just messin’ around with the other guy. Workin’ him up some for the sake of the crowd. It makes him more valuable.” Leaning back, Tripp gave me a megawatt smile.

  A simple nod from me and I looked to the ring in enough time to watch Jagger land a hard punch to the side of the man’s face, tossing him to the ground like he weighed nothing at all.

  The fans went crazy.

  Jagger had just knocked out his rival.

  He jumped out of the ring and walked directly toward me, not participating in any of the showboating that went along with winning. Leaning over Tripp, Jagger extended his hand to me and I readily accepted. Pulling me forward, I glanced back at Braylen to let her know we were leaving when I saw Ryder say something to her. But instead of looking pissed as usual whenever he was near, a shadow of a smile ghosted her lips. I left them to attend to whatever it was they were doing, allowing Jagger to lead me to the back of the crowded space.

  “I just have to rinse off, change and grab my money. Then we’re out,” he said to both me and Tripp, before disappearing inside a back room. He’d emerged five minutes later fully dressed in a white T-shirt, dark jeans and worn brown boots, his hair still damp from the shower.

  Damn, he was fine both in and out of clothes.

  Leaving me alone again with Tripp, Jagger disappeared inside a small office. I’d fidgeted with the hem of my blue shirt, shuffling my feet anxiously waiting for him to come back.

  “Want out of here that bad, do you?” Tripp asked, leaning against the wall behind him. His piercing green eyes swallowed me whole, but not in an inappropriate way. More like he’d taken over the role of protector in Jagger’s absence.

  Balling my fist, I placed my thumb over the rest of my bent fingers and bent my hand forward. His brows knit together in confusion. I’d realized I’d just signed yes, but of course he had no idea what I was trying to tell him.

  Jagger reappeared quickly and translated for me, which was completely unexpected.

  “She said yes,” Jagger announced, grabbing my hand firmly in his before leaning in to capture my mouth. The sudden gesture surprised me, although I would have been lying if I said the kiss didn’t thrill me. Even in front of hundreds of strangers. Not having enough time to even contemplate what other words he’d learned in sign language, he pulled me toward the exit, Tripp following closely. Once outside, I peered around the both of them and tried to locate my sister.

  Sneaking his arm around my waist, Jagger pulled me close, planting a kiss on my temple before smiling down at me, the gesture indeed intimate. My heart sang, but my head told me to remain alert.

  Ryder and Braylen suddenly appeared out of nowhere, rounding the corner of the building and heading straight for us. My
sister’s face was expressionless, while Ryder’s was the exact opposite. In fact, he looked to be quite animated, a cocky smirk playing on his features and softening his hard-around-the-edges look.

  When all three men circled around us, I couldn’t help but notice the strength they emanated. Jagger was the only one not wearing his leather vest, but he looked just as intimidating as the other two. All of them were at least six-foot, Tripp being the tallest and towering over his friends by a few inches.

  Jagger took a few steps forward, releasing my waist only to latch on to my hand. Intertwining his fingers with mine, he pulled me behind him, telling his buddies he’d see them the next morning. I turned my head to look back at Braylen, and it was then I saw the look she gave Ryder when she thought no one was paying any attention.

  Especially him.

  She liked him.

  For as much as she tried to convince everyone of the opposite, the man clearly intrigued her. Catching my eye, she shrugged. It made me smile. Braylen was a tough woman, didn’t take shit from anyone, so it was nice to see her express interest in someone. Someone who challenged her, albeit in a way I’d never thought she’d go for. Ryder came across as the silent type, brooding even, but when he was around my sister, something switched inside him. I didn’t know him well at all, but I knew enough to see he liked her. And that was good enough for me.

  If he was half the man Jagger was, he was okay in my book.

  Jagger’s warm breath hit my ear before I’d even realized he’d leaned in to me. “Ryder’s gonna walk her to her car and follow her home. You wanna say good-bye?” he asked, taking a step back to look at my face.

  I tugged my hand from his and strode back toward Braylen, Ryder stepping aside so I could talk with my sister before we parted ways.

  Are you all right with this? I gestured, glancing over at Ryder and the other two who were all now huddled together and talking about something so low neither of us could hear.

  “Yeah, I’m good. He’s just going to walk me to my car and make sure I get home safe.” When she looked down at her feet, then back up at me, she laughed and blurted, “He’s not that bad, I guess.”

  Shaking my head in amusement, I gave her a hug before heading back toward Jagger. As our small group dispersed, a blur of commotion caught my attention, but before I could see what happened, Jagger stepped in front of me, essentially blocking my view of everyone.

  “Let’s go,” he urged, doing his best to keep his tone casual. But a slight tremor escaped. Before I could read into it, he placed his hands on my shoulders and turned me around. Once I faced away from the crowd, he threw his arm over Braylen’s shoulders and steered her away as well, the three of us walking down the sidewalk as if it had been the plan all along.

  My sister tried to break free, confusion riddling her expression at the about-face, but Jagger’s hold never wavered. “I’m gonna follow both of you home.” He offered no other explanation. Even though I knew something happened, I didn’t quite know what, and something inside my curious brain told me not to ask.

  Otherwise, I feared whatever relationship I had with Jagger would go up in smoke.

  Jagger

  My selfishness to be near her, to show her I was the man for her, put her in danger yet again. Only this time, I’d been able to shield her from what I feared could’ve been fatal.

  Either for me or, God forbid, Kena.

  Constantly questioning her safety had become the new norm for me, and while I knew deep in my soul that she’d be better off without me in her life, I just couldn’t break away. No one else had managed to make me feel the way she did.

  “Why did you drag us away so fast?” Braylen asked, continuing to try and glance over her shoulder every few steps. She’d clearly made some sort of plan with Ryder that evening, and because her night had switched to something else entirely, Kena’s sister was not too happy.

  “Ryder and Tripp forgot they had to head back to the club. Had to sort out some business.” I hurried them down the remainder of the block, their car parked smartly underneath a bright street lamp. “I’m sure you’ll hear from him,” I tried to reassure her, but her pissed-off attitude told me she wasn’t taking his abandonment lightly.

  She mumbled incoherently before rounding the car to jump in the driver’s seat. Reaching for the passenger handle, I waited until her sister clicked the locks before opening the door for Kena. But she didn’t get in right away. Instead, she stood there looking up at me, confusion mixed with a sprinkling of fear behind her eyes. The frustrating thing was that she couldn’t just come out and say what she wanted, ask me the many questions mulling around inside her head. It wasn’t the time or place, anyway. I’d answer as much as I could later on, but not now. Not here.

  Needing them to leave, I gestured toward the inside of the car with a jerk of my head, hoping she understood so I didn’t have to push further. Averting her eyes from mine, she turned slightly to the left and took her seat inside the car.

  “I’ll follow you to make sure you get home safely. I’m parked down there a bit,” I said, pointing back toward the warehouse. “But don’t wait for me. I’ll catch up.” The words lingered in the air, but the swift slam of the door sliced them to pieces before another breath escaped my lungs.

  The ride to their house filled me with trepidation, a feeling I was all too familiar with these days. Before Kena, I only worried about myself and my club, which was more than enough, trust me. But ever since she’d come into my life, fear riddled me. Always worrying whether or not being mixed up with me would endanger her triggered many a sleepless night.

  I portrayed someone filled with confidence, a guy who took life’s punches as they came—literally and figuratively—before quickly moving on.

  I joked.

  I laughed.

  I had my brothers’ backs. Always.

  I got drunk occasionally.

  I used to partake in the endless flow of pussy.

  I tried to do right by others, shielding them the best I could, when I could.

  No one ever bore witness to my insecurities. I feared I’d never be good enough for the Knights Corruption family. I feared Kena would eventually tire of me and move on, leaving me in the dust to fumble my way back toward my warped sense of reality.

  There was no doubt I was a work in progress, but then again, weren’t we all?

  Winding down the curvy road, I finally came to stop behind Braylen’s car, the small white Toyota’s engine shutting off just as the driver and passenger doors sprung open.

  Braylen looked back at me before turning toward the front of their house, walking briskly toward the door and disappearing inside before I’d even come to stand next to Kena. The last thing I wanted to do was explain why I’d rushed them home so fast, so I was happy Braylen left so abruptly; out of the two, she’d obviously be the one to shower me with endless questions.

  One minute Kena and I were walking along, minding our own business, and the next I’d been shot a warning look from Tripp, a silent order to escort the women out of there right away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Snake approach our group like a man on a mission, one of his friends accompanying him this time. Before an ambush erupted, Tripp and Ryder formed a wall, essentially separating the threat from me, Kena and her sister.

  Stupidly thinking the Reaper wouldn’t dare show his face at one of my fights so soon after our last encounter proved to be an almost lethal mistake on my part. I had no doubt he’d come to finish what he’d started, snatching my life for killing his brother. In his head, I had to perish, and now I knew he wouldn’t stop until he’d accomplished his mission.

  So wrapped up in my head, Kena’s warm palm on my cheek threw me back into the here and now, and I leaned in to her touch like it would give me solace. But sadly, it didn’t; if anything, her concern rattled me. Looking deep into her eyes, I tried my best to smile, and for the most part I’d succeeded, even though I knew she realized something was off.

  “It’s get
ting kind of chilly out. You better head on inside,” I urged, removing her hand from my face, kissing her palm before lowering it to her side. Too many contradictions flew at me, and right then I didn’t have time to indulge any of them. I had to head back to the club and find out what the hell ended up happening after I’d left.

  A frown knit her brow, but before she read further into my dismissive words, I leaned in and grazed my lips over hers. For a brief moment, I thought about staying right there with her, wrapping her in my arms and never letting her go. But I knew it was only a fantasy, one which had to end in mere moments.

  Kena’s hands snaked around my neck, her fingers threading through my hair, the strands long enough for her to tug them in excitement. Her tongue pressed against mine, the dance intoxicating and breathless. If I hadn’t known better, I would’ve thought she was trying to convince me to stay. But was she that brazen? What would happen if I followed her inside? Would she give herself to me?

  For as much as I wanted to find out, I knew I had to head back to the clubhouse so I could do my part in the situation I’d created.

  Breaking free from her embrace, I silently cursed myself before looking at her beautiful face. “I’d love to stay, Kena. You have to believe me. But I have to go. I can’t explain everything right now, but just know that I’d rather stay here with you.” I could see she wasn’t sure if I was telling the truth or not, so I pressed my entire body against hers, pinning her to the side of the car. My arousal was quite evident when pressed against her stomach. Her caramel eyes undid me, pleading for me to stay and make good on what my body promised. Or did I read her expression wrong?

  No matter. I had to go. Now.

  Capturing her mouth once again, I traced her luscious lips with my tongue, my hands resting on either side of her face to pin her in place. When I broke free once more, I finally took a few steps back, my hands falling to my sides in disappointment.

  “I’ll text you later. I promise.” The only movement she made was to nod, a fallen look taking over her expression. I hated that she thought I didn’t want to spend more time with her, but I couldn’t get into why I had to leave. She continued to remain motionless while I watched her, and it became evident that she wasn’t venturing inside anytime soon. Not without some encouragement. “Kena, I need you to go inside,” I pressed. “I’ll wait here until you do.” Reaching behind me, I snagged my helmet and waited for her feet to carry her forward.