JD's Redemption

by Lauren Firminger

  As I tried to get a thought to stick on where to go from here, my phone went off beside me and I quickly but carefully moved to grab it before Ellie woke up, thinking it to be her alarm. She would see my mind was elsewhere and she was the one person I couldn’t hide shit from, so I would end up telling her.

  Raven: “You at yours or Ellie’s?

  JD: “Ellie’s, why?”

  Raven: “I’ll be there soon.”

  JD: “What if I was busy?”

  Raven: “Then you wouldn’t be texting me, clown, just open the door when I get there.”

  JD: “With names like that, I might just stay in bed.”

  Raven: “Why you gotta be a smartass all the time?”

  JD: “Life would be boring otherwise.”

  I knew by now he would be snorting, rolling his eyes or quite possibly both. I was gonna say both. Very slowly and carefully moving my arm from under Ellie’s head, I tried to move again without disturbing her, so I could go and meet with Raven. Whatever it was must have been important if he was coming over now. Getting out of bed and pulling on a pair of jeans, I headed for the kitchen to make myself a coffee. I made one for Ellie too just in case she woke up before I got back to her and I went to wait for Raven out on the front step. Thankfully, he drove his truck today and the sound of the bike wouldn’t disturb Ellie. He pulled up in the driveway and I could tell by the look on his face that something had happened.

  “What’s happened?”

  “How thoroughly did you check the mountains?”

  “With a fine-tooth comb. We didn’t leave any stone unturned. Why, what’s happened?”

  “This is what I get for keeping shit from you.” He took a deep breath. “There is a small cabin in the middle that you can only get to on four wheelers. I should have come in there to check on them when you all left but I didn’t think about it.”

  “Who is out there?”

  “I don’t know. Anytime we have gone in there, no one was there. I am thinking that maybe, whoever called Ellie and doesn’t want you to know something, is hauled up in there.”

  “Okay so get Duke in there with a drone. If we go on four wheeler, they are going to hear that and run again. We can send in the drone from a safe distance then surround them so they have nowhere to run and can’t hide.”

  “I thought about that but they know we know about it so I am wondering if we move on it and be that far removed, we will leave here uncovered.”

  “We have nomads. Make them useful. They will have to start actually doing something soon or they will get bored, cause shit and I will kick their ass and send them home.”

  “We’ll talk to them and see if they want to do it.” I gave him a look and he held up his hands. “We can’t tell them what to do. If this is as bad as it sounds then they could be risking their lives. While none of them have wives and children, I am pretty sure they like their life.”

  “Fine, ask them but if they choose not to do it and then complain about not doing anything, I will beat them.” I picked up my mug and drank some of my coffee.

  “Deal.” He came and sat down next to me. “How’s Ellie doing?”

  “I have never seen her so on edge. I am worried that maybe she is getting to in to this before she is ready. I think she may be worried about everything bad that can happen to me. The way she was when I walked into that clubhouse, I have never seen her so upset before.”

  “She knows it’s not like this all the time, right?”

  “It has been lately. It’s hard to reassure her that it’s not. We’ve had so much shit come our way lately, we can’t catch a break.” He placed his hand on my shoulder.

  “Why do I think that is not coming from her, but from you?” Looking down at the ground, I stayed quiet. “We’ll find out who’s behind this and then you can both relax and start to enjoy the beginning of your relationship.”

  “I don’t know how you do it. I am so scared that a decision I make is going to get someone else hurt and the thought alone is making me sick.”

  “You aren’t alone. If you want the three of us to make the calls, we can. I know we put a lot on you, but you can tap out. I just can’t do the road stuff until Katy gets back. If she doesn’t clear me, I will get Tucker to sign off on it.” His lips curled into a smirk. I shook my head and laughed.

  “She will castrate you.”

  “No, she won’t. Hailee would kill her.” He shoved me gently with his shoulder. “Relax brother. We got you. Nothing is going to happen.” I gave him a nod.

  “I hope you’re right.” We talked for a little bit longer before he got up and left and I went back inside to check on Ellie. Walking into the kitchen, I saw her sitting there in shorts and a tank top. Fuck she was gorgeous. Moving over to her, I brushed the hair off the back of her neck and pressed my lips against her skin. Placing my hands against her hips, I ran them around until my arms were wrapped around her waist.

  “Everything okay?”

  “It is now.” I nuzzled into her neck. “Did you get your coffee?” Ellie placed her hand on the back of my neck and ran her thumb over my skin.

  “I did, thank you handsome.”

  “Anything for you, Goddess.” When she shifted in my arms, I pulled back to look at her. She turned around to face me and wrapped her arms around me, her head laying against my chest.

  “There, much better now.” Tightening my arms around her, I just held her. I needed to try and keep positive and trust that the boys had my back or else I was going to fuck up. I needed to think straight but most of all, I had to stop overthinking. My dad used to always tell me ‘overthinking leads to negative thoughts and negative thoughts have the power to destroy you.” If I wasn’t careful, I would be my own downfall.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Ellie

  Standing in front of my closet, my hands on my hips as I stood there in next to nothing, I turned to look at JD who was laying on the bed. He was just in a towel after the incredibly bad idea of showering together because it was now making me late for work. I didn’t really care about that though. Not when I thought about what I was getting instead. “So, I have this idea that I have been thinking about.”

  “Oh lord, here we go. What is it Goddess?” I moved over to him and grabbed a pillow from the bed and hit him with it.

  “Oh shut up you. I’m not the one that should have a warning sign around my neck anytime I think.” He rolled on to his back and I moved to straddle his waist.

  “I’m sorry, what was your idea.” I hit him with a pillow again when he coughed to cover his laugh.

  “Keep it up mister and what happened in shower might just stop happening.” I tried to glare at him, but I couldn’t hold it. Leaning down and pressing my lips against his before sitting back up again. “Because you asked me so nicely, I was thinking, what if you came and worked with me.” He raised his eyebrow at me.

  “Go on.”

  “You run the bar while I manage the agency. I’m having to go in and be there all day just to do both and I want someone I can trust working with me. You can put more security in there if you want to, be in charge of the ordering, we can even put bar tenders in there. I just need some help with it all and this way, I still get to spend time with you when you aren’t at the club. I know that takes priority and I understand that.” I was silenced when he sat up and pressed his lips against mine.

  “I’ll do it. I hate you being there all the time and this way, I will know you are safe. Are you sure though?”

  “I’m sure. It’s something I have been thinking about for a while now. I want to ask Abby if she wants some work as well. Just so that I don’t have to be there all the time. I love my work, I do, but I think I am starting to resent the girls. My whole life revolves around that place.” I didn’t want to sound like I was complaining because I wasn’t. These past few days though, have taught me that I need to work on my work life balance. It was okay to be selfish and take some time off for me. I just needed the right team to be abl
e to do it. If JD came on board from the bar, I would step back and let him hire whoever he wanted and do whatever it needed. I would bring Abby in if she wanted, to shadow me and I would teach her what I do. If anyone could keep these girls in shape, it would be Abby. She looked sweet and innocent but that all went out the window once she opened her mouth. She could be a bitch when she needed to be, but I loved her. She was a sweetheart. You just had to start on the right side of her.

  “Okay, Goddess, we’ll do it. If you think it’s not working though, don’t hide it. We can sit down and talk about it. I do think you need to stop spending so much time there.” I bent down to kiss him softly before removing myself from his lap and turning my attention back to the closet. Taking out my pinstripe pants and stepping into them, I took down a white button up shirt and pulled it on. Taking the jacket down off the hanger, I slipped on a pair of my black Louboutin’s before moving to my dresser. Picking up my lipstick and opening up the tube, I ran the color over my lips and rubbed them together. Fixing up my hair, I turned back to JD.

  “You coming? Wouldn’t want to be late on your first day.” He flashed that shit eatin’ grin of his and I ran my teeth over my lip as I watched him get up from the bed and lose the towel.

  “If you wanted to see me naked, Goddess, all you had to do was say so.”

  “Not everyone is as in love with your body as you are.” He pulled on his jeans and walked over to me. Placing his hands on my waist, he pulled me closer to him and looked down at me.

  “Oh really? Is that why you couldn’t take your eyes off me while I got dressed?” His lips curled into a smirk as he leant in close. Closing my eyes, I breathed in his scent. There really was no better smell in the world than his aftershave. His chuckle pulled me from my thoughts. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” I shoved him hard and glared at him.

  “You’re an ass.” He pulled away from me and slapped his hand down against my ass, causing me to squeal in surprise.

  “Yes, but you love me so suck it up, Goddess.” He took his shirt from his bag of stuff that he had run out and picked up earlier and pulled it over his head. Taking his socks from his bag, he pulled them on and put his boots on. Standing up, he held his hand out to me.

  “Come on before I decide to keep you here today and we don’t end up at work.”

  “Oh, and what a shame that would be.” I took my phone off the side table and took his hand. Stopping in the hall to grab my bag and keys, I followed him out of the door and locked it behind me. Before I could unlock the car though, he took my keys from me and moved around the car and opened the door. “What are you doing?”

  “Opening the door for you.”

  “Oh, you think you’re driving?”

  “No, I know I am driving. I have the keys.”

  “Jason.”

  “Ellie.” We just stood starting at each other. Finally, he broke the silence after about five minutes. “Goddess, we are gonna be late, so you can either come and get in this car and let me drive or we can keep standing here while anarchy breaks out at the Phoenix because the girls don’t know what they are doing tonight.” I let out a sigh in defeat and moved to get in the car. I hated being in the passenger seat of my own car while someone else drove. It made me anxious. I had to trust him though. It didn’t take us long to get to the Phoenix. When he pulled up in my spot, I got out of the car and waited for him to lock it and hand me my keys. Taking them as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, I unlocked the door and turned off the alarm. I made my way to my office while he checked out the bar to make sure the night shift had cleaned up like I told them too. Once I was done with the girls’ schedules, I would check the rooms and make sure the cleaners had been. I hadn’t heard different, but I just wanted to be sure. It would be an interesting night, I could just feel it.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  JD

  My first night running the bar was pretty quiet for the most part. I had been bringing up cases to restock when the girls who were working saw me. I noticed that Mischa’s eyes lit up but Ellie, who had an incredible skankdar and always knew when to come to my aid, appeared from nowhere and kissed me like she’d never kissed me before. I was seeing stars as she winked at me, a smirk plastered on her gorgeous red lips before disappearing again. With a chuckle, I shook my head and went back to what I was doing.

  “What was that about?” I looked over my shoulder and saw Mischa standing there, hands on her hips and an almost glare on her face. While most men found her drop dead gorgeous, I thought she was too fake. Didn’t help that she was constantly giving Ellie a hard time and pissing her off. I honestly didn’t know how she was still here.

  “That was none of your business.” Her eyes narrowed at me more, but I ignored her and kept doing what I was doing.

  “I think I have a right to know.”

  “Come and talk to me when you are the owner and not just an employee and maybe then I’ll think different.” I reached for the last bottle to put on the shelf and felt her hands running along my sides and up my chest. I hadn’t even heard her move.

  “Aww come on, Handsome. Don’t be like that.” I carefully removed her hands and stepped out of her reach. I didn’t trust her not to try anything if I tried to push her away from me.

  “Unless you have a death wish, I suggest you go back to work.” Her brow raised, and I pointed to the security camera in the corner of the bar. “My girl doesn’t share. That kiss before? Was her warning you all that I am off limits. I am hers.”

  “Oh please! A manwhore like you can’t change. You’ll get bored and end up fucking someone else. Why don’t we save time and go back to one of the rooms now?” I didn’t have a chance to respond though because I saw Ellie come up behind her.

  “Are you deaf as well as stupid?” I watched Mischa spin around to see Ellie standing there. I snorted and turned away and muttered under my breath.

  “I hate to say I warned you.”

  “He just told you he has a girlfriend. The same person who is beyond fed up with your crap. Not only that, he has never had an interest in you. All the time he’s been here, he called ahead just to make sure you were booked because he would rather fuck a cactus then sleep with you. Which considering his track record, is saying something. No offence Reaper.”

  “None taken, Goddess.”

  “Go near him one more time and you are fired for harassing a co-worker.” I couldn’t stop myself. I had to turn around just so I could see the look on Mischa’s face. She was staring open mouthed at Ellie.

  “Better close your mouth. Wouldn’t want you to get tired before you start work tonight.” She stormed off at my words and I cracked up laughing. Moving over to Ellie, I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her hard. Pulling back after a few minutes, my gaze met hers. “That was hot as fuck.” Letting her boss bitch act drop for just a minute, Ellie laughed and kissed me again.

  “Oh please, we both know that was tame for me.”

  “I know. I am honestly surprised she doesn’t have your shoe imprinted in her head right now.”

  “I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of hurting her or ruining my shoes. Lord only knows how much she has paid for that face. It’s probably indestructible.”

  “Well now, this is true.” I heard a throat clear behind her and I looked up to see one of the girls standing there. Ellie turned around to face her but pressed her back into my front, I rest my hands on her shoulders.

  “Everything okay, Krista?” She nodded.

  “Can I please get a bottle of champagne and bucket of ice. Mr Reynolds will be here soon.” I turned to grab a wine bucket and filled it with ice. While I did that, Ellie moved to take one of the bottles of champagne out of the fridge and the strawberries as well. Taking two glasses, I handed them to Krista who all but ran back into the rooms and Ellie followed after her. I had to remember to see if any of the other girls needed that.

  After the showdown with Ellie, Mischa stayed clear of the both of us. I wasn’t sure if that
was a good thing or if we needed to be worried, but I was enjoying the quiet while it lasted. We had a handful of people in the bar, my boys included, but nothing too rowdy. I had a feeling that would come either Friday night or Saturday night. Sure, there were other bars in town but not ones that you could get a little something to take the edge off or one that there was a 99 percent chance, you wouldn’t get kicked out of it. Ellie would have to be in a bad mood not to put up with the crap my lot had thrown her way over the years. They quickly learned not to mess with her though and they had a lot of respect for her, so they toned it down when they were in her company.

  Once the last of the guys left, I closed and locked the front doors and sent security home for the night. Walking into Ellie’s office, she was just shutting her draw and looked up at me when I entered.

  “You ready to go?” She nodded and took her phone from her desk draw.

  “Schedules are done for tomorrow, so we don’t have to come in early. The girls are here at five and we don’t have deliveries so have the whole day to do whatever we like.” She took her bag out of her bottom draw and turned her computer off. Moving over to me, she wrapped her arm around my waist and I let mine wrap around her shoulders.

  “That sounds like heaven to me!” Once she turned the alarm on and locked the door, I took the keys from her again. She was almost quick enough to stop me but not quite.

  “Are you ever going to let me drive my own car?”

  “Nope because the only thing you will be driving is me crazy.”

  “Hey, I’m an excellent driver!”

  “I’m sure you are. I just haven’t seen it.” That may have earned a glare from Ellie and she was right, she was a good driver. I just couldn’t sit in the passenger seat while I was sober. The little shit though, I shouldn’t have assumed she would just give up. As I bent my head down to kiss her, so she would stop glaring at me, Ellie quickly snatched her keys back and got away from me. With a victorious grin on her face, she got in the drivers’ seat.