Chapter Five

Mike

Backing off and giving Josephine space was the hardest thing I'd ever done in my life. If I was going to keep her I had to do it, though.

She avoided looking at me or talking to me the rest of the evening. I lay down and pretended to sleep so she'd relax a fraction. Either I fooled her or she was so exhausted she couldn't help herself, because ten minutes after she lay down, Josephine was out cold. I couldn't help but smile. She might not want to feel secure in my presence, but she did.

I dozed on and off throughout the night. When I woke, I'd glance at Jo to find her sleeping contentedly. She looked so fucking young when she was asleep it was hard to reconcile that with the seasoned warrior I knew her to be. Which was odd, considering she was medical. She'd be in the middle of a combat zone, but not in an active combat role. I'd bet my life that woman had seen more than her fair share of fighting and that wasn't something that happened in the U.S Army. I wondered if that was what Col. Gill owed her.

Just before daylight, I roused myself. She was on her side, facing me on the second bed in the room. Her hand rested under her cheek on top of her pillow. Strawberry-blonde hair fanned out around her like a fiery halo. She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen in my life. And she was all mine. She just wouldn't admit it to herself. Yet.

Careful not to rouse her, I dressed and slipped out of the room. I wanted to give her something to think about. Let her wake up without me. See what she did. If I was right, she'd be cranky as fuck the rest of the day. I grinned. It'd make the night even better.

Sure enough, an hour later, I watched from the car I'd had a friend drop off as she stomped out of the room and looked around. "Michael, you motherfucker!"

I barked out a laugh. She immediately zeroed in on me and scowled, flipping me off as she marched to the car, opened the door, and plopped inside before slamming the door.

"Motherfucker," she muttered. "You coulda told me you were gonna go get a fuckin' car."

"Just givin' you time to yourself. Seemed to be what you wanted."

"I did!" she yelled. "But you should tell me when you fuckin' leave! I thought you'd fuckin' gone."

"I ain't leavin' you, Jo. Not ever. Might as well get used to it now." I started the car, and we took off. Finding where Gracie lived wasn't that hard. Everyone knew her and her family. While a couple of her neighbors tried to help her out occasionally, most of them didn't want anything to do with her. She was the white girl pregnant with the colored boy's child. Persona non grata .

We sat outside the tiny shack for a full minute before Josephine shook her head. Opening the door, she stepped out and slammed it shut, not looking to see if I followed her. She rapped on the door three times before stepping back to give the girl room to open the door if she answered.

It wasn't long before the slender brunette opened the door a crack. She looked terrified. "What do you want?" Her voice was strong, if a bit shaky. She had a black eye, and I noticed finger-shaped bruises on her upper arm.

"My name's Jo. I'm here on Alex's behalf."

"Oh no." Her whispered response was an anguish plea. "I know his unit got called up, but…"

"He's all right, honey." Jo tried her best to reassure the girl, but really. What could she say? Alex wasn't dead, was no telling when he'd get out of prison, or if Gracie would ever see him again. "Can we come in?"

Gracie shook her head. "I'll come out. If you're gonna hurt me, you'll have to do it in front of God and everyone." She lifted her chin as she exited the house and stepped onto the porch.

"Christ." I shook my head as I took her in. Bruises on her face and arms were likely just the tip of the iceberg. I noticed she had one hand holding her side. Probably had damaged ribs.

"We're not gonna hurt you, honey. We'll back off further if it makes you comfortable." Jo moved her hands to the side, palms up so the girl could see she was unarmed.

Gracie wore a yellow maternity sundress that should have looked pretty on her, but the material was dirty and threadbare, and every inch of skin that showed had bruises on it somewhere. The girl clutched her belly tightly, as if protecting the baby she carried inside her. I saw Jo clench her teeth. The muscle in her jaw ticked like a son of a bitch. I knew the feeling. Mine was doing the same thing.

"Who did this to you?" I couldn't stop the growl in my voice. It made the girl flinch, and I had my answer before she gave it.

"My father. My brothers." She gave us the information in a quiet voice, then shrugged. "I learned not to answer the door when they come by."

"Go pack a bag," Jo ordered. "You're comin' with us."

Gracie lifted her chin as she shook her head. "I don't know you."

"No, you don't," Jo bit out. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, obviously trying to rein it in. The mama tiger in her was surging to the fore. "But I guaran-damn-tee you we won't be as harsh as this." She waved her hand to indicate Gracie from head to toe.

"I'm not giving up my baby." The girl's hands clutched her gently rounded abdomen, her slender arms circling her belly even tighter than before. "People don't understand, but I love Alex. He's kind of simple, but he's been good to me since the day I met him. He works hard and has the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met." She looked off. "Much better than my own family."

"Ain't askin' you to give up your child, Gracie." Josephine softened her tone, stepping closer to the girl. "We're here to make sure you and your baby get a decent start. Come with us. You can stay until you're back on your feet. Longer if you want. But Alex wouldn't want you livin' in a place like this if he could help it."

"He gives me his Army pay but I don't spend it. We're not married. And I might need it for the baby. I won't spend his money on myself, but I'll do whatever I have to, to protect our child."

"I know you will." Jo took the opening Gracie had just given her. "He'd want that too. Which is why you're going to come with us to Somerset. This is for your child."

That made the girl blink. Obviously, she was carefully considering her decision. "How do I know you're not trying to trick me?"

"Honey, I promised Alex I'd find you. I'll tell you everything that happened on the way. I've got you ten minutes of privacy to talk with him. Well, as private as I can get. You discuss it with Alex. After that, I'll do whatever you want. But I promise you, Alex is gonna want you to come with us."

She gently rubbed her rounded belly again, as if soothing her child. Likely, it was to soothe herself just as much. The sheen of tears in her eyes made me wince. This woman was just a terrified kid. Same as Alex. Two kids together battling a world of hate. I thought Jo was about to force the issue when Gracie put her chin up. Her lower lip quivered but she stood her ground.

"OK. I'll go with you. But I want to know what's going on and what you intend to do with me."

"We're going to bring you with us to South Central Kentucky. It's still Kentucky, but the area is a little more… friendly." I could tell Jo was trying to be careful about her wording. She even winced slightly. Neither of us wanted to insult the woman or make her uncomfortable. Just the opposite. Josephine had a mothering instinct inside her she couldn't seem to fight. I knew the feeling, only my instinct was protective. I wanted the right to protect Josephine and anyone else she brought into her family.

"Fine. I want to go see Alex now, please."

Jo nodded once before showing Gracie to the car. When we were all in the car, I started it and took off. Jo explained what happened and about Alex's legal issues. Silent tears flowed down Gracie's cheeks, but she said nothing. Only clutched at her belly and rubbed small circles over it.

When Jo finished, Gracie silently wept but kept her head up. "Do you think I'll ever see him again after today?"

Jo smiled but shook her head. "I don't know, honey. But I promise you I will do everything in my power to help him. I've already got a good lawyer willing to take his case. He'll have to do some time and he'll get a dishonorable discharge, but hopefully he'll be out in a few years."

She shook her head slightly, denying what she was hearing but wanting with everything in her to believe my mama tiger. The hope on her face was plain for anyone to see. "I'll figure it out."

"We'll be here to help you." I added my support to Jo. "I've got a place where you can stay and be safe. Me and some of my buddies have a place we're turning into clubhouse. It's an old hotel and we're hoping to make it into several rooms where we can have a place to crash. Jo and me are gonna live there until we decide what we want to do from there."

"You mean, I could live there?"

"Yes. Absolutely." I gave her a slight smile. "Jo and me'll stay with you as long as you need. You can count on us."