Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Dallas

EVERYTHING HAS BEEN bought and shipped for the clinic. The last few weeks have been spent spending every waking hour making sure I didn't miss anything. During the day a large group of us have been at the clinic repairing all the damage that's been done. I haven't been a lot of help in that area because I have no clue what the hell I'm doing. But, I've been going through each room as it's finished and repainting with Emmie's help. The guys are doing the manual labor while we paint and I order all brand-new things for the clinic. Adam has only left when he has to work a shift at Entice which has been once or twice a week for now. Charlotte has also shown up when she's not at her other job and helped get her area ready to go again. She went through all the computer programs with Hawk since he installed a few new ones for us. We've all gone through the security system with him as well. All three of us will have access to the cameras and entire system through apps on our phone and the monitoring system that's been installed on Charlotte's computer. It's a lot to take in, but we'll get used to it the more we use it.

When we're not at the clinic, Emmie has been spending time at the compound with Tripp and me. Some days I get her for hours and the guys leave us alone. Other times, when Tripp isn't on guard duty, he takes her to the clubhouse so they can spend time together alone. Emmie is so happy with Tripp. Charlotte has been invited for dinner a few times, but she declines each time we ask her. I'm not sure if she's scared of the club members or what's going on with her. I'm certainly not about to force her to do something she doesn't want to do though. It's been nice getting closer to Charlotte when we're at the clinic each day though.

Alex, Reagan, Zoey, and Kendell have also been by the house to spend time with me. I love each of them. Every woman is so different from one another and yet their friendship works great. I can't help but compare myself to each of them though. These women are all confident, sexy, and the kind of woman a club member would want. I don't see why Adam wants me the way he does. Not when I compare myself to the women who have brought me into their group and made me feel as if I'm wanted here by more than Adam. We've laughed at stories they've shared with me about the men and I've tried to explain to them how I'm feeling about everything going on. They all understand where I'm coming from and have explained things that have happened to them in the past.

It was interesting to learn that Alex, Kendell, and I are the ones who didn't know anything about club life while Zoey and Reagan grew up in a different club. The girls have explained several rules and things to me when we spend time together. It's nice to hear things from them, from a woman's point of view, instead of just hearing it from Adam. The girls have let me know what to expect if things continue with Adam and me. Like when he goes on a run, not talking about club business, and all sorts of things. They've explained in detail what my role by Adam's side is as well. Alex also told me about the hierarchy within the club and who the Fallen girls are. They all agreed that if I have an issue with one of them that I need to stand my ground and not back down because if I do, they'll just keep acting how they want and won't take me seriously. They won't respect the relationship I have with Adam and will continue to try and come between us.

I've never been one to fight, but when it comes to Adam, I will protect what we have. Like he's told me, one taste of him wasn't enough. We're together every day and it's still not enough. I keep feeling as if the feelings will wear off, but instead they just get stronger with each passing day. It's scary as hell and I'm quickly falling for the man that has turned my world upside down.

Today we're finishing up painting the exam rooms so the guys can bring in the tables and everything else that's needed in each room. It's so mundane that I can't stop thinking of everything that's been going on over the last few weeks. Emmie and I are each in our own room across the hall from one another. Jay is in my room with me right now as he paints the trim along the ceiling for me. I almost fell off a ladder yesterday when a wave of nausea hit me so Adam doesn't want me climbing on anything today. I'm not gonna bother fighting with him because it scared me. I wasn't up that high, but it was enough that I probably would've broken a bone or two if Adam hadn't caught me when he did.

I'm painting around the only window in the room. It looks out over the forest bordering the property I bought. Standing between two of the larger trees, I make out a shape. Squinting my eyes and looking closer, I realize it's not a shape but a man. He's staring at me. I know he is because I can feel his eyes burning holes in my face as we stare at one another. My body starts shaking and sweat covers my forehead and back as I can't break away from his fierce look. He's far enough away that I can't make out any details about the man, but his gaze won't let me go either. It's the weirdest experience I've ever had.

"J-J-Jay," I whisper, not sure if he'll hear me over the music being played from somewhere in the clinic.

"Dallas? What's wrong?" Jay immediately asks, stepping up next to me.

"Do you see what I see? Over in the forest between the two large trees," I question him, keeping my voice low as if the man outside can hear me.

"I do. I'm gonna go back to paintin' for a second and then act like I have to go to one of the other rooms. I'll alert the rest of the guys as to what's goin' on and we'll go find out who it is," Jay says, keeping his voice just as low before moving back to where he was painting.

I don't turn away from the guy as Jay leaves the room. The only sound I can hear is the blood rushing through my ears. It feels like forever passes before the man in the forest breaks eye contact and rushes from where he's been standing for however long before I noticed him. Adam rushes in the exam room I'm working in while I watch as the rest of the guys span out over my property and rush toward where Jay and I saw the man standing. Emmie rushes into the room behind Adam and closes the door behind her.

"Away from the window, Sweet Girl," Adam says, his voice hard and cold as he's in full Enforcer mode.

I haven't seen this side of him yet. While most people would find his coldness scary and over the top, I don't. I find it sexy as hell. Knowing that he'll do whatever is necessary to protect me fills a hole in me that I didn't know was missing until him. Adam comes and pushes me away from the window as I finally finish breaking free from whatever possession the person had over me.

"Are you okay?" Emmie asks, pulling me gently back to her side.

"I'm okay. It was scary. I was just painting by the window when I noticed him. Jay saw him too. I asked him if he did so I knew I wasn't just seeing something that wasn't there," I answer her, loud enough for Adam to hear too.

He doesn't move from the window as Emmie and I work on the last wall that's not by the window. We paint from each side, working toward one another in silence. By the time we're done with our wall, Adam is turning from the window and ushering us out of the room and toward the waiting room as the rest of the guys minus a few come back inside. Hawk is the first one through the door.

"Gonna pull up the camera feed and see if I can get a clear picture of his face," he says to us all before going to the receptionist desk and sitting before the computer.

We all watch him work for several minutes in silence. I can see the frustration filling him as he presses buttons. I might not know what he's doing, but he doesn't appear to be finding what he's looking for.

"Fuck!" he finally yells out, his voice echoing in the empty room.

"What's wrong?" Adam questions him, stepping up to get closer.

"He's picked up on every fuckin' camera, but his face is covered. He's dressed all in black and has a mask over his face. I can hardly make out his fuckin' eyes. They're covered by some kind of face paint so that every inch of his skin is covered. He's not an amateur at all," Hawk informs us as a chill spreads through my body.

"Fuck," Adam says, slamming his fist down on the counter in front of him. "Who the fuck is this twatwaffle?"

"No clue. We might have to talk to the mayor again and see if he's gotten anythin' else delivered to his house," Savage says as he walks up next to Adam with grim determination covering his face.

"Um, Titan, can I ask you somethin' before I talk to Reaper and the rest of the club about it?" Jay asks, walking up to Adam at the counter.

"Yeah."

The two men disappear down the hallway and Emmie grabs my hand as Tripp comes over to stand with us. I can tell he wants to say something reassuring, but there's really nothing to say right now. Tripp must sense that as Adam and Jay walk back in the room, both of them with smiles on their faces. I don't know what they talked about, but it seems to have made a change in Adam and reduced his anger and stress for the time being.

"What's goin' on?" Savage asks as Hawk stands from the computer and walks back out to the waiting room.

"Jay wants to work here with the three of you. He'll do whatever job you want to give him and will start as an intern if that's what you need," Adam tells me, stopping in front of me with Jay at his side. "He's not comfortable leavin' the three of you here alone after seein' that asshole standin' there. You did a good job, Sweet Girl. Makin' sure you weren't the only one to see him and alertin' the closest man to you. So fuckin' proud of you," he says, leaning down and pressing a kiss against my forehead before wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his body. "What do you think about Jay workin' here with you guys?"

"I actually like the idea. I was thinking about hiring someone to help walk the dogs and take them out to the fenced off areas so we weren't outside on our own. He can watch over the dogs while they're playing and getting their exercise so they're not left alone while we continue to work in here. Is that something your club will go for?" I ask, not sure if the guys will approve Jay working for me considering this isn't a club business.

"Yeah. Jay's got a good head on his shoulders. Knowin' that he's taken the initiative to come up with idea on his own will go a long way to Reaper and the others votin' for it to happen. I'll worry less too. I know you can hold your own, but you shouldn't have to, Sweet Girl. I'd also like to make sure you're gettin' more practice with your self-defense trainin' so we're gonna start workin' out every night when we leave here. The more you know, the easier it will be for me to let you out of my sight," he says and I nod in response because I'm never gonna turn down the chance to hone my skills and get all the training available to me.

"Let's get out of here for the day. I don't imagine the girls are gonna be comfortable workin' on the final rooms knowin' this fucker could come back," Tripp suggests as he looks around the room at everyone. "We can talk to Reaper about Jay and have him call the mayor about comin' in to talk to us."

"Yeah, I don't wanna be here anymore today," I tell Adam, the same chill rushing through me as I look around for the man to pop out of nowhere and get me.

"Okay, Sweet Girl. Let me clean the roller out for you and make sure the paint is all put away. Stay here with the guys. Savage can come help me get this taken care of so it's done quick and we can get out of here. You're ridin' back to the clubhouse with Emmie. Don't want you on the back of my bike with him bein' so close and no one findin' him," Adam says, taking the roller from my hand and disappearing with Savage.

"Did anyone find any trace of him or how he's gettin' in and out of the woods?" Eagle asks as the rest of the men return inside.

"There's barely a trace of the path he's taken. This guy knows how to cover his tracks and isn't leavin' us anythin' to go by. I've never seen anythin' like it before," Kidd says as he steps further into the waiting room. "No cigarettes on the ground, barely any of the bush and grass disturbed, no footsteps in the mud and softer dirt. It's fuckin' insane," he informs us, his voice hard and cold.

Adam and Savage return from cleaning up the paint rollers and making sure everything is taken care of. Emmie and I are placed in the center of the group of men as we leave the clinic and make our way to her car. Tripp and Adam help us inside before rushing to their bikes and getting on with the rest of the men. Tripp only stays long enough to inform Emmie to let Eagle and Kidd out before her. She'll follow in the car while Tripp and Adam take each side of the car and the rest of the men ride behind us. Hawk will ride in front of us to see if he spots anything out of the ordinary he needs to contact the guys about.

"I'm scared," Emmie admits once we pull on the road and start making our way toward the compound.

"I am too. I'm sorry, Emmie. This wouldn't be happening if it weren't for me," I tell her, sinking lower in my seat as I watch Adam ride next to me.

"None of that shit, Dallas!" Emmie says, her voice louder than normal. "This is on the stupid fucker who thinks he can fuck with you and get away with it. Sooner or later he's gonna mess up and the guys will catch him. All you gotta do until then is make sure you listen to Titan and the other guys so you remain safe. If anything were to happen to you, I don't know what I'd do."

"I don't know what I'd do if anything were to happen to you either," I tell Emmie honestly, pulling my eyes from Adam to face my best friend.

We make the rest of the trip to the compound in silence. Instead of pulling around back to the house, Adam points to the parking spots close to the front doors. Emmie parks her car and shuts the engine off, but we don't make a move to get out. We both wait for the guys to come over and open our doors for us. It's not because we don't want to get out on our own, but we know they'll lose their shit if we do because of the man watching the clinic. Adam and Tripp lead us into the clubhouse where I see Reagan and Kendell sitting on the couches. Emmie and I head over to them as the guys make their way to the bar or back to Reaper's office. Today went to shit and I'm ready to climb in bed so I can forget all about it. However, we need to figure out what the hell is going on and that needs to happen by talking to my dad. How the hell did my life come to this shit?