Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Zoey

SUNDAY IS HERE and I’ve vowed to rest and not do any schoolwork or much of anything else. I’ve got classes early tomorrow and I need to rest after spending so many hours studying and getting ahead in all of my classes. Right now, I’m already three weeks in on my syllabus. All of my work is ready to be turned in when it’s due and in folders I have for each class so it doesn’t get lost or mixed in with anything else. All of my notes and everything are done for all the chapters I’ve read and the ones I’ve taken in class. It’s honestly a great feeling to know I’m ahead already. Hopefully I can get even further ahead in the coming weeks. It shouldn’t be hard with the help of Alicia and everyone else I’ve been studying with at school. Every chance we get, we’re finding spots around campus to meet up and go over work for the classes we share. So far, I’m ahead of everyone else and they all look to me for guidance when it comes to getting so far ahead in my classes. Honestly, I don’t know how to be any other way so it’s easy for me.

I’ve been spending time with Reagan at the clubhouse on a daily basis. She is always here these days with Xavier so she can see me. I really don’t have anything against going to her house, but I hate using the club’s SUV more than I have to. My dad hasn’t been able to get my car here yet and it sucks. So, for now I’m stuck accepting the help of the club so I can get to school and work. Reagan is always bringing me the thing I’m craving most each day because it”s always changing. What I can eat today, I more than likely won’t be able to eat tomorrow. I still have morning sickness and it’s bad, but I’m able to eat more. I’ve also been making sure I keep my juice and some of those sports drinks on me at all times so I can stay hydrated. The last thing I want to do is spend time in the hospital because I didn’t listen to Dr. Morris. So, I’m doing everything in my power to ensure that doesn’t happen.

I love helping Alex out at Rhythm and Grace. The students she teaches are so precious and listen to her with rapt attention. She has the most patience I’ve ever seen from an adult when it comes to teaching even her youngest students. When they want to run amok and not listen to her, she brings them back on task and they manage to get through each lesson. What I really love the most is when we have free time and she teaches me new dance moves. It gets harder every single day, but I still make an attempt. If Jameson is there watching us, he usually steps up and dances with me. I never believed I’d ever see him dance with me on a regular basis. Still, every single day he manages to find a few minutes to dance. Even if it’s just holding me in his arms and swaying back and forth like we’re in middle school.

Jameson has stuck true to his word and he shows me on a daily basis exactly how he feels about me. There are no other women for him and he comes to me the second he steps foot in the clubhouse unless they call an emergency church or something. He sits with me in the room when I’m studying and doesn’t interrupt me. Since getting pregnant, I can say I’m honestly always ready for him to ravish my body. Jameson is more than prepared to satisfy me every time I give him the look. I don’t even have to say a word to him and he’s ready to give me whatever it takes to make me happy. What makes it even better is he’s no longer holding back when it comes to sex. Jameson gives me everything he has and then some. He’s honestly brought out a side of me I didn’t know existed. We never do the same thing twice and he gives me those hand necklaces I’ve come to love so fucking much.

Today, he’s taking me somewhere new. Because of Jameson, the club has started a program to help those in domestic violence situations. I don’t know the details of it yet, but I have a feeling I’ll be finding out today. He knows I’m going for my degree to become a social worker and I might end up being a perfect fit for the program depending on how they run it. I’ll have to talk to Jameson and Reaper once I see what they have going on. I just hope they go for it so I know now. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem working as a social worker for the county or whatever. I just know there’s a lot of tape you have to cut through and things you’re restricted from doing because of the rules and regulations you have to follow. If I were to work for the club, it wouldn’t be an issue because I wouldn’t have all the tape to cut through with them.

“Kitten, are you ready to head out?” Jameson asks me, walking back in our room at the clubhouse after going down to talk to Hawk for a few minutes.

“I’m ready when you are. I just finished my hair. I think I might need to get a few more pairs of sandals and flip flops to wear. It’s gonna be too hard to put sneakers or boots on soon. It’s already hard. I feel like a damn whale and still have so long in the pregnancy to get through,” I tell him, holding on to the edge of the dresser as I slide my feet into my black flip flops.

“You’re not as big as a whale, kitten. You’re carryin’ our babies and there are two of them growin’ in there,” he says, stepping up and placing his hand on the small belly I now have. “We can get you as many pairs of flip flops and sandals as you want. If I’m here, I’ll always help you put on your sneakers or boots. You can’t wear sandals and shit when it starts to get colder outside.”

I lean up to press a kiss against his lips without deepening it. If he’s taking me to the domestic violence place, then I want to get over there. Jameson grabs my hand and leads me from our room, only stopping long enough to lock our door. We head through the empty common room and out to his truck. Jameson lifts me up into the passenger seat before leaning in to fasten my seatbelt for me. Since I moved here with him, if we’re together I haven’t opened a single door or gotten in his truck on my own. He rarely lets me fasten my seatbelt. And I know it’s not because he doesn”t respect my independence or that kind of shit. It’s because that’s one way he can show me how much I mean to him. And we can’t forget the slap on my ass every time I walk past him. He gets me every fucking time with that one and I’m still not used to it.

Jameson heads out of town and I pay close attention to the direction he’s driving. His hand rests on my thigh as always when we’re in his truck and I link our fingers together. Before we leave Clinton City to get on the highway, Jameson pulls into what looks like an area filled with abandoned warehouses. They’re taken care of and not falling to the ground or anything, but it doesn’t appear as if they’ve been taken care of at all in a long time. He pulls up in front of the first one closest to where you pull in the parking lot and parks his truck. There are no other cars in the area and I’m kind of wondering what the hell is going on. This doesn’t look like anywhere I honestly want to be. However, I don’t say anything as he gets out of the truck and makes his way around the passenger side to open my door and help me out.

“Where are we, Jameson?” I ask him when my feet hit the pavement below me.

“You’ll see. Don’t let the exterior fool you, kitten. Trust me. You’re gonna love this shit,” he says, a large smile on his face as he links our fingers together and leads me around the side of the warehouse.

I watch as he presses a code into a box next to the door and the light switches to green. He opens the door and we walk in. I’m completely floored by what I see. The interior of the warehouse has been completely redone and has a modern feel to it. We walk in to a desk where a girl is sitting as she works on the computer in front of her. There’s potted plants around the room and two bouquets of flowers sitting on each side of the large desk she’s sitting at. Jameson greets her before moving us past her and deeper into the building. He points out the rooms where the individuals stay here. They each have a private room with an attached bathroom of their own. When they first come here, it takes a lot for them to leave their room and mingle with others after everything they’ve been through.

After pointing out the rooms and showing me an empty one, Jameson leads me further back to where the offices are. Some of them are used for counseling while others are private offices for those who work here. What really impresses me though are the rooms for the kids. There’s a large play room filled with toys, games, various game systems, and everything else a kid could want. The next room is a TV room that has one complete wall filled with nothing but bookshelves that are filled to capacity with so many books. I’d be in heaven in this room and wouldn’t want to leave until I read every single book on the shelves before me.

We move from the inside to the back door of the warehouse and I’m once again shocked as hell. The area is full of thick, green grass. There’s a play area set up for kids with a swing set, one of those castle style towers filled with slides, climbing ropes and a jungle gym. A volleyball net takes up another section of the yard. Closer to the building are several picnic tables that have been set up so the adults can relax while keeping an eye on their children as they play. Closer to the next warehouse, I make out a large garden filled with various things.

“That’s the vegetable garden. The people stayin’ here all work together in it on a daily basis. They pick what they grow and use it in every meal here. Each person has daily chores they have to complete on top of their counseling and any classes they sign up for. They get a few days to settle in and become accustomed to not havin’ their abuser in their face every damn day. Some people it takes a little longer than others. It just depends on the individual and how bad their circumstances were,” Jameson tells me, looking around the area with pride on his face.

“Reagan told me you brought this up once you got here and everyone was on board with starting this program. I can’t even begin to imagine the time it took to get everything in place to help these people. I’m so proud of you, Jameson. Thank you for showing me this,” I tell him, wrapping my arms around him as we make our way back through the warehouse he showed me and toward his truck out front. “I have to do an internship at some point. Do you think I could possibly do it here? Would Reaper and everyone else okay me to do that?”

“I honestly don’t see why they wouldn’t. I mean, this is what you’re goin’ to school for and I know I already planned on talkin’ to everyone about you workin’ here when you finished school. I know you want to help as many people as you can. Here you can do that without all the red tape and bullshit you’d have to deal with if you were workin’ for someone else. I mean, we don’t go out of our way to break the law, but we’re not gonna let these people continue to get hurt either. They come to us seekin’ safety and a way out of their situation. We provide them with everythin’ they need to accomplish those goals. I honestly like this setup more than just havin’ a few safe houses to put those who need assistance in. We can control security better here and there’s always a member or Prospects on the grounds to make sure no exes show up to cause problems,” Jameson tells me, making my heart beat faster because he’s already thinking of what I wanted to talk to him about at some point in time.

I want to ask so many questions, but I don’t. If he wanted me to know something about this place, he’d tell me. I’m not about to ask him to break someone’s confidence simply because I’m curious. Eventually I’ll know what’s going on here and hopefully be able to help those in need. I have less than a year left for my associates degree. If Reaper and everyone allows it, I’d like to start the second I have it in my hands. I might not be able to do much, but I can do something to help. Even if it’s just watching the kids or sitting with someone without talking. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to know they have someone in their corner and that they’re not alone in the world.

Jameson and I make our way back to the clubhouse we’re we spend the rest of the day in our room. We watch movies, eat junk food, and don’t see anyone. Reagan called to come visit and he told her today is a day for me to just be alone with him. We need our alone time just like I need to spend time with her. Today is our day and we’re gonna spend it alone. She gets where we’re coming from and understood completely. I’ll see her tomorrow after school and can spend time with her then. Maybe the four of us can have dinner together this week at their house so not everyone in the club is around. I love spending time with them all, but sometimes it’s nice to just be in a smaller group of people so there’s not as much chaos.

Another new week has started and I’m ready for it. I went to bed early last night and slept the full night for the first time since I got pregnant. When I woke up, I was laying on top of Jameson and he was holding me tight to his body. While he still slept, I took the chance to truly look at him and take in every single detail I could. He looks so fucking peaceful when he’s asleep and the weight of the world isn’t resting on his shoulders. I take in the tattoos covering his body and see the detail and time it must’ve taken for it all to be inked into his skin. I know Irish did some of them before Jameson left Clifton Falls. The rest of them he’s gotten since moving to Clinton City though. Most of his body is covered in ink. Now he’s talking about getting a few piercings as well. I don’t know what he’s thinking about getting pierced, but I’m down for it.

After giving myself a few minutes to just watch Jameson as he sleeps, I finally get out of bed and realize I don’t have to rush to the bathroom to get sick this morning. Happiness fills me as I stand next to the bed and stretch out my body. With one last look at Jameson, I make my way into the bathroom so I can take a shower and get ready to head to classes for the day.

I take care of my morning routine as the water in the shower gets warm. I’m no longer allowed to take hot showers because of the twins I carry. The water is barely warm because I don’t want to take any chances. I’ve just washed my hair and rinsed it out when the shower curtain is pulled back and Jameson gets in the shower with me. He leans down and kisses me before moving around my body to get under the water. I simply look at him like he’s crazy. This is the first time he’s showered with me other than when we stayed in the hotel.

“What made you decide to shower with me this morning?” I ask him, massaging the conditioner into my hair as he washes his hair and rinses it out.

“I woke up and you weren’t in bed with me. Knew you’d be in the shower so I came in to shower with you, kitten. I want to spend as much time as possible with you. I can’t take you to school today. I’m headin’ out on a run with Reaper and we gotta head out soon. I’ve got enough time to eat and that’s it. You won’t have a Prospect with you today because Rubber has to get to class, Greg is goin’ with us, Jay is headin’ out of town on different club business, and the new guy is on the gate,” he answers me as he grabs my loofah and puts body wash on it before making it full of suds.

Jameson washes my body before I take the loofah from him and return the favor. We both rinse off and he helps me out of the shower before drying me off and giving me a towel so I can wrap my hair up in it. After wrapping a towel around my body before heading in our room to get dressed for the day. I pull out a pair of leggings and one of Jameson’s shirts. Selecting my bra and panties, I get dressed as Jameson walks out of the bathroom completely naked. He doesn’t even have a towel wrapped around him. I’m not about to ignore the sight in front of me. I let my gaze roam over his body as I sit on the bed to make it easier to dress.

“This is gonna be a thing now, isn’t it?” I ask Jameson as he looks over at me while pulling his jeans on.

“What is?” he returns, trying to look completely innocent at me.

“You showerin’ with me because you’re afraid I’m gonna fall and get hurt or somethin’,” I tell him as he looks at me full of seriousness now.

“Yeah, it is, kitten. I’m not gonna risk you or our babies because you wanna shower on our own. I get it, I really do. But, that’s a risk we can’t take. Eventually you’re gonna get bigger and your equilibrium will be completely thrown off. That’s when we really have to start worryin’ about things happenin’,” he says, letting me know he’s been reading the baby book I got because I did read that in there and know exactly what he’s talking about.

“Okay.”

We get ready to leave for the day and head out at the same time. Jameson carries my stuff out to the SUV and helps me inside before fastening my seatbelt and giving me a deep kiss full of passion and everything he feels for me. Neither one of us have uttered those three little words yet, but I’ve wanted to. I don’t know how Jameson will react to me if I tell him how I truly feel though. So, for now, I keep my mouth shut and try to tell him in other ways. To show him by the little things I do to make his days easier and better than the last one.

I pull away from the clubhouse as Jameson follows me as far as the garage. It doesn’t take me too long to leave town and get on a deserted road on the way to school. Looking in my mirrors, I don’t spot anything out of the ordinary. Yes, I still check my mirrors to make sure no one’s following me on my way to school. As I look back through my windshield, a truck is coming at me from the opposite direction. I don’t think anything of it at first. Not until they swerve into my lane and there’s nothing I can do to get out of their way.

The truck hits me head on and forces me to an immediate stop. I’m jerked to a stop when the seatbelt locks tight and forces me back against the seat. The airbags blow and I’m hit in my face, causing black spots to fill my vision. I’m so shocked that I can’t move a muscle as fear consumes me for the twins I carry. I don’t even realize the door of the SUV has been ripped open and I’m being yanked from the driver’s seat. I’m not even sure what happens to the seatbelt as I try to fight against whoever has me. My vision is clouded by the black spots that I can’t make out anything at all around me. The world appears gray and bleak as I’m roughly forced into a trunk or backseat of another vehicle. I can’t even scream as my entire body shakes from head to toe and I try to find purchase so I can pull myself up.

Before I can make a move, I feel my arms and legs being tied together. I go to scream as something is shoved in my mouth and my hair gets pulled when something is tied around my head to keep the gag in place. Whatever it is smells, and tastes, dirty and nasty as bile starts to rise. If I get sick, I’m going to choke to death on it. I swallow repeatedly and try to force the bile back down. I just manage to get right again when I’m knocked out. Blackness pulls me under and I can’t do anything to stop it from happening. Everything fades away. The fear, worry for our babies, thoughts of Jameson and the wonder of who’s coming after me. I’m floating on a cloud of darkness where nothing else can hurt me and it’s kind of nice.