When they stopped at a stop sign, Jessa demanded to be taken back. She got so pissed at Blaine, accusing him of going too fast and purposely trying to scare her. She remembered wanting to go home. Meghan yelled at Blaine, calling him an irresponsible asshole. They got into a huge fight because of it. Megahn threatened Blaine, saying that if he ever killed her daughter, she’d never forgive him.
That was the worst to see. When Meghan would casually remind Blaine that Janey wasn’t his. Janey’s father was truly unknown. And Blaine had stepped into that role with love. And it always got thrown in his face.
Jessa caught herself squeezing even tighter at Blaine right then as they rode through town. She wore his bucket helmet and he didn’t wear a helmet at all. She thought about how much he had to drink… two beers. So he wasn’t drunk or anything. The two beers she drank, however, had more of an effect on her. She was buzzed. Her mind spinning, stuck between all that had happened.
When Blaine stopped his motorcycle, they were outside a small ranch style house. There was a driveway with a one car garage. It looked like a normal house in a normal neighborhood. Definitely not Blaine’s style. The same could be said from the moment Jessa stepped into the house. It was a fully furnished normal looking house. She expected whatever place Blaine called home to be littered with beer bottles, pizza boxes, and naked women.
“You live here?” she asked.
“No,” Blaine said. “The people that live here are on vacation. So I’m squatting while they’re gone.”
Jessa gasped. “What?”
“I’m joking. Yes, this is my house. I really don’t have much use for it though. But I figure it’s better than the clubhouse. Plus, we need to talk. Serious talk.”
Blaine pointed to the kitchen table. Jessa took a seat. He walked to the cabinet and opened it, taking out a bottle of liquor.
“What are you doing?” Jessa asked.
Blaine twisted off the cap of the whiskey and gave Jessa the bottle. “Building your confidence.”
Jessa touched the bottle. “I…”
“Look, you’re terrified right now. That entire thing at the clubhouse? You were just trying to be strong. I saw you wipe a tear from your eye, sweetheart. You need to talk. We have to figure this out. I don’t want this to end up on the table of my club.”
“The table?”
“Where we meet, Jessa. There’s certain guys that are patched in that get to vote at the table. It’s how the MC works. Miller is the President. Gaige is VP. I’m number three.”
“What does that mean?”
“That means I get a lot of shit thrown at me.”
“Like you killing someone?”
“Jesus Christ,” Blaine said. “Let that go. Because if you can’t handle it, you’re dealing with the wrong person. I have to find Vin and I have to kill him.”
Jessa felt her heart jump. Those kind of phrases were usually idle threats, right? I’m so mad, I could kill him. But looking at Blaine, she saw it in his eyes. He was a killer. Maybe he was always a killer, but before he had a badge that maybe justified it. Now he was an outlaw. He did whatever he wanted based around… the table…
Jessa grabbed the bottle and took a drink.
“Good girl,” Blaine whispered and he sat down. He took the bottle and drank. “Now, can we have a conversation without gambling, darts, you hitting me?”
“What about the naked women?”
“What about?”
“Do you have any hidden here?”
“Only one woman in this house right now, sweetheart. No pressure.”
“Trust me,” Jessa said. “There’s none.”
She went for the bottle again and Blaine tugged it back. “Wait.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry for what they said to you back there. They’re drunk assholes.”
“Like you usually are?”
“Yeah.”
“You think it bothers me?” Jessa asked.
“I don’t know. Does it?”
“No. I have small tits. I’ve known that since high school.”
“Ah, shit, sweetheart. Don’t say that. They’re not…” Blaine groaned and opened his hand, letting Jessa take the bottle.
She drank, feeling heat rush to her cheeks.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said.
“You do that,” Blaine said. “Now talk to me about Vin. Where was he? What did he do?”
Jessa relived the night he showed up. What he said, what he did to the cat. The fact that the security footage went missing. The fact that he had broken into the vet’s office and taken a cat to destroy like he did.
“Shit,” Blaine said.
“He did it because of what he said to me. He called me kitty. The last time I saw him. He said he would come for me.”
“That’s not going to happen. I’ll call in some favors and I’ll take care of it.”
“Blaine, I don’t want trouble with your club. I shouldn’t have even come here.” The three drinks of whiskey were starting to open the gates in Jessa’s mind and heart. “I’m sorry I did. You shouldn’t be dragged into anything. I should have called the police right away. He could have been taken away.”
“No,” Blaine said. “You know it doesn’t work that way. He’s got guys on the take probably. They’d come after you. You did the right thing by leaving. This won’t be easy, but we’ll make it work. We’ll find a way out of this. Together.”
Blaine touched Jessa’s hand. She quickly pulled away. “I don’t know how to deal with all of this.”