Authors: Mahalia Levey
Sameera walked over to the microwave to make some hot tea. “Yeah, I think so.”
“So there’s nothin’ between you and that security guard outside this bus?”
“He’s a good kisser, but that’s about the extent of my
something with Jacob
.” The way Midian looked at her made her squirm in her skin. “Quit trying to read me. I just wanted to rile Jimmy that night. Let him know I had other options if I chose to.” The microwave dinged and Sameera took out her cup and dropped the teabag in.
Midian pulled out a bottle of water. “I forgot no alcohol on this bus.” He chuckled. “The dry bus. That’s what I’m gonna call this bedazzled glittery contraption of hell.”
“Aw, is it gonna kill you to suck down a bottle of water?”
“Jimmy could’ve totally hid a few single bottles behind everything,” Midian grumbled, picking out a juice pouch instead and returning the water to the shelf.
“So you need to tell the guard to back off. He keeps watching you like he owns you. His behavior is making me and the guys want to take him down a peg. I don’t like him being tasked to see to your safety. I’m not sure he’s the one that’s safe around you. ”
“You, Major and Vin always, always overreact. I’ve never lied about my relationship with the O’Rileys. It’s insane and I wanted to keep professional and personal separate. I was a fool to think that was remotely possible.”
“We thought we were being selfish to sign on, but damn, I really like the guys.”
“Even Jimmy?”
“Yeah, he takes a bit to grow on ya but, he’s not bad. I just want to make sure you’re ready for this new road. Parenting is a huge responsibility. When we first thought about the tour you know it was just the team with theirs. You both have a strong foundation but it’s rocky and the stress of having a child is going to multiply small things that can blow up into major issues.”
“Just think of all the make-up sex we’ll have.” Midian wasn’t saying anything she hadn’t thought about herself. So what if they started their family earlier than she planned.
“Smart-ass.”
“That’ll be a dollar. Please deposit it in the glass jar.”
Midian slurped the rest of his juice pouch and stood. “I hear ya.” He strode to the trash, dropped it in and shoved a five dollar bill in the jar.
“Smart man.”
Sameera tucked her hands in her pocket and strode to the front of the bus. She opened the door and stepped out. “Jacob, got a second?”
“For you, I have all the time in the world.” He stepped way into her personal space, forcing her to take a step back. Something about the way he smiled at her creeped her out.
“How are you liking working for us?” Maybe starting off with something neutral would ease her into what she needed to say.
“It’s good. Can’t say traveling with the others is easy. I’d be more comfortable if I was on the bus with you.” He trailed a finger down her arm.
“Please don’t do touch me like we’re intimate. We’re not.” She stepped back again and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Jacob. I appreciate how you requested this job, but you’re making me and my band uncomfortable. I think you’re amazing at your job but, not for my band. After tonight, I think it’s best if you look for another assignment, not tied to me or my band.”
“You’re firing me?” He grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him.
“Let me go.” Sameera’s stomach dropped. His grip tightened and the rage pouring out of him scared her. Jacob hauled her against his chest and covered up her mouth, drawing her further into the shadows. Sameera kicked and bit his hand, to no avail.
“I’m not going to hurt you if you stay still. I just want to talk without your team of testosterone,” he growled in her ear. In the distance she heard the concert wrapping up, but the crowds were too loud for her to even make a dent in the raucous noise if she let out a scream.
She nodded her head and wished she’d listened to Midian when he’d first objected after Trish’s announcement. Finding herself pinned against a wall, far away from the safety of the busses freaked her out. “What do you want from me?”
“A shot at dating you. You’re so wrapped up with that asshole in Crimson Rage you can’t see I’d treat you better, like the queen you are. I’d worship the ground you walked on and make sure you knew you were number one.”
Are you kidding me? How can he possibly think he has any other option than being cast out after grabbing my arm and dragging me away with his hand over my mouth?
Sameera crossed her arms over her body. “I’m sorry but I’m committed to Jimmy. I shouldn’t have kissed you at the club that night. If I led you on it wasn’t on purpose.”
Jacob closed in on her, reaching out to finger a strand of her hair. Sameera held her breath.
“Sameera?” Major’s voice rang out in the darkness.
Blessed be.
“Major, over here.” Jacob dropped his hand from her as Major came into view.
“What are you doing over here in the dark? Midian is worried sick.” Major took a hold of her arm and she flinched in response. His eyes grew hard as his gaze passed from her to Jacob and back to her again.
“The fuck?” Jimmy shouted stalking toward them with an air of danger. She couldn’t breathe through all the tension rolling in the air.
“Just came looking for her. Midian said she disappeared. He couldn’t leave Millie alone and sent me to find her. I found her, over here in the dark with this asshole. Dude, I don’t like you. Not sure how you got landed this job but as of now it’s over.”
“Meerkat, he hurt you? Let me know so I can break his goddamn face.” Jimmy pointed at Jacob. “I knew you were a stalker. Why else would you lure a woman into the dark instead of talking in plain view?”
“Maybe we weren’t talking, maybe we were, you can finish the scenario in your head.” Jacob smirked.
Jimmy snarled and threw the first punch. Major jumped back out of the way, drawing Sameera with him.
“I’m lookin’ at that arm as soon as we get back on the bus,” Major whispered in her ear.
“You should stop him. He will fight until Jacob can’t move. I don’t want trouble, okay? Just have him escorted out.”
“What in the hell is happening over here?” Trish stormed in. “Jimmy, don’t you throw one more punch.”
Jimmy whipped his head around to look at Trish before he pummeled Jacob with a series of rib cracking hits. Jacob fought back, his retaliation missing its mark. “He touched Sam. Hurt her. I’ll end him.”
“J.J., he’s not going to hurt me now. Stop before you end up in jail or sued,” Sameera begged.
“You should listen to your girl, hotshot. You now have other responsibilities, want Millie to go to your ma? What do you think a court will do?” Trish reminded him.
Those words stopped Jimmy cold. He climbed off of Jacob and spit on him. “Come near my girls again and I will end this. Trish, take care of this piece of trash. Make sure you grab all access to anything connected to us.”
He stalked over to Sameera and hugged her. “When I get you alone, we are going to have words you won’t like. Get me? But first you’ll let me see where you’re hurt. Move it to the band bus now, meerkat.”
As a team of venue security came to Trish’s aide, Sameera hightailed past Millie’s bus with the devil on her heels in the image of Jimmy and Major. Midian frowned at her before entering the band bus ahead of them. Great. Three pissed off men. Taking out her phone, she texted Carlie.
I need you on the bling bling bus. Shit’s goin down and there’s a lot of testosterone aimed at me.
Carlie replied instantly.
Be right there. Been in your shoes tons of times. No worries. If all else fails, girl, you know Jimmy can’t stand tears...
Sameera pushed her phone in her pocket waiting for her relief. Carlie met them on her way over.
“I feel for you, just wanted to check on you before heading over. Jimmy loves you, you’ll be fine. Go.” Carlie gave her a bear hug. Major and Jimmy gave her a ‘don’t bullshit around’ glare. Her friend offered an encouraging smile and disappeared into Millie’s bus, leaving her to the wolves.
Into the lion’s den she went with two testosterone riddled males on her heels and one waiting in a simmering rage. Taking a gulp, she entered the bedroom. She believed she didn’t do anything wrong, but she had.
“Meerkat, where are you hurt?”
Sammera bit her lip. “It’s okay. Nothing is wrong. Can we just grab a movie and veg?”
“I barely touched your arm and you flinched so hard you almost fell on your ass.”
“Snarling is not going to get you anywhere, Major. It doesn’t matter. He’s gone, Jimmy beat the living hell out of him. Drop it.”
Jimmy stormed over to her and ripped her jacket from her body. His glare advised her not to provoke him anymore as he spun her into the light. “Mother fucker. Your arm is bruising. He didn’t grab you for a talk. He grabbed you to hurt you. What happened?”
“Sam, listen to Jimmy, we need to know what was said and what he did for our paperwork with the security team and to make sure nothing like this ever happens again,” Major advised.
“I feel stupid, okay.” She sat down and sniffled. “Midian told me to tell him to back off and quit hitting on me. So, I went outside to talk to him. I really thought he was harmless. He hadn’t done anything to make me think he was dangerous. He didn’t take rejection or being fired well. He grabbed my arm, then put a hand over my mouth and dragged me over to the wall. But nothing happened. I just talked him down.”
“Nothing happened because I called out for you. He missed his opportunity to take anything farther.”
“I’m okay, guys. No biggie.” Little did she know her dismissal of the incident would incite their anger higher.
“Mid and I will make sure that loser is out of here for good.” They left her alone with Jimmy, who sat on the bed with his hands clenched into fists at his side.
Sameera moved to follow them out, but Jimmy shot up, blocking her exit. “What? I wanted to check on Millie.”
“Good try, meerkat. She’s sleeping, no need to check on her. Carlie is with her. Now where were we?” He took a deep breath, she assumed he did so to center his emotions. When he regarded her a semblance of calm fell between them.
“Preparing to watch a movie, your turn to pick?”
“I can’t play if I’m worried about you. I can’t fucking think when I’m worried something bad is going to happen. You have got to use your smarts. He could’ve raped you, or worse raped and killed you. No one would’ve known. You are damned lucky Major came along when he did. Thinking about that sick fuck is turning my gut. Jesus.” He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled.
“I didn’t think I was in any danger.”
“The next time you think you’re not in danger, do me a favor and wait for one of the guys before going off on your own.”
“I’m a grown woman, Jimmy. You can’t order me around and expect me to just listen. He was hired to protect me.”
“You and your eternal optimism grate on my nerves, it makes you naïve, and a target.” He reached out and tugged her into his arms. “I swear if I lost you too, I’d lose it, as in postal lose it. I’m gonna grab us some grub. I’ll be right back.”
Sameera let him leave. Her phone beeped and she took it out of her pocket.
How’d it go? Never mind, he is mad as hell. Ohh girl, he is on a warpath like pissed. I did the same thing to Jackson, Shea and Garrick. Went running and forgot my rape whistle. A nice lady gave me a ride home and just in time to see two hot men, can’t call my bro hot, standing in the middle of the driveway lookin’ like Jimmy right now. They got over things though. They care, Sam, that’s how we know how much. At least the other guys weren’t here or you’d have all them in a rage.
Carlie’s imagery cracked her up. She quickly hid her amusement as her man walked back in with two plates of food and a couple sodas.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Good we can go to bed then. Not in a movie mood.” He dropped the plates on the nightstand and turned to face her.
“I’ll eat.” She wasn’t ready to climb into bed and deal with his surly overprotective mood. She took her plate and ate super slow, trying to stretch out time, and turned on the television. He gave her that silent smart girl appraisal.
Silence penetrated the room. He quietly ate his food and tossed his plate into the trash, then wordlessly went into the small bathroom and turned on the shower. Sameera tossed her plate in the garbage and entered the bathroom. “Jimmy.”
“What?” he asked. Sam watched the shampoo run rivulets down his body. The pathway mesmerized her.
“I’m sorry. Okay. I guess going outside alone knowing none of you liked him was a gamble I shouldn’t have taken.”
Jimmy ducked his head out of the shower. “You guess?” He rinsed off and opened the door. “You guess, do you?” Snapping a towel off the hook, he wrapped the cloth around his waist.
“Bad choice of words,” she said, trying to leave a little space between them in the tiny enclosure. “I’m sorry I scared you or that the thought of something happening to me freaked you out.”
“Shower’s yours.” Jimmy brushed past her out the door.
Sameera disrobed and stood in front of the sink and mirror. For the first time she got a glimpse of the dark hand impression on her arm. Jacob branded her with violence. Her arm smarted but she didn’t think it was as bad as they made it out to be. Shaking her head, she went to turn on the water.