Wrong Side of the Tracks by Ashley Zakrzewski
ChapterFive
Jason brings me inside what I assume is his bedroom, turns on a lamp, then opens the window to let some fresh air in. It’s too late for him to hide the fact that he smokes weed. He kicks the makeshift ashtray beneath the armchair in the corner of the room to conceal it from view, but it’s pointless because I hear the rusty tin can scrape across the wood. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the tidiest person in the world. My disorganized workstation is proof of that. But when I get up in the morning, I bother to make the damn bed.
“I didn’t know you were such a slob,” I remark, looking around at all the laundry dumped in the corner, with T-shirts and jeans incongruously strewn all over the chair. “How can you tell which is clean or dirty? Do you just sniff it?”
Jason grins sheepishly as I call him out. “I wasn’t expecting company. You’ve just caught me on a bad day.”
“Is that so?” I drag my eyes around the room. “Your mom will throw a bitch fit if she sees where you’re living.”
It’s true. Liv Knight runs the beauty salon in town. She’s immaculate, which is probably why Sheriff Dan can’t help himself. He keeps sniffing around like a dog, marking his territory around the middle-aged spinster. Jason’s family home is only a few streets away from where I live. He moved from the dumpy side of town after his mom scraped enough cash together to save for a downpayment on a house. Liv has never been married; hence the reason Jason carries her maiden name. No one knows who his father is. Liv would never say. But one thing’s for sure, he doesn’t look anything like Sheriff Dan. It’s funny, when I mention his mom, it makes Jason’s eyebrows almost fly off his face.
“Hey, leave her out of this,” Jason mutters, then dumps the pile of clothes back onto the chair. “Unless you want me to call your parents to tell them about the stunt you pulled tonight.” He eyes me doubtfully.
I roll my eyes, then puff out a breath. “Well, if you think I’m spending my time cleaning up after you, you’ve got another thing coming.”
“I don’t expect you to, Peaches.” Jason steps on the back of his heel to remove his boot, then perches on the armchair to pull off the other one. They both land on the floor with a thump. “Just pick up after yourself. We don’t invade each other’s personal space unless we’re invited. But as for the clubhouse.” He nods his head at the door, hinting at the communal space downstairs. “It’s a team effort to keep it clean. Nobody rides for free. We all contribute toward the beers and smokes. The girls shop for groceries and take care of the laundry. Not just because they’re women, but because they say we’re no good at that shit. I’ll introduce you properly in a bit. They’ll all be dying to meet you."
“Ah, so that’s why your laundry pile resembles Mount Everest, because no one can come into your room without permission.” I quirk my lips as I look around. “You know, maybe you should practice what you preach.” I shrug. “Lead by example instead of just barking orders at people. If they see you living like a bum, they’ll follow suit.”
Jason goes to speak but clamps his mouth shut, unable to disagree. He rubs his elbow, his expression darkening.
“I haven’t been in a good place since, you know.” He breaks eye contact, dropping his gaze. “You of all people should know.”
“Yeah, I miss Bodie so much it physically hurts me to think about him.” I stare straight at Jason, noticing the way his eyes keep darting my way. “But the way I see it is I could spend my whole life wallowing in my room, barely existing, or I can get off my ass and find the fucker who shot him.”
Jason drives his hands through his hair and turns away from me. “I told you; I’m handling it.”
The signs of depression and grief are all around us. It looks like Jason hit rock bottom a long time ago. The top of his dresser is full of cologne bottles, a collection of deodorant tubes, empty cigarette packets, receipts Jason had scrunched and left there to gather dust, and a collection of beer bottles that have dead flies and cigarette butts floating around inside the remnants. I turn around and kick something by accident; it’s a beard trimmer Jason left on the floor, plugged into the charger. There’s a lot of crap lying around on the floor. It’s hard to tell what’s trash and what’s worth keeping. If this fucker thinks I’m moving in with him, he’s in for a rude awakening. He may rule the roost out there with his biker buddies, but behind closed doors, we should lay down some rules to respect each other’s boundaries. Just because I’m hopelessly besotted with the handsome slob, whose hypocrisy makes me want to throw him off the balcony and grab a broom and a duster, I’m nobody’s bitch. I have a full-time job to go back to. I’m the boss. If the Hawks want to continue to work there, they’ll be working for me. Not Jason.
“If this is how it’s going to be, then this isn’t going to work.” I sit on the edge of his crumpled bed.
Jason scowls over his shoulder. “I’ve warned you about that mouth of yours. Unless you’ve got something nice to say, I can think of a great way to plug it.”
“I’d love to see you try,” I answer back without thinking. The words just fly out of my mouth before I can catch them.
Jason’s hands drop to his front, the sharp sound of his zipper tearing through my ears as I realize he’s taking off his pants. To do what? To follow through with his threat?
“Wait, I’m sorry,” I rush to say as he shoves his jeans down his legs, then steps out of them.
“Too late, Peaches,” Jason rasps, pulling his vest over his head and tossing it onto the laundry pile.
My breath catches as he turns around and I get a good look at his godly, inked body, my eyes bulging at his pierced appendage. The guy oozes power and authority without even having a stitch on. How is that possible? He’s intimidating to look at.
“Now’s not the time to be shy,” Jason says, stepping closer and moving a small stack of bike magazines with his bare foot. “When you dare someone to do something, you’ve got to see it through. If you don’t, your opinion doesn’t count for shit. I warned you before we started this that there’d be repercussions for giving me lip. I won’t stand for any backchat. Either you haven’t been listening, or you’re a glutton for punishment.”
I hold up my hand in front of me. “Just let me speak, please.”
Jason stops right in front of me and crouches down, resting on one knee. His blank expression is unreadable. I hate that I can’t tell what he’s thinking. I wish I could read his mind and find out if he’s telling the truth. That he’s always liked me. If there’s even the smallest chance that anything he’s said to me is true, I will snatch that and run with it. It’s the first time in a long time I haven’t felt so alone.
“Just tell me because I need to know.” I reach out and hold his face between my hands, looking him right in the eyes. “I need you to be honest with me. No secrets. No lies. Is everything you’ve said tonight true? Do you have real feelings for me?”
Without hesitation, Jason replies, “Yes.” My eyes twitch at the corners. “I love you, Keira,” he clarifies, erasing my doubts.
It takes me a moment to process the weight of that revelation and work out what this means for us. It means more to me than I initially thought. My heart thumps a little harder, swelling with relief.
“I love you too,” I reply, blinking back my emotions. “Then I can trust you’ll do what’s right by Bodie and help me to nail that son of a bitch.”
Jason scrunches his eyes shut and huffs with agitation. “Not this again.” In a swift action, he’s on the bed, pulling me across his lap, face down so that my forehead is almost touching the floor.
“Jason!” I wail, not expecting him to yank me over his lap like that.
“You’re gonna listen to me, so help me God.” Jason rubs his hand against my bruised denim-clad bottom.
I flip like a fish as he wrestles my jeans and panties over my hips and bares my ass. He doesn’t stop there. This time, he shoves two fingers inside my pussy, making my eyes bulge as his thumb presses firmly against my asshole. The bastard is holding me like a bowling ball, his thumb applying pressure to my ring of fire until it bursts through my resistance.
“Argh! What the fuck?!” I screech, tears pricking my eyes.
Jason moves his fingers until the pressure stops and the pleasure begins. “You’re mine, Keira. Mine to love and protect. It’s my job to stop you from doing shit that’ll get you hurt or worse . . . killed. I don’t want you going anywhere near that psychopath. Do you hear me?”
I’m too busy moaning as he fingers me. He removes his fingers and smacks me hard on the ass, the sharp sting and loud slap making me jolt across his lap.
“Answer me,” Jason commands, sounding angry.
“But—” I don’t get the chance to finish before he smacks me again, only this time much harder.
“Ow,” I cry out.
“The Jackals won’t think twice about putting you down. Don’t you get it? If something happens to you, I’ll be better off dead,” Jason lectures me, his voice cracking with emotion at the end. “I can’t lose you. I just can’t.” He rubs away the fire on my skin, caressing away the stinging sensation until the heat on my ass and the warmth of his palm become one. “You’ve just got to trust me to do what needs to be done. Please, Peaches. If you just stay out of it, everything will work out fine. I promise you. It’ll all work out fine.”
Tears cling to the tip of my nose, tickling the end of it, making it itch. I wipe my hand over my face as Jason allows me to stand.
“Fine, I’ll drop it,” I concede with a sob, moving to pull up my pants.
Jason’s hand darts out to stop me, then leans forward to press his lips against my stomach. Instinctively, my hands rest upon his head, fingers driving into his hair as he descends to my mound while peppering me with soft kisses.
“Thank you,” Jason aspirates with a warm, tickling breath.
This tender moment is enough to plug the gap in my heart for now, which is strange for me since I’m not usually the type of girl who needs hugs and reassurance. Just that one time when my world came crashing down. Jason was there to catch me when I fell, holding me until I could sleep. Maybe at first he saw me as his best friend’s little sister, but somewhere along the way, I wormed my way inside his heart. It’s like we are meant to be. No other man has this effect on me. When Jason holds me, I don’t jerk away. I melt into his embrace and draw strength from him. There’s only Jason who can comfort me and make me feel whole and safe.
“Is it good when I touch you here? Or maybe here?” Jason murmurs as he kisses me, his warm breath billowing against my skin.
My legs tremble as he parts my folds with his thumbs and drags the tip of his tongue across my clit.
“Right there,” I answer, fisting his hair.
“Keep watching,” he commands, flicking out his tongue for another lick.
Jason doesn’t check that I’m looking as he feasts, too busy tasting me, his fluttering tongue driving me to the brink of insanity. But he expects me to watch, and if I disobey, he might stop, and if he stops, I’ll die. I need this. It’s my ultimate fantasy. I’ve been needing this for so long.
“Uh,” I gasp, fighting the urge to close my eyes and drown in an ocean of bliss.
The tension inside me builds, skittering through my nerves until it bursts right out. He whirls me around. My eyes scrunch shut as my back hits the mattress, and Jason climbs over me, covering me with his magnificent heft, notches his pierced cock at my pussy, then shoves deep inside. The bed creaks as he thrusts, slow at first, but then he quickens his pace, his ass bouncing, strong arms caging me in, his mouth open, his face pinched with pure pleasure.
“God, you feel amazing,” Jason groans, curling one hand around my throat, his grip tightening. “If it becomes too much, just tap out.”
“Don’t hold back,” I say. “Fuck me hard.” It’s what I need, and he knows it.
With my full permission, Jason gives me what I want. The headboard knocks against the wall the harder he thrusts, and my breath thins from the constriction around my throat. I feel everything. The immense stretch of his big, thick cock, and the stainless-steel embellishments rubbing against my G-spot. Holy hell, the guy knows how to fuck. My imagination could never do him justice. Lights burst in my eyes; the rest of my body switches off and sends heightened sensations straight to my pussy. I can’t breathe, but the intense fucking feels amazing. Just when I think I’m going to black out, Jason releases his grip and air rushes straight into my lungs, the most incredible climax hits me, and all I can see is stars.
“Fuck,” Jason barks his release, hips jerking as he cums.
The intense rush leaves me stuck between hyperventilating and sobbing. My head is spinning so fast the room zooms in and out of focus.
“I know, baby, I know. I’m right here. Just breathe.” Jason holds me, rolling me onto his chest.
Exhaustion washes over me, and I close my eyes. I only intend to rest for a few minutes. But when I open them again, pale sunlight pools in through the gap in the curtains, meaning I must have slept through the night. I glance up, peeling my cheek from Jason’s muscular chest, and find him sound asleep, his dark crescent lashes fanned out against his skin. Smiling fondly, I trace the strong, angular profile of his nose, the excitement fluttering in the pit of my stomach about having a future with this man.