Chapter 61

Her eyes lit up. With a small smile tugging at my lips, I lifted her into my arms, cradling her to my chest as I carried her towards the door, her contract with the club already in my back pocket so I could get James to get rid of it.

She wouldn’t be here any longer.

Gemma walked up to me. I growled in annoyance, tightening my arms around Juliana. She buried her face in my neck, a move that meant she trusted me, and that struck a fucking chord in me.

“Is everything okay, Mr. Jackson?” Gemma asked me. “I know she’s a bit much to deal with—”

That pissed me clean the fuck off.

“Get the fuck out of my way,” I snarled at her. She blanched, stumbling back a couple of steps.

Juliana was not a bit much to deal with. It was a matter of understanding your submissive.

I planned to talk to James about this shit because if Gemma had been getting complaints about her, then that meant the dominants here weren’t paying attention to the needs of their submissives.

And someone not paying attention to Juliana’s? It made me want to destroy something.

“Keep your face hidden,” I quietly told the woman in my arms as I walked through the main part of the club.

She nodded her head and kept her face buried in the crook of my neck. Everyone cast their eyes away from us as I walked through, the people in the room parting like the red sea.

I guess they realized who I was after I broke that son of a bitch’s spine and killed him.

I was the twisted Jackson brother, the one who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.

I was something to be feared.

Once I had Juliana settled in my car and we were on the road headed towards my brother’s, I called Emmaline, knowing she would know what all Juliana needed. I wanted out of that club before I ripped Gemma’s head from her shoulders. I would go back some other time to get Juliana’s things, but for right now, I was hoping Emmaline had something that Juliana could wear.

“Darren?” Emmaline asked in surprise. I heard her giggle. “James, stop. Your brother is on the phone.”

I made a gagging sound that had her laughing. “Sorry, Darren. What’s up?”

“I’m bringing someone home with me,” I told her. “I’m hoping you have some clothes she can borrow until I get her things.”

“Of course,” Emmaline told me without hesitation. “I’ll leave them on your bed for her, if that’s okay?”

I glanced over at Juliana. She wasn’t paying me any attention. Instead, her head was leaning against the window, and her eyes were closed.

She was sleeping. And fuck, she looked so innocent, so fucking sweet.

Something primal and protective stirred in my veins at the sight.

“That’s fine,” I told Emmaline, ignoring the fact that my voice came out a little rougher and gravelly than normal. “And have Mrs. Judy bring some food up, please.”

“Of course, Darren. And congratulations,” she quietly added.

I tightened my hand around the phone before I hung up, my hand tightening around the steering wheel.

Congratulations.

Jesus Christ. Was it that easy to tell I was attached to this woman within the matter of a few fucking hours? I was royally fucked.

~*~*~

Juliana jerked awake when I opened my car door, her hands scrambling for something to grip. I instantly reached over and grabbed her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me.

“Breathe,” I quietly soothed. I brushed my thumbs over her cheeks. “Breathe, baby girl. You’re safe with me.”

She slowly relaxed, and though the haunted, terrified look left her eyes, it didn’t leave my fucking mind.

I vowed to find out who the fuck put that look in her eyes, and I vowed to fucking destroy them.

“You okay now?” I asked her.

She nodded. I released her and got out of the car, coming around to her side to let her out. I grabbed her hand in mine and walked inside, thankful that everyone was somewhere else, and I had a feeling James and Emmaline had something to do with that.

I led her upstairs to my room and straight to the bathroom, not even sparing the bag of things on my bed that Emmaline had left behind a glance.

Once we were in my bathroom, I turned to face her. “Aftercare,” I told her when she looked at me in confusion.

Her eyes never left me as I slowly undressed her, taking the time to run my fingers over her soft skin, occasionally lingering.

She was beautiful and fucking addicting. I couldn’t seem to stop touching her.

Once she was undressed, I set her on the bathroom counter and walked over to the tub, turning the water on. I noticed Emmaline placed some fruity-scented bubble bath shit on the floor beside my tub, and I sent a mental thank you to her as I poured some in with some Epsom salt, knowing it would help Juliana’s muscles relax.

I pulled my clothes off and tossed them into the hamper before walking over to Juliana. She was leaning her head on the wall, her eyes closed.

“Hey, let’s get in the bath, and I’ll hold you while you sleep,” I said softly, making her slowly drag her eyes open.

I pulled her to me, and without having to be prompted, she wrapped her arms and legs around me, her head falling to my shoulder.

I tightened my arms around her in an automatic, primal, protective response and carried her towards the bath, being extremely careful not to slip and fall as I stepped into the hot water. She sighed in contentment as the water wrapped around us.

By the time the tub filled up and I turned the water off, she was passed out in my arms. I bathed her the best I could, being careful not to wake her, and after, I just held her, enjoying the silence – silence I hadn’t had for fucking years – and the feeling of a warm, soft woman in my arms – or more specifically, this woman.