Free Jack by Amanda Anderson Page B

and eat aunt Viki or I’ll be tardy.”
    She blew out a breath that caused her hair to flutter.  She sat and shoveled the eggs into her mouth while glaring daggers at Jack.  That was fine as long as she was eating.  She could glare at him all she wanted.
    They dropped Bobby off at school and made the short drive to her apartment building.
    “Damn Viki, this place is a dump.”  He said before he could stop himself.
    “Yeah Jack thanks for pointing that out, I thought it was the damned Biltmore house.”
    “What the hell are you doing living in a place like this?  You made better than this.”
    “Bobby has bills Jack and I had to pay that money back to the club.  It’s the best I could do.”
    Jack heard the tears in her voice and felt like shit.  He pulled her into his arms and kissed her head.
    “I’m sorry Viki.  You should have come to me.  I would have helped you.  Before everything… why didn’t you trust me then?”
    They had been close once. 
    “I had to be sure.  I was giving it time and well… time showed I couldn’t really trust you either.”
    Viki pulled away and walked down the short hall to her bedroom. 
    Jack followed behind her.  He wanted to curse at what he found.  Just a mattress on the floor.  The sheets were clean and there was a quilt folded at the foot, but it was still just a ratty old mattress. 
    He looked around the room, there was nothing pretty in it.  Nothing that made it seem like a woman lived there and she had lived there for over a year.
    She was busily stuffing clothes into an oversized garbage bag as he looked around.  She had almost killed herself working in a job that almost robbed her of her soul and for what?
    He stepped into the other little room and saw a different story.  Bobby’s room was colorful with pictures of airplanes hanging on the walls and a matching quilt on his unmade bed.  Toys littered the floor and books were neatly lined on a little red bookshelf.
    “Oh,” she said as she bumped into Jack on her way to get Bobby’s things.  “I don’t want anything from this dump, but Bobby’s things need to be packed up...if we are staying with you for very long.”
    “I hope you will stay, for as long as you want to.”
    Viki turned to him with a question in her eyes and a flippant smile until she saw the look on his face.
    He didn’t’ give her time to protest, he crushed her to his chest and hugged her.  He wanted to wrap her up and keep her.  Seeing her place was breaking him apart.
    “Jack?”
    “Just be still for a sec ok?”
    He felt her nod against his chest.
    “Did Fish rape you Viki?”
    She shook her head.  “No he made me consent.”
    “He made threats until you did?”
    “Yeah, but he didn’t force me.  I chose to do what he wanted so he wouldn’t hurt us or rat us out to the club.”
    Jack cupped her face.  “You do not have to sleep with me to earn my protection.  Not ever.  I want you to understand that right fucking now.  You don’t get into my bed unless you want me as much as I want you.”
    His eyes glittered in the dimness of the room.  “You want me?”  Viki whispered.  “After knowing everything, you still do?”
    He didn’t answer, instead his lips crashed on hers and he pulled her even closer.  She dropped the bag of clothes in her hand and wrapped her arms around his neck.  It seemed like forever before he let her take a breath.  Her head swam and her knees were weak.
    “Yeah Viki I want you.  I always did.”
    Then he was kissing her again.  Jack let his lips find her neck and bit down.  He lifted her until her legs wrapped around his waist and he pressed her against the wall.
    “I won’t do this here, but I needed to taste you, make sure you understand what I feel.”
    Viki shook her head.  “I don’t understand Jack.”
    “I want you to stay with me Viki, always, just stay.”
     

 
     
    13
     
    Viki still couldn’t believe what Jack had said to her.  He wanted her and