8
“I don’t think so. We’re doing what we can to encourage the bond; Patrick is talking you up, trying to explain why you reacted like that. We even had some of your clothes brought over to her, she likes sleeping in your T-shirt, says It is comfy and smells good.”
I smiled at that. “All right, where do I sit legally?”
“The County Attorney has filed two counts of felony battery and lesser charges. Honestly, you can’t fight this and win. They have security camera video, witnesses, and a victim still in the hospital with serious damage to his face and head. He’ll survive, but he won’t look the same after this.”
“Good. The asshole deserves to suffer for touching her like that.”
“In our world, yes, but not among the humans. Now, we can argue Jessie’s injuries were accidental as you were trying to protect her, but you ran over and attacked a man, beating him unconscious. I’d like to work towards a plea agreement to lesser charges.”
“How?”
“The man was drunk, sexually assaulted a server, and threatened her. We can use that, plus your record and this being a first offense. If you want to get back to her, we take a plea because a trial could take months, and you’d still be found guilty.” He sat back as he thought. “What do you want to do about her?”
“Other than grab her and take her home and not let her out of my bed for a week?” Charles just smiled at that. “I want her to know I’m sorry, and I want her taken care of.”
“Beta Peter is already started on that, he’s paid her medical bills, you will repay him for that.” I nodded. “We’ve done some checking, plus she had some very interesting things to say to Patrick on the way to the hospital.” I listened, my wolf howling inside as I heard of her losing her father, and how after she lost her mother this past week, she was broke and soon to be homeless.
“I can’t allow her to suffer on my account,” I told him as I moved the handcuffs around on my wrists. “There must be something I can do.”
“Restitution,” Charlie said finally. “As part of the plea deal, I’ll propose we give her restitution for her lost time, medical bills, pain and suffering. It would give her money right away she can use to find a new place, while not feeling like it is charity or anything.”
“Offer twenty-five thousand American,” I said. “That should be enough for her to make a start, while not being so much she disappears on me. My Alpha will transfer the money to you.”
“All right. Anything else we need?” He started putting the files back in his briefcase.
“No.”
“You need to prepare yourself, John. You’re going to do time, maybe serious time. If convicted of a felony, you will be expelled from the country and banned from re-entry. You’ve made this whole thing very difficult, as somehow you have to convince her to come to you.”
I lowered my head, he couldn’t make me feel any worse than I already did. “The sooner I start, the sooner I’m done and I can be with her again. Do what you have to do, Mr. Thompson. I’ll take the deal.” He stood and knocked on the door, the guard let him out.
A few minutes elapsed before he returned for me. “Come on, Pearson,” he said after he unlocked my cuffs from the table. I got up and followed him out into the hallway. He paused, looking around making sure no one could see him. “You really beat the shit out of that guy because he pinched a waitress’ ass?”
“He threatened her,” I said. “I couldn’t just sit there while she was scared to death.”
He nodded. “Well, word is the guy will be drinking through a straw for the next three months. Good riddance, too. My daughter goes to school there, rumor is he raped a girl last year and got away with it, she was too scared to go to the cops. No one is going to be crying over his face, if you know what I mean.” I followed behind him as he led me back to my cell. I went to sleep that night, my thoughts always on her.
Jessie’s POV
I woke up and my body hurt.
My shoulder was throbbing, I held it with my good hand as I laid in the big guest bedroom and just tried to massage it so it would be better. My wrist only hurt when I moved it, so I didn’t, leaving it in the sling. My head didn’t hurt anymore, that was a good thing.
At least until I sat up, and I started to get a little dizzy. I sat there, waiting for things to settle down, then I looked for the bathroom. I really needed to go.
I got up slowly and went over to the door, flicking on the light. The bathroom wasn’t huge, but it was nice; a shower, toilet and six-foot vanity with dual sinks. My pills were by the sink, I took two with a glass of water. I slowly did my business, then went over to wash up. I found a new toothbrush and opened the package, a travel size Crest was next to it. I put some on the toothbrush, then when I went to put the cap on my shoulder had a sharp pain, and I dropped it.
It rolled under the vanity, out of sight. I cursed a little, then got down on my knees. I moved my head down to look for it, balancing on my good hand, when I heard them, the sound coming up through the central heating register under the vanity. “How can she not recognize him?” Abby.
“We don’t know. It doesn’t matter, John is sure Jessie is his. He won’t let her go.” Peter.
“He can’t do anything now, he’s in jail, the idiot. I can’t believe he hurt her, even unintentionally.”
“I know, he lost control. It’s been known to happen.” That’s what Patrick had said, he lost control, he didn’t mean it. “It’s only going to get worse until he finally can mate with her.”
“She knows nothing of our kind, how is he supposed to convince her that he can be trusted? Much less follow him back to Scotland and be his woman?” Abby sounded distressed by all this.
“He’ll probably knock her out, throw her over his shoulder and haul her back to his hut in the Scottish Highlands, handcuffing her to the bed until she is his in every way,” Peter said with a laugh. “He won’t take no for an answer, he can’t. He will have her.” Holy shit. My savior, the guy I thought was safe, was a obsessive stalker dude.
“I’m going to check on her, she should be waking soon.” I heard her footsteps on the wood floor.
Grabbing the cap, I got back up and started to brush my teeth. As soon as I finished, there was a knock on my door. “Come in,” I said.
Abby opened the door, carrying a few clothes in her hands. “I brought you a few clothes, I had one of the girls pick them up this morning.” I looked at the clothes, a pair of jean shorts, a print blouse of wildflowers, and new underwear and socks. I checked the tags, my size. “I checked your sizes last night, sorry.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“It’s fine, I didn’t want to wear my Hooters uniform around your house.”
“Are you feeling all right?”
“Much better, thank you.” I looked at my sling. “Could you help me dress?”
“Of course, honey.” She helped me work the bra and blouse over the sling, then the panties and shorts. “If you’re up to it, I saved you some lunch.”
I looked at her, I really needed to get home, but I was starving. I hadn’t eaten anything since six last night. “All right, but I need to go home after that. I have a lot of things to take care of, and they had done so much already. I followed her down to the large, open plan kitchen with its stainless appliances, cherry and maple cabinets and dark green granite countertops. “I love your kitchen, this granite is amazing,” I said as I traced the colors swirling in it.
“Thank you, I fell in love with it and just HAD to have it. Poor Peter, he about shit himself when he got the estimate. There are five price levels, but this was in the ‘if you have to ask you can’t afford it’ group.”
I laughed with her, I couldn’t imagine having such a nice home. I would be lucky to find a room with three or four other girls. “It’s beautiful.”
“Thank you.” She put a plate down, it had a chicken wrap sandwich and chips on it. I took a bite and moaned in pleasure, it was wonderful. She set a glass of milk in front of me and sat on a barstool across the island from me. “Patrick told me you have to move out of your house,” she said softly.
“It was my mother’s house, she took out a reverse mortgage to pay her medical bills, and now that she’s gone…” I wiped a tear as she reached across and patted my hand. “I have to be out in just over three weeks. I need to find a place.”
“I think I can help there,” she said. “Our neighbor owns some investment properties, and one of his tenants just got transferred last month and had to move. She still has six months left on her lease, but if I could find another tenant for her, she can save three months rent.”
“I don’t know if I can swing my own place,” I said.
“Nonsense, it’s away from the city and it’s cozy and affordable. You could stay there the first six months for the price of three.” She gave me a rent amount, I was shocked; I was planning to spend nearly that much for a room. “At least take a look at it, it’s not far from here and Patrick can show you when he’s done working.”
“All right.” I felt comfortable around Abby, I resolved to do something to thank her family for all their time. “When will Patrick be home from work?”
“Oh, he works from home,” she said. “Would you like to see what he does?”
I nodded, and she quickly cleaned up the mess. My shoes were by the front door with all the others, and I put them on as she lead me outside. We went across the road, down a driveway towards what looked like a big pole barn. I could hear dogs, lots of dogs. “Does he raise dogs?”
“Sometimes, but mostly he’s a trainer. He and his father are prominent trainers of police, rescue and protection dogs here in the United States. He’s quite good at his job.”
The barking got louder as I approached. I saw Peter and Patrick in a caged area out front, Patrick was dressed in heavy padding as Peter led a large, black German Shepherd-like dog around in a heel. “That’s a big dang dog,” I said.
“We find the larger dogs are more intimidating, and better suited to the guard and protection work we specialize in. Most of the police still use German Shepherds, they are a better size for tracking and pursuit. Our clients want something that will stay close and protect them against anything,” she told me as we reached the fence. I watched as Patrick pulled a wooden knife out of his belt and approached Peter, holding it in front of him.