Page 98 of Elling & Jackie
"Yeah?" said Chief.
She nodded, going right to what she needed to get off her chest. "I met someone."
"A man, I suppose." Chief huffed. "What did I tell you about businessmen who travel for a living?"
Her heart hammered. She remembered every bit of advice and every lesson he'd ever given her.
"He's not a businessman." She cleared her throat. "He's wonderful. He treats me better than good. I've never felt this way about anyone before."
Her mom leaned closer to Chief and whispered, "I told you."
"You're seeing someone, and they let you travel three hours away by yourself." Chief nailed her with a look. "Doesn't say much about the man to me."
She counted to five. "Olin offered to escort me."
"You still have to get back to Portland by yourself," said Chief.
Dammit. This was not going in the direction she wanted.
"He's not here with me because I've kept him away from meeting my family." At Chief's silence, she went on. "I wanted him to get to know me first before bringing him around."
"And, did you get to know him?" asked Chief.
She nodded, unable to help the smile that came over her. If Elling were in Portland right now, she'd rush back to the hotel, because he was the one she wanted to be with more than anything.
"Chief, I don't think I can live without him," she said quietly.
"Right." Chief put the last bite of cinnamon roll in his mouth. "People don't die for that reason."
Her mom nudged Chief with her elbow and looked at Jackie with a softened smile. Her eyes burned, and she willed herself not to cry. She would never want to disappoint her dad and telling him about Elling could destroy the convenience of coming home whenever she wanted, of staying close, of what Chief thought about her choices in life.
"And, what's this man of yours want from you?" he asked.
Her chest warmed, comforting her. "He just wants to love me. He's open and honest, and honestly, the most straight forward man I've ever met. He has simple ideas that he holds on to stubbornly, and he shows how much he loves me every time we're together."
"He sounds wonderful, honey," said her mom, slipping her hand into Chief's. "Doesn't he?"
Chief grunted and tilted his head. Jackie kept her chin up. Here it goes. Her dad was going to ask for the man's name and what he did for a living.
***
JETT STANTON AND HISmen closed the gate, shutting the other four Slag members outside the fence. Elling walked beside him. He was prepared for anything thrown at him.
It'd taken several minutes to convince Roar, Marcus, Viktor, and Rune that he was going inside the Brikken gate alone when Jett refused to give the others entrance. He had more to worry about and adding the safety of his MC brothers on top was too much.
Brikken members loitered around outside in front of the clubhouse. The scene much like one he'd view in the alley with Slag members on any given day.
Spotting Jackie's car, he restrained himself from fisting his hands at his sides. She was somewhere here. He only needed to watch his back and bide his time until he found her.
Jett stopped outside a pole building next to the clubhouse. One of the Brikken members came forward and slid the door open. A quick look at the interior, he concluded it was a garage. Knowing Brikken dallied with chopped motorcycles, he suspected the illegal business took place here.
He understood from the moment Jett showed his hand and sought Elling out that they weren't going to let him walk out alive.
"Go in." Jett stood beside him.
He remained outside. They weren't even going to let him have a cigarette before they killed him.
"Where is she?" he asked, staying put.