A Kiss To Send Us Off

Chapter 9

Just a few blocks from home Amelia pulled over, with Raylan taking the spot directly behind her, and hopped out of her car. She walked purposely to the open window and leaned in with a blank look on her face.

"You can stop here."

"No, I can't. I have to see you in, then the locals take the night."

"No." She stomped her foot in the blacktop with a deep frown. "Look, my husband is going to shit if he sees you, okay? Please just do me this favor?"

"I'm doing you a favor but doing my job correctly." He spoke calmly, very matter-of-fact, but his eyes were squinting as he read her fear. "I'm not sure who you're scared of, me or your husband."

She wasn't either. Juice would never hurt her, that wasn't the issue though. Amelia knew it would cause a huge uproar and he'd probably be angry but Raylan could almost certainly ruin her life and hurt her family beyond repair.

"I'm not scared of either of you. My husband just got out of the hospital, the last thing he needs to hear is that I'm in some kind of danger and have fucking personal security with me at all times."

Raylan grinned, his long slender fingers scratching at his stubble, and pointed to the bike rounding the corner two blocks down. "Let me guess that's one of yours?"

"Shit, it's my dad I think." She strained and failed to catch some kind of clue but from afar it certainly seemed to be Chibs. "Please. Turn around."

There was something in the way she pleaded with him, still strong and proud, but showing a kind of vulnerability that Raylan couldn't dismiss. "I'll stay back but I'm not leaving until I see you get into your house, okay?"

"Thank you."

"I'll meet you here tomorrow morning." He slipped her his U.S. Marshal service card which had his personal number scrawled on the back. "If anything happens, with anyone, just call me."

--

"What are you doing here?" Amelia asked Chibs, shutting the door behind her as Raylan lingered a few houses up.

He smiled, sweeter than usual, and gave her a hug. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Me too." Juice said somberly sitting on the couch with a beer.

"Jesus, did someone die?" Her heart sank to see them both in such dark moods.

"No, love, but it's time you come clean about what's going on at work."

Slapping her palm to her forehead Amelia laughed at herself. "My God, both of you are so damn dramatic."

"Come on, Meels." Juice sat up, leaning forward on his knees, and pointed to the oversized arm chair. "Sit."

"Calm down." She waved him off and continued to stand. "It's not a big deal. Someone mailed some letter to the head office addressed to me, it was a threat that they're investigating. I had a run in," she mumbled, "The other night which is what had me so freaked out."

"A run in?" Juice asked angrily. "Outside of work?"

That was what it sounded like and, without thinking, Amelia lied. "No. Of course not. I mean, yeah, once."

"What?" Chibs was on his feet, pushing her roughly to sit. "Tell us what happened." He barked rudely.

"Chibs," Juice said with an air of annoyance and shook his head knowing she wouldn't respond to that harsh tone. "Baby, what happened?" On his knees in front of her, Juice wedged himself between her legs.

"I was at the gas station right outside of work," she closed her eyes as Juice's face grew dark. "I know, you told me never to go there. Someone came up to me and uhh, pushed me to the ground. He said something about the cons having friends and that was it."

"Jesus Christ." Chibs growled while Juice just dropped his head in her lap. "You should have come to us with this."

Amelia nodded, grateful she decided to whitewash the truth for them. "I'm sorry. I figured it was some asshole, I didn't want to upset anyone."

"Well you did." Juice said looking up at her with disappointed eyes. "What did the letter say?"

"Oh, I don't remember exactly."

"Just give us the idea then." Chibs was highly annoyed she hadn't come out with all of it right away. It put her in greater danger and could have even impacted the club.

"Something about this just beginning and how whoever it was wants to hurt me...and my family." Her head fell as she said it knowing how angry they'd be.

"Shite!"

"We gotta call Clay. This could be on us."

"It's not." Amelia protested. "It's work related, me and another nurse, it's not because of you guys."

"Either way," Juice said as he crawled back to his feet, "We gotta keep you safe and the club out of anyone's interest."

"Juicy can you get into the DOC shite and see who she's treated? I'll get a prospect to shadow her."

Amelia hated when they discussed her as if she want right there. "Oh no, I don't need a shadow." She said quickly. "Really."

"Yes you do." Juice was adamant.

"No. I actually already have one."

Chibs glared at her, his annoyance all over his face, and groaned as he pushed his hair back from his face. "This is just wonderful, Juicy."

"Who is it?"

"A Marshal." She mumbled under her breath.

"One more time," Chibs requested.

"A federal Marshal and the deputies circling the block over night."

The guys looked at each other in exasperation. "Let's go," Chibs muttered. "You gotta go talk to Clay, now."

"No, Meely," Juice backed Chibs up before Amelia could protest. "You have to go, we have to get some kind of plan together."

"Look, I didn't know about any of his until last night and when I got home I was a little distracted." She looked at Juice with a sad smile. "I wasn't trying to hide anything, I swear, I was going to tell you everything. I'm sorry. Please don't think you can't trust me. I didn't think it was a big deal today until I met my escort asshole and realized the severity of this fucking shit."

"We trust you, Amelia." Juice promised. "You just gotta learn NOT to try to handle shit that isn't yours."

Chibs softened and nodded. "There's shite old ladies are made for, shite you settle for us, but threats are not it. You know the difference, you're just being a stubborn shite. We want you safe. Next time you tell us if someone blinks at you wrong. Okay?"

"Yeah." She grabbed her phone as it started to ring in her pocket. Chibs and Juice whispered as Amelia's face fell upon hearing the news. "Dad, you go to Clay. Juice I need you with me, something happened to Aunt Helen. I have to go now."

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