The Dirty Underground [Jerome Valeska] (sequel to YDMC)

3

Jerome ran into the office with the gun raised, ready to shoot any threat to Rumer, but once he got in there, he was greeted with Rumer sitting on the ground, rocking back and forth as she held Jack Neersal.

"I won't leave you. I came back last time didn't I?" Rumer said, trying to calm the grown man's tears. He was like a five year old in a twenty-one year old body. Groaning, Jerome lowered his arm and leaned on the doorway to Rumer's office.

"But you won't be back this time! They'll be mean to me! Rumer, they're gonna try to hurt me and you won't be here!" Jack wailed. Jerome rolled his eyes, thinking back to the first time he met Jack.

It was the same day he'd met Rumer. During their 'alone time' in a room full of people, Jack came up, all smiles and false innocence to take away Rumer's attention. Jerome knew an innocent act when he saw one. His entire life before getting arrested depended on keeping his perfected.

Jerome was pulled out of his thoughts when Rumer kissed Jack's forehead, smoothing the hair from in front of his 'sweet baby browns.' He hated when she did that. Especially to him. But that wasn't the doozy, "I'm not leaving here without you, Jack. They'll have to kill me first." Rumer said, holding onto the sides of his face, rubbing circles into his cheeks.

"Okay, Jackie, go... hug a doll or something. I need a word with my girlfriend." Jerome said, on the edge of infuriation. Rumer kissed Jack's forehead one more time before he stood. Debating whether or not he still should shoot the threat, Jerome kicked the door closed and sat at Rumer's desk, rubbing his temples, "Would you like to explain the crap you just fed to that idiot?"

He didn't even care about what Rumer might do to him. He didn't want that slimy sleazeball with them when they finally got out. He'd prefer the guard that was always finding excuses to pat her down over Neersal.

Rumer, on the other hand was livid. Whether she loved Jerome or not, Jack was off limits for his petty comments of jealousy. "Would you like to explain the pole shoved up your butt? I thought it was pretty obvious I was bringing Jack with us."

Jerome rolled his eyes, "Sweetness, babe, doll. We just got back together! We'll have so much more alone time when we're gone. I can just make sure some guys keep their eyes on him, keep him safe, but you know how I feel about that little piece of -" Rumer was over the desk and on her boyfriend in a second, feet on his knees and face right in his. He'd struck a nerve.

"It's not up for debate, Kid. If you have such a problem with him, you can stay, but I made an oath to that man, and I plan on keeping it. He's been with me since the beginning, I'm keeping him till the end." With that, she got off of his lap and left the office to go back to her cell.

There was no way she'd ever actually leave Jerome, but he had to understand that she wasn't leaving Jack either. Family did all they could for family where she was from. And Jack was family, whether Jerome liked it or not.