Just A Princess

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

A couple of days later, I am released from the hospital and Gemma is there to get me. "Where are you going to stay?" she asked. "Back to the motel. I still have a room there." I tell her and she heads to the motel. Pulling onto the parking lot, I see Tig sitting there. "Call me of you need me baby." she says. "Thanks Gemma." I say and get out of her car. Walking to my door, I unlock it and head inside with Tig behind me. "You okay?" he asked. "I don't know. I don't know if I ever will be." I tell him. I sit on the bed and he takes the chair. "Juice said he'd stay at the clubhouse and let you stay at the house if that's what you want." he tells me. "That's his house. Not mine. I'm fine here." I tell him. "Are you planning on staying?" he asked. "Don't have a choice. I leave, you guys hunt me down. Daddy said I can't come home and that I need to figure my shit out. So, I'm stuck here." I tell him. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "Well, I don't have my job anymore. They let me go saying that I can't help other patients if I can't help myself." I tell him. "Shit baby. I'm sorry." he says. "Doesn't matter. I have money saved up." I tell him. His phone rings and he has to leave for club shit. Walking out the door he says "Keep this door locked and I'll check on you in a little while." I nod and lock the door behind him.

I decide that I need to get out. I'm tired of crying over these men. I get dressed and head out to a local bar. Sitting at the bar, beer in hand, a guy walks up and sits next to me. "What's a pretty girl like you sitting alone in a bar for?" he asked. "Not interested." I say. "Now, is that the way to talk to a new friend?" he asked. "We're not friends. I don't know you. I just want to have a few drinks alone." I say and move down a couple of bar stools. He follows me. Putting his hand on my back, before I can say anything else, I hear his voice. "Touch my Old Lady again and I'll slit your fucking throat." Juice says. The guy backs away and says "I didn't know man." Juice seethes, "You do now." The guy walks away and I just sit there. Sitting next to me I say "Thanks." He doesn't look at me but says "As long as you have my crow, you're my Old Lady. I'll always protect you." I just sit there. "Can we go somewhere and talk?" he asked. I nod. He pays my tab and we head outside.

He follows me to my motel room and follows me inside. "You could stay at the house. I'll stay at the clubhouse." he says. "I'm not running you out of your house. Plus I have savings. I'll be fine here." I tell him. "You have your paycheck too." he tells me. "Whatever. You wanted to talk. Talk." I tell him. "I'm sorry Maci. I know I fucked up and I wouldn't blame you if you covered my crow. But I love you. I don't want to lose you." he tells me. Deciding that I'm not going to lash out at him, I sit on the bed next to him. "Juice, you were my best friend. You stood by me no matter what. All that shit with Happy and Koz? You were the one that made me better. Now you did the same thing. Three guys and I couldn't keep any of you faithful. Am I that horrible of a girlfriend?" I asked. He looks at me and says "No baby. You are so fucking amazing. I'm just stupid and don't know how to not fuck things up." he says. "You're not stupid Juice. You just do stupid shit." I tell him sighing. "Is there a part of you that still loves me?" he asked. "All of me does. But Juice, I can't get hurt again. How do I know you won't hook up with someone else on the next run or a run farther down the road?" I asked. "I want you to trust me again." he says. "I don't know if I can. I just need time." I tell him. "Okay. But can we still talk a little bit while you have time? I miss my friend." he says. "Yeah." I say. I walk him to the door and he kisses my cheek before he leaves.

A little later, there's a knock on the door. I open the door to see Koz standing there with two containers of food from Hanna's. "You eat yet?" he asked. I shake my head no. Sitting at the table, him in one chair and me in another, he says "I talked to Juice." I look at him and say "I did too." He looks up from his food and asks "You gonna take him back?" I shake my head. "Told him I needed time. I have some things to think about." I tell him. "Like what?" he asked and I just shake my head. "Talk to me." he says. Sighing, I say "Can I ask you something?" He nods. "When I was with you and Hap, I love you. Both of you. What was wrong that you couldn't love me back?" I asked, looking down at my food. "Maci, we did love you back. We still do. You are amazing. You're beautiful, sweet, smart as hell. You're compassionate. You are a hell of an Old Lady. We just took it for granted. That was on us. Baby, I love you so much. Hell, when you were in the hospital, I wanted to kick Juice out and get you to take me back." he says. I just shake my head. "What?" he asked. "Koz, I still have his crow." He kneels in front of me and says "All you have to do is say the word and any of us three would gladly be your Old Man." he says. He leans forward and places a soft kiss to my lips. "I can't." I say. "I know. But that option will always be there. Don't ever think you aren't enough. You're perfect." he says before getting back in his seat and we finish eating.

That next morning, I am sitting in the room alone when Happy knocks on the door. "Morning." he says standing there with a cup of coffee. "Morning. Thanks." I say, letting him in. "Can we talk?" he asked, sitting down in the chair. "Hap, I already told Juice I needed time and space. Koz comes over last night telling me how you and him feel. I just need time." I tell him. "I know. I just wanted to make sure you knew that I do still love you and that no matter what, you have me." he says before kissing my lips. I let him deepen the kiss a little before pulling away. "I have to head to work. Call me if you need anything." he says before kissing my lips again and leaving.