Mrs. Jones

First Came Marriage

Bethany was still in a mood after her meetings regarding her class schedule that morning, but the good thing about wearing her leather jacket to campus was that most people steered clear, even though it didn't display the Serpent logo everyone knew who she was. She was used to it though because the first two semesters she had a serpent bodyguard everywhere she went. Though for the new semester she had decided to take only online classes, to cut back on the need to leave the Southside. Knowing that everytime she left there was a possibility of something bad happening.
When she finally stepped out of the building at Noon it was like a breath of fresh air. She wasn't exactly ready to talk with Murphy about moving out because she loved living with JB in the Penthouse, but she was glad to be done with class meetings for the day and that next week she could stay in her pajamas to work on her classes.

The drive to Murphy's office building was thankfully short. Beth walked right past the front desk when she got to the sixth floor. Bypassing the perky redhead seated behind it heading straight back to Murphy's office, but the girl didn't seem to get the hint. Instead Beth could hear the clicking of her heels as she stumbled to keep up.

"Mrs. Jones, It's so good to see you. Mr. Murphy is expecting you. Can I take your coat? Would you like a drink? I ordered your usual from the deli. It should be here soon."

Beth handed over her jacket before addressing her. "Marcy, darling. Please. Call me Bethany. You should get used to calling me by my first name especially since Jughead is out. And I'll take a Voss, Thank you." The girl nodded and scampered away just as Beth reached the door to Murphy's office. She didn't bother to knock because Murphy knew she was coming.

"Bethany. Come in."

She rolled her eyes when he didn't even look up from his file, but slipped into the room and flopped into the seat across from him.

"So, John. How are my numbers?" She drawled out. He set down the file and leaned back in his chair folding his hands over his chest.

"You know your numbers are good, Beth. This weekly meeting is for us to have lunch and to fill me in on the problems with the businesses or the Serpents. Not to discuss your numbers. Now tell me what happened this morning."

"He woke up. I offered him breakfast. He asked questions. Questions you or JB should have already told him. Like why in the world I was in his apartment. Then accused me of stealing from my best friend, while pinning me to a wall."

"Angel, you have handled people a lot scarier than J.J."

Beth wanted to throw something at Murphy's smug face. She wasn't scared. She was mad. "I'm not scared of Jughead, Murphy. Even though my arms are already purple. He looked like I had shot him when I told him he was hurting me."

She shoved herself out of her chair and crossed the room to Murphy's whiskey. Pouring herself a glass, she finally managed to articulate what was actually bothering her. "John, I don't even care that he thinks I am a gold digger. Okay. That sucks. But he looked at me like I was the worst person he had ever seen. Like I would actually ever hurt JB. My life is already a lie. Is it so bad that I thought maybe my husband might like me. Even just as a person."

"Give him time, Beth. You may know that you are married, but he doesn't. You're a stranger. Let him get to know how precious you are to us."

Beth groaned dropping back into her chair sideways. "This was a stupid idea. Why did I let you and JB talk me into this?"

"If I recall Bethany, it didn't take much convincing on our part. You needed a way out and we needed help. We would have helped you regardless. You know that."

Bethany sighed, covering her face with her arm. She did know that. But she couldn't just let the Serpents help her and not make things better for them. Not when it had all been so easy.
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Beth hadn't been allowed to go to the Whyte Worm in weeks. Not since a deal in Staten Island had gone sideways. JB and Murphy thought it was safer if they avoided going anywhere that wasn't the Penthouse or school when Beth was on the Southside. That way she would stay off all FBI watch lists. But what was there really to watch. She was just a girl. Just a girl from the Northside who felt more at home with Bikers than with her family.