Chapter 10: Need

It had been a while since we had spent time alone, Andy acting as a buffer during our awkward interactions. I had been so busy with work and Andy, that I had stopped doing the late night runs to Lyla's. Why did I even bother? To make sure he was okay? To punish myself? It wasn't worth the gas.

And so I embarked on my new path- one that I had chosen this time. Make breakfast. Drop Andy off at school. Grab a coffee and a muffin. Endless paperwork and meetings with Hale. Lunch break in the park across from the office. More paperwork. Pick up Andy. Homework. Dinner. Bedtime. A bottle of wine. This routine, as dull as it was, brought me some version of peace.

While lonely at times, it was stress free. I found myself surrounded by normal people, laughing at dumb memes they shared at business luncheons. I wasn't looking over my shoulder or worrying when the other shoe would drop. And every time I found myself relishing this feeling, I would think about Wendy's information written down on that piece of scrap paper. I would think about life after Charming.

Begrudgingly, okay- mostly because Venus threatened to kill me, I went to the club's BBQ after she spent hours complaining about how I had shut everyone out. I sighed, letting her drag me around the party until we ended up on a barstool, downing a shot of whiskey. "So, you gonna tell me what happened between you and the blonde?" Venus asked, sliding the empty shot glass towards the bartender. He quickly poured another round before disappearing towards the other end.

I raised my eyebrow at her and smirked. "We've come to a mutual understanding… for now," I said. She laughed, shaking her head slowly. "You enter the room and she quietly leaves?" I nodded, referring to the lack of interaction between us. When I arrived at the BBQ, Lyla and I locked eyes, before she bowed her head and disappeared.

"You okay with it? Him practically living at her place?" She asked. "What do you know about that?" Venus scoffed and shrugged. "You know the men gossip more than the old ladies," she replied. I laughed. "Tig," I replied. He had probably told her whatever he knew. It wasn't really club business, so he wasn't limited in what he could share. He must've taken full advantage to have something to talk to her about. "He was worried, wanted to know if I knew anything that he could use to help. He's worried about his pres."

"It it what it is. We can't seem to get on the same page anymore. We kept bumping heads over what he thinks my life should look like," I said, "I can't have anyone telling me how I should live. Not anymore." Venus threw me a small smile, before motioning behind me. I turned and found Happy standing there with his usual blank stare. "I need a word," he said, before turning on his heels and walking towards the exit.

I threw Venus a look before following him outside, where I found him climbing onto his bike. Happy turned towards me, holding out his spare bike helmet. I stared at it for a few moments, wondering where this would lead me. "Just trust me," he said, his voice quiet as ever. We locked eyes for a few moments, but I was confused by what I saw in his. Worry? Fear?

I steadied my hand as I accepted the helmet, strapping it on and climbing onto the bike. As we raced through Charming, I couldn't help but get excited at the thought of our little rendezvous. Not knowing where we were going, being kept in the dark by this handsome stranger, I was excited to do something that was going to break up the monotony of my life.

Happy turned onto a deserted road, driving down an unlit path until the road opened up to a cabin. The sound of crickets was deafening in the quiet night, as he turned the bike off and stood in front of me. "Where are we?" I asked, climbing off the bike and following him up the cabin steps. He turned abruptly, causing me to walk straight into his chest. "I did something," he whispered, his eyes on the ground.

"Are you okay?" I asked, panic rising inside of me. I took a step back, staring at him. I glanced around us, taking in the lack of lights and neighbors. "Happy, why are we here? What did you do?" I asked, stepping towards him, forcing him to look at me. "I love you, so I had to make it right," he said, stepping back and opening the door behind him.

I stepped inside the dimly lit cabin, and I felt the world disappear behind me as Happy closed the door. My breath caught in my throat and my heart was thumping loudly in my ears, as I took in the sight in front of me. There he was, tied to a chair, his face bloody and beaten. I felt the floor give way as I fell into a nearby chair, my body shaking.

My prison guard.

I glared at him, my chest rising and falling fast. I struggled to find the right words to express my utter confusion at the fact that he was sitting right in front of me. He grunted, struggling against the ropes that were binding him to the chair, his wet skin glistening in the moonlight. Happy crouched in front of me, his eyes finding mine. "I had to make it right, Jessie. I couldn't let him get away with it," he said, as if pleading with me to understand. And I did.

I nodded at Happy, tears slipping silently down my face. I stood up, walking over to him and facing him- the prison guard. I removed the rag that was stuffed inside his mouth, watching him silently. The guard spit at me before yelling at the top of his lungs. "You can do that until you turn blue, no one is going to find you," I said, knowing fully well that Happy had taken necessary precautions. This was not his first rodeo.

It felt like the calm after the storm, a stillness filling me up from the inside, out. "Simmons," I said quietly, pacing around him. "You fucking cunt," he struggled and screamed again, "you think you'll get away with this? You and your low life boyfriend!" I smirked, nodding slowly.

"And to think, I was worried about you not remembering me," I said, sarcastically. I reached over and punched him across the face, relishing the sound of his nose crunching against my fist. The room was filled with the sounds of him gasping for air, spitting out blood and groaning. "What do you want from me?" He kept repeating over and over again.

What did I want from him? From HIM? Nothing, I wanted literally nothing from him. I wanted him to die. My hands shook as I realized this was my plan all along. He was not leaving here. And I had the power to make that decision. My, how the script had been flipped.

"Tell me why and I'll walk away from all of this. You'll never have to see me again," I said, drawing a chair over to him and sitting down. Happy stood a few feet behind me, the ever watchful dog. Simmons spit blood out of his mouth and threw me a small smile. "You still haven't figured it out, huh? You are just as dumb as she thinks you are," he muttered, groaning.

My eyes stared at him, my ears pricking up. "Jarry," I said, my heart pounding in my chest. He laughed, nodding. "Your first week in, she showed up at my house. Gave me a fat envelope and said one would show up every week as long as I did her a few favors." I stood up, walking over to him and slapping him across the face.

"I had never done anything to you! You sold me out for some cash?" I yelled at him. Simmons groaned and shook his head. "At first she just wanted information, and then she started asking me to make sure you were having the time of your life," he said.

I spotted a knife on the table across from us and picked it up, holding it up to where he could clearly see it. "The time of my life?!" I spat out, before walking over to him and dragging the sharp knife across his cheek. I watched as the blood drops began to roll down his face.

"In the beginning, it was just making sure your food was being shorted, the worst toiletries, no internet access. But then she wanted more, beatings, torture." I moved the knife across his other cheek. Simmons groaned, pulling away from me. "Well, gee- thanks!" I said, sarcastically.

"You don't understand- I have a son. One time, I refused the envelope, and she showed up in person- drugged and tied up in her trunk. The crazy bitch lied her way into the school and signed him out. He's 14!" He began to cry, blubbering his way through different excuses. A part of me wanted to forgive him, hearing about his son almost bought him his freedom.

I dragged the knife down his arm, letting his screams vibrate through me. "I'll tell you whatever you want to know. I'll testify, I'll do whatever, just please- let me go," he begged. I sighed, slowly walking over to my previous seat and crossing my legs at the knees.

I was comfortable, almost at peace. I had the bastard who had tortured me for years, tied up in front of me. I had a line to Jarry. Things were finally coming together- in my favor. "Go ahead, let me hear what you got," I replied, looking over to make sure it was okay with Happy.

He nodded, his eyes never leaving Simmons. "She was livid when she heard about your little side business. That's when she told me to make sure you could never walk properly again. Ever since then, she's been on the warpath," he said. I nodded, realizing that Jarry had been behind everything. The last 5 years was a courtesy on her behalf.

"That's it? You think that piece of information will buy you good will, with ME?" He shook his head, groaning and struggling against his ties. "Promise me, that you'll let me go, please. I have a son that needs his father," he cried. I stood from my perch and walked over to him, crouching down in front of him.

I found his eyes and gave him a small smile. "I promise, if you help me find her," I said. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "She stays at the Metro Inn when she comes to town. Under the fake name Alana Davis. She only calls from inside their rooms. She has some sort of deal worked out with the owner. She has friends in Stockton PD, they help him when things go astray." Bingo. It may be nothing, but it's all I got to go on now.

"Thank you," I said, smiling at him. I glanced down at my hand, and knew what had to be done. I needed to end this. "I'm letting you go now," I said, before reaching over and dragging the knife across his throat. I felt the entire room disappear around me, as I watched the blood drain out of him. I don't know how long I stood there, as the blood pooled around me.

When my legs felt like they were going to give way, I stood up and turned to face Happy, dropping the knife onto the floor. "You okay?" He asked, drawing my body into his. I nodded, feeling relief. He reached up and wiped some blood off my face. "Thank you, Happy," I whispered, reaching over and forcing him to look at me. "Thank you for releasing me."

Happy reached down and kissed me, his rough hands drawing me closer and closer to him, until we were fully pressed against each other. He pulled away from me, his hands on my shoulders, pushing me away. "Go home, Jessie," he said, turning his back on me, "I have to finish this." I sighed. "I want to stay here- with you," I said. He locked eyes with me, shaking his head softly. "Go home, before we do something we'll regret." Wait, what? "Because the dead body in front of us isn't enough? Or is this about Chibs?"

He sighed, lighting a cigarette and taking a deep pull. "You cannot tell Chibs about this," he said, motioning to Simmons, "he asks- we went and got some drinks, the end." I scoffed. Why the secrecy amongst brothers? Why was he so eager to put distance between us? "He didn't want you coming after Simmons. He voted it down," I said, knowing fully well that while Happy was a loyal, old dog, he was also a stubborn one. Happy sighed, running a hand over his head.

I walked over to the nearby couch and picked up the tarp that lay on it, making my way back over to Simmons. I dropped the tarp over his dead body, a million questions in my head- whose cabin was this, how did he find Simmons, did he know it would lead to Jarry, and so on. "What do we do with him now?" I asked, needing answers for the loudest one first. "Go home, Jessie. Put all of this behind you," he said, walking over to the body and beginning to wrap the tarp around it.

I glanced down at my blood tinged hands and closed my eyes, drawing in a deep breath as my hands softly shook. "I need to see this through," I said quietly, knowing that I wanted to be the one that patted the final mound of dirt on top of him. When I opened my eyes, Happy stood in front of me. He reached over and took my hand, walking me over to the body. We moved in silence, wrapping Simmons up in the tarp and then beginning the daunting task of bleaching everything down.

I stood in the shower, almost an hour later, the steamy water pounding my back as I leaned my forehead against the cool tiles. I heard the cabin's bathroom door open behind me, as footsteps entered the room. I didn't even need to open my eyes, I knew the sounds fairly well. Heavy boots dropping onto the floor. The jingle and jangle of keys and chains. The clink and clanks of rings being placed on the sink countertop. The thud of the leather cut hitting the toilet seat cover. The curtain opening and closing softly behind me.

I didn't move, his rough hands appearing on my lower back oh so gently. Even though it had been years, my body had definitely not forgotten him, as I arched my back and placed my hands up on the tiles in front of me. He spread my legs, sliding underneath me and entering me slowly. I moaned loudly as his hands wrapped around my front and grasped my breasts.

A few moments later, he leaned against me, breathless. Happy placed soft kisses on me until the water ran cold. We climbed out of the shower and dressed in silence. Maybe is awkwardness, tension, or maybe it was the calm that was exploding within me- but not another word was spoken for the rest of the night. And it was just what I needed.