Jesse desperately tried to hide the panic she could feel washing over her as Luke raised his glass up at her from across the room, looking smug as ever as he started towards her with purposeful strides.
"Shit." She muttered and quickly moved forward to grab Sasha's hand, dragging her the rest of the way. She ignored her friend’s protests as she struggled to keep up and nearly shoved her into the bathroom when she flung the door open.
"What the hell Jesse?" Sasha snapped turning around, flinging her now loose hair back over her shoulder so she could frown at her friend. Her anger was quickly forgotten, however, when she saw the paleness of Jesse's face as she pressed her back against the door, her breathing coming out in short pants.
Almost as if she was having a panic attack.
"Honey, what's wrong?" Sasha asked, rushing to her side but Jesse just shook her head, scared that if she said his name out loud that he might appear in front of her. "I can't help you if I don't know what's wrong. What is it?"
Jesse swallowed twice and sucked in a deep breath which she slowly released it.
"Luke." She finally managed, closing her eyes.
"What about him? Has he been bothering you again? Because Lou and I have been talking and we have the perfect way to-"
"He's outside," Jesse told her friend, cutting her off mid-rant.
"What do you mean he's outside?" Sasha asked softly, running her hands over Jesse's head in a soothing way to help her calm down.
"I saw him as we were coming to the bathroom. He's here. Outside, in the ballroom." She whispered so softly that Sasha had to lean in closer to hear what she was saying. Anger filled her in a hard rush and she shot up straight, fire burning deep in her eyes.
"Why, that dirty, good-for-nothing, bastard! Wait until I get my hands on him! I'll make him-"
"No!" Jesse shouted as Sasha made to open the door. Ready to go castrate the man who had tried to break her friend and was now threatening to ruin the happiness that she had now found for herself. "No, I don't want you close to him. Just go call Devon or Jax and tell them what's happening. Please?" Jesse begged Sasha when she opened her mouth to argue. She shut it again at the desperate look in Jesse's eyes, pouting slightly before nodding.
"Fine, but if I see him ..." She trailed off threateningly.
Jesse nodded and raised her shaking hands to pluck the pins which had held Sasha's hair up from the now loose strands.
"Thank you." She whispered, looking into Sasha's green eyes that softened as she smiled gently and took her wrist in her hand to give them a comforting squeeze.
"Anything for you," Sasha said just as softly before clapping her hands together. A determined look came over her face as she reached for the door that Jesse stepped away from to allow her to open. "I'll go fetch your men for you but just stay put, alright? Don't let anyone come in." She warned unnecessarily.
"I won't," Jesse promised and quickly closed the door as Sasha left.
Jesse let out another breath as she leaned against the door, dropping her head back to stare blankly at the ceiling. Silently willing her heart to slow down and the horror of seeing Luke so suddenly, especially on a night like this to disappear.
She couldn't believe that he was actually here!
She hadn't actually thought he would be stupid enough to come close to her again after Devon had threatened him. He was obviously a lot more stupid than she had originally thought.
Couldn't the damned man leave her the fuck alone?!
"Damn you, Luke!" She hissed angrily up at the ceiling just as someone roughly jerked at the door handle and pushed the door open, making Jesse stumble to the side with the force of it and she straightened her spine before slowly turning towards Luke, who leisurely took a sip of his wine as he closed the door with an audible 'click'.
"Hello, Jesse." He greeted casually.
"Luke," Jesse said stiffly as she eyed him distastefully, well aware of that dark shadow in his eyes.
"I've been waiting for you all night. I had actually begun to think that their ex might have lied to me." He informed her as he walked further into the bathroom and Jesse turned her eyes to follow him, not wanting him at her back.
Jesse's eyes widened slightly before she narrowed them down to slits of anger.
"You've been speaking to Leticia."
"Yes, I have. After that whole scene, you had with her in the club the other night she was all too happy to give me whatever information I wanted. Apparently, she doesn't like you very much." He informed her with a twisted smile, tsking at her in reprimand while he swirled his wine around in his glass.
"Funny that. I'm not all that fond of her either."
"Of course, you wouldn't be. She has everything that you can never have, it's a wonder those brothers went from her to you." He told her sneeringly, leaning against the basin as he took another sip of his wine. "But then again, you have turned into quite the little slut, haven't you?"
Jesse shivered mentally at the tone of his voice but forced herself to stand up straight and not cower in front of him like she wanted to.
"I don't know what you mean." She told him but instantly regretted it as he turned sharply and threw his glass at the wall behind him, making it shatter into a thousand little pieces. When he turned back to her, Jesse couldn't help but flinch away from the anger she saw there.
"Don't lie to me! She told me about how they like to share their woman and you think I've forgotten how they said that you were “theirs" that day they dared to threaten me?! Do I look fucking stupid to you?!" He shouted at her and Jesse fought the need to run as he walked closer to her, pushing his face right into hers.
"What do you want, Luke?" She finally asked, unable to stand the silence between them any longer. The smell of red wine he had been drinking making it difficult for her to breathe.
"What do I want?" He asked and laughed crazily, but cut it suddenly as he brought his hand up to her face so fast that she flinched. “I want money and you are going to give it to me." He informed her, rubbing his thumb painfully down the side of her face.
Jesse jerked her face away from him and took a step back, glaring at him.
"Why the fuck would I do that?" She asked and suddenly she found herself shoved painfully against the wall. Luke's forearm pressed against her chest, the pressure making it hard to breathe as he leaned in close to her.
"Because, you filthy whore, if you don't, I will tell each and every person here what kind of fucked up relationship you are having with your boss and his brother. Then everyone will know how sick you really are! I tried to help you all those years ago but you just couldn't keep your fucking legs closed, could you?" He spat, sending drops falling onto Jesse's face, and before she knew what she was doing, Jesse kicked Luke right in the gonads. Shoving him away from her when he fell to the floor, cupping himself.
"First of all, asshole! Who the fuck do you think you are, coming in here and judging my lifestyle? You don't even fucking know me! You never knew me. The only thing I was good for to you was for money or someone to take out all your frustrations on because you're so fucking pathetic. And second of all: how the fuck did what you did to me all those years ago help me? Huh? You broke me and left me in pieces that those two men helped pick up again. Our relationship isn't fucked up or sick, it is beautiful and filled with more love than anyone in this place could ever imagine!" Jesse told Luke fiercely as he slowly started getting to his feet; his face red with both pain and anger but Jesse wasn't scared of him.
He was just a pathetic little man who needed to degrade women to make himself feel better.
"Love?" Luke snorted loudly in disbelief. " You actually think those two could love you? Have you ever looked at yourself lately? There's nothing there to like! No amount of pretty dresses or jewels is going to change that."
"I have looked at myself and you know what? I actually like what I see. It’s better than the person who had looked back at me for the last three years! And I don't need these dresses or jewels because I know for a fact that I am stunning without them, but you know what?" Jesse asked lowly as she stepped right into his face. "I deserve each and every fucking pretty thing I get my hands on." She told him with a low hiss before pushing him away from her.
He caught her arm painfully as he stumbled back just as the door burst inwards, banging loudly against the wall to reveal two very pissed-off-looking men. Two pairs of identical blue eyes zoomed in on where Luke gripped Jesse's arm and before either of them could even blink, Luke was ripped away from her.
Jesse stood shocked as she watched Devon and Jax lay into Luke, swearing softly between punches. Both men had these fierce looks on their faces that would have scared any grown man but for some reason, Jesse found herself strangely turned on by their powerful display.
They never looked sexier than they did at that moment.