Charming the Charming

Hoss's heavy hand smashed the mobile phone it had been holding over the kitchen bench sending chunks of phone flying around the room. Fourteen voice mail messages later and Helen still wasn't answering her number.

Coming back early he had expected to find her where he had left her, a whimpering pile on the floor. Hoss was tired of having to tell her more than once. If Helen would only listen and obey, the man wouldn't have to raise a hand or belt as often as he did.

He looked over to the needle, threads and bloody wads of cotton wool. Helen couldn’t be too far, especially with that sister of hers around.

“Stupid bitch,” he spat and grabbed his car keys.

Cool air from a pedestal fan buzzed over her nude legs as Helen lay in a back room trying to ignore her aches the best she could while trying to get some much needed shut eye. This was the first night in a long line of them that she was able to just lay down without fear of being kicked in the guts and being labelled a lazy slob.
She rolled over on her side and pulled at the hem of her shirt as it scratched at her skin, a frown pulling at the corners of her lips. Wincing at every movement as the aches became harder to ignore and radiated through her body as the night progressed. Carefully swinging her legs over the edge of the small bed Helen forced herself to her feet and headed out to the bar.
Tara had left a bag of pain killing pills on the bench top for Helen if she really needed them. Right now she most certainly did.

The sound of keys clacking over a keyboard met her ears as she walked through the hallway with soft steps until she and reached the bar. Taking in a deep breath as she came to a stop Helen ran a hand underneath her shirt and along the bandages holding her ribs tight feeling like she was going to vomit. She squeezed her eyes shut and pushed the sudden sick feeling to the back of her mind.

“Where are the pills Tara left?”

The clacking of the keys stopped and footsteps quickly made their way behind the bar. “Uh, just under here,” Juice was on watch duty that night. Busy with updating the new security system he had installed not two weeks prior it only seemed logical to have him take care of Helen.

He dropped two pills on a napkin with a glass of water next to them. Helen smiled her thanks and downed the pills with a sip of the water.
Noting his smile back before Juice scooted back to his computer in the corner, Helen turned so she could see him. Clearly he was busy as his face quickly changed to eyes squinted with concentration.
As she sat there Helen also noted his meticulously and perfectly shaven mohawk with evenly placed tattoos either side of his head. They suited him.

She looked down at her feet as they began to walk her over to his corner. “Can I sit?” she asked and motioned to the bench chair opposite him.

“Uhh, sure,” Juice didn’t look up.

Helen slipped into the chair and tucked herself up close to the window. The moon was gluttonous and beaming with silver hums of light taking any spotlight away from the twinkling stars. She pressed her cheek against the glass and let out a soft sigh as the cool bit through her skin.
Juice’s deep brown eyes flicked up for a moment to catch Helen looking out the window and the peaceful look on her face.
It made him somewhat nervous to know he was the one there with Helen. The sister of his VP’s old lady and this feeling only increased as the sound of tyres suddenly screeched up to the side gate.

Helen’s head snapped up, she knew the sound of those tyres anywhere. “Oh shit.”

As quickly as her broken body could she scrambled out of the seat and back away from the window.

Juice pulled the gun that had been sitting beside him on the table into his hand, “Stay here, ok?”

Nodding, Helen wrapped her arms around her waist. Juice nodded and moved from his spot and to the door.

“Wait! Don’t go out there,” her voice was filled with panic and pure terror.

“It’ll be fine, just go into the back room and lock the door,” his free hand was lowered towards her.

She shook her head, “No, just stay in here. It’ll be safer.”

Hoss began to scream out Helen’s name, followed by a string of cuss words and threats.

“Shit. Shit. Shit,” the words left her lips as she began to pace, “I gotta get out there.”

Juice raised a brow, “Are you insane?”

Helen stopped pacing, “Did you want this place up in flames?” the panic had left her voice and had been replaced with erratic disposition.

“He wouldn't do that, it would be a death sentence.”

It was Helen’s turn to raise her brow, “You don’t know Hoss. He would do anything to get me back.”

Still in her underwear she began to walk towards the door, “Call Tara and Jax and let them know.”

Juice took four long strides towards her and grabbed her arm. “No. It’s my job to keep you safe tonight and that’s what I am going to do. Stay here!”

With that Juice opened the door and went out into the night.
Helen felt her knees begin to wobble as anxiety grabbed her chest and held on tight, she could hear Hoss yelling at Juice and his hands bang against the chainlink gates.
What if Hoss had a gun too? He would be more incline to shoot first. No. Juice wasn’t gonna cop a bullet because of her, a woman he hadn't know before today.

She shuffled over to the door and poked her head out, “Hoss!”

Juice turned and gritted his teeth. "Dammit woman!"

Hoss’s attention turned from Juice and to Helen, “Get the fuck over here you stupid whore!”

Following his orders as she always had, she closed the door behind her and slowly walked over, stopping just behind Juice.

“I’m not-"

“Don’t talk, just get out here and into the car,” his voice had taken a deadly turn and became quiet, but the intent in his eyes let both Helen and Juice know he was anything but calm.

Juice put an arm across Helen’s stomach as she started forward. “No way man,” he raised his gun, “You get back in your car and drive far away.”

A scoff barked from Hoss’s mouth, “And what are you gonna do, biker scum? Shoot me?”

Juice met Hoss’s eyes, “No one would notice if you were gone.”

The chill in Juice’s threat ran goosebumps up and down Helen’s spine.

Hoss stepped back with a mock smirk over his mug, “You can’t hide behind this muscle forever, Helen.”

Her head dropped, she knew he was right.
Juice watched as Hoss got back in his car and drove off down the road and didn’t turn until the sound of the engine was long past hearing.

“I told you to stay inside,” Juice said as he walked Helen to the back room.

“He's right though,” her body turned in the door way, “I can’t hide forever.”

A slight smile appeared over Juice’s lips, “You can as long as I’m here.”

The nervousness that had earlier plagued his belly was banished and replaced with that warm feeling of knowing he could do his assigned job efficiently.

She felt her skin redden into a blush. “Thanks, Juice,” quickly she rose to her tip toes and placed a small kiss on his cheek.