Page 17 of The Queen's Joker
“I think I can manage that.” I adjust my mask so it fits over my eyes just right. Joker does the same before offering me his arm. “What a gentleman.”
We journey through the much busier club. The lights are down low, women are now dancing in cages and the music is loud. A woman is wearing only body glitter, gliding through the air on the ribbons, and my eyes are wide. We are for sure coming back here. I smile at Joker and start to tell him that until a scream rips through, then the yelling begins. “I know he is here! His car is outside!” Ugh, she is crying; I hate criers. The woman is close to hysterics as security tries to calm the situation down. Joker’s arm is no longer in mine, but he moves down and holds my hand instead. It’s at this moment that I know this is about him.
The woman must have seen him at that exact moment. She ducks out of the security guard’s arms, spinning around them as her hair flies behind her, and she sprints toward us. Her fish-scale mask is skewed, and there is a tear in her stockings already. She falls to her knees when she reaches Joker. “Please, master! Please tell me it’s not true! Tell them you still want me!” She is close to hysterics while holding onto Joker’s leg. “I’ll be better! Whatever I did… I will be better!” She wraps her arms around him, holding on for dear life.
Was this what I was jealous of? Sure, she is beautiful in a broken kind of way. If she doesn’t stop touching him, I am close to making her. A part of me feels bad for the girl who needs help, but the other part wants to break all her fingers off for touching what’s mine. Right now, the side of my brain that wants to break her fingers is winning. Joker’s hand in mine tightens, and he looks at me rather than her. He is addressing her but clarifying to me that this isn’t something he wants anymore. “Yes, it’s true, and you will find someone else. Someone better for you. Malcolm will help.” He runs the back of his fingers down my cheek, showing her it’s me he is loyal to.
“No! No, I won’t! We are meant for each other.” She sobs and finally notices me standing there. “This is your fault. You poisoned him against me!” She raises her arm, shoving me away from Joker as I grab her wrist and bend it backward. I laugh when her head flies back, her mouth opening to scream from the pain.
She lets out another yelp of pain, and I push her back onto her butt. She is an unworthy adversary. My hands are no longer on her as I tilt my head to the side, waiting for her next move. I grab Joker’s hand as I bend down to say, “Yes, this is my fault. He is mine now; always has been.” She reaches for him, and I pull him behind me slightly before slapping her hand away. I am still bent as I keep talking to her. “You touch what’s mine again, and I won’t be so forgiving next time.” The palm of my hand pushes her forehead slightly as I stand.
Joker leans toward me. “I got plans for you when we get home,” he growls under his breath and adjusts himself.
She sits and watches and pulls back as if she is in pain. “Just tell me what she has that I don’t?” She is on her knees but falls back against the balls of her feet, looking defeated.
“It’s always been her. She is my Queen. Nobody else could stand a chance against her.” Joker says to her and kisses my hand. “Malcolm will help find someone for you.”
The woman crumbles and sobs, then looks back up at me like she wants to argue. Joker pulls me to him, and we walk past the woman as security helps her up and takes her toward Malcolm’s office. He stands to the side. “The complication we spoke about. Sorry about that.”
Once we get back into the car, I turn and look at Joker. “I don’t think we should go back for a while. I don’t think Malcolm would appreciate blood on his floors, and there will be blood.”
“Let’s get you some pizza.” Wise man.
That first stretch of the morning is always the best when you wake up tired and sore in all the best places. Arms wrap around me and pull me back into Joker’s chest. With my eyes still closed, I smile as his beard tickles the side of my face. This is the way to wake up in the morning. He kisses where my neck meets my shoulder. “Good morning, Queen.” His voice is still groggy from sleep. Has anything sounded more sexy than his gruff voice first thing in the morning? It sends endorphins throughout my body, and I bask in it.
I roll over and snuggle into his neck. “Can you just move in so you don’t have to leave every morning to get clothes?” There, I said it. No part of me thinks he will say no. The odds are that he is just waiting for me to say something. I like my space, and he understands and will respect it in the future. He gets me on a level I didn’t think possible. I want to keep pushing us forward and ready to be all in.
“Do you think you have enough closet space for me?” he whispers into my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. I think about my building section’s number of rooms, closets, and pointless spaces. We can put them to good use, and I know Joker doesn’t own enough clothes. That thought makes me smile as I think about filling his closet with clothes I want to see him wear. The man couldn’t care less about his appearance, so I knew he would wear anything if it made me happy.
“There are plenty of empty closets. You can take your pick. Whichever closet you want is yours, as long as it keeps you in the same apartment as me.” I tell him as I pull back and look down at him. His light eyes watch as I lean over him. “Are we doing this or not?” I smirk at him with a ghost of a challenge on my face.
“Oh, I’m all in, baby.” He gives me a cocky smile with his head still on the pillow. I love I get to see this side of him. He is one of the most dangerous men I have ever met, yet he lies before me, exposed here.
“We will see.” I move quickly before I decide to say fuck it and stay in bed. Getting to my feet, I stand there for a second, looking him over to appreciate the view of him wearing only a sheet covering his naughty bits. He is a work of art, messy yet perfect, and all mine. “Well, go get dressed. We have a date with an adorable, slightly feral Bear.”
I get dressed and play it safe by grabbing Joker and I to-go mugs of coffee in case Tess is off the caffeine. Ace is probably giving it up, too, if she is, which makes me smile. I love watching a small woman put Ace in his place. I walk to the door, and Joker stands there wearing dark jeans and a black T-shirt. “Considering I think you have the same four shirts in every dark color that is made, I think you might fit them all in the closet,” I tease him because there is no way I am going to share my closet either way. I love clothes. I used to deny my love of fabrics and outfits, but fuck that. It makes me happy. I guess Jack isn’t the only one who is bougie.
“There are over 100 shades of black. You will be amazed at my wardrobe.” He slaps my ass when he looks at me like somehow he has won. I shake my head as I hand him his coffee and we walk down the hall. Each step we take I feel more excitement building inside of me. My niece is back and I can’t wait to see her. I knock on the door, and I hear something hit the floor. A quick foot stomps toward the door. I hand over my coffee to Joker to free both arms and hug her.
“Aunt Queenie!!” Winnie shouts as I bend down and open my arms, and she launches into them. I stand up and hold her close, enjoying the full of love hugs.
“I missed you!” I sit her back down inside the kitchen and look down at her. “Wow. I think you have grown close to a foot since I last saw you!” She giggles and smiles at me. Her dark, long hair is still wild with bedhead.
“Hi, Mr. Joker! You guys are supposed to wear pajamas for breakfast!” She sighs dramatically, like she doesn’t know what to do with us. We need her to be in charge because we would be lost without her here. Well, she isn’t wrong. She adds an air of brightness and innocence that we need terribly.
“It’s just Joker, kid, but I don’t think my sleeping outfit would be appropriate for breakfast.”
I elbow him in the side but stifle a laugh. “I’ll buy you pajamas,” I tell him as Winnie runs off into the living room. “We will call them breakfast clothes instead of pajamas. Because personally, I love your pajamas or lack thereof,” I say slowly as I turn the corner, and the large sectional sofa is full of my siblings. Along with Ash and Letha, this event got turned into a gathering. I am oddly okay with that. We all made this happen. Everyone in this room fought hard to get Tess and Winnie back into our lives. They are family now.
With little room, Joker sits on the end and pulls me into his lap. Tess enters the room and sees us, and her eyes get misty. “Please tell me this is a thing and is happening?” I nod, and she squeals and claps her hands together adorably.
I stand back up and go around the couch to hug her, and my eyes widen. I have not been around very many pregnant women. “Holy shit—I mean, you look… you’re glowing!” That’s what you say to pregnant women, right? She appeared almost glowing, with longer hair curled in beautiful dark blonde waves. Her face is rounder, probably from being close to six months pregnant, or was it seven? Damn, I need to be a better aunt and know these things.
“You can say it; I look huge.” Tess poses to give me a side view. “I made them look around to ensure only one was in there. They assured me there was only one.”
Ace comes up behind her, wraps his arms around her, and puts his hands on her belly. “You have never looked more beautiful to me,” he whispers to her.
Part of me wants to gag; the other part has become a marshmallow lately. I glance over at Joker and feel the happiness that I imagine Ace feels every time he looks at Tess.