Ace Of Spades (Complete Raw First Draft, Unedited)

Fourty- Two: Blame

He hesitated a second, casting an anxious glance behind him at the door Bonnie was behind.

"Ah, Bonnie wondered if she could see you for a second?" He asked, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Jenna glanced between us, then nodded quickly, walking into the room, and closed the door behind her.

"How is everyone?" He asked, gesturing vaguely down the hallway. "Jack didn't look real good."

"Robert is here," I told him, "you know? From the Reapers?"

Clyde nodded, looking relieved, and he followed me back out to the bar, the both of us trying to ignore the groans of agony coming from two of the rooms. One, I knew Jack was in, the other, I assumed, had Ricky there.

It was slightly less chaotic out in the bar compared to what it had been like, before. A lot of people had gone home, to their families or whatever, if they weren't badly injured. Most of the official members of the Specters were here, still, lingering about, celebrating our victory.

I'd been so preoccupied worrying about Bonnie and taking care of Jenna, that I'd forgotten that we really should be celebrating.

Every single person who had been working for Lucas, at that warehouse, was dead. We'd rescued five kidnapped girls in the process, and Lucas was gone for good. I'd killed him, myself. Maybe that would take a moment to sink in, but, somehow, I didn't feel as sick at the thought of killing that bastard as I thought I would.

So, yes, I really should be with the others, drinking and laughing and celebrating the fact that we'd blown away something so evil.

But I couldn't. My shirt still had blood stains on it, not even my own, which made me want to throw up whenever I thought about it. The girls that we'd rescued were all huddled in the corner, being tended to by the Queen and some of the Specter's girls. Jack and Ricky had both been shot. Jenna was so timid that she couldn't even look at me, and Bonnie refused to see anyone but Clyde.

Clyde was obviously feeling the same, and the two of us found ourselves a quiet table down the back, away from the celebrations going on around us. Kelly caught my eye from where she was working the bar, as usual, and quickly filled two glasses, bringing them over to us.

"Here you go," she said, smiling kindly as she put a hand on each of our shoulders. "You two have earned these, I think."

"Thanks, darlin'," I responded, smiling gratefully.

"How's Bonnie?" She asked, turning to Clyde, wrapping her fingers around his, searching his face. "I heard what they did to her-"

"They didn't touch her," he said firmly, his eyes growing hard, and Kelly backed away, nodding, then gazed at him, a little more hesitantly. "But she's okay?"

"She's going to be fine," I said, as much to assure her as it was for Clyde.

"And Jenna?"

I clenched my jaw, thinking about how quickly she reverted back to the girl I'd first met, after how far she'd come, the way she'd tensed at my touch, and the bruises and scrapes over the rest of her broken body. She might come back from this, but, going back to Lucas may just have ruined her for good.

No.

"Jenna's a lot tougher than everyone gives her credit for," I said firmly. "She's going to need some time, is all."

Kelly nodded, hugging me quickly.

"Let me know, if there's anything I can do," she told us both sincerely. "I know people always say that, at times like this, but, anything you need... I mean it, don't hesitate to ask."