Becoming Juliet - Paula Marinaro Page 0,69
it looks like that could be dangerous.”
“Now it looks like that could be dangerous?” Juliet twisted her legs off the couch and put both feet on the floor.
“Yeah.” P.J. told her. “We’ve usually got this kind of thing covered. We’ve got a pain in the ass senator who’s been in our pocket for years, and is now making threats to become an even bigger pain in the ass than he already is. The Colombian cartel is at our back door, and that’s not gonna end well. Jet, the standing president of the club, for some reason thinks he has an obligation to keep knocking his woman up. His wife, Willow, is a bigger pain in the ass than the cartel and senator combined.”
“And you are telling me all this because?”
“Because, as my woman, you have a right to know all there is to know about the shitshow you are gonna be stepping in to. I’m needed back here, Juliet. My family needs me home, my club needs to know I got their back. And I want you with me.”
“Can I think about it?”
“Babe. You are acting as if it were a question.”
“And it isn’t?
“No. It’s a done deal. You’re coming with me. You need me, Juliet, and I need you. What I just gave you right there, was some information.”
“Oh, okay, then. So, we’re getting married?” Juliet decided that she liked that idea. A lot.
P.J. looked at her with an expression of surprise.
“I…uh…uh… I never thought about…I mean…uh… married?” P.J. stammered out. “I guess. I mean…I just never thought of myself as that guy. But yeah…”
“Then I accept!” Juliet smiled wide as she threw her arms around P.J.
An hour later, they lay on the floor tangled in each other’s arms, their clothes strewn all over the carpet. Juliet and P.J. stared up at the ceiling. It sounded as though hundreds of footsteps were moving through the rooms; the sound of chairs scraping across the floor, doors opening and closing The joyful noise of children playing, people shouting, and laughter filled the air.
“Show’s about to start. The family wants to meet you.” P.J. gave her a quick kiss before getting up and gathering their clothes from the floor.
Juliet stood up and began pulling on her panties. “Awkward.”
“What?”
“Really? I have to say it?”
“Oh, that whole deal that just happened out in the yard? Like I said, Jules got the information I asked him to get. And he looked for something in that info that would hurt the club. That’s all he cares about, and that’s all his stake in this was. Trust me, he’s already forgotten.”
“And the rest of your family?”
“No one is gonna know shit unless you tell them. I just explained all that to you.”
“But your dad knows. And he’s going to tell your mother.”
“Oh, yeah. Those two paragons of virtue.” P.J. let out a small chuckle.
“P.J. don’t laugh. I wanted to make a good impression.” Juliet frowned as she finished getting dressed. “Bad enough we’ve obviously been down here having sex in their basement, but the other stuff…you know.”
“Okay.” P.J. looked up from where he was tying his boots. “If it makes you feel better, when my mom was about your age, she killed a guy with a hammer hit to the head. That was just after her sister, my Aunt Raine, speared his balls together with a nail gun. Trust me Juliet, you’re gonna fit right in.”
Juliet spent the rest of the week getting to know P.J.’s tribe. It was something she found thoroughly enjoyable. Claire McCabe accepted her into the family with open arms and seemed to genuinely like Juliet. Juliet thought that it had helped enormously that P.J. had announced his plans to return to the fold and bring Juliet with him. The family was overjoyed and for some reason seemed to give Juliet the credit for what they considered a very wise decision. Even though Juliet knew P.J.’s mother to be in her early fifties, she had a youthful appearance. Claire was petite, fresh faced and had freckles that danced across her nose like little stars. She had a great laugh and kind eyes. Claire McCabe was not at all what Juliet had expected.
Claire’s sister, Raine, however, was exactly what Juliet had expected to find a Hells Saints woman to be. Tall and trim, Raine was easily the most beautiful woman that Juliet had ever seen. Her long dark hair was threaded with silver, and her stunning blue eyes were clear and determined. She wore silver bracelets up and down her wrists and had all of her children’s birthdates tattooed in delicate script on the back of her neck. Out of all the men in the family, Juliet had found Raine’s husband, Diego, to be the most intimidating. However, it soon became evident that Raine could more than handle him. Raine and Diego had six girls and they were a boisterous bunch. All of them seemed happily married, and although Juliet couldn’t keep track, it seemed like most of them had at least a couple of kids. Harmony, who was the youngest and quietest of the brood, seemed to be the exception. When Juliet asked P.J. about her, he told Juliet that Fiddler, Harmony’s husband had died the previous year.
It was the last night before P.J. and Juliet would head back to Maine to settle things and get ready to make their move south. It had been a crazy and busy week and now they both lay exhausted in bed. But with the weight of all they had to do heavy on their minds, sleep had proven impossible. Luckily though, everything seemed to be sliding into place. Throughout the week, Juliet had been in almost daily touch with Layla. Although her friend was sad to hear that Juliet and P.J. would be leaving Port Harbor, she was overjoyed at the fact that they would be leaving together. Reggie had already begun to work on the real estate papers for the sale of the shops and P.J.’s house.
Juliet was happier than she ever thought possible, still there was a question that nagged at her. “You know, P.J., there is still something that I don’t understand.”
“Yeah?” P.J. propped his head on his hand and looked at her. “And what’s that?”
“I’ve been watching you with your family all week and with the guys from the club. It’s obvious that you’re happy here, content even. You never told me what it was that made you leave.”
P.J. scrubbed a hand through his hair. He leaned back into his pillow and pulled Juliet into his arms.
“I want to tell you about a man named Beast…”
My Dear Friends,
When I finished the Hells Saints series, I firmly believed that my journey with the club had ended. After writing the epilogue in Prosper’s book, I raised a glass and bid a fond farewell to the Worthington tribe and their big, wonderfully complicated, and messy lives. However, as my writing moved forward, I found that I could not leave the HSMC behind.
It might be interesting for you all to know that in writing Becoming Juliet, I outlined Lucy/Juliet’s character first. I strive to write strong, interesting, female characters; so, of course, when Lucy Brewster came knocking at my door, I opened it wide in welcome. But I also knew that she would need someone special by her side. I wanted to give her the man that she deserved. Someone strong, loyal and … well…totally badass. And one day while I was in the shower (don’t we all do our best thinking there?) P.J. McCabe came busting into my head like Vin Diesel looking for a fight. That’s when I knew that the Hells Saints brotherhood wasn’t done with me yet, and honestly, I was glad. Because really, I had begun to miss them.
I hope that you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed weaving it for you.
With much love and heartfelt gratitude,
Paula Marinaro
All books can be found on Amazon.com
Hells Saints Series (in order)
Raine Falling
Chasing Claire
Taming Crow
Saving Glory
Hallelujah Rising
Raising Riker
Prosper
While each of these books are written to be enjoyed as a standalone, I think you may find a much richer and enjoyable experience to read the series in order. Thanks so much for taking this journey with Prosper and his boys!