Something about Niko saying he'd stay made her relax. She nodded, her fingers playing with the collar of his shirt before she decided to peel away from him to lay down on her bed. She patted the spot beside her.

"I don't usually fight. But, she just reminded me of my parents. My father, really..."

She hadn't gone down this path with him, talked about her true identity as a Black.

Jessie scooted closer when the bed dipped down from his body joining hers. She dragged her hands over his arms, up his shoulders. Just the feeling of him beside her was enough to calm her down and bring her back to earth.

"Judging me. Not necessarily names. But that I don't belong. Or that I'm tarnishing something, just for being me."

She recalled the night Gabriel came into one of her clubs, how his voice and face echoed disappointment. All for reputation.

His protectiveness to her, how he held apparently disdain and contempt for her father who he hadn't even met... it was a welcomed feeling. Even though he emitted hostile feelings, they weren't toward her. They were for her. Jessie peered up at him, her hands having come to play with the hairs at the nape of his neck.

"You sound like you have all the answers..." she murmured, her eyes flicking across his face.

"What do I deserve?"

He may not know. But Niko could at least give her some sort of comfort.

Even with his claim that he didn't know, Jessie felt comforted. She let herself believe she deserved those things. That perhaps she could find a family within this gang that Niko brought her to. That she could denounce her family name after all.

She wasn't Jessica Black. She was Jessie.

One night believing she deserved happiness wouldn't hurt her, would it?

"Thank you..." she said before leaning closer, pressing a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

He always presented her with the claim of doing whatever she wanted. She wondered what he wanted to do. Perhaps one day, she'd ask him.

However, stickiness of the dried sweat on her body and such... she wanted a shower.

"I want a shower. You can join if you want."

Jessie sat up, already missing the feeling of his solid warmth beside her. But the sweat and hairspray needed to go.

Jessie couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm. She led the way to her bathroom, and when she turned, she was greeted by the sight of his chiseled form. A view that'd make anyone drool, she was sure.

She hummed, allowing him to tug at her clothes before helping him take them off. Perhaps slower than need be, but they eventually landed in a pile on the floor.

"How do you like your water?" she asked, turning her back to him to fiddle with the controls.

She couldn't help the content sigh that escaped her lips when his body pressed firmly against hers. She almost forgot to fix the water to how he liked it. Checking it with her hand, she believed it was warm enough for the both of them.

Jessie leaned back against him once the water poured down on them like gentle rain. Reaching behind her, she allowed her hands to roam until they found his neck, running up to touch his jawline and cheeks.

"You'll get my back?" she said, tilting her head up to meet his eyes.