by Amelia Shea
Kase opened his mouth and caught movement from down the hall. She’d exited his room, and he watched, expecting her to exit from the main entrance. Once she breached the hall, she turned left and snuck out the back.
“I’m just gonna go and make sure she gets home.” Gage shifted forward, and Kase reacted without even thinking. He gripped his arm.
“Why the fuck aren’t you down at the junkyard?”
“Got the prospects working it.”
“No!” Kase snapped, his anger spiking to a level that tightened his grasp on Gage’s arm. “Ain’t gonna watch the yard go under just so you can get your dick wet.” He snarled and moved closer. “You want her pussy, you get that shit on your time, not fucking club time.”
It was a fair statement; however, his tone had been the dead giveaway. There was no denying he was holding Gage back. It was evident to all of them, though neither Gage nor Dobbs had the balls to call him out on it. It didn’t stop Gage from laughing. He yanked his arm from Kase’s hold.
Kase headed toward the back door when he heard his name. He glanced over his shoulder, staring at Gage, who raised his brows and curled his lips. I’m gonna fucking punch this bastard.
He jerked his chin toward Phoebe’s house. “You’re showing your hand, motherfucker.” He grinned. “All your fucking cards.”
Kase balled his hands and cracked his neck, turning away without another word.
The ride to Caden’s house had been too long. Twenty minutes to stew in his bullshit with Phoebe had him itching to get out of the confines of his own mind.
He pulled in next to Marissa’s truck and got out. She grabbed the bag from the trunk as he was walking around her bumper.
“Let me help,” he said, not bothering to wait on her response. He ignored the bag she thrust toward him and angled between her and the door. She chuckled and stepped back. Marissa knew exactly how he was going to help. He leaned forward and unbuckled the latch, sliding his hand under her padded butt and stretching his forearm to scoop Cora out of her car seat. It was one fluid motion that came naturally. While some men hesitated, Kase was comfortable with babies.
He cradled her into the crook of his arm and straightened. When he turned, Marissa was smiling and shaking her head.
“You’re a good uncle.”
He arched his brow and slammed the door before walking up the front yard.
“You’d make a good dad too, Kase.”
He sighed and opened the door, jerking his chin for her to go inside. Marissa was a pain in the ass. He loved her, though he’d never mentioned it to her. She knew. Since her arrival to Turnersville, she was able to get inside with him. Not an easy task for anyone who wasn’t family or part of his club.
“Ever think maybe you’ll have kids?”
“No.” His response was quick, void of any emotion. Children weren’t part of his life. As the son of a president, he knew what his childhood entailed. He wasn’t looking to strap that on anyone.
“I think you will,” she whispered and passed by, dropping her bag onto the floor. “I’d make a really good aunt.”
Kase ignored the comment.
Caden was in the kitchen and turned when he heard them come in. Marissa immediately circled her arms around his stomach and lifted, kissing him. Kase pulled out a chair and sat, hoisting Cora in his arm. He glanced down but held back his smile. Too much affection witnessed by Marissa and she’d be thinking more baby thoughts about him. He was getting enough shit from his brothers about Phoebe.
He started a slow, steady rock, and she opened her mouth, yawning before turning to the side and closing her eyes with her tiny face curling into his chest.
“I’ll take her, man.”
He furrowed his brows and looked up to Caden, who was standing next to him. “You fucking live with her. You hold her all the time.” He rolled his eyes when Caden smirked and held his hand up. “Wanna be useful, get me a beer.”
Rissa laughed and took a seat across from him.
“Phoebe seems really nice.”
Oh fuck me.
“Who’s Phoebe?” Caden asked while in the fridge.
“Kase’s neighbor. She’s helping plan Bailey’s party, so you’ll get to meet her soon.” Marissa meshed her lips with a playful gleam in her eye. “It’s weird. I expected to see her walk out when I was waiting at the car for you. I never did.”
Kase grabbed the beer Caden handed him and pinned his glare on his little brother.
“She pretty?” Caden was asking him, but it was Marissa who answered with an amused chuckle.
“Very pretty.” Marissa smirked. “Don’t you think, Kase?”
Kase knew where this was going and refused to feed into it.
He jerked his gaze to Caden. “Where the fuck is Pop?”
Caden snorted, shaking his head, and started toward the hallway. When he caught his sister-in-law’s gleaming smile, he scowled.
“What?”
She shrugged. “Nothing, Kase.” She bit her lip and lowered her gaze to the baby, smiling. “Nothing at all.”
“Hey, Fruity Fucking Pebbles, whatever you’re thinking, ya got it wrong.”
Most women would have been offended by the nickname. Marissa took it as a term of endearment, and although Kase would never admit it, it was intended to be with Riss. She folded her elbows and leaned on the table, smiling. “Okay, Kase.”
He heard his father coming, barreling down the steps. Kase inhaled, prepping himself to handle Jack.
“Gimme that baby,” Jack snapped from behind him. Kase sighed and stood up to face his father.
No greeting. Kase maneuvered Cora into his father’s arms. It always struck Kase as odd, as he was sure it did for Caden, how truly gentle and soft their old man was with her. Jack stroked her head lightly and shifted on his feet, rocking her. He’d never seen this side of his dad. Even when Trevor was a baby, his father had still been president of the club. He was good to Trevor, showed him more attention than Kase or Cade had ever seen growing up, but he’d never been soft. Not as Jack was with Cora.
His dad bent closer, swiping his lips across her forehead, and smiled. Even though Kase and Caden were standing on either side of him, he walked to Marissa and handed her over. When Jack turned, all the softness was gone, and he widened his eyes.
“Are we going or what?” He pushed through Kase and Caden. He reached down, grabbed his bag, and started to the door. “See ya later, Coll.” It was his only goodbye, just for Marissa.
“Deep down he really does love you both.”
Kase jerked his head to Marissa in unison with Caden. Kase was well aware Marissa held some guilt that their dad had been kinder to her than them. His brother snorted and rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, sweetheart, we’re really feeling the love.”
Kase chuckled and slapped his brother’s shoulder. “See you in a week.”
Kase started out the door. It was time to bring Pop home to the clubhouse.
Chapter Eight
It had been a long and stressful couple of days. Mostly it had been self-induced. She was late on her deadline. Her mind had been out of whack, too much weighing on it, she supposed. She’d thrown herself into her project the last few days. It seemed her ideas and creativity had taken a turn, and thoughts were coming slower than they once had. I suck. Self-loathing had never been part of her work, but it seemed it had reared its ugly head.
She’d spent the last two days working on her project for the design company. She wasn’t exactly sure if she’d even slept. The assignment wasn’t a specifically large job, but she found herself second guessing all her decisions. A lot was riding on this. If the client didn’t like it, she wouldn’t get more contracts. Lack of confidence was new for her.
Too much.
The soft knock at her door had her lifting her head with her gaze darting around the room. Am I hallucinating now? Her door rumbled, and she glanced over. What time was it? She glanced down at her phone. It was half past nine, not exa
ctly an ungodly hour, though she rarely got announced guests past six.
She got up and made her way to the door. “Who is it?”
“An ex-con who swiped a bottle of whiskey. Top shelf, darlin’, so open the fucking door.”
She grabbed the knob, smiling. I know that voice. When she opened the door, Jack was standing on her porch, living up to his word, his right hand strapped around the neck of a bottle of whiskey and his other lifting to his mouth and taking a drag from his cigarette.
He might as well have had a halo and wings. Jack was saving her day. Her finances wouldn’t solve themselves, but the whiskey was sure to help her forget, even if just for the night. She widened the door and gestured.
“Get in here. I love when guests come bearing gifts.”
He laughed, tossing his cigarette off her deck and bustling through the door. He held up the whiskey.
“Jack, I think we’re kindred spirits.”
He chuckled. “Get your sweet ass into the cabinet and get us some glasses. We’ll celebrate.”
She sauntered to her small kitchen. The living area was open and connected. She glanced back, watching Jack check out her place. She had unpacked most of her things. It wasn’t where she wanted it to be for visitors just yet. By the look on Jack, he didn’t seem to mind. She reached up and grabbed two glasses.
“What are we celebrating?”
He turned with a smirk. “Fucking breathing, darlin’.”
She walked over with a grin. Jack’s spirit was exactly what she needed tonight. “I’ll drink to that.”
He snorted. “At my age, ya drink to anything.”
She placed the glasses on the table, and Jack poured a hefty fill to each. He wasn’t lying about the top shelf. She smiled and grabbed a glass, lifting it for a short clink against his and taking a sip.
“So, Jack?”
He was glancing around her house and then stopped at her.
“You live around here?” She sipped her drink and licked her lips. “I thought I knew everyone in this town.”
He jerked his head to the left. “Staying at the clubhouse.”
She raised her brows. It didn’t shock her he’d be associated, though he did seem older than most of the members she’d met. “Are you an ex-biker?”
His face turned red, and his brows dipped in a harsh scowl. “No fucking ex about it, and I’m gonna let that go ’cause I’m thinking ya don’t know shit about the life.”
Shit! She had pissed off Jack. She held up her hands in defense and offered a warm smile.
“You’re right, don’t know shit, Jack. Sorry.”
He eyed her, and the corner of his lip curled. He squinted and angled his glass in her direction. “Gonna let it slide. You got a great ass, it works for ya.” He winked and strolled through her living room.
She bit back her laugh. She always thought of her ass as too big, but it seemed to save her this time.
“You’re a member, Jack, of the Ghosttown Riders?”
“President for nineteen years.”
“Thought Kase was president?”
Jack coughed a graveled laugh. “Only ’cause I stepped down. That fucker is lucky I handed him the gavel.” He sighed. “Left it in good hands with another Reilly.”
She furrowed her brows. “Are you related?”
“He’s my boy.”
What. The. Fuck. Jack was Kase’s dad. She eyed him carefully. It was hard to see any resemblance. He stared back at her and scowled. There it is. It was all in the eyes.
Jack jerked his chin. “Let’s do a fire. Grab the whiskey, sweets.”
For reasons unknown to her, she smiled and followed Jack Reilly out the door.
****
While the rest of the guys were partying in the bar, drinking and fucking, he was holed up in the conference room with schedules splayed out over the table. The legitimate businesses seemed to need more time dedicated to them. The truck runs for deliveries and parts pick-up had been doled out each month, and it was a pain in the ass. The money wasn’t anything to scoff at, though. As predicted, the club was pulling in a lot of cash. The members had sacrificed a lot when his vision of heading back to Ghosttown began. It was finally paying off.
They still weren’t one hundred percent legit, and probably never would be. They continued their cash lending endeavor, which proved lucrative and low risk. Not all members participated. Rourke and Trax had opted out, but remained as muscle when they were needed. He understood it. They had their women and planned on families.
He tossed his pen down on the table and gripped the arms of his chair.
“Need a fucking drink.” He got up and walked down the hall.
He scanned the room in search of his dad. Jack would be heading back to Caden’s tomorrow night. It had been a fairly good week without many upsets. The members respected his father, as they should as a fucking president. Spending the week with Jack had given Kase a real-time view of his demise.
He sucked in a deep breath. Fuck.
It was a quieter night at the club. He halted at the bar entrance and glanced around the room. The last he’d seen Jack, he was at the bar bullshitting with Dobbs.
“Where the fuck is he?” Kase shouted, sending everyone at the bar jerking toward the doorway.
Joe, one of the prospects, perked up and almost dropped one of the girls who had been sitting on his lap. He turned, searching the bar for Jack. “He was here before.”
Kase balled his fists. “I don’t give a shit where he was before. Where the hell is he now?”
Nadia sauntered over with her head lowered and her eyes glancing up through her lashes. “He snagged a bottle from the bar a few hours ago. Let me check his room. He’s probably just hanging there or passed out.” Her hand grazed his arm as she passed. It wasn’t done in her usual sexual advancement. She was strictly trying to calm him.
She’d always been one of his favorites. Nadia was different, and even a cold bastard like himself could recognize it. Of all the girls, he’d spent the most time with her, but never getting too close.
Kase jerked his gaze to Joe, who was standing around looking like he was about to piss his pants.
“Go fucking find him,” he barked, gaining the attention of the whole room. His glare followed all the faces of his brothers, including Gage, who was headed toward him.
“Kase?”
Her turned to find Nadia at the edge of the hallway. “He’s not there.”
“Motherfucker.” He pushed past Gage and started to the door. He didn’t look back, but he snapped at the room. “Fucking find him.” With everyone looking, they were bound to find him, but if he’d taken off by foot, God only knows how far he could have gotten. Walking to town was feasible, but for an old man who didn’t know his bearings, it was a dangerous situation.
Kase stormed out of the house, making his way across the lot to his bike. How the fuck do you lose a hundred seventy-pound adult man? Once Jack was found, he had plans to return and beat the shit out of Joe. He pounded the gravel and was a foot away from his bike when the orange glow from next door caught his gaze.
He’d purposely kept his distance. He had watched her place. Too much. She wasn’t a creature of habit, some nights shutting down the lights at ten and other nights up until two in the morning.
He stretched his neck, catching two silhouettes outlined by the fire beyond her house. He clamped down on his teeth, feeling the shift in his molars. It was a good distance, but he could make out Phoebe and an unknown male figure by the fire.
“Motherfucker.”
He may have held back with her, but somebody didn’t. He narrowed his gaze, squinting his eyes. “Gotta be fucking kidding me.”
He started through the high grass separating the properties. He gripped the top of the fence and swung his legs over effortlessly.
His steps slowed as he rounded her house.
Leave it to his old man to swipe his liquor and share it with the fucking enemy.
They we
re seated next to one another. His father’s profile was lit up from the flames. He was resting back with his legs kicked out in front of him. Kase was having flashbacks to childhood. Sitting around the fire as a kid with Caden, his Pop, and all the club brothers. He’d always watched Jack, trying to replicate everything about him. He had hero worship back then.
As he got closer, he slowed his steps. Kase had obviously walked in mid conversation.
“Write her a letter.”
His dad scoffed and waved his hand. “She ain’t even a few months.” She laughed, and Jack held up his phone. “This one right here, she’s smarter than the rest of us, but she can’t read.”
He was always bragging on Caden’s little girl. Cora. With good reason, she was something special. It seemed the whole fucking lot of Reilly men had bowed down to the newest member, including Kase himself.
Phoebe angled on her seat, tucking her feet underneath her. “No, not now. But,” through the fiery glow, he saw her face soften, “someday.”
“What the hell do I know about writing?”
“Write what ya feel. Tell her about all the things you want to do with her, stuff you want to teach her or show her.” Phoebe smiled. “That way, if you’re not here, she’ll know all the big plans you had for you and her. It gives her something of you, let’s her feel you, Jack.” Phoebe took a sip from her glass and settled into the chair. “I think you should do it.”
Kase watched the silent exchange between his Pop and Phoebe. He drew in a deep breath. Knowing the end was coming for his father was something Kase tried to block as much as possible. It would be a hard loss, especially for Riss, Trevor, and Cade. And me. Being the patriarch of their fucked-up, dysfunctional family, life would be different without Jack.
For as much as all of them knew Jack’s days were numbered, Kase hadn’t given much thought to Jack realizing it himself. But from the conversation he was hearing, he did. He knew he wasn’t going to be around to watch Caden’s baby grow up. Kase grasped the back of his neck, relieving some tension in his shoulders. They’d need a small fucking miracle for his dad to see Cora say her first word, which most likely would turn out to be fuck. The corner of his mouth curled thinking of how Riss would probably lose her shit and come for all of them, not knowing which one she overheard. And Pop will miss that too.
