by Ryan Michele
“Why don’t you go fuck Casey? Relieve some of your tension.” Rhys says with a laugh.
“You’re just fucking jealous she’s not in your bed.” I say getting up from the table and walking out of the room, to do just that.
“Where are you going?” I bark entering my room. Angel is pulling her dress on from the night before and gathering all of her things.
“I’ve gotta get downstairs and pack. Breaker is going to follow me back.” Angel says without looking at me.
“Didn’t we just have this fucking conversation last night?”
“Relax big guy. I need to talk to my professors and get some things. I’ll be back in a couple of days. No worries.”
“No.”
She stops in her tracks, turns and glares at me. “What do you mean no?”
“You’re not going without me.” I say matter-of-factly. “I’m driving you up there.”
“You are not driving my car, one handed.” She demands. A small smile plays on her lips.
I step close. “Hurry up. We leave in a couple of hours.” Her eyes lift up to meet mine. They flare and her breathing picks up.
“Getting back to the old G.T. I see.” She smiles catching her bottom lip in her teeth.
“Damn right. Those fucking drugs were messing my shit up. Doc gave me some different ones that don’t mess with me so much.”
“You sure you’re okay to drive?”
“What do you think?” She didn’t say a word, just scoots around me towards the door. “I’ll be downstairs.”
“What the fuck was that boy?” Pops billows in my room as I’m putting a couple of shirts in a bag.
“What?”
“Why the fuck did you bow out of VP?” The vein in his neck ticks showing his rapid heartbeat.
I sit on the bed and rub my hand over my face. “I love this club. I am this club Pops. But it’s Becs’ time. Mine will come later.”
“After I’m fucking dead.” He growls. “This better not have anything to do with Casey.”
My anger peaks at the sound of her name in such a demeaning way. “No, it has nothing to do with her. It’s on me, just like every other fucking thing.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Look Pops, for once it was the right thing to do. Let’s just let it lay.”
Pops clenches his fists but nods his head.
“I’ve gotta take Angel up to get her shit. She’s coming home and this time she’s not leaving.” I say as I put jeans in my bag.
“Good. Then maybe you can get your head out of your ass.” He says pushing the door open and slamming it shut.
Some decisions you make are good, some not. Deep down, in my gut, not being VP right now is what needs to happen for me.
I look over to the passenger seat to a fidgety Angel, her hands are in front of her and not one finger has stopped moving since the car left the clubhouse. “You nervous, Angel?”
She looks up, a soft smile graces her lips. “A little.” She swallows and looks out the window. “We’re going to the place where I thought I’d have Mia and where I lost her. Just hard going back.”
A lump forms in my throat, but a slight cough helps it melt away. I want to reach out to her and hold her hand, but with only one arm, that’s not going to happen. “I’m here Angel. We’ll get through this.” I try to reassure her.
I can’t say I’m happy about coming up here and that the anger isn’t there. It is. It’s not burning me like it did at first. Now, it’s more about the fact that I didn’t get to be a part of it. Regret. Even though, I know deep down it’s not my doing, it still doesn’t sit well. If I hadn’t lied, maybe just maybe baby Mia would be here. We could have been a family. I stop the car at the light and rake my hand over my face trying to clear my head.
Pulling up to the building, Angel gives a small sigh and reaches for the door handle. I follow and move around the car swiftly and wrap my arm around her body. I nuzzle my nose in her neck and pull her tight to me. “It’s okay.” She nods.
I release her waist and grab her hand, making it to the elevator.
I give her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it for her to unlock the door.
“Casey!” A deep voice calls from my left and I quickly turn putting Angel behind me. A guy in shorts and a fancy shirt walks towards us. Angel goes to talk, but I interrupt.
“Who the fuck are you?” The guy flinches and Angel’s hand falls on my arm and she peeks around my body.
“G.T. calm down. This is Jace.” She whispers.
“And that means shit to me.” My anger spikes. My eyes lock on the guy coming down the hall towards my girl. Dude’s got fucking balls to keep coming; his eyes show a small amount of fear, but not enough.
“He took me to the hospital and stayed with me. He’s a friend of mine.” She rubs my arm up and down sending shocks to my dick. Not the time to be getting hard. And it dawns on me the name Jace is one that Princess said to me. Shit.
“You took care of my girls.” I state as I look him square in the eye. “Appreciate it.” That is the closest to a thank you he’ll ever get, I don’t trust him.
Casey moves around me, “Hey, Jace. This is G.T.”
“I caught that.” His eyes do not waver from mine and I can’t help but feel this is a standoff of some sort. Whatever the fuck it is, I’ll end him.
I grunt. Angel wraps her arms around my waist and leans into me slightly, my body instantly warming from hers and calm flows over me.
“We just came to pick up a few things and get school sorted out. I’m going back home.” Jace’s eyes snap to Casey’s and glare at her, a slight redness creeps up his neck.
“What?” He asks her and I keep to myself for the time being.
“I’m going back home, Jace.”
He balls his fists up like he’s gonna swing and I move Angel fast behind me. The instant I do, Jace blows out a deep breath and unclenches his fists. But his eyes are cold and hard. “A couple days home and you’re gonna throw everything away.” The annoyance is perfectly clear.
“G.T. he won’t hurt me.” She moves to the side of me, but I keep her tight against my body. “Jace. I’m not throwing anything away. I’m gonna finish school, but I’m doing it online. I need to be home.”
“I thought you were starting over. I thought…” He trails off and I fill in the blanks.
“You thought she’d be on your dick. Nope. Not happenin’.”
“G.T.!” Angel scolds, but I ignore it and she growls. “When the two of you are done with your pissing contest, I’ll be inside packing.” She unlocks the door and storms through.
“Stay the fuck away from her or I’ll fucking pound you into the ground. She’s mine.” I clench my fists tight.
“She’s not some property you can claim.” He barks back crossing his arms over his chest. The glint of fear I saw earlier has dissipated and is replaced with defiance.
“She will be my property soon enough and wearing my leather. Stay away.” I glare, turn into the apartment and shut the door in his face. No way this little piss-ant is gonna weasel his way in. I’ll crush him.
Walking into the space, everything around me screams Casey, from the color on the walls to the engine magazines thrown across the table. I make my way down a small hallway and look in the first room. Angel is working on getting clothes put together.
She looks up and sighs. “You didn’t have to be that way with him.”
“Yeah. I did. He wants in your pants and it’s not happenin’” I grind out and lean against the door jam.
“I don’t want him. I’ve always made sure that he knew we were just friends and never gave him any indication of more. My heart is yours G.T., it always has been.” She smiles walking over and gripping my shirt.
My heart constricts. “Damn right your heart’s mine but babe, you need to open your eyes cause that man wants you.” She stops and looks at me then goes back to her clothes.
“He may want
me, but I don’t want him.” I nod and walk in the room. “Have a seat.” She says pointing to the edge of the bed.
“You need to talk to the landlord about this place. Get out of the lease. You want me to do it for you?”
“I have a year contract. I’ll have to pay it.”
I crack my knuckles. “I’ll work it out.”
“Don’t hurt the poor guy.” She smirks.
“Me? Never.” I lean on the bed resting on my good arm.
“I need to get a new place first so I can get my stuff there, so give me a month or so.”
“I’ll have the brothers move ya and you’re moving in with me.”
“What? No. We’ve got too much to work out.”
“Yeah. We do. Until lockdown’s done, we stay at the club. When it’s lifted we go to my house. You want a different one; I’ll buy it for ya. But under no circumstances will you be moving anywhere besides with me. We’ll work it out, but I will not go another night without you in my bed and in my arms.”
Angel went to protest, but a screech stopped her words.
“Holy fucking shit!” I spring out of bed and stand in front of Angel. The woman’s voice is smooth like honey and shit if she wasn’t pretty, but nothing like my Angel.
“Bella!” Angel moves so quick I’m not able to catch her and she lunges into Bella’s arms. She’s told me a little about her.
Angel releases Bella, her eyes widen as they make contact with me. “Hey.” I say and sit down on the corner of the bed.
“Well hello, G.T.” Bella’s sultry voice is intoxicating.
“I see you know me.” I smirk.
“Pictures. Casey showed me. But damn you’re so much bigger in person.”
“That’s what they all say.” I smile and Angel huffs rolling her eyes.
“And a dimple to go with it. Shit girl. You have got to take me to the club!” Bella turns grabbing Casey’s shoulders and my spine stiffens, eyes narrowing.
When Casey’s beautiful laugh echoes through the room, I allow myself to relax a bit. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard an actual carefree laugh from her. I love it.
“They’d eat you alive and no offense, but I’m not gonna be the one responsible for feeding you to the wolves.” Casey says coming back to her clothes.
“I don’t want all the wolves, just Buzz. And maybe his brother.”
“That can be arranged.” I move and perch myself at the head of the bed, resting my back on the headboard.
“Oh, I like him.” Bella says looking at Casey. “He’s a man who makes things happen. Love it!”
“Baby, you haven’t seen nothing yet. You come to the club and I promise a wild time.”
Casey clears her throat and glares at me. I hold my hand up in mock surrender giving her a full smile. “Not me babe.”
“Yeah. Right.” She mumbles going back to the closet. I am not letting that pass.
“Angel!” I yell sternly and she stops in her tracks and turns putting her hand on her hip. “There is no one but you, got it?” She nods her head, but she doesn’t believe it as she huffs back into the closet, and I know I’ll have to make her believe it.
I lay in bed reliving the conversation about us moving in together. I know it will happen again someday, but there is no way I will put myself in a position to rely on him. Not yet. Moving in with him is just not an option. He is going to fight me and it’s one thing that I’ll have to stay solid on. For both of us.
He has yet to fully understand and feel everything he needs to about Mia and what I did to him. When his feelings about Mia blow, I need to make sure I have a place that is mine. But I need to go home. Not just because of the lockdown and the club, but for me.
Would I feel different if Mia were here with me? Maybe. But she’s not and everything changed in the blink of an eye. Life shattered so fast and relying on G.T. to rebuild it, won’t happen. I can do this myself.
But I need to do it in Sumner, not here. Considering how my grades have slipped these past few weeks and I’m hanging on by a thread, online classes at home would be better. Maybe G.T. and I can work through everything and come out stronger on the other end. A woman can hope.
Rolling over to my side, I watch the slight rise and fall of G.T.’s bare chest, the sheet barely covering his lower body. I want to lick every single tattoo on this man’s body. From the tribal to the Ravage Club symbols lining his arms and chest. But I won’t wake him. He needs to heal and get his arm moving again. I slide out of bed quietly and head to the bathroom.
After finishing, I throw on a t-shirt and shorts and head to the kitchen. I need coffee. I wait for it to brew and grab my phone turning it on. It beeps instantly and I swipe the screen. A text from Jace pops up. I need to talk to you, please come to my place.
I reply. What’s going on?
The response is immediate. Come over please, I really need to talk to you.
I sigh. He’s been a really good friend since I’ve been here and helping me with Mia. I really do not want to fight.
I’ll be there in a couple minutes.
:) He replies.
I quietly go to the bedroom and put on some jeans and a bra to go with my t-shirt. G.T. is soundly snoring on the bed. Just the sight of him makes me smile.
I quickly scroll a note telling him where I am and leave it on the counter, then head out the door locking it behind me. The short walk to Jace’s apartment does nothing to ease my tension. I want him to be happy for me and not upset.
I quietly knock on the door and it flies open quickly startling me. He must have been waiting.
“Hey.” He smiles.
“Hey. What’s going on?” I question looking up into his eyes, they have a bit of a spark in them and I’m not sure what it means.
“Come on in.”
I step through the doorway and the click of the door sends chills up my spine. I’ve never been in his place before. He’s always come to mine and I never thought twice about it. His apartment is simple with the bare minimum of furniture. The kitchen is laced with pizza boxes and beer bottles, sort of reminding me of the club.
I stop in the living room. “Jace, what’s so important that I needed to come right over. I don’t want to fight with you.”
“I don’t want to either. I was just shocked when you said you were leaving.” He motions to the couch. “Please sit.” I do.
For some reason, I feel like I need to justify myself. “This is the best thing for me. I’ll finish school and I’ll work at the shop. It’ll help me work through all the emotions of losing Mia.”
“You can work through them here. You can’t just leave because of him.” His body language changes before my eyes. His body stiffens and his hands clutch his knees as if he’s trying to keep them in place. A chill runs up my spine, and I know me coming up here was not a good idea. Something is not right.
“I’m not leaving just because of G.T. I’m doing it for me. My family is there.” I begin to judge my distance to the door.
“How do you know what you need?” He barks and the hairs on my arms stand to attention. In all the time that I’ve spent with him, not once has he ever talked to me this way. I need to get out of here. Now.
I slowly rise from the couch and without looking away from Jace, I begin to back to the door. “Jace, you’ve been great and helped me so much. I’ll keep in touch with you. I promise.”
“You need to stop moving towards the door.” His eyes turn menacing, my heart pumps so fast it may just explode from my body. My chest constricts as fear washes through me.
“I’m going to leave, Jace. I’ll talk to you soon.” My feet move soundly to the door I reach back and turn the knob and nothing happens. Jace stands up from the couch and prowls towards me. Sweat begins to bead on my head, panic setting in.
“You’ll have to pull the lock on the top of the door and you’ll need two hands for it.” He smirks, but it’s not a comforting one.
His hands grip my shoulders quickly and I
jump. “Why are you doing this?” I ask, my breathing labored the tightness in my chest constricting into pain.
“I spent weeks holding you when you lost that baby. Before that, months trying to show you what a great pair we’d make. Then suddenly one phone call with a trip home and you’re leaving? I can’t have that Casey. We are meant to be together.”
I breathe in deep, a feeling of dread laces me; this is not going to end well. My first response is to try to run, but I stop myself knowing he would be able to out run me and not only that, I can’t run inside his apartment, there is no way out and I need out. Thinking quickly to what Harlow would do, I lift my knee hard making contact with his nuts.
He grunts and releases me grabbing his junk and backing away. I quickly spin looking for the lock blocking the door. Jace’s hard body crushes me against the door as I reach up for the lock. I whimper at the impact, but begin elbowing him with everything I have, hitting him in the side of his body. I back up but he wraps his arm around my body pulling me to the couch, throwing me onto it.
His eyes are feral and nothing like the Jace I know, or knew. I move quickly, roll off the couch and get up to my feet to move away from him. Being on the third floor, a window escape is barely an option, but I will if I have to.
I search around for something hard to grab, but see nothing. He lunges for me and I move quickly out of the way, but my hair does not move with me as quickly. He grabs it pulling it tight to him. His grip is so tight and tears spring to my eyes.
I move my arms trying to hit him in any way that I can, but he wraps his arm around my entire body trapping them tight.
“You are mine, Casey. Not some stupidass biker that doesn’t give two shits about you. You’re coming with me.”
“No. I’m not yours! I’m going back to my apartment, Jace. Let me go.” I struggle again to get out of his grasp.
The laugh that escapes his lips is laced with evil rage. His body is wound so tight, I need to get out of here and come up with something, quick. I stomp hard on his foot with my heel using every bit of power I can muster. His grip loosens enough and I elbow him hard in the ribs. He lets go and I quickly move away.
