The Tempted Series: Collectors Edition

by Janine Infante Bosco

  The words come freely.

  The actions speak for themselves.

  The love evolves without trying.

  It’s a rare form of beauty.

  Only the lucky ones get to experience.

  I was lucky for a little while.

  Then my luck ran out.

  But I had the story scribed into my heart and that would never run from me.

  My phone vibrated on top of my desk, pulling me away from the heartbreak and into the present creating a ruckus and all eyes turned around to see. I stared at the screen and saw it was an unknown caller.

  “Miss Parrish, do you need to take that?” My professor chastised.

  “Nope,” I smiled sheepishly, turning my phone on silent before I flipped it over and laid the screen against the desk. “I’m sorry.”

  I rolled my eyes at my classmates that continued to stare at me before I glanced down and pretended to take notes.

  I had no fucking clue what was going on but hey, I faked the good student like nobody’s business and continued to doodle until the professor called class.

  I grabbed my books, shoved them in my bag and followed everyone else out of the room. I turned the ringer back on as I walked down the hall and noticed the alert that I had a voicemail. I walked with Daniela into the parking lot, she went her way and I went mine. When I was inside the car, I pulled out the phone and stared at the screen, my thumb hovered over it before I played back the voicemail.

  “Lace, it’s me,” Blackie’s voice filled my car and my heart. I heard the gasp escape my lips as he paused, forcing me to check and see if that was the end of the message.

  “I’m…I don’t know where to start. I guess I’m calling because I want to hear your voice. I want to hear with my own ears you’re okay. All right, well I’ll try reaching you again later if they let me use the phone.”

  Another pause.

  “I miss you, Angel. I miss you like crazy and I keep picturing your pretty little face. So fucking pretty,” his voice trailed off and then I heard him clear his throat. “Hang in there, girl. I’ll try and call again, hopefully I’ll catch you,” he said before ending the voicemail.

  Chapter Thirty-five

  There comes a time in life when you’ve tried all you can and have no choice but to look up to a higher power to guide you. It’s usually when you’ve made a couple of wrong turns and you’ve lost your way. You have no idea where the fuck you are and don’t know where to go from here and instead of winging it you look for signs.

  I didn’t have to look too hard for my sign. It came right after I made the phone call to Lacey and she didn’t pick up. Her sweet voice filled my ears, my soul and the emptiness inside of me since I pushed her away. I contemplated hanging up and not leaving a message at all but I couldn’t do it. I physically couldn’t do it anymore.

  I folded.

  The dealer had one card left, and it wasn’t a queen.

  I had already passed that one up.

  I left the message and now I’m left regretting I didn’t put it all out there for her. I told her I missed her and that I wanted her to hang in there but I should’ve told her I loved her. I should’ve told her I made a mistake and I’ll spend every day regretting the one day when I pushed her away. It was foolish, so fucking foolish. I have never doubted my ability to protect her, not once, not since I vowed to Jack I’d do whatever it takes to make sure she was always okay. I gave my brother, peace of mind when they closed the cell doors on his ass, I gave him my word I’d always put her before me.

  When my truck blew up, and we had to put the club on lockdown I volunteered to grab Lacey because I trusted myself with her life more than I trusted Jack.

  That’s a fact.

  It’s funny what you realize when all you have is three walls and prison bars to stare at all day…your mind is constantly working.

  I could’ve taken care of Boots. I could’ve put that motherfucker to sleep and avoided all this shit but, I didn’t think. I was too wrapped up in the consequences, worried about the club and all the drama we already had brewing with the Chinese.

  For the first time in my life I had something I was scared of losing. Never felt that way before. Not even with Christine. It fucked me up, and I lost my way.

  I fucked up the rewrite.

  “Let’s go Petra,” the C.O. called, jingling his keys against the metal bars.

  I lifted my head off my cot and looked over at him as he unlocked my cell.

  “Let’s go where?”

  “Visitor,” he muttered. “Well come on, I don’t have all day,” he hissed. I threw my legs over the side of the bed and rose to my feet. No one’s come up to see me since Jack visited two weeks ago. I at least expected a visit from Pipe or Wolf if not to keep me in the loop with the club than to rip me a new asshole for my affair with Lacey. I’m sure Jack’s spreading that shit like wild fire, as he plots my demise.

  I don’t want to believe that he’ll leave me here to rot. I want to think that despite everything he remembers we’re brothers by choice, and I’ve always had his back and always will. I didn’t plan on falling in love with his daughter. I didn’t plan ahead and he of all people knew that. He’s the one who has pleaded with me frequently to find my heart and live again.

  Careful what you wish for Bulldog.

  Shouldn’t have given me her life.

  He made her mine without even realizing it.

  He put her in front of me and asked me to live again.

  I listened to him, opened my eyes and there she was.

  An angel tempting the devil.

  I was buzzed into the visitor’s room and scanned the perimeter searching for the reaper and whoever was wearing it. I glanced over my shoulder at the C.O.

  “I see no one I know,” I told him, turning around. He placed hand on my chest and tipped his chin over my shoulder.

  “Look again,” he ordered.

  I turned around and this time when I searched the room I didn’t look for leather and mayhem, I searched until I found my queen.

  Eyes dark as the night met mine.

  All the noise faded.

  And the people crowding the room seemed to disappear.

  It was just her.

  My angel.

  I started for her as she pushed back her chair and slowly rose to her feet.

  Face to face.

  Here we were again.

  Leather and Lace.

  Just when you think you’re done. That you’ve lost everything and you have nothing left, nowhere else to go, that higher ground shakes things around and gives you a new path.

  I was staring my path in the eyes and the future never looked so bright.

  I was a man behind bars, with no release date, not even sentenced yet but, still a man who had a future.

  That pretty face was my future.

  “What’re you doing here?” I asked, finding my voice as we stood across from one another with the table between us. Her eyes scanned me, zeroing in on my inmate number before finding mine again.

  “I’m visiting my favorite Knight,” she whispered, offering me a smile as she cocked her head to the side. “What do you think I’m doing here? I miss you.”

  I closed my eyes as her words punched me in the gut.

  She had no fucking idea how much I missed her.

  No fucking clue.

  “I miss you too,” I rasped, opening my eyes.

  “They told me I wasn’t allowed to touch you,” she murmured, eyeing the guards positioned around the perimeter of the room.

  I followed her gaze before turning back to her and shrugged my shoulders.

  “Yeah, you might slip me something,” I explained as I let my eyes travel down her body and back up to her face. I could stare at that face for the rest of my life and never want another.

  “You look good, Lace,” I said. “Real good,” I tipped my chin toward the chair beside her.

  “Thanks,” she said, pulling out the chair. She took a seat
and raised an eyebrow waiting for me to do the same. I felt a muscle twitch and my lips curve slightly as I took the seat in front of her.

  I placed my palms flat against the table and kept my head down as my eyes bore into hers.

  Come on girl.

  Follow my lead.

  She kept her eyes trained on mine and mimicked my stance, placing both hands flat against the table.

  That’s my girl.

  “I told you father something but I should’ve told you first,” I said, straightening up but kept my hands firmly where they were. “I should’ve told you a long time ago, should’ve told you when you came to the Dog Pound but instead I was cruel to you. Time you got the truth, girl.”

  “Then give it to me,” she coaxed.

  “Every word I said that night was a lie. You stopped being Jack’s daughter a long time ago. At first I didn’t want to see it, I didn’t want to see you but it was inevitable. You were created for me and only me. I told you were nothing more than...,” I stopped, shook my head unable to repeat the harsh lie and blew out a breath before I looked back at her. “You’re everything,” I whispered.

  I caught the sheen of fresh tears in her eyes before I diverted mine down to her hands and saw her curl her fingers. She fought to keep the stance we were both holding, itching to move them and lift them to her face.

  “Keep your hands flat,” I whispered.

  She blinked, and the tears slipped from the corners of her eyes.

  “You okay?”

  She nodded.

  “It’s coming,” I teased, winking at her.

  My sweet Lace, full of life and so much strength left behind those dark eyes.

  “I love you Lacey,” I whispered the words and gave her my smile, inching my hands closer to hers.

  “I’m sorry you’re hearing it like this and not some grand way. I’m sorry I let you think for one second I didn’t give a damn.”

  “Stop,” she croaked.

  I furrowed my brows and stilled my hands.

  “Say it again.”

  My lips quirked.

  “I love you, girl. Only you. Forever you,” I swore.

  She smiled at me, making me forget she would walk away and I would go back to my cell.

  “I love you too,” she said through her tears. “I knew you loved me,” she whispered. “In my heart I knew I had your love and when my mind told me it was a lie I fought against it.”

  “You keep fighting,” I interjected. “You hear me? You walk out of here today and you keep fighting that shit, never let that maker win,” I stressed.

  “I’m guessing my dad told you?”

  I nodded.

  “He was vague. You want to clue me in?”

  I watched her look down, spread her fingers a part and slowly slide them closer to the middle of the table before she let them be.

  “I’ve known for a long time,” she admitted. “Every breakdown my father has had made it easy for me to diagnose myself.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “You’ve got your own demons, Blackie. You don’t need mine,” she murmured.

  “Yeah, babe, we both got demons we can’t stand, but you took mine and when I get out of here you’re going to give me yours,” I told her. “I don’t know when that will be so you’ve got to promise me you’re going to stay strong and do what you got to do to keep it quiet up there,” I said, motioning to her head with my chin.

  “I’m in therapy,” she informed me. “And…,” she paused and took a deep breath, working through her confession. “I’m on lithium.”

  “That’s good, Lace. Hey, look at me,” I said, waiting for eyes to reach mine. “It’s a good thing.”

  “It is?” she laughed.

  “Yeah, it means you’re not ignoring it and you’re not waiting for it to consume you. It takes a strong person to admit there’s something wrong and an even stronger person to follow through with treatment,” I said. “I’m proud of you, real proud, Lace.”

  “So you don’t think I’m crazy?”

  “Not that crazy but yeah, you got to have a little crazy in you to fall for a guy like me,” I said. I bit the inside of my cheek and watched the smirk play on her mouth.

  I missed her mouth.

  “What about you?”

  “I’m fucking certifiable,” I admitted with a laugh.

  “That’s not what I meant,” she insisted. “What about the drugs? Are you getting help?” she glanced around the room. “Is that even an option here?”

  “I’m working it out,” I said, glancing over my shoulder to take in the positions of the guards. I kept my eyes on them as they were engrossed in a conversation and moved my hands across the table and covered hers.

  The simplest touch was all I needed to remind me of how she felt in my arms.

  I tore my eyes from the guards and stared at her as she looked at our hands, intertwining our fingers together.

  “Did you ever think something as simple as holding hands would mean so much?” she lifted her eyes to mine. “When did that happen?”

  “The day you forced me to drink a milkshake and reminded me I could still smile,” I answered. “Promise me something?”

  She nodded her head.

  “Don’t miss me too much,” I whispered, as my thumb stroked hers. “Keep on with your therapy, take your medicine, and finish school.”

  Her hand closed over mine, squeezing it as she held on for dear life.

  “Another stolen moment,” she murmured. “Is that all we will ever have?”

  “Can’t promise you the world, no matter how much I want to, not while I’m in here.”

  “And when you’re out? What happens then?”

  “Hey, Petra, no touching!” The guard shouted from across the room. “You got two minutes to wrap it up.”

  I gave her hand a squeeze before pulling mine back.

  “Then, I claim my queen,” I said, pushing back my chair and drawing in a deep breath before I stood. “I love you, don’t forget that okay?”

  “Never,” she promised as the tears fell from her eyes again. “I hate this,” she admitted.

  “Me too,” I said as I took three steps backward, not ready to turn around and walk away from her.

  “Blackie, wait,” she said, standing on her feet. “I didn’t get to thank you.”

  “Thank me for what?”

  “That night, for what you did. You saved me again.”

  “Just returning the favor, Lace.”

  “What?”

  “You saved me first,” I said, turning my back before I couldn’t. Every second I stared at her face made it harder and harder to walk away. I took another two steps but stopped because I didn’t know when I would get to see her again. I turned around and looked at her one more time.

  Let them throw me in the hole.

  Take away my phone call privileges.

  Ban my visitors.

  It would be worth it.

  I never played by the rules and today wouldn’t be the day that changed.

  I closed the distance between us with every officer’s pair of eyes burning a hole into my back I walked straight up to my girl.

  “C’mere, girl,” I whispered, reaching for face and cupped her cheeks with my palms before I pressed my lips to her forehead.

  “Petra!”

  “No more maker,” I told her. “Just you and me… Leather and Lace,” I said against her skin.

  My hands fell from her face as the C.O. grabbed me from behind and pulled me back.

  So fucking worth it.

  Chapter Thirty-six

  Another month passed, thirty days without word from Jack or any of my brothers’ other than a deposit into my commissary account. After Lacey’s visits they suspended my phone privileges and banned any visitors’ other than my lawyer for sixty days. They could’ve sent word through the suit but all I’ve been granted is radio silence. It’s one thing to leave me here because Jack’s thinks I stabbed him in the back
, but that doesn’t change my place within the club. I didn’t dishonor my brothers or my patch and as the fucking vice president of the Satan’s Knights I deserve the respect of knowing where my club stands.

  I went away with two wars beating the fence, one with the Chinese and the other with the Corrupt Bastards. I can’t sit here and think that shit is just staying idle while I’m locked up. Boots made a move, pinning that kid on Lacey, he’s decided what it is he wants and he’ll make his demands if he hasn’t already. Then there’s Sun Wu, that motherfucker’s vendetta didn’t die and after we fucked with his shipment he’s probably out for blood. No holds barred.

  Tomorrow I’m scheduled to meet with my lawyer so he can tell me all about the deal he’s been trying to iron out with the district attorney. According to him, there is no way around doing time, and I should take the deal since the kid still hasn’t woken up and the doctors are trying to convince his parents to pull the plug.

  I got nothing.

  No remorse whatsoever.

  Which makes me wonder about the type of person I am. When I found out those two kids died I felt something. I felt a shit ton of grief and regret. I sat in the back of the funeral home and wished I could give each one of those mother’s back their sons.

  This was different, there was foul play, and it was on Lacey.

  Kid deserved what he got.

  If it makes me a heartless motherfucker so be it.

  And the father’s just as much of a dick because he threw his son into the line of fire trying to save his own ass.

  Don’t have kids if you aren’t willing to lay it all on the line. Don’t bring another life into the world if you’re not willing to trade yours for theirs. I’m no one’s father, so what do I know? But give me a kid, give me a precious life, one I helped create, and tell me to protect that kid—you better believe I’m giving that kid everything I am and everything I ever wanted to be.