The Tempted Series: Collectors Edition

by Janine Infante Bosco

  I took Vic’s words to heart and tried to put myself in Jack’s shoes.

  I’d make him see I was the right man fit to take his daughter.

  He’d cross over to the other side.

  All he had to do was see her smile and God, I would make her smile.

  I lifted one hand in the air, saluting the men who had my back and took off on the open road. I had a long ride ahead of me but I kept myself focused by picturing Lacey’s face. The quicker I took care of business the quicker I could get my girl.

  I hope she didn’t have plans because she wouldn’t be leaving my bed for at least a week.

  Probably longer.

  It was a little less than five hours when I neared my destination, turning onto the narrow road and slowed at the motorcycle blocking the road. I was about to reach into my jacket and pull out my gun when I noticed the patch on the back of the man straddling it.

  He turned around, lighting a cigarette before his eyes met mine.

  Jack.

  He held the cigarette between his lips, lifted his feet and turned his bike around as I pulled up beside him.

  I knew then I never had doubt his loyalty to me. We might not see eye to eye, and he might hate me right now, but he always would have my back as long as I kept doing the right thing.

  He gave me a quick jerk of his head before he throttled his bike and waved me off in front of him.

  Jack didn’t give me words he gave me his actions and by letting my bike ride in front of him was his way of showing me respect. He knew what I was about to do, and I didn’t even have to tell him. He was there, waiting for me and it was as much personal for him as it was for me.

  It was our girl we were making safe.

  It was our revenge for what happened to her.

  It was our move.

  We pulled up to the Corrupt Bastards' clubhouse and there was two men standing outside by the door. I looked over at Jack about to ask how we should handle it but before I could get the words out, he drew his gun, closing one eye as he lined up his shot and pulled the trigger. The second Bastard, pulled his gun on Jack but the Bulldog was too quick, turning his gun without even aiming and shot him between the eyes.

  We dismounted quickly before the rest of the men inside had a chance to ambush us. Jack reached behind him and pulled another gun from the waist band of his pants as I grabbed mine.

  “Heads up,” he called, throwing the gun to me. Then he reached into his jacket and grabbed another.

  Jesus.

  I shook it off and kept at it, kicking open the door to the clubhouse, with a gun in each hand and the Bulldog behind me pointing his guns over my shoulders at anyone who dared to take a shot at me.

  “Go,” he growled.

  “What the fuck?”

  “Incoming,” shouted another.

  “Too much talking, not enough shooting,” Jack hissed, taking a shot over my shoulder at the first asshole to question our presence, before he took out the other one who thought it was smart to announce we arrived.

  Another Bastard emerged from behind the bar holding up a rifle.

  I turned slightly, Jack’s arms stretched over my shoulders and we fired at him unison, watched his body arch as our bullets pierced him.

  “Where the fuck is he?” Jack bellowed at the girl who ran out from the back of the bar, her bare tits bouncing as she tried to take cover.

  Two more men came out from who knows where firing their guns at us, we spun around, chest to chest, each one of us acting as a suit of armor for the other. We returned fire, shooting over one another’s shoulders until we put them down.

  “Keep it moving,” Jack ordered, and I led us toward the back where Boots was most likely hiding like the pussy he was.

  “Looking for me?”

  All right, so maybe he grew a pair of balls.

  I spun around and there was Boots smiling back at me with a gun pointed straight at me.

  “Look at you two, making nice and all. Tell me, did you two mend your differences just to pay me a visit? I’m touched. Or did you decide to let him have your daughter’s pussy after all?”

  “Black you going to shoot this motherfucker or am I?” Jack growled

  “He’s mine,” I hissed, pulling the trigger on both guns at the same time Boots pulled his. Jack lurched for me, knocking me down before he threw himself down on the floor, rolled over and took another shot at Boots.

  Two bullets from me and one from Jack.

  Boots fell backwards as his hands moved to contain the blood pouring out of his chest.

  I was quick on my feet, stepping over Jack to make my way to Boots.

  Boots stared up at me, his lips quivering and eyes wide with shock.

  “Told you to stay the fuck away from her didn’t I?” I seethed, adrenaline coursing through every vein in my body. “I warned you not to fuck with mine,” I shouted. “Now you fucking pay the price,” I hissed bending down over his body and pushed the barrel of my gun between his lips. “How’s your gag reflex motherfucker?” I asked before I pulled the trigger, fragments of his head splattered everywhere.

  “Shit,” Jack muttered, pushing off the floor. “Hate to be the one who’s gotta clean this mess,” he commented staring down at what was left of Boots.

  I lifted my hand to my cheek, brought it back down and stared at the blood that covered my hands.

  This one’s for Lace.

  “C’mon let’s get the fuck out of here, before we’re the two assholes cleaning this shit up,” I said, shoving my gun into the waistband of my jeans and handing him over the other gun.

  “Keep it,” he said, stepping over Boots and following me out of the clubhouse. Once we were outside, he leaned against his bike and pulled out his pack of Marlboros.

  “That was fun,” he said with a smirk, shoving the cigarette between his lips and reaching for his lighter. “But fuck, I’m getting too old for the Cowboys and Indians shit.” He lit his cigarette, and I grabbed a rag from my saddlebags and wiped the blood from my face.

  Silence fell over us as I wiped my hands on the rag and pinned him with a stare.

  “Let’s get it over with,” I started, watching as he arched one eyebrow and took a drag of cigarette. “You get one shot, right here, right now,” I said, taking two strides towards him. “Make it good because it’s all you’re going to get.”

  “You think taking a swing at you will make things right between us?” he questioned, blowing out a ring of smoke before laughing in my face and shaking his head.

  “So what do you want from me? You want me to apologize to you? I can’t and more importantly I won’t do that because apologizing would mean I regret it and I don’t.”

  He growled or grunted, I couldn’t be sure but some animalistic sound escaped his mouth as he glared at me.

  “Why her?”

  “Why not?”

  “Really?” he questioned before he fell silent for a moment. “She’s my daughter,” he seethed.

  “I know that,” I said. “And I love her.”

  “Ah, fucking hell,” he muttered, turning his cheek to me. I reached out and flicked the cigarette out of his mouth.

  That got his attention.

  “Quit that shit,” I hissed. “You want to walk your girl down the aisle don’t you? Stick around and see your grandchildren, no?”

  “Grandchildren,” he repeated, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t knock you out I should shoot your ass.”

  “You could do that,” I said, shoving my hands into my pockets as I shrugged my shoulders. “But then you’d have to tell Lacey you shot the man she loves.”

  “Come on, enough with that word!”

  I bit the side of my cheek and tried not to smile.

  He crossed his arms against his chest and kept his eyes trained on his boots for a moment.

  “She’s not like us, you know, she’s fragile.”

  “She’s stronger than you know,” I assured him

  “You really love her don�
��t you?”

  “I do.”

  He nodded then straddled his bike and gripped the handlebars tightly.

  “You better treat her good,” he said hoarsely.

  “I will,” I paused, before extending my hand, still speckled with Boots blood. “You have my word.”

  He looked at my hand before gripping it and his eyes met mine.

  “Your word is gold, Black.”

  And just like that Jack Parrish handed me the thing he cherished most in this world…he gave me his daughter’s life and told me to take care of it as my own.

  It was time to tell Lacey who she belonged to.

  Girl, I’m coming for you.

  Chapter Forty-two

  I yawned for what seemed like the twentieth time in five minutes and glanced across the living room at Reina, who was sprawled out on the couch eating saltine crackers and sipping on ginger ale.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” I questioned as I placed my hands on my knees and stood up.

  “Fine, it’ll pass,” she insisted.

  “Well, if you’re sure, then I will head out. I’m exhausted,” I declared, rising to my feet.

  She shot up like a jack-in-the-box, nearly spilling the ginger ale all over herself as she scrambled to her feet and made a beeline for the bathroom.

  So much for calling it an early night.

  I followed her into the bathroom and watched as she dropped to her knees and hurled into the toilet. I bent over her, scooping up her hair and held it back as she continued to empty the contents of her stomach.

  “Damn, Reina, what the hell did you eat? Maybe we should take you to the hospital, you might have food poisoning,” I rambled, turning my head I felt nauseous just watching her.

  “It’s not food poisoning,” she muttered, leaning back and taking a deep breath before she reached over and flushed the toilet. I helped her to her feet and stood behind her as she turned the faucet on and brushed her teeth.

  “If it’s not food poisoning what—oh my god!” I stared at her wide-eyed through the mirror.

  “Yeah,” she confirmed, with a mouthful of toothpaste.

  I grinned as she spit into the sink and wiped her mouth.

  “I’m pregnant,” she confirmed, before a smile spread across her pale face. “That’s the first time I said it out loud.”

  “Dad doesn’t know yet?”

  “I found out yesterday and he’s been on the road,” she explained, running her fingers through her long blonde hair before she turned around and looked at me. “What’re you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking how fucking awesome it will be having a little Parrish running around here,” I grinned, pulling her into my arms. “You’re going to make my dad so happy,” I whispered.

  “I hope so,” she said as we broke apart.

  “I know so,” I winked at her. “Now, go lay on the couch I’ll get you more ginger-ale. Did he say when he would be coming home?”

  “He should’ve been back already,” she surmised as we walked out of the bathroom. “Okay, then he should be here any minute.”

  I nodded toward the television.

  “There’s still another twenty seasons of Grey’s Anatomy we can watch on Netflix until he gets home.”

  She laughed, and I made my way into the kitchen to grab another can of ginger ale for her.

  A baby.

  Wow.

  That was great news, and I was genuinely happy for my father and Reina. The both of them deserved happiness and nothing brought happiness like a new life. Still, I couldn’t help the ache in my heart and was ashamed to admit I was a little envious of them. Not, of the baby but of the happily ever after.

  I’ve been sitting here, waiting and waiting and every night I went to bed alone. My dad promised me he’d have Blackie out but every night he wasn’t here with me felt like an eternity. I sound selfish and I hate that because as miserable as I am, Blackie must be ten times more.

  It hurts my heart knowing he’s there all alone, with no one to talk to. He can’t even call me or anyone for that matter since my visit when he broke the rules and touched me.

  I miss his touch.

  I miss the way it feels to lay my head on his chest and listen to his heart beat inside of his chest.

  I miss his arms wrapped around my waist.

  I miss his lips on mine

  I miss his lips everywhere.

  But most of all I miss the way he looks at me and smiles.

  I heard the engine of a bike, glanced out the window and saw the headlights in the driveway turn off.

  Dad was home.

  I closed the refrigerator door, took the can and a straw out of one of the drawers when I heard my father’s voice.

  “Lace!”

  I grabbed my jacket off the chair and draped it over my forearm, deciding it was time for me to get out of their hair and let Reina tell my dad he would get a chance at a new beginning.

  I stepped out of the kitchen and spotted my father by the front door. He remained perfectly still as he stared at me for a moment with a blank expression on his face. I nervously turned to Reina who was sitting on the couch smiling.

  Did she tell him already?

  Then I heard the distinct sound of footsteps creeping up the front stoop. I turned my head just in time to watch as my father step to the side.

  “There’s my girl,” Blackie rasped as he made his way inside the house.

  The can of soda slipped from my fingers and rolled onto the floor as I brought my hands to my face and stared back at him in complete and utter shock.

  Was he really there? In front of me?

  He was.

  Oh God, he was here, crooking his finger as he smiled widely at me.

  A grin spread across my face as I dropped my hands and ran to him. He spread his arms wide, bent his knees as I charged at him, wrapping my arms around his neck just as he lifted me off the floor and squeezed me tight.

  “Easy,” he laughed.

  I squealed in delight, pulling back to take his face in my hands and pepper him with kisses. I finally stopped, threaded my fingers through his hair brushing it away from his face.

  “You’re really here,” I whispered, unable to stop smiling.

  “Yeah, I am,” he said huskily, leaning his forehead against mine. “God, I missed your face.” He pressed his lips to my nose, leaned back and touched them to my forehead before finally letting them brush over mine.

  He slowly planted me back on my feet, taking both my hands in his and stared back at me.

  “Time for you and me to go home, girl.”

  My face was going to hurt from smiling so much. Then I remembered we had an audience, and I looked over my shoulder at my father. He stared back at me, watching intently as Blackie wrapped our joined hands around my waist and pulled my back against his chest.

  “Go give the poor guy a hug because he ain’t going to see you for a while,” he said against my ear, dropping his voice even lower when he spoke again. “You’re going to be busy for about a month,” he ground out, as he let go of my hands and dropped his mouth to my shoulder kissing me softly then stepped back.

  I hurried over to my dad, wrapped my arms around him and kissed his cheek.

  “Thank you,” I told him, pulling back to meet his gaze. “Thank you so much.”

  “Take good care of each other,” he muttered.

  I gave him another peck on the cheek before turning to Reina and hugging her tightly.

  I spun around and Blackie was holding out his hand for me to take.

  “You ready?”

  “For what?”

  “The rest of your life,” he said simply, pulling me against his side as he slung his arm over my shoulders and escorted me to the door. Blackie took me away from my father’s house and brought me back to the pages of our story because we still had a lot of story to write.

  An entire lifetime.

  I got my queen.

  She was on the back of my bike, her arms
wrapped tightly around me as we rode in silence to the house she made a home.

  She was safe.

  And we were both free of the demons that held us captive.

  Free to be the people we were meant to be.

  Leather.

  Lace.

  Me.

  Her.

  A love story no one saw coming but one that was perfect.

  I pulled my bike into our driveway, killed the engine and glanced over my shoulder at the beauty who was already scrambling to get off the bike. She pulled my arms, walking backwards as she dragged me to the front door.

  I’d never get tired of looking at that face or seeing that smile.

  That smile and those dark eyes that was all I needed.

  No drugs.

  No alcohol.

  I never wanted to be numb again because feeling everything she provoked in me was the sweet temptations that made life worth living.

  Give me all you got girl.

  And I’ll give you all of me.

  Her arms snaked around my waist as I tried to find the key, causing me to stop what I was doing and glance down at her dainty fingers that splayed against me stomach. I laid my hand over hers and turned the key, taking her hand I pulled her around me and lifted her into my arms. I kicked the door open and carried her into the house.

  I thought I had it all figured out.

  I figured I had the good, lost it and never would have it again.

  But I had nothing until I had everything.

  Until I had her.

  I didn’t bother turning on the lights as I kicked the door close and started straight for the stairs, to the bedroom that was now ours because there was no way in hell I was letting her leave me now. She’d move in with, paint every room in this house a crazy color, but this was her home now.

  I was her home.

  And she was mine.

  I sat her down on the foot of the bed and took a step backwards.

  “We’ll talk,” I started, shrugging my leather jacket off. “We’ll talk until there is nothing left to say but not now.”

  She unzipped her jacket and drew the sleeves down her arms.

  “Not now,” she agreed.

  “I need a quick shower,” I groaned, staring at her mouth as she wet her lips with her tongue.