Where did he go?
“Jace?” I called out.
I swallowed and cleared my throat as I listened out for his voice.
“Hello?” I asked.
I was met with silence, and sadness began to fill my veins. Where did he go? Where could he have gone? We were back at his place, right? I stood from the bed and slid off the mattress, quickly gathering my clothes. I suddenly felt ashamed of my naked form. The morning sunlight streamed heavily through the windows, and the only thing I could think about while I was getting dressed was what an idiot I had been. Of course, he’d leave after he was done with me. There was probably a note downstairs somewhere asking me to go. Or telling me he’d set me up in a hotel somewhere. I snickered and shook my head as I pulled on my clothes, then I fluffed my hair out as best as I could. To think I’d actually wake up in the arms of someone was insane. Especially after only knowing them one night.
I groaned and lobbed my head back as that reality dawned on me.
I had to right to trust Jace. I’d only known the man one damn night.
“Such an idiot, Leti,” I whispered.
I reached for my things and made my way downstairs, preparing myself to slip out the front door. I didn’t want to check the kitchen for a note. For all I knew, the entire thing last night was a ruse merely to sleep with me. For all I knew, he didn’t belong to any crew. He was just a guy in a bar saying whatever he needed to in order to get in my pants.
“So stupid,” I whispered to myself.
I silently slipped down the stairs and found the bathroom sitting at the bottom of the steps. An odd place to have one, but I dipped in there any way to clean myself up a little bit. I used the hand soap to wash my face and ran a little water through my hair. I fluffed it until it dried and tried to work the knots out with my fingertips. I used some of the toothpaste I found to try and brush my teeth with my finger, suddenly disgusted by the taste of him on the tip of my tongue.
Not only had I risked my life and my brothers for some idiotic whim, but I had also been fooled by the prospect of help in the process.
“When you’re done, there’s food.”
I jumped at the sound of Jace’s voice.
“Jace?” I asked.
I spit the toothpaste out in the sink quickly as the bathroom door slowly opened. I watched him appear in the reflection of the mirror, my eyes wide with shock.
“Morning,” he said, grinning.
“Hi,” I said breathlessly.
“Been in the kitchen cooking up some breakfast. You hungry?”
I nodded my head, unable to form words as I stared at his shirtless form. He had on a pair of black flannel pajama pants that hung down low on his hips. My eyes caressed the reflection of his swollen chest that tapered into a slim waist. The rings of his abs beckoned to the tip of my minty-fresh tongue, and the lines that dipped beyond the hem of his pants made my fingertips itch.
His disheveled hair and boyish smile only added to how hot the nape of my neck quickly became.
“You made breakfast?” I asked.
“Well, I make breakfast every morning. It’s my favorite meal of the day.”
“You made it for me?”
“I made some for you, yes.”
My heart warmed on the spot, along with the rest of my body. I’d never been cooked breakfast before. Even when my father was in better spirits mentally, the man could never cook. I had always been the cook. Ever since I was nine years old. I’d get up early and make breakfast for everyone, and then I’d get home from school first to make sure I could make dinner for everyone. It had always been that way.
“You like bacon?” Jace asked.
His smooth voice ripped me from my trance as I reached out for a towel.
“I do,” I said.
“Eggs?”
“Mhm.”
“Fruit?”
“I haven’t met a food I can’t eat yet.”
“I like that in a woman.”
My heart slammed against my chest as I slid the towel back into its hanging ring. I turned around and faced him, watching the way he blocked me in the bathroom with his body. His eyes traveled my form, not attempting to conceal the way he was studying me. Just as my eyes had lingered on him, he allowed himself the same comfort. Then, he shook his head before he pushed off the doorway of the bathroom.
“Breakfast is ready whenever you want it,” Jace said.
I took a second to gather myself, then followed the smell of food. The pad of his footsteps. I came around the corner into a massive open room and saw a breakfast nook in the corner filled with foods. Instantly, my stomach growled out. It was the loudest sound I’d ever heard in my life, and it made Jace chuckle. He ushered for me to sit down and I gladly slid into my chair, watching as he brought a pot of coffee over.
My mouth watered at all of the delectable foods on the table.
“Dig in. Have whatever you want,” he said.
“So, what happens now?” I asked.
He sat down in front of me and poured us each a mug of coffee before he cleared his throat.
“Today, I’ll be talking with the club. Now that the guys have had a chance to draw up plans, it’ll be more about taking a vote to make a decision on what our next move is.”
“When do you go see them?” I asked.
I spooned up a little bit of everything on the table while Jace gathered his thoughts.
“Probably after we get done eating. I’ll clean up, get myself dressed, and head to the lodge.”
“The lodge?”
“It’s where we gather and hold all of our meetings.”
“Gotcha. Okay. And once you vote…?”
“We’ll get started on the promise I made to you last night.”
My eyes whipped up to his, and I found him staring at me. The promise. Holy hell, he really was going to try and find my brother. I smiled at him before I took the first bite of my food, and I couldn’t help the moan that slid off my lips.
“Good?” Jace asked.
“The best,” I said.
“I’m glad you like it. Eat as much of it as you want. And if all else fails, I can always make more.”
“How much do you think I eat?”
“I can imagine how much you don’t, considering the life you’ve been living up until this point.”
I nodded my head slowly before I picked up a piece of bacon and bit into it. I tried to swallow down the groan working its way up my throat. It had been years since I’d had a piece of perfectly crunchy bacon. I dipped some of it into my pancake syrup and tried not to look too ravenous in the way I ate in front of him. But everything he cooked tasted incredible.
“You were a chef in a former life,” I said.
“Funny, you’re not the only person to tell me that,” he said.
“What? You cooking for other women, too?”
“Why? Jealous?”
I wrinkled my nose at him as a chuckle fell from his lips.
“No. I cook for the guys from time to time. Mostly grilling out, but the reaction tends to be the same.”
“Have you ever thought about cooking professionally?” I asked.
“Nope. I enjoy what I do. I tried being a paramedic for a little while. Two years, actually. But I didn’t like the idea of getting somewhere to help someone after something shitty had already gone down. I wanted to prevent those issues from happening. Not get there to save someone after-the-fact.”
“Then it sounds like you’re in the right place.”
“It would seem as if I am,” he said.
I watched a small grin curl his lips, and I got the feeling he was speaking about something else.
“So, what should I do while you’re off at the lodge talking with your club? Where should I go so you can find me?” I asked.
“Well, you can stay here, if you like. I have a hard time believing you’ve got somewhere else you can go.”
“And while I’m sure most people would have taken that as an in
sult, the only thing I’m going to tell you is that you’re right.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” he said, chuckling.
I giggled before I popped a grape between my lips.
“Are you sure it’s okay that I stay?” I asked.
“I offered for a reason.”
“And I won’t be a bother? Or a liability of some sort?”
“Nope.”
“I appreciate that.”
“The whole point is keeping you safe. You walking around town with this type of target on your back as well as your brother’s doesn’t keep you safe. Though I do have a question for you.”
“Shoot.”
“What was the plan once you got to Redding? What were you supposed to do?” he asked.
I reached for another piece of bacon before I leaned back in my chair.
“I was supposed to sit on a bench with the suitcase and wait for the pickup. When I left to come to find you guys, I slid the suitcase underneath the bench and shot a text message to Sebastian on a burner phone that I was feeling nauseous.”
“Did you get any response?”
“None.”
“That’s a good thing. Usually means--.”
“To stick to the plan. Which was me getting a hotel and waiting for instructions.”
“Have you heard from Sebastian at all since you landed?” he asked.
I eyed my purse before reaching into the top and pulling out my burner phone. I toggled the screen and saw nothing. Not a message. Not a phone call. Nothing. I pulled up the last text I sent to Sebastian, and I noted that it had sent out. That he had received it and seen it. I restarted my phone just to make sure nothing was wrong with the service where I was. And when the phone booted back up, my screen stayed blank.
“Nope. Nothing since I sent out that text about me feeling sick yesterday,” I said.
“Then it’s imperative you stay indoors. No taking a taxi around town. If you’re sick, you have to stay inside as if you’re sick. There’s plenty here for you to do. To cook up for lunch. You can watch television or take a nap. I’ve got a few books lying around you can read. Plenty of movies for you to watch. I’ll show you how to work some of the streaming services I’ve got so you can keep yourself occupied.”
“Jace?”
His eyes whipped up to me as I pushed my empty plate away.
“Thank you. For everything,” I said.
His face grew stern, and he nodded his head before standing up from the table.
“I need to get ready for my day. Take your time eating. And when I leave, don’t open the door for anyone. I don’t care if they say they know me or not. Don’t even answer. Act like you’re not here.”
“I can do that.”
“I’ll be back in a little bit. Eat your fill, Leti. Don’t worry about eating too much of my food. Just eat. Okay?”
“Okay,” I said softly.
I filled my plate a second time and finished it up just as Jace came down the stairs. I stood up from the table and took him in. His black t-shirt clung to his body, and his leather vest called to my skin. His tight jeans smoothed over his long legs, making him look even more powerful. I placed our dishes into the kitchen sink and busied myself with cleaning up, trying not to stare any more than I already had.
But before I could catch myself, I felt his hands on my hips and his lips at my ear.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can get here,” he said.
Then, he pressed his warm pout to the shell of my ear, sending shivers ricocheting down my spine.
Chapter 10
Jace
I struck up my motorcycle and gave my apartment one last look. Then, I pulled out my phone and shot the guys a text. I didn’t want to meet at the lodge. I wanted to meet at the bar. I wanted there to be a shit ton of cameras around us when dealing with a sensitive situation like this. I shoved my phone into the pocket of my jeans and looked back one last time, then pushed my bike forward and got myself onto the road.
The entire way there, the only thing on my mind was Leti. Which was a surprise, in and of itself. I couldn’t get her off my mind. Off the breakfast we had shared and the way she felt in my arms when I woke up this morning. Fuck. I’d always been an early riser, but pressing her cheek against my chest had been too much for me. I’d gotten up specifically because if I hadn’t, I would’ve rolled her over and woke her up with my cock sliding into that warm, tight pussy of hers. But more than that, the softness of her raven locks settled against my skin made me come alive. The way my fingertips automatically danced up and down her bare spine while feeling her tits pressed into my side was enough to drive me wild.
Leti was the first woman to completely overtake my senses. I dreamt about her the second I fell asleep, and I clung to her the moment my eyes peeled open for a new day. When I made breakfast, I made it specifically with her in mind. And the idea of allowing her to stay with me felt natural. Easy. Like it was supposed to be that way. We talked easily over breakfast. We fucked easily the night before. Falling asleep next to her, with her body molded to mine, made it feel as if we had slept that way for years.
I’d really gotten myself into trouble with her.
Whatever she had gotten herself into, I wanted to protect her from it. And that propelled me towards the bar at an alarmingly fast rate. The more time she spent by herself, the more vulnerable she became. This meeting needed to get wrapped up so I could get back to her. So, I could be around her. So, I could watch out for her while she rested from the life that threatened time and time again to strangle her until she could no longer breathe.
The only place she’d be safe was in my arms, and that was where I intended on keeping her.
“‘Bout damn time you showed up.”
Dean’s voice hit my ear as I slid my sunglasses off my face and walked through the bar. The guys were gathered around a table in the corner, right near a fucking camera. Good. At least we were all together on that front. If someone came bursting into this bar and decided to light us up for this shit, we needed all cameras on the situation so we could bury those fuckers.
If we didn’t kill them first.
“Got here as quickly as I could,” I said as I pulled out a chair.
“We got some plans laid out, but we’ll need the whole story before we settle on one,” Maverick said.
“That was a head nod you gave us last night, right?” Duke asked.
“Yeah. It was,” I said.
“Shit,” Colt said.
“What’s this girl gotten herself into?” Dean asked.
“You mean you guys didn’t hear her story when she was talking to me last night?” I asked.
“We heard bits and pieces. I think Dean’s waiting to blow his top until he knows the entire thing, though,” Duke said.
“Long story short? Traffickers are bringing drugs back into the area,” I said.
Dean slammed his fist down onto the table as the rest of the guys sat back into their chair.
“What’s this girl gotten herself into? Is it her life in danger?” Colt asked.
“Her and her brother’s. Another long story short? Her brother’s been kidnapped by the Roja Diablos cartel--.”
“That’s cocaine,” Dean said flatly.
Our eyes panned over to him, and he groaned underneath his breath.
“I’ve been keeping’ some tabs on their movements lately. Saw an uptick in activity a couple of states over. They’re known for trafficking cocaine into the area in specialized luggage cases,” Dean said.
“That’s essentially Leti’s story,” I said.
“Leti?” Maverick asked.
“The girl,” I said.
“Okay. So, Leti. Her brother’s been kidnapped, and I’m assuming he’s being held somewhere she’s got no clue about, and that’s the… leverage they’re using?” Maverick asked.
“Yep. Another task to save her brother’s life. Another task completed without proof of life,” I said.
“No pro
of of life? In how long?” Duke asked.
“From what I could gather, since he was taken two months ago,” I said.
“Jace,” Dean said.
“I know. I know. I know that tone of voice. And I know how bad things look for her brother. But we do know Leti’s alive, and we do know she’s in trouble. Her life is still in danger. And we have to operate under the assumption that her brother is still alive, and that he’s in danger as well,” I said.
“I can’t fuckin’ believe the cartel’s messing with our area again,” Dean said.
“So, are we calling church?” I asked.
The guys panned their eyes over to Dean as he drew in a deep breath.
“Yes. I’m officially calling church. But we aren’t having it here. Not with the eyes on us. Back to the lodge. We have to figure out what the hell we’re gonna do from here,” Dean said.
We finished up our morning beers before hopping on our bikes and heading to the lodge. Time to come up with a damn game plan for how this was all going to pan out. We rode through town, keeping our eyes peeled for anything suspicious. And I took the liberty of riding by one of the big local parks, keeping my eyes open as I drove past the benches. I didn’t see any suitcases underneath any of them, which meant that if she was in this park, the suitcase had been picked up. If Leti’s story was true. I had no reason not to believe her, especially with the genuine fear in her eyes.
But there were always multiple sides to every story, and I understood that.
We rode to the outskirts of town and maneuvered our way to our lodge. It was tucked away in one of the few wooded areas of our state, and it blanketed us nicely. I slid from my bike, and we all followed Dean inside. But once we were there, the questions started flying faster than I could answer them.
“So, where’s Leti now?”
“Did she not want to come to talk with us herself?” Maverick asked.
“Does she have the money to pay us?” Colt asked.
“Are we sure drugs are being trafficked into the area?” Duke asked.
“Calm the fuck down, would you, guys?” Dean asked.
Jace (The Black Hornets MC Book 1) Page 6
