Zeke shook his head and stepped away, whatever nonverbal man-speak had gone down between them ending in either surrender, or disbelief. “I’ll bunk down here until next shift if you need me. After that, I’ll want to see her wound every twenty-four for a few days.” He grabbed his briefcase and headed out of the room.
“Hit the door on your way,” Jace said to Zeke, his gaze on her. He eased onto the armchair beside the bed and braced his elbows on his wide knees.
The door snicked shut.
Adrenaline surged past the morphine’s weight and sent her heart off at a gallop. Whatever was going on in that shrewd head of his took on a nearly tangible aura, hot as the sun’s surface, and yet shadow dark. Part of her insisted now was the time to hightail it for home no matter how little she had on, but another, far more instinctive part of her considered wrapping herself in his dark heat.
His raw voice rasped between them. “How’s your pain?”
Even with a bullet hole in her shoulder and a healthy dose of narcotics swimming through her system, she responded to the gravelly sound, the same as when he’d demanded his name from her the night before.
She licked her lips and his gaze zeroed in on it. “Better than before. Steady, but dull.”
He snatched the water bottle from the nightstand, unscrewed the lid and handed it to her. “How much do you remember?”
Sweat lined the ice-cold bottle, and the frigid liquid forged a relieving path down her throat. “I remember enough.” Like the fact that he’d never responded after she’d laid everything out for him. That he’d been about to step away when the bullet had ripped into her shoulder. Nothing like a gunshot to complicate a man’s exit strategy. “I’m pretty clear up until you took the exit off 75.”
“Your head clear now?”
“Well, I probably shouldn’t sign any legal documents, if that’s what you’re after.” She coupled it with a chuckle, but it came out too nervous to be genuine.
Jace stared back at her, deadpan.
Her laughter died off, and she took another drink.
He cupped one fisted hand with the other, his gaze forceful enough to lock her in place. “You clear enough you’re going to remember what I have to say to you?”
Seriously? A gunshot wound wasn’t enough for one night, and now he wanted to add the old heave-ho? Well, to hell with him. “Yeah. I’m good. Listen, if you’ll just give me my phone, I’ll call someone to come get me.”
“You’re not going anywhere.”
“Really, you don’t have to do this.” She motioned with the bottle in her hand around the room. “I know you only brought me here to keep a low profile with the cops. Axel told me how they’ve been harassing everyone at the club. It was probably a freak deal. I won’t say anything. Just let me get out of your hair. You don’t have to say anything else.”
Jace surged upright, snatched the bottle from her and plunked it on the nightstand. “You had your say. Now you’re going to give me mine.” He sat back down, poised on the edge of the chair.
“Jace—”
“I don’t live between lines set by lawmakers and politicians. I piss more people off than I care to count and cross boundaries some people wouldn’t approve of. I do what I think’s right based on my sense of discipline and honor. I take care of what’s mine and I do it with a vengeance.” He smoothed his thumb down her forearm and rolled her arm so her inner wrist was exposed. Coaxing her fisted fingers open, he circled his roughened thumb against her palm. “Something you need to deal with, sugar, is you’re mine. That means I’ll find whoever hurt you and make sure he never puts you at risk again.”
Her mind tripped and floundered, so flustered by you’re mine roaring in her head, she couldn’t pull coherent thoughts together, let alone talk.
His touch shifted, drifting in a hypnotizing, back-and-forth rhythm against her pulse point. “That also means I’m with you until you figure out you can live your life like you really are and quit hiding it.”
“I don’t hide—”
“I know where you came from.”
Panic kicked and clawed behind her sternum, the flush of his possessive caveman comments shifting to a cold sweat.
“I know about your mom leaving and your dad’s drinking. I’ve already seen Callie in action.”
“How do you know all that?”
“How doesn’t matter. What does is I’m not gonna let you color how you view me, or my life, with your past. I’m my own man, with my own history, and I damn sure won’t let it own me the way it’s owned you.”
“My past doesn’t own me.”
“It doesn’t?” The edge in his voice clamped tender teeth on her anger. “Then tell me why you keep that one, wild room of yours tucked away where no one can see it? Why you wear tailored everything in public, but slide those fucking sinful jeans on the minute you’re out of everyone’s sight?” He lifted her wrist and brushed his lips against the sensitive skin. “Why you pore through those erotic books and dirty sites on your computer.”
Viv ripped her hand away, and a sharp stab pierced her wound. She whimpered and held her breath until the pain ebbed. “You went through my things?”
“The brotherhood’s got a lot of businesses. You working for us puts you in close contact with the information that goes with it. Anyone in that kind of proximity gets a sweep, no exceptions. That’s not normally something I do, but yours wasn’t a job I was willing to delegate.” He grinned, not at all repentant. “The dirty sites were just a bonus.”
“Jesus, Jace. Have you ever heard of a background check? Or just asking what you wanted to know?”
“Background checks aren’t for shit. You want to know something about a person, you look where they live. And besides that, you weren’t exactly talkative at the time.”
“That doesn’t give you the right to break into my place and dig up my history.”
“I told you, sugar. I’ve got my own code, and part of it’s keeping my family safe. Mine and Axel’s moms, my brothers...” He circled the wrist she’d yanked away, a loose contact that banded like a snug cuff, but sent the most primal comfort coursing through her veins. “And now you.”
Family.
The simple word gonged so forcefully through her head, it was a wonder any other sound penetrated. All her life she’d wanted the kind of closeness Jace hinted of. Loyalty and protectiveness. A safe haven she could run to when life threw its curveballs. “You called this place Haven.”
“That’s what family is.”
“Not always.”
He shifted off the bed and sat beside her, careful not to jar her shoulder, and smoothed his thumb along her jawline. “In this one, it is.”
A slow burn pressed against the bridge of her nose and tears threatened. This was so whacked. A smart woman would be throwing anything within reaching distance at his head and scrambling for the door, not shivering like some lost waif with a piece of chocolate dangling in front of her. She lowered her voice. “What you did was wrong. How am I supposed to trust you?”
“I’ve got no problem earning back what I’ve lost, but you barely let me close enough to win it the first time. You pushed me away and kept the ruffian at a distance.”
Her cheeks heated and she smoothed the blanket across her lap to keep from looking at him. “I told you what I meant by that.”
“You did. Owned your shit and was proud of you for it.” He lifted her chin with his finger. “Now I’m gonna own mine.”
He studied her for so long she thought he wouldn’t say anything else. “I was an ass. Covered up my hurt with temper and got you hurt as a result. I should have stopped and asked what you meant before I stormed off and, swear to Christ, you’ve got my vow—that shit will not happen again. I’ll check it. I’ll listen and I will not run. Not with you.”
Holy wow. As apologies went he’d danced around the wor
ds I’m sorry in every way imaginable, but the message settled on her heart more deeply than the most reverent kiss.
“Been sitting there while you were out,” he said, “replayin’ the way your blood looked on my hands. That second when you passed out in my car and I wasn’t sure you were breathing. The truth of the matter is, life goes fast. A drunk driver could’ve killed you tonight as easy as a bullet at my club. You got to live life full throttle so there are no regrets when it’s time to cash in.”
“I’m sure it was just an accident. Someone drunk who did something stupid.”
“Maybe.” He curled his hand around the side of her neck. “But I’m not going to lie to you, Viv. From now on, there aren’t any secrets between us, and straight up, in my world I deal with some nasty bastards. So, I’m going to find who did it and make sure there’s no risk of it happening again.” He leaned closer, so slow and deliberate her heart accelerated until her chest ached. He whispered against her lips. “And then I’m going to tempt you out of that shell and teach you how to live.”
“You could hurt me,” she whispered back.
He grinned, still teasing her mouth with his barely-there touch. “Won’t ever be with intent, and if I do, I’ll bust my ass to fix it. Not sure you get it yet, but you will eventually. You’re mine.”
His lips sealed against hers, gentle and still so rife with meaning and purpose it rattled to her toes. He pulled away and stroked the line of her hip through the blanket, apparently not the least bit concerned he’d just upended her world.
“I’m not yours.” It seemed the right thing to say out loud, but inside she nestled against the claim as cozy as a kitten in a windowsill.
“Yeah, you are. I knew it the night I met you. The same as when I met my brothers. I just couldn’t admit it until I saw your blood on my hands. You might not want to concede it yet, but something deep inside you knows it, too.” His hand on her hip stilled and tightened. “The same part of you that’s got you fired up for me even though you’ve got a nice little hole in your shoulder.”
“That’s the morphine.”
He laughed, a strong, masculine bark that filled and brightened the room despite the dim lights. His gaze dropped to her lips and his chuckles subsided. “One other thing. That easygoing routine I’ve been servin’ up to keep from spooking you? It’s done. You’d be wise to batten down the hatches and heal up quick because you’re about to find out what it’s like to belong to a man like me.”
Jace eased off the bed beside Vivienne and tried like hell not to chuckle at her shell-shocked expression. While he wasn’t all that keen on drugs, he had to admit a loopy Vivienne was pretty cute. Particularly when it swiped all those damned barriers off to the side and let her emotions have center stage.
He ambled to the connecting bathroom and flipped on the vanity light with a little more force than necessary. The bit about dropping the tap dancing routine was the absolute truth, but actually carrying it out scared him more than any of Hugo’s thugs. Couching who he was, or his behavior, to mingle with people who’d help his bottom line was one thing, but he couldn’t remember the last time he’d altered his behavior with someone close. For all he knew, he’d yank off the subtle veneer, and she’d hightail it to the nearest bunker before he could say, “Excuse me.”
Well, if that happened, then he’d deal with it. From here forward, she got him the way he was with no lies between them. He swiped the bottle of antibiotics Zeke had left for her off the counter and tapped her nighttime dosage into his palm. He had a whole host of other problems to deal with first. Five of them to be exact. The brothers were already lighting up his phone and demanding answers as to why he’d broken one of their most fundamental agreements and brought an outsider to Haven. And not just any outsider, but a woman.
He ambled out of the bathroom and slowed at the sight of Viv in his bed. Her head was tilted to one side and her eyes were closed, that wild hair of hers splayed on his pillow. She might have built a pretty good buzz and been startled by a few of his admissions, but the narcotics were doing an adequate job of keeping her in his bed where she belonged.
Snatching the water bottle off the nightstand, he unscrewed the lid and sat beside her. “You need your meds. You good on the morphine, or do you want me to have Zeke give you some more?”
Viv pried her eyes open and took a few seconds to assimilate everything he’d said. “No. I think I’m fine for now.”
“You change your mind, you let me know, and we’ll get you fixed up. There’s a time to tough this shit out, but now isn’t one of them.” He handed over the medicine, waited for her to get it down, and set the bottle back beside her. “You need anything else? More pillows? Less? Zeke said the pull on your shoulder would hurt more laying flat, but I can’t sleep worth a damn propped up.”
“I think he’s right. And honestly, I could probably sleep through a train wreck and not care.” She lifted her head and studied the room, eyes landing on the bathroom before she flipped the covers aside. “Although, I think I’d be smart to hit the bathroom before I pass out again.”
Jace halted her with a careful touch at her shoulder. “Hold up. I’ll carry you.”
He bent to pick her up and she shied away. “You can’t take me to the bathroom.”
The hell I can’t leaped to his lips, but he stifled it at the last second. Damn it, this was exactly the kind of censoring BS he needed to stop with her. Although a soft touch considering the circumstance wouldn’t hurt either. “You’ve got a hole in your shoulder, and you earned it at my club after saying some of the sweetest words I’ve ever heard. So humor your old man and let him make sure you don’t bust your ass while the room goes Tilt-A-Whirl.”
Before she could answer, he gently slid his arms under her knees and cradled her with her uninjured side against his chest. He navigated them through the bathroom door and toward the toilet, letting her feet slide slowly to the floor. He guided her backward.
Viv dug in her heels and pushed back, bracing her good arm against the door to the private enclosure. “Oh, no you’re not. Not this. That’s too much.”
Stubborn Little Miss. Though he liked seeing her get fired up. Once she finally let go and figured out he was solid, they’d probably have some knock-down, drag-out fights. He couldn’t wait.
He kept one arm banded around her waist, but pinned her chin with his fingers and thumb so she couldn’t look away. “I’m gonna give you this because it’s my fault you’re in this damned position. Plus, I get you’re not used to this kind of thing. But I need you to understand something. When I say nothing else between us, I mean nothing. Anything that’s a part of you is worth my attention and care. We clear?”
Her lips firmed up good and tight, and her face turned a pretty pink, but she nodded her head. “If it means you let me pee in peace, I’ll agree. For now.”
Peace the likes of which he hadn’t felt in a very long time, if ever, spread through him, and a low chuckle shook his chest. Oh, yeah, they were going to have a tussle, or two, but neither one of them would ever be bored. He kissed the top of her head. “Glad I could persuade you.”
She staggered back and shut the door in his face.
The process of her doing her business and getting her hands cleaned up after took a fair amount of time, but once he got her back in bed, his worry leveled out. He turned off the bedside light, shucked his clothes, and climbed in beside her on her good side.
Viv sighed and rested her temple on his shoulder, her soft curls tickling his skin in a tempting, luscious stroke.
He lifted his arm and let her burrow closer, whatever kind of exotic shampoo she used filling his lungs with spice and something flowery. As soon as he found out what it was, he was stocking Haven with a year’s supply of the stuff.
She fisted her hand on his chest. The room’s shadows were heavy, but with the one light in the bathroom he’d left on, her face was
barely visible, her eyes opened and aimed at the wall.
For a second, doubt crept in and prodded his steamroller, cards-on-the-table approach. “You’re an honest woman, Viv. Fear from your past aside, tell me you don’t want this and I’ll step away.”
She kept her silence, her unfocused gaze steady for long, tense seconds before she uncurled her fingers and splayed them over his heart. Laying a soft kiss as best she could without turning, she nestled closer.
Not the most resounding vote for moving forward, but one he’d take with both hands and not look back. He caressed her shoulder and sucked in a deep breath. “Then let go, Viv. Let go and let me give you what you need.”
Chapter 20
Vivienne shut the bathtub faucet off with her toe and sank into the warm water until the level landed just above her breasts. The master bath was just like everything else in Jace’s suite, top of the line and gracefully done, but the colors here were light and bright compared to the bedroom’s masculine hues, sand, cream and taupe seamlessly blending for a peaceful, spa-like environment.
More than anything, she’d like to sink the rest of the way under the warm pool and give her hair a good scrub, but Zeke had been adamant about her sticking to showers for the next week. Plus, Jace nearly went into orbit anytime she tried to do anything upright.
The change in him still knocked her off her feet. Not that he was all that much different than before, just that he was more. More intense. More direct and protective. A gruff, macho man version of touchy feely that tug-of-warred her between overwhelmed and surrender.
Letting her head loll back against the rolled up towel behind her neck, she let her eyes drift closed and floated on the dregs of her Lortab haze. Drugs weren’t something she’d ever felt comfortable with, especially with her family’s background, but considering everything she’d been through, they probably helped a whole lot more than they hurt.
A click and quick footsteps sounded from the bedroom, followed by Jace’s stern voice. “Leicht.” Easy.
A second later, the footsteps kicked higher, a trotting pattern mixed with the jingle of Ruger’s name tag against his collar. Her big baby rounded the bathroom corner so fast his back legs nearly spun out on the huge ceramic tiles. He plunked his paws up on the ledge and leaned in so fast, she halfway feared he’d jump in with her.
Rough & Tumble (The Haven Brotherhood) Page 18
