Unarm (Hooked Book 5)

by Charity Parkerson

  “Hey, Jace… and random stranger who I swear I’ve seen before. Are you looking for Jimmy or can I get you a drink? We’re not officially open, but I’d make an exception for you,” Logan said, adding a wink and making Jace blush. He knew it was a stupid reaction. Logan already had more men than he could handle and Jace wasn’t interested anyhow, but there was no denying the man’s charm.

  “We’re here for Jimmy. Is he around?”

  Logan nodded toward the back. “He’s in his office. You can head inside if you’d like.”

  Even though the place wasn’t open yet for the day, it was packed to capacity with employees. Honestly, Jace hadn’t realized so many people worked there. He weaved his way through people and boxes before circling the bar and heading for Jimmy’s office. Tyler followed in his footsteps. Bottles clanked and the music was too loud to think straight, while employees laughed and talked over the noise.

  Together, Jace and Tyler peeked inside Jimmy’s office. It was empty. Jace backtracked until he found Logan. “Are you sure he’s in there?”

  Logan indicated walking with his fingers. “Walk around the desk,” he yelled, sending Jace on his way again.

  This time, Jace went inside the office. Before he’d completely circled the desk, he spotted two sets of legs sticking out from underneath. One set was propped on the office chair while the other legs were entangled in the first set. The closer he got, the bigger Jace’s smile grew. Jimmy and Eli were on the floor, under the desk. Eli’s head was on Jimmy’s chest. They shared a set of earbuds and were watching something on the laptop resting on Jimmy’s stomach.

  “I thought you didn’t watch TV,” Jace said by way of greeting.

  Eli’s smile was so damn sweet. Every time Jace saw him, Jace regretted every bitter feeling he’d had toward the man a little more. “We’re listening to an audiobook while going over inventory lists,” he explained to Jace.

  “On the floor?” Tyler asked, announcing his presence.

  Jimmy clicked a few buttons on the keyboard before pulling out his earbud. He motioned for Jace to take the laptop. After Jace relieved him of his burden, setting the computer on the desk, Eli climbed out. Jimmy followed.

  “It’s very loud in here today,” Eli said, as if it explained everything.

  The compassion written on Tyler’s face let Jace know he understood what was going on, even if Jace didn’t. “You should make Jimmy go out there and tell them to keep it down.”

  Eli shook his head, but Jimmy was the one who spoke up. “They’re overworked and letting off steam.” He tucked Eli under his arm. “Plus, it gives me an excuse to find a quiet spot with my baby.”

  A blush tinted Eli’s cheeks at Jimmy’s words, but he focused on Jace, as if determined not to leave Jace out. “We sold the bar in Nashville. Now we’re in the process of moving all the inventory from that location to this location. It’s overwhelming, but we’re slowly winning the battle.”

  They were such a team. Every conversation was “us” and “we.” Jace tried not to be jealous. They were a living example of his relationship goals. “That sounds like a lot of work, but the two of you can do anything.” As Jace said the words, he realized he meant them. They were meant to be together.

  “What brings you by?” Jimmy asked, sounding as if he was already at his limit of dealing with company for the day.

  Jace gave him a short nod, letting him know he understood. “Tyler and I would like to apologize to you both for what happened outside the gym. It was your day. We were real assholes for causing drama.” He could feel Tyler’s stare boring into his skin, but Jace refused to look the man’s way. Tyler would never get anywhere with Jimmy if he didn’t start somewhere. Jace decided to the leave the man no choice in the matter. “We’re thrilled you’re getting married. You’re perfect for each other, and we’d like to take you to lunch as a way of offering our congrats.” It was dirty as hell using their engagement as a way of forcing Jimmy to spend time with Tyler. Jace wasn’t above such things.

  “Awwww, that’s sweet,” Eli said, trapping Jimmy further and making Jace wonder if it had been a purposeful move.

  A muscle jumped in Jimmy’s jaw.

  Tyler was the first to break. “We didn’t realize how busy you are. It doesn’t have to be today.”

  The way Eli chewed his bottom lip, as if worried Jimmy might explode, had guilt gnawing at Jace’s gut. Luckily, Jimmy caved before Jace broke.

  “If Eli is okay with it, then whatever.”

  “Can we go somewhere quiet?”

  Jace rushed to reassure him as relief flooded his veins. “Absolutely.” Before now, he hadn’t realized how gentle and somewhat vulnerable Eli was. The man made Jace feel like a bully, stampeding through everything to get his way.

  After tossing around a few ideas, they settled on a small Italian restaurant where the lights were always kept low and the mood calm. With an agreement set to meet there in half an hour, Jace and Tyler climbed back into the car. That was as far as Jace made it before the need to know got the best of him.

  “Okay, what the hell is up with Eli? I feel like I’m always one step away from making a complete ass of myself because there’s some grand secret I’m not privy to.”

  Tyler’s surprise couldn’t have been more evident at Jace’s question. “I assumed, since you always talk to Eli as if he’s your friend, you’d know all about him.”

  Jace shook his head. “I talk to everyone like I know them. It comes from years of working with the public. But, from your expression back there, I assumed you knew why he gives me an I-want-to-protect-him vibe.”

  Tyler buckled his seat belt as he answered, “I do, but not because anyone told me. Mostly, it’s going on years of working with exploited and endangered kids.” He met Jace’s gaze. “Plus, I pulled all his info after I met him the first time." Tyler didn’t sound ashamed.

  “I have to know,” Jace said, sounding every bit as gossipy as he felt.

  A low chuckle rumbled from Tyler’s chest. It was hot and did something funny to Jace’s stomach. “Horribly abused,” Tyler said, killing all desire in Jace. “We’re talking broken bones, concussions, starved, locked in rooms for days with not even a drop of water to drink. Every horrible thing you can think of one human doing to another, he suffered at the hands of people who should’ve loved him the most. His file says he had an older brother who committed suicide in front of him. Eventually, he ended up on the streets and fell off the radar until Jimmy.”

  “Oh my God.” Jace couldn’t even start the car. All he could do was stare at Tyler in horror. “Why didn’t someone intervene? He should’ve been taken away from them and sent to live with a real family. His parents should be shot,” Jace added, feeling more bloodthirsty by the minute.

  For some reason Jace couldn’t understand, Tyler was smiling. “You’re a good person,” Tyler said, apropos to nothing as far as Jace was concerned. Tyler shook his head and sighed when Jace didn’t respond to his praise. “A lot of kids fall through the cracks in the system. They never go to the doctor. When they do, it’s never the same one twice. If teachers start asking questions, they’re pulled from school and sent somewhere else or homeschooled. People who could and should intervene don’t. Eli is the perfect example of someone failed by the system on every level.”

  Tyler fell silent. For an unguarded moment, Jace saw something dark in the man. Tyler looked away, staring at something in the distance when he spoke again. “There are lots of monsters in the world. Way more than there are good people. Almost everyone you meet, on a daily basis, is a piece of shit. You just don’t realize it.”

  Damn, and here Jace thought he was the jaded one. “Does that include you?”

  Tyler met his stare at the question. “Oh, babe. I’m the biggest of them all, because I hurt you.”

  Jace tore his gaze away and started the car. He was fine to talk about other people’s issues, but his own—that shit cut too deep for such a beautiful day.

  * * *
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  Somehow, Jace worked his magic and managed to keep Jimmy and Eli in their company the entire day. All Tyler had done was stare in amazement with each new idea. After lunch, he’d offered to introduce the pair to a friend of his who could officiate their wedding on short notice. Neither Jimmy nor Eli had a plan in place for the ceremony. All they knew was they wanted to be married before Jimmy’s birthday next month.

  Once that was done, Jace offered their services—free of charge—to help with the bar’s inventory. Once there, Jace had monopolized Eli’s time, leaving Jimmy no choice but to interact with Tyler. It had been nice. He’d never seen Jimmy as calm. Being with Eli was everything, it seemed, because Jimmy was a different man than the one Tyler raised. Tyler had never been more grateful for a few hours of someone’s time.

  When dinnertime came around, Eli offered to return the favor of lunch by taking them out to dinner. The suggestion left Tyler wondering if Jace had enlisted Eli’s help with forcing Jimmy to spend time with Tyler. He wasn’t sure why Jace had done so much, but—by the end of the night—Tyler couldn’t stop staring at Jace in wonder. Tyler had never met anyone more amazing. As they arrived back at Jace’s, Tyler found himself wishing he could stop time. He wasn’t ready to leave Jace’s company yet.

  Even though Tyler’s truck was parked at the curb, he followed Jace to the door. He wouldn’t go inside, but he wanted to make sure Jace made it indoors safely. Plus, he needed to make the man understand how much he appreciated everything Jace had done. At the door, Jace turned and met his stare. Tyler had to say something quick before he begged Jace to keep him forever.

  “Thank you for everything you did today.”

  Jace’s nose crinkled. Tyler’s stomach churned with hunger. “I didn’t do anything.”

  “That’s not true,” Tyler argued. “You forced me on Jimmy, and you went with me, probably stopping him from killing me while it happened.”

  “Nah,” Jace said, dismissing Tyler’s praise. “You should thank Eli. Jimmy’s never cared if I see him lose his shit. He’s different with Eli—calmer.” There was a sad note to Jace’s voice—like he thought he’d failed Jimmy somehow.

  Tyler had to fix it. “That’s because you’re strong.”

  A low laugh escaped Jace. “I appreciate you trying to make it better, but you don’t have to. We were never serious, and he belongs with Eli.”

  “I’m being honest here,” Tyler said, warming up to the topic. “See, like with me, Jimmy knows he can throw anything at all at me and I can take it. He’s the same with you. He knows he won’t knock you down. Eli, he’s more like Jimmy. Jimmy can be real and raw with Eli, but at the same time, Eli brings out his protective side. They can let each other see all the places inside them they don’t let anyone else see. Jimmy could never withstand being weak around me. It’s no wonder he hates me.”

  Jace’s focus never wavered. Tyler wanted to tell him everything. No one ever hung on his every word. Jace was now. “I don’t think that’s true.”

  A sad smile tugged at Tyler’s lips. “Trust me. It’s true, but it’s not personal. Jimmy hates most everyone. The things he’s been through…” Tyler paused, forced to swallow past the pain. “You can’t imagine. Someone can’t endure that much and walk away still seeing the best in people. No one can keep that much suffering inside and not lose their mind. I’m glad he found Eli. They make each other whole.”

  Jace nodded. “They’re beautiful.”

  Tyler hated that Jace still sounded so damn sad. “That’s not the only reason I’m glad they found each other.”

  “He’s stopped drinking. That’s a miracle.”

  “It is,” Tyler agreed. “But that’s not what I meant. If he hadn’t met Eli, he may’ve found a way to win you back. That would’ve been a real loss for me.”

  Jace snorted. Even that was hot. “Yeah, you would’ve missed out on your one and only night of hot sex.”

  Tyler shook his head. “I would’ve missed out on a friend.” Tyler took a step closer as he made the claim. He wanted to taste Jace’s lips again with something akin to desperation. When Jace didn’t jump away, Tyler moved even closer, praying Jace wouldn’t back down.

  Something dark passed over Jace’s features. “Trust me, I’m no loss at all. It was good spending time with you today. I hope things work out between Jimmy and you.”

  In his shock, Tyler only watched as Jace disappeared inside. Jimmy had been so fucking right in his statement outside the gym. Sex was a weapon, and Tyler had done his part to demolish a good man.

  Chapter 3

  “Hey, Jace. There’s a messenger here for you.”

  Jace glanced up from the paperwork he was entering in the computer and focused on Paige. “A messenger? Is that still a thing?”

  Paige’s light brown eyes danced with humor. “Apparently.”

  Curiosity brought Jace to his feet. “I thought they only existed in the movies. Just think about it,” he said, heading for the front. “Email, texts, phone calls—why would anyone pay a messenger?”

  Paige’s tinkling laughter followed him down the hall. “Especially this one.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked over his shoulder.

  “You’ll see.”

  When Jace rounded the corner, his steps faltered. He tried holding back his laughter. The guy waiting for him was dressed like a chicken. No clue as to why, but there was no denying the bright feathers. The guy’s face showed through the beak. He looked every bit as thrilled as a grown man should while dressed as a giant bird.

  “You have a message for me?” Jace’s question sounded strained as he fought back his laughter.

  The man dug through his kangaroo-type pouch, because it seemed chickens from giant-birdland had those. He came out with a blue envelope. “If you don’t like what’s scratched inside, don’t choke the messenger.”

  A snort escaped Jace before he could call it back. He pursed his lips, hoping it wouldn’t happen again. “Am I supposed to tip you? I’m sorry,” he said, rushing to explain. “This is a first for me.”

  The dude’s face was priceless. “Yeah, I’m wearing a chicken suit, so…”

  “Point taken,” Jace said, digging for his wallet. He felt everyone’s eyes on him, even after the cranky bird left. With his head down and Paige’s laughter following him down the hall, Jace escaped to his exam room to read his letter. Of course, there was no escaping Paige. Since he knew he wouldn’t get out of telling her everything, he opened the note.

  Jace,

  I realized too late I still haven’t asked for your number. A few months ago, at work, my partner got a message from this big chicken. We laughed our asses off for hours afterward. So I hoped this would brighten your day, or—at the very least—soften your she-protector against me.

  Jace chuckled as he read Tyler’s words. Paige had told him all about the way she’d tormented Tyler after Jace had left them alone.

  Not only am I including my number in hopes you’ll use it, I’m using this epic delivery method as my pass to say what I want. Here it goes—I’ve gotten nothing accomplished since our first date. All I do is stare into space and think about you. You check every box for me. Can I see you tonight? If I don’t hear from you, I’ll go away, but I’d love for you to give me a chance. — Tyler

  Jace’s cheeks ached. Even though he wasn’t sure if he’d see Tyler again, he still dug his phone out and saved the man’s number. Once he had it, Jace passed the note Paige’s way. He stared at Tyler’s name on his phone while she read.

  She snorted. “She-protector.”

  Jace’s smile kicked up a notch.

  “You know,” Paige said, once finished. She handed the note back. “This guy is really chasing you. It’s kind of sweet, in a ridiculous chicken suit kind of way. I’m not sure if I should tell you to make him squirm or snatch him up before he gets away.”

  “Yeah. I’m feeling the same way.”

  “Go with your gut,” Paige said, giving his arm
a push, as if it would help jar his mind. In a way, it did. Before even he accepted it was happening, Jace texted Tyler.

  Jace: What if I’d had a chicken phobia? I might’ve needed counseling.

  Tyler: Ha! Number saved. I have you now.

  The problem was, Tyler had him from the moment he’d shown up on Jace’s doorstep unannounced. It wasn’t love. Jace didn’t believe in insta-love. Thank God, since Tyler had sneaked out on him that first night. But they had a connection. They felt right, and that made Tyler dangerous. This man could and most likely would destroy him.

  Tyler: So? Tonight?

  Jace: I’m helping Adam finish loading up his moving truck. He’s leaving for New York in the morning. Maybe tomorrow night instead?

  Tyler: So we’re helping Adam load up his moving truck tonight?

  Paige’s hot breath brushed Jace’s neck as she read over his shoulder. He wanted to tell her to go away but knew it would be pointless.

  “Tell him yes,” she said, nearly blowing out his eardrum in her excitement.

  Jace’s fingers hovered over the buttons, hoping he wasn’t making the biggest mistake of this life.

  Jace: It seems we are.

  Tyler: See you at seven.

  It was done. All Jace could do now was pray he didn’t end up a blubbering mess in a straitjacket.

  *

  Jace’s body brushed against his as Jace tried to squeeze past him in the moving truck. It was the fifth time in the last hour. This helping Adam move shit was murder on Tyler’s sanity. He’d never wanted anyone as much as he did Jace. This time of body-on-body connection, Tyler lost what little control he clung to. He took a step closer, pinning Jace. Jace’s shocked expression transformed to one of pleasure when their gazes collided. Tyler’s chest tightened at the sight of Jace’s sweet brown eyes.

  “You’re so goddamn gorgeous. Why are you wasting your time with me?”