Lethal Temptations (Tempted #5)(100)

“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 f*cking 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 f*cking 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 f*ck 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 f*cking 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 motherf*cker 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 f*cked me up, and I lost my way.

I f*cked 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 * 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.