REAPER'S KISS(23)

I started to step back and Jace grabbed my wrist.

“Numb,” he said. “Fucking tell me if you feel this, sweetie.”

Jace pulled me and he stepped out of the way… throwing me into the shower… with all my clothes on.





chapter eighteen


(jace)



TWO DAYS AGO



“I’m not going down that road,” I said in front of a full table. “We need to find her father. We need to go to the source.”

“What is it about her?” Gage asked. “I’m just throwing it out there. You know, what, nothing of her?”

“I know enough,” I said. “There’s something there, brother. She’s a pawn. The things she’s said to me about her old man and this Frank guy. It’s not good. If you want my two cents, I think her mother was murdered by Frank. Or someone connected to this shit.”

“What the f*ck does that have to do with the club?” Sid asked. “Not trying to be rude here.”

“You’re right, Prez,” I said. “Her mother’s murder probably has nothing to do with the MC. Neither does her father, Frank, whatever. The fact is we went after some cash and now it’s kicking back at us. Ava has nothing to do with that cash. She’s tried to find her father and can’t. She’s terrified. You think I want some woman in my house? In my life?”

Maybe I do, but that is a whole other situation I refuse to talk about.

“Get rid of her then,” Gunner said.

“And do what?” I asked. “Kick her out? She’d end up kidnapped. She might talk about the MC. I’m forcing myself to keep her there. Keep her with me.”

“Yeah, twisting your f*cking arm,” Diesel said.

“Twisting your dick,” Luka added.

The table started to laugh.

I was ready to take out my gun and start shooting.

Killing your own brothers? Because they’re giving you shit about a woman?

That’s what I had become. They were all right though. I barely knew Ava. Seeing her in the store wasn’t the first time I ever saw her. Bishop was small enough of a town that nobody was really considered a stranger. But to actually get to know her a little. Seeing this beautiful woman wrapped up in the tragedy of her mother’s murder and then thrust into her father’s bullshit business.

“Okay, okay,” Sid said. “Everyone take a breath for a second. If we’re getting kick back for taking that cash, it falls on my shoulders. I gave the order to go after that money. So now we need to protect ourselves first and second, figure out this thing with Jake, his store, and how his daughter plays into it.”

“Agreed,” I said. “I’ve pressed Ava for everything she could tell me. We have everything we could get. I say we hit the streets and start spreading the word. See if anyone knows Frank or Jake or something. Flush him out.”

“Right out of Bishop,” Gage said.

“He’s already f*cking gone,” Diesel said. “I went by the store this morning. The same family emergency sign is in the window. Fucking place is dead if you ask me.”

“What are the odds that Frank and Jake are together?” Luka asked.

“I hate to throw this in, but what about Ava?” Logan asked. “Can we trust her? Is she in this more than we know?”

Again, I felt the anger rise up in me. Shit, it wasn’t just anger but jealousy. These feelings never happened inside me.

Sid looked at me, waiting for me to flip shit.

I just shrugged my shoulders. “What do I say to that? I’ve made my point clear. if there’s any question or doubt, then speak it. Make a decision. Take a f*cking vote.”

“There’s one thing we can do,” Sid said. “We can talk to her. Let me and a few others see what she says.”

“Scare her,” I said.

“No. Just make sure we’re reassured on her answers.”

“That’s fine, Prez. Club first.”

“There’s one other thing,” Gage said. He looked at me with regret in his eyes. “We can use her.”

“What?” I asked.

“You said it yourself, Jace,” Gage said. “If you toss her out she might get kidnapped. Why don’t we test it out?” Gage put a hand up at me. “But we’re in control. If we send her out there and Frank or her father swoops in, we’ll be right there to help her.”

“That’s risky,” I said.

“What does she mean to the MC?” Diesel asked.

“Fuck you,” I yelled.

“Easy now,” Sid said. “Let’s think this out. We know this shit is connected. I made a couple phone calls and I’m waiting for call backs. If nothing comes of the calls, then we do Gage’s plan.” Sid looked at me and nodded.

I had no choice. I couldn’t fight the MC. Shit, they were right anyway. There was no use in fighting it. Whatever this shit was I felt for Ava… it had to go.

One thing was for sure - I could not fall for her.





chapter nineteen


(ava)



NOW



My jeans and panties were in the shower, balled up on the ground, soaking wet. My shirt clung to my body, showing the full shape of my breasts. Jace had a hand to my lower back, positioning himself right at me. His mouth kissed from my neck to my mouth to my ear. He had one question for me. In his rough outlaw voice he wanted to know if I was protecting myself. Meaning birth control.