Trusting Nicole (The Last Hangman MC #4)(24)

“You don’t understand, Nic.”

“Oh, so we are back to Nic now?” I cross my arms over my chest.

“Look, it’s for your own safety, you do not want those men to know we are together.” He sighs, looking defeated.

“Together? And don’t you f*cking dare use the ‘it’s for your own safety’ card. Look where it got Ayd, Line and Viv when their men were playing it safe.” I roll my eyes, he’s being a stupid caveman.

“I don’t know what we are or what we have, all I do know is that I enjoy it. I don’t want this to be the end of it, but if they take an interest in you, there’s nothing I’ll be able to do to protect you. It’s not the same as it was for Ayd, Line or Viv, it’s far worse.” he says resignedly.

“Don’t worry about me, nothing will happen to me.”

“What do you mean?” He looks at me in confusion.

“Just know that I’m protected.”

“How?”

“Oh no, I’ll talk when you talk. You won’t get away that easily.”

“You’re not being fair, Kitten. I just want to protect you. I need to know everything.”

“As I said, I’m protected. You can go to work knowing nothing will happen to me.”

“You’ll have to open up about it sooner or later, Nicole. I can’t lose you or even just risk losing you.”

“Ditto.”

He sighs. “I have to get to work, please call me if anything happens, alright?”

“Alright, I will.” He kisses me quickly and gets his coffee and croissant.

“Are we good?”

“Yes, we are,” I say softly and he kisses me again, deeper this time but all too soon, he cuts the kiss short and leaves me to my thoughts.

What in the hell is Jase doing with him?

I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s bugging me and it won’t stop until I know the truth. I don’t know his name, but I do know he’s a really dangerous man, his occupations are far worse than my brothers and his friends. Why is a cop in contact with such a man? It’s baffling me. I need to get to the bottom of this, but unless Jase opens up, I don’t think I’ll ever find out. He, on the other hand, could easily find out what I’ve been up to...

I need to stop thinking about it but it’s so hard. I go upstairs and take a shower to try and clear my mind. Smiling to myself as I think about Jase’s hands all over my body last night and this morning.

“He’s going to be the death of me one day.” I sigh to myself and quickly shower before I risk making myself all hot and bothered thinking about my night and morning with Jase.

I step out of the shower and pat myself dry. I look at my reflection and for the first time in I don’t know how long, I’m smiling and I look happy, like genuinely happy. I don’t know how long this happiness is going to last but I’m going to milk it for as long as I can. I don’t care if it only lasts a couple of days or if it was a onetime thing.

For a few hours, Jase was mine and I was his. The rest doesn’t matter.

I put on some shorts and a shirt, grab my binder and books and head to the patio to study for my upcoming exams. I’m glad my college allowed me to transfer to a long distance program so I could come back home. They understood the ‘family emergency’ but to be honest, I couldn’t see myself staying any longer in Grambling. I’m sure with all the shit that has happened that Gabe wishes I had stayed there.

I make myself another coffee and croissant and set everything up on the patio table and make myself comfortable. I don’t really have the heart or mind-set to study, but if I don’t do something productive I’ll drive myself even crazier about Jase.





CHAPTER 8




Jason

I drive to the station replaying mine and Nicole’s conversation in my head. I can’t believe she picked up my phone but more importantly, who was on the other end of the line? I don’t know what he’ll think of her answering, but I’m already dreading the repercussions. She is innocent in all of this and the last thing I want is for her to be their new target. Anyone who associates with me is at a great risk of becoming a target for the Russians. If she finds out the truth about them and me, I’m sure Gabe will too and then I’m as good as dead. I couldn’t blame them though. They’ve been as honest as outlaw bikers can be, but I haven’t. I’ve been lying to them since the beginning and even though I’ve helped them through a lot, they would never forgive me.

All the lying is really starting to get to me, the guilt is becoming too much to handle. My life is one big lie. From the moment my parents died, I’ve had to lie to everybody but the hardest part is lying to Nicole. I want to be honest with her, but if she knows the truth she will run away from me and I’m not ready for that. It’s very selfish but I can’t help it. I never should have pursued her, but from the first time I laid my eyes on her I was f*cking gone.

I need to open up to her, I just have to be careful with what I tell her. I know she is used to a lifestyle filled with violence considering she grew up within an MC, but what I did would make Gabe look like a saint.

I catch myself clutching the stirring wheel so hard that my knuckles are turning white. I loosen my grip and park at the station. I look at my reflection in the rear view mirror and wonder what Nicole sees in me. Shit, I need to stop thinking like a woman and stop thinking about her, at least for a couple of hours. I need to stay solely focused on the task ahead of me.