CHAPTER EIGHT
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LIZ
I WOKE TO the warmth of Jake’s heavy arm caging me against his body. I lifted his hand and noticed his busted knuckles. I turned in his arms to get a look at him, but his face was fine. He looked peaceful and content and as sexy asleep as he was awake. I ran my hand over his shoulders and chest, admiring his puzzle of tattoos. My eyes caught something bright white. Looking down, I saw the bandage. I immediately shook him awake.
“Jake, what happened to you? Were you in a fight?”
His eyes opened slowly and he grinned as he looked me in the eyes. “You sound worried.”
“I am. What happened to you?”
His hand went to my waist and raised his t-shirt out of the way, so he could run his hands along my stomach before dipping his hand inside my thong. His fingers gently caressed up and back down, slipping me into a daze.
“Jake,” I whimpered, before placing my hand over his, stopping him. “What happened?”
He inched toward me, putting his hand around my waist, pulling me the rest of the way toward him. “Let’s talk about it later.” He took hold of my hand, sliding it inside his briefs. He was rock hard and clearly eager for release. My curiosity got the best of me. I placed my hand around his shaft, shocked by the full length and width of it.
“I’m pretty sure you’re required to register this kind of weapon.”
The corner of his mouth raised into a sexy, mischievous grin. “I’m past registering. It’s fully loaded, and I’m ready to use it.”
I laughed so hard my sides began to hurt. Jake laughed too, then stopped when his side caused him obvious pain.
“Maybe not as ready as you think you are.” I glanced down and saw blood had begun to soak through the bandage. “Let me look at it.”
He laid back and put his arms behind his head, giving me complete access to his wound. I pulled back the bandage to find a knife had split him open several inches.
“You need stitches to close this up.”
“Can you do it?”
I looked at him, surprised. “Yes, but I don’t have the tools. You need to see a doctor.”
“I have what you need.”
I gathered the alcohol and fresh bandages while Jake dug a box out of his cabinet filled with surgical thread, a curved needle, holder, and forceps.
“Should I be concerned you have surgical tools on hand like a first aid kit?”
Jake shrugged. “It’s easier to have my own.” Without explanation, he walked out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. I followed him, setting the alcohol and bandages on the night stand next to the stitching tools.
“Got any numbing cream?”
“Don’t need it.” Jake laid back and put his arms behind his head again.
“Of course, you don’t.” Apparently, this wasn’t his first time getting stitches. After cleaning his wound, I got the needle and thread ready and began the first stitch. I glanced at Jake to make sure I wasn’t hurting him. He laid there without flinching.
“You gonna tell me how this happened and who that woman was?”
“You probably won’t let it go if I don’t, will you?”
“You’re figuring me out already.”
As I waited for him to share the information he didn’t want to, I noticed several scars on his torso. They were easily missed when your eyes were drawn to his tattoos. It was concerning how many scars he had, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask about something so personal.
“There’s thirteen of them.”
“What?”
“Thirteen scars.”
My stomach knotted. He’d noticed me looking at them.
“My father was an abusive alcoholic. Would beat on my mom regularly. When I was about eleven, I started defending her, taking the hits, so she didn’t. He didn’t like his son getting in his way, so he tied me to a chair and cut me eleven times—one for each year of my birth he said. My mother managed to get a call out to 911. If she hadn’t, I probably wouldn’t be alive.”
I stopped suturing his wound as my body went numb. “What happened to him?”
“He went to prison.”
“And the other two scars?”
“Both were fights. One was a broken bottle, the other a knife.”
Holding the needle holder and forceps in my hands, I stared at him, still absorbing what he’d just shared.
“I’ve never told another woman how I got the scars.”
“Why’d you tell me?”
“Last night, I left a man with broken bones because of what he did to the woman you saw in my living room.”
“That’s how you got this?”
He nodded.
I looked back down at his wound and finished the last few sutures.
“And the woman from last night, she means something to you?” I swallowed the lump in my throat and waited for him to answer.
“A little more than I normally care for a woman.”
“Did you love her?” I stared down at the stitches, focusing on the last knot, avoiding his eyes. There was a pause and my chest tightened.
“No.”
A surprising amount of relief filled me. Not that there was anything wrong with Jake having loved her, but a selfish part of me wanted to know what it was like to be the only woman to have Jake’s love.
“I need to clean these.” I set the tools back in the box.
Jake’s gaze followed me out of the room. I could feel his eyes burning my ass cheeks peeking out beneath his t-shirt. As I sanitized the tools in the bathroom, he walked past and seconds later, I heard him letting Rocky out of his crate, followed by large paws smacking the floor, then the back door opened and closed.
I went back into the bedroom after putting the box away to check my phone. Nerves bunched in my gut when I saw a list of text messages from Nix. Each text was angrier than the last. I immediately dialed him.
“What’s going on? Why are you blowing up my phone?”
“Are you with Jake?” His tone was cross and disapproving.
“I am.”
“Have him bring you to the club. Now!” Nix hung up on me without an explanation. I hurried to get dressed and met Jake in the kitchen. Rocky ran to me and sat down, wagging his tail with trembling enthusiasm. I patted his head and scratched along his ear, making his leg kick like it did the night before.
“I just spoke with Nix. He wants you to bring me to the club. He’s angry about something.”
“We’ll get there when we do.” Jake stretched his arm and rubbed the back of his head as he let out a sigh. “I want you taken care of first. You hungry?”
“I am, but we shouldn’t keep him waiting.”
Jake opened the refrigerator and pulled out orange juice. After opening the lid, he chugged for several seconds before closing the jug and placing it back in the fridge.
“Whatever your brother is pissed about isn’t going away. It’d be better if he has time to cool off. Take a shower. I’ll get us something.”
There was no point in arguing, Jake’s expression had deadpanned. I’d have to leave on my own, and I knew that’d only upset him.
“I’m gonna smell like whatever body wash you got in the shower. Hope you like it.”
“I want more than just the scent of my body wash on you.” The corner of his mouth raised.
I couldn’t help smiling at that innuendo as I walked to his bathroom.
I heard his bike rumble outside several minutes later. By the time I was out of the shower, dressed, and done using his toothpaste and my finger to scrub my teeth, he pulled up the drive. The smell of sausage wafted through the house as he entered. I joined him at the island and stood on my tippy toes to see what was in the bag. My stomach was growling, and I was appreciative he’d made me eat before going to see Nix. He wrapped one arm around me, pulling me close to his side. He leaned down and kissed me on the temple.
“You did good patching me up. I didn’t thank you earlier and I should have.”
Looking up at him while he dug containers out of the bag with one hand and held me with the other was causing my affection for him to grow. “Thank you for breakfast.”
His hand wound through the loose strands of my hair, then caressed my back.
“Let’s eat.”
Jake had gone to a local hole in the wall diner. I knew the place. They made the best pancakes, and apparently, Jake knew that too. He’d ordered some for both of us.
“Can I give him a piece?” I looked down at Rocky’s puppy dog eyes watching me eat my sausage.
Jake chuckled. “No, Peach. Don’t spoil him.”
“Aww, but Jake, look at those eyes.”
“I like the way you sound when you beg me, Peach,” Jake rubbed his hand along my thigh and eyed me with his masculine authority, “but the answer is still no.”
“Fine.” I jutted my bottom lip out at him.
A smile spread his lips. “You like him?”
“Yes, he’s adorable and so well behaved.”
“He likes you too.” Jake squeezed my thigh before grabbing his empty container and tossing it into the trash. “You about ready to find out what got stuck up Nix’s ass?”
I let out a breath. “I think I already know.”
Jake folded his arms and leaned against the fridge waiting for me to explain.
“He told me to stay away from you. I didn’t come home last night, then told him I was with you. He’s obviously pissed about it.”
“That why you didn’t come home with me the first night?”
“It’s not the only reason.”
“Nix told you to stay away from me?”
Apprehensively, I nodded.
Jake looked off in thought, his face emotionless.
“Let’s go.”
Twenty minutes later, we pulled up to the Kings Clubhouse. A couple motorcycles were outside, including Nix’s; my stomach tightened. Was Nix going to threaten Jake to stay away from me? Was he being overly protective or was there something between them neither one was telling me? Part of me didn’t want to walk into the club. I felt a storm was brewing, and I was the eye of the storm.
I climbed off Jake’s bike and sat his helmet on the back. Jake took hold of my arm, pulling me onto his lap. His hand gripped my hip and the other wrapped around me as his lips pressed into mine. His tongue slipped in, coaxing our morning arousal back to the surface. The hand on my hip gradually moved between my thighs and caressed me, making me wet with need.
“I want you back in my bed tonight.” His skilled hand stroked harder. “You tasted sweet, Peach, but I need more than just a taste.”
As much as I wanted the same, I wasn’t about to go against my own brother without knowing more details. I placed my hand over his to stop him before I lost all of my senses.
“Let’s see what’s going on.”
Jake licked his lips; I could see his jaw tense. He eased me off his lap and stepped off his bike. We walked to the entrance, his hand rested on my lower back, and he opened the door for me to enter. When I walked in I saw a couple familiar faces playing pool, and Jeff was behind the bar, stocking fresh liquor for later in the day.
“Jeff, where’s Nix?”
Jeff looked at Jake and I together, then motioned his hand toward the offices. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”
Jeff didn’t need to go far. As he turned the corner he almost ran smack into Nix’s giant frame. I sucked in a breath when I saw the same woman from last night following him out. Nix’s face was flushed, his eyes stone cold. He stared Jake down as he stalked toward us like a predator about to unleash.
“Damn it, she didn’t leave,” I heard Jake say aloud.
Jake pushed me behind him as Nix approached. The pounding of Nix’s boots didn’t slow. Nix swung and his fist landed on Jake’s face. Jake raised himself and stared Nix down. I had a feeling the only reason he wasn’t tearing into my brother was because I was standing there.
“Nix, what the hell has gotten into you?” I screamed.
Nix’s eyes remained locked on Jake as if I didn’t exist. “Stay the fuck away from my sister. You don’t need to seduce Liz, too. She’s not something for you to amuse yourself with.”
“Jake, what’s he talking about?”
“Of course, you didn’t tell her,” Nix huffed.
“What the hell is going on?” I demanded.
The other club members were approaching at that point. Jake spat blood from his busted lip and continued to stare at Nix, using what seemed like every ounce of his self-control not to retaliate.
“Ladies, go upstairs,” Max said as he and Trevor joined us.
“No! I want to know what the hell is going on?”
“Go upstairs, Peach,” Jake said without looking at me. His tone brooked no argument.
“Fine. Come on,” I said to the woman behind Nix. She walked with me, and I guided her to the back porch of the Clubhouse. On the way down the hall, I heard their voices raise and scuffling back in the front room, then the sound of grunts and someone being slammed into a table. I didn’t bother going back. I knew what was happening. They were fighting out their problems.
“We’re not staying here. Our house is down the road,” I pointed toward it. “I’m not gonna stick around and deal with their over-fueled testosterone.”
“You’re Nix’s little sister, Liz?” she asked as she followed me across the yard.
I glanced back at the voluptuous redhead. Even with the black and blue marks surrounding her big, brown eyes and the scrape across her chin, you could see her face was pretty.
“Yeah. What’s your name?”
“I’m Angela.” She looked at me with surprise in her eyes.
“Should I know you?”
“No, I guess not.” Disappointment swept across her face. “I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to show up unannounced. You Jake’s ol’ lady?”
I laughed at the term. I’d always thought it sounded ridiculous unless you were a biker’s wife and over the age of forty-five. “No, I’m not his ol’ lady.”
“You his girl?”
The question lingered in the air. I didn’t know how to answer. I honestly didn’t know what I was to Jake.
“I’m sorry. I’m being nosy. It’s really none of my business.” Angela must have noticed the uncomfortable silence after her question. I glanced back at her and gave a half-smile.
“You’re right. It’s not.”
We reached our house, and I opened the door, motioning for her to come in.
“I’m guessing all your stuff is at the home of the asshole who did that to your face?”
She glanced back at me with embarrassment in her eyes. She nodded.
“I have clothes upstairs you can borrow. You can use the shower too. After that, we can go to the store to get you some of your own things.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“You got anyone you can call?”
She shook her head. Tears were pooling in her eyes.
“Then, yes, that’s what we’re gonna do. Come on,” I motioned upstairs, “my room is up here.”
I walked to my closet and picked out a few different options for her. She chose an all-black outfit, creating an even edgier look than my own style.
“Thanks for letting me borrow these. I’ll be quick in the shower.”
“No problem.”
I found myself fresh clothes, then texted Ashley and Jenna to see if they wanted to come shopping too. After getting them on board, I waited for Angela to finish. The realization hadn’t left me that I’d been helping Jake’s ex for the last hour. Thankfully, my goodwill was beating out my jealousy because she wasn’t just Jakes’ ex, she was a woman first and foremost, one who needed help. She’d obviously fallen for the wrong kind of guy and paid the price for it.
After the blow dryer ran for a few minutes, she stepped out, looking killer in my clothes. The jealousy did a somersault in my stomach, and I had to knock it back down.
“You wanna borrow some concealer?” I asked her.
“If that’s all right?”
I helped her cover the bruises the best I could. It was barely noticeable now unless you knew what you were looking at. She smiled at me; I got a good look at how pretty she was. It was no wonder Jake was attracted to her. Her body was built like mine, but she was a little shorter which made her curves a bit more voluptuous. My breasts couldn’t compare—hers were much larger and she clearly liked to put those puppies out there. She chose a low-cut shirt of mine which displayed them well. With her fiery red hair and my get up, she’d easily have a new man by the end of the day. I placed the makeup bag back in the drawer.
“You ready?”
“Yeah.”
When we approached my car, Angela looked surprised. “This yours?”
I nodded. “‘69 Camaro. It was my uncle’s; he left it to me and Nix rebuilt the engine. I’m a fan of American muscle, man and machine.”
“No wonder Jake has the hots for you,” she laughed as she opened the door and slid in.
I didn’t smile at the statement. I didn’t want her to know how much I truly did enjoy hearing that.
“We’re gonna pick up a couple friends of mine, then head to the drugstore and the mall.”