Jace was exhausted. He had managed to get through the list Maddie had given him, even if half of the errands were absolutely ridiculous or pointless. But he had done it, coming back to the clubhouse more worn out that he had been from the night before.
Jace had wondered when Maddie would recognize him, but he had hoped he could get away with it for a while longer. Maybe they could hook up again; Jace had found Maddie very adventurous in bed and he wanted to sample it again. But, from the look on her face when she realized who he was, he knew that was an impossibility now. She wouldn’t let him anywhere near her now. She had proven that with the errands.
Jace knew it was going to be an interesting few weeks. He knew he should move on quickly before it got too messy but Jace couldn’t leave without tasting Maddie again. He had to have her one more time before he left, even if it kept him stuck in Tucson for longer than he planned.
He finished his shower and was coming back into the room, a towel wrapped around his waist, when someone hammered on the door. Jace paused. He should answer the door but all he wanted to do was fall into bed and go to sleep. Maddie was going to be the death of him, he was sure of it.
But it could be Schuman. Something had happened, and he was needed. Schuman had promised to call on him for help in the bar if it was wanted. Jace was too tired to argue.
So, he went to the door but the person in the hallway wasn’t Schuman. Jeremy Lyman was there, looking like he wanted to attack someone. Jace had a feeling he was the target.
“Lyman.”
“Howard.” Lyman glanced down the hall. “May I come in? This shouldn’t be done out in the open.”
“Sure.”
Maybe they could talk like adults. Or maybe Lyman was here for a fight. Had Maddie told him about them having sex? Jace didn’t think Maddie was the type to kiss and tell, certainly not to her brother.
Lyman paced into the room and swung around on Jace as he shut the door.
“My sister told me you only came back yesterday.”
“I did.”
“Where have you been?”
Why was everyone so interested in where he had been? And what was going on? Jace wished he could get dressed; standing around in a towel with the Broken Hounds president and Maddie’s brother in front of him made him feel vulnerable.
“Around and about. Here and there.”
Lyman snorted and folded his arms with a scowl.
“You were always so vague, Howard. Even when we were kids.”
“I’m not in the MC anymore, Lyman. I don’t answer to you.”
“You’re sleeping under my roof. That means you do answer to me.” Lyman advanced on him. “And you do answer to me for what you did to Maddie.”
Jace went still. She had told him. Did she go to her brother and say that he had raped her? Considering how scared she was of him, Jace wouldn’t put it past her. But he didn’t give anything away.
“Oh?”
“You were mean to her. She said you were the bully she wouldn’t admit to, no matter how often I tried to get her to confess.”
Jace relaxed. She hadn’t said a thing about last night. It was about the past. Jace didn’t like being reminded how much of a bastard he was back then and seeing Maddie now just made him feel worse about it.
“We were kids and I was an immature brat.” He stepped away from Lyman and went to wear he had left his boxers, snatching them off the bed and sliding them on underneath his towel. “I’ve changed now. I don’t do that to women.”
“I should hope not,” Lyman grunted. He still didn’t look happy. “One rule we have in this MC is that we respect the women involved. Doesn’t matter if they’re in or not, respect is key. And you need to have respect for Maddie while you’re here.”
“But I do respect her.”
Jace was surprised to find that he did respect Maddie Lyman. He swallowed and tugged off the towel before going to his hold all. His sweat pants were at the bottom and he pulled them out. No way was he talking to Lyman without any clothes on.
“She’s a lovely woman, your sister. I wouldn’t cross her.”
After seeing her hold a gun on him without a tremble or batting an eyelid despite the fear in her eyes, Jace was very firm on that. Lyman’s mouth twitched.
“She’s scarier than I am.”
“I can believe that.”
Jace finished dressing and faced down the other man. Lyman was looking less confrontational, but he still didn’t look happy. He let out a heavy sigh and rubbed at his eyes.
“Maybe I can get past the fact you were the bully she would never name. I’m not stupid to hold on to the past. Maybe you have changed. Maybe I can get past the fact you were a complete and utter dick as a teen. But if you hurt Maddie now, I’ll chop your cock and balls off and feed them to you myself.”
Jace had a feeling Maddie would get there first. He shook his head.
“I have no intention of harming Maddie. None at all.” And he meant it. He shrugged. “Like I said, I’m an adult now.”
“Just make sure that you don’t. Maddie’s been through a lot lately. She doesn’t deserve to be treated like crap, especially not from people under my command.”
Jace scowled.
“I’m not Broken Hounds, remember?”
“While you live here, for free, you are under my command.”
That didn’t sit well with Jace. He was meant to be a free man and come and go wherever he pleased. And within twenty-four hours he had ended up being a messenger boy for Maddie and taking orders from her brother. That was what he didn’t want to come back into.
He gritted his teeth.
“And your sister, apparently, with the grocery list she’s made me do.”
Lyman smirked.
“Well, she’s got you on the go. Did you finish it?”
“I did.”
Lyman threw back his head and laughed.
“For someone who says she’s scared of you, she knows how to make you follow her orders.” He turned to go. “If you need anything more to do, go and talk to Schuman. I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to accommodate.”
“Charming,” Jace grunted.
Lyman had opened the door by then. He turned and gave Jace a hard stare.
“I’m letting you stay for now, Jace,” he said quietly, his voice laced with a warning. “Just so you can prove you’re a good worker and I can trust you. But it comes with the condition that you keep away from Maddie. I don’t want any more drama from either of you two about the other.”
“I promise that I won’t go near Maddie.”
Why didn’t that feel good? Jace knew it was the right thing to do – the woman was terrified of him because of their shared history – but he didn’t like the fact he would have to stay away from Maddie Lyman. Not after he had tasted her flesh, felt her pussy ride his cock until his head felt like it was blowing off. Keeping away from her after that would be an impossibility.
Lyman nodded, seeming to accept that. Then he then snapped his fingers in remembrance.
“Oh, by the way, where were you last night?”
Jace put his hands on his hips and glared at him.
“In a gorgeous woman’s bed, fucking her brains out. Is that a crime?” He snapped.
“It depends if you’re having an alibi after threatening a member of the Wild Leopards.”
Jace snorted. He hadn’t seen any of that gang for years. They did not get on and it wasn’t going to change now.
“Not a chance.”
Lyman grunted.
“Let’s hope there isn’t a chance.”
Jace was still wondering what was going on long after he heard Lyman’s footsteps fade away.