Cass waited until the foot traffic in the shop died down to take her break. She couldn’t stop grinning and had nearly walked into walls about five times already that day, which meant she couldn’t keep putting it off.

The time had come to tell her best friend about Jax.

Since it was so gorgeous out, she went around back and climbed the steps to her upstairs terrace. Her heart had been fluttering on and off all day, likely due to the extra happy juice she had in her veins. Most of the new developments with Jax were awesome, but the last few weeks had been a rollercoaster and her system was still catching up. She’d taken her typical dose of pills and would have a big leafy tuna salad for her meal. Healthy as could be. And if her arrhythmia didn’t settle down in a few days, she’d call her doctor. Nothing to worry about.

Besides, what could be better for a girl than regular sex? If she and Jax kept up their current rate—which had included “testing” one of the interior walls of his incredibly lovely new house—she’d make up for her O-less year in no time.

The only dark spot had come after they’d used the one condom he had in his wallet. Apparently time spent outdoors now led to her feeling frisky, but their lack of a second condom had squashed that plan. She’d admitted to Jax that with her heart issues, she couldn’t go on the pill. Well, technically, she could, but her doctor recommended she stick with alternate forms of birth control. Jax had waved it off as if it didn’t matter. They were a new couple, but she didn’t want to mislead him and disappoint him later on.

You’ve been misleading him since the beginning.

She pressed a hand to her chest. There went the flutter again. If she could, she’d take back not telling him about the doors being unlocked, though she’d practically convinced herself that she’d simply forgotten to take due diligence that one time. She’d been exhausted that night and everyone made mistakes, even her.

Besides, he’d wired the place up like Fort Knox since then. She had a fancy security system with a password and cameras and a button that connected her to Jax’s cell phone, Sterling’s cell phone and the police. She still didn’t know how he and Sterling had managed that. Sterling must be pretty gifted, since Jax had never demonstrated an unusual aptitude with electronics.

Maybe he didn’t have one with electrical things, but he sure knew how to design a house to his specifications. She still couldn’t believe he’d kept his new home a secret all this time. He’d said it would be done by fall, and man, was it going to be spectacular. Not only was the house big enough to be roomy without being ostentatious, it had a gorgeous great room with a loft, a giant yard with an incredible view of the valley and three giant bedrooms beside the master.

When she’d asked him why he needed so many bedrooms, he’d given her a sexy, broody look. “Why do you think, woman?”

They’d left it at that. Her skittish heart could only contemplate so many big changes at once.

Best of all? That two-person hot tub. She couldn’t wait to try it out. Now that she’d relearned the joys of sex, she was like a kid with a new toy. Luckily she couldn’t break her button. She didn’t think so, anyway.

She snorted and turned on her phone. So much for him blowing through all his cash and needing to live with his mother.

And she was totally stalling.

She hit Summer’s speed dial on her cell and smiled at Summer’s whoop as she picked up. “Frigging A, she speaks. I thought you’d put me on your Do Not Call registry.”

“You wish. How are you?”

“I am fandamtabulous. Hang on.” Summer covered the phone and Cass heard a lot of rustling and a whispered conversation, probably with Chase. “’Kay. Back. So how are you?”

“What’s going on? You sound like you’re moving?”

“Oh, we’re on our way…someplace.”

“That clears things up,” Cass said drily.

“Actually, if you must know, we’re doing a rubber run.”

“Such a liar. You told me you don’t use them. Which is eww, considering who you’re not using them with, but whatever.”

“Okay, we need more lube.”

“Summer,” Chase barked in the background, making both women laugh.

“Nah, I don’t need more of that. Anywho, what’s up, bluebird? If you’re calling me during the day, it’s gotta be good.”

“Can’t a girl call and talk to her best friend?” Cass lowered her voice in the hopes Summer would do the same. “I don’t suppose you can have Chase pull over somewhere so we can talk all private-like for a minute or two?”

“Hmm, this must be better than good.” She covered the phone again. “Pull over, Deuce. Bladder’s full.”

“You know I hate when you call me that,” Chase muttered an instant before the brakes squealed.

“Works like a charm to get him to do what I want,” Summer said cheerfully. “He knows I’ll keep calling him it until I get my way.”

“You’re positively evil.”

“Resourceful,” Summer corrected. “Now spill it.”

“You have to promise to keep this to yourself. I know you tell him everything, but I want to tell him this particular thing. He might react…harshly, due to whom it involves.”

“You’re fucking Jax?” Summer squealed.

“Summer! Keep your voice down.”

“Goddammit, what did you just say? My sister is not fucking him. Give me the phone. Summer.” Chase made a sound that was eerily close to Jax’s patented growl. “Give me that phone.”

Too late.

Cass closed her eyes as Summer and Chase tussled for the cell, employing no small amount of swear words in their fight. Thanks, Sum. “Let me talk to Chase.”

“What? No way. I should get to hear the deets first. Is it true he has a tattoo on—” Summer broke off, coughed. “Never mind. We’ll discuss this later.”

Cass had to laugh. “No idea where you think he’s got a tat, but if it’s there, then no, he does not.”

Someone cleared their throat, and since she’d never sounded quite that masculine before, odds were it wasn’t Summer.

Cass’s chest constricted. So much for her BFF giving her fair warning of a phone swap.

“Glad to hear my baby sister is getting to check out my best friend’s tattoos. Ex-best friend. I’m going to kill that prick. I fucking warned him to watch his step.”

“Chase, calm down. You’re being irrational. I’m twenty-seven years—you warned him to watch his step? Why?” She didn’t particularly like whining like a ten-year-old, but come on. “When did you do that?”

“Let’s see. Ages ten through fifteen, about twenty times at sixteen, every day at seventeen, then again last winter when we set up the agency and he got all moon-eyed when he said he’d seen you.”

“He did not. Did he?” She couldn’t stop her grin. “Aww. That’s sweet.”

“Sweet mother of Mary. This is why I didn’t want to go on tour with Summer. I knew, just knew, he’d make a play for you. He likes virginal, innocent types.”

“She is no virgin!” Summer said in the background, leading to yet another scuffle.

“I’m not innocent, Chase, and I’m even less so since being with him. And you know what else? He’s freaky and I like it. Actually, no, I love it.”

Chase groaned. “Really, Cass? Really?”

“What did she say? Let me hear. It’s not fair. Chaaaaase.”

“You better enjoy it now, sis, because once I’m back on terra firma, that dude’s ass is grass. I’m taking him down. There’s a fuckin’ code, man.”

“What, bros before hoes?”

“You did not just say that. Where are you learning this stuff? Dammit, Summer, you’re corrupting my sister.”

“Yeah, and who corrupted me, big boy?”

Cass couldn’t decide if she wanted to grimace or giggle. “You’re being ridiculous. We’ll discuss this rationally when you guys get back.”

“What about until then? You’re going to continue this?”

“Yes.” She didn’t hesitate. “We’re happy and that’s what matters. We’d prefer your blessing, but even if we don’t get it, it won’t change anything. You should understand that better than anyone, considering Summer.”

An image of their dad and Jax’s mom flashed in her mind—luckily her mental Rolodex flipped to a clothed one first—and she grimaced for real. She’d have to tell Chase about that too, since she was reasonably sure their dad hadn’t fessed up.

Yippee.

“What about me and Summer? She’s legal. We’re both single. There’s absolutely no reason—”

“She’s my best friend. You could’ve stepped back from her because of me.”

“What the hell do you think I did for all those years?” he roared.

Unsurprisingly, Summer had stopped fighting for the phone. Chase had a temper on him and a mouth to go with it. Dealing with him when he was mad was similar to waiting out a thunderstorm. Better to give it time to pass than to get soaked.

But Cass had been dealing with Chase since birth. Deep down, he was a teddy bear, but he liked to use his size and his voice to try to intimidate people supposedly for their own benefit, particularly his sister and his girlfriend. He didn’t scare her. His anger came from fear, and she loved him for caring that much.

She also wasn’t going to let him get away with it.

“Okay, then. So you understand.”

“I understand nothing. Summer hasn’t been hurt like you have. That bastard was the one who told me about you and Russ, and then he goes and does this? I thought he gave a shit about you. I thought you mattered to him.”

“I think…” She sucked in a breath and found it did nothing to calm her jittery heart. “I think he might love me.”

“And what about your health problems? He knows you have to stay calm…” He trailed off, either because he’d just realized he was roaring like a wounded lion and that probably wouldn’t help her on the calmness score or because he’d finally heard what she said. “Has he said he does?”

“Not in so many words, but I feel it.” She rubbed the spot between her breasts and stared at her neat patch of yard until it blurred. “Sometimes you just know.”

Chase was quiet for so long that Cass bit her lower lip, surprised to feel tears pricking behind her eyes. She wasn’t a crier by nature but something had broken free inside her over the last twenty-four hours.

“Chase?”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Look, I have to go. I’m going to put Summer back on the phone now. I—” He stopped, cleared his throat again. “You’re happy?” he asked gruffly, making her tears swim even closer to the surface.

“Getting there,” she whispered.

Another long pause. “Okay. We’ll see you soon. You know I love you, right?” he asked, almost as an afterthought.

Cass smiled. “Yes. I know. I only have one big brother. And I love him too.”

“Okay,” Chase said again. “Here’s Summer.”

“Hey.” Summer sounded positively subdued.

“Hi.”

For a minute, there was nothing but silence. Then Cass heard a door slam shut. “Okay, he went into the store. Cass, he had tears in his eyes. Real frigging tears. I’ve never…” Summer blew out a breath. “I’ve never seen him get like that before.”

Cass waited until the knot in her throat had subsided to respond. She’d suspected as much. “He worries too much.”

“I know. He growls a lot, but he pretends nothing ever fazes him, you know, emotionally.”

“Sounds like someone else I know.” Cass smiled again and gripped the railing, leaning forward so the evening breeze caught and lifted her hair. She’d left it loose, just because. “Everything’s going to be fine. I know what I’m doing. Being with Jax makes me feel safer than I’ve ever felt and also more scared. Does that make any sense?”

“So much sense.” Summer sighed. “You do realize I’m going to need mega amounts of info, right? Like how he’s hu—oh my God.”

“What? Chase came back?”

“No. Oh my God, he’s the licker! Isn’t he?”

“The licker?” Cass grinned. “He’s going to kill me. Forget it, he’s going to kill you.”

“I should’ve known. Nuclear licker in the house, yo.” Summer laughed. “Shit, Chase is coming back. I’ll talk to you later, tater. Love you. Happy for you. A lick a day better not keep the dick away. We’ll see you really soon.” She clicked off.

Cass laughed and turned to head inside, coming to a halt as Russ’s car pulled into the lot. A moment later, Russ and Amanda climbed out. Even at a distance, Cass could tell they were arguing.

She barely suppressed a groan. Great. Exactly what she needed. Russ had already visited solo earlier in the week. Once every seven days was plenty, especially now that she couldn’t help stiffening up more than usual in his presence. She didn’t want to think Jax was right about him messing with her, but how could she be sure? She still wasn’t sure why he’d bother since he’d been the one to cheat, but guys could be weird. Perhaps he sensed she was moving on and didn’t want her to be happy.

Or maybe she was getting every bit as paranoid as Jax.

She threw back her shoulders and went downstairs to return to the shop. She’d stalled enough on this front too.

When she opened the door, she was unsurprised to find Russ standing off to one side of the counter and Amanda staring daggers at the door to the back room. They both seemed startled that she’d come in the front.

“Cassidy. There you are.” Russ turned to give her his entirely too-toothy grin.

With one look, she understood why Jax disliked him so much. How had she missed how fake he was? Amazing how getting up close and personal with a real man showed the difference from faux.

“Evening, Russ. Amanda.” She walked behind the counter and joined DeDe. Curt had headed home early with a migraine, part of why she’d been so late taking her break. “What can I get you two tonight?”

“Moose Tracks for me. It’s my weakness.”

Cass tried not to shudder as she reached for her scoop. She was way too edgy tonight and she wasn’t even sure why. Jax would be back by two a.m., and DeDe would be in the store with her until ten.

Her paranoia reflex must be like her unsteady heart. Jumpy from too much excitement.

“You’re not the only one,” Cass said brightly, dipping her scoop into the canister. “What size would you like?”

“Oh, you know I’m extra-large.”

Yep, shudder city. How on earth had she ever let that man touch her? “Sure thing. Amanda, what can I get you?”

“Nothing. I’m on a diet and all of this crap is too fattening.”

Cass paused mid-scoop. Bitch. “We have several fat-free options on the menu, as well as non-dairy. The lemon—”

“No, thank you. Russ, are you ready to go?”

“Not yet. I don’t have my ice cream.”

Cass rolled her eyes and continued to scoop. “For here or to go?”

“To go,” Amanda snapped.

Two minutes later, she handed Russ his bagged cup of ice cream and made change while DeDe helped a couple with young kids. In another minute, he’d be gone and she could breathe again.

“So how’s Jax? I don’t see him around here tonight.”

Her hackles rose. Why was he keeping tabs on Jax’s whereabouts at any time? “He’s fine.”

“Still building you that…swing?”

Cass handed him his three-fifty and tried not to yank her hand back when their fingers brushed. “You heard about that?”

“Word travels, Cassidy. Always does. I figured the book club girls were pulling my leg.” Russ glanced around the shop. “You know, I’d heard he was working in here too, but I have to say, the place looks exactly the same.”

“Get with the program. He’s got his head under her hood, Russ, not the shop’s.”

Russ frowned. “No. I don’t think so. Cassidy would never slum it with Wilder.” He gave her a wide smile. “She’s a good girl.”

Those words burned like acid on her skin. If one more person called her a good girl, she was going to go postal on their asses and prove them wrong.

“Actually, no, I’m not. I’m as bad as you can imagine.” Cass stepped back from the counter. “Goodnight, Russ. Amanda.” She moved on to the next customer in line and fought to forget she’d even seen them.

Losing herself in work would do the trick. It always did.

By the time she and DeDe had cleared out the last customers and DeDe had taken off, Cass was halfway asleep. She wanted to wait up until Jax got back from his trip to the city to schmooze some club owners into giving Deuces Wild their security business, but two a.m. seemed like a lifetime away. Maybe she’d head upstairs and take a short nap so she’d be ready.

Then she glanced at the coffee bar, which still needed to be cleaned up and taken down for the night. She could make herself a raspberry mocha and settle in the back room for a while before she headed upstairs. A backlog of paperwork had piled up and she really needed to get caught up. She’d been distracted for way too long, and it only promised to get worse now that she was seeing someone.

God help her. She was actually seeing Jax Wilder.

She grinned and was halfway to the security panel to arm the alarm when her cell rang. As much as she wanted to ignore it, she was almost positive there was only one person—other than Summer, and she had a feeling they were done for the day—who would call this late. And she really wanted to talk to him.

Sap.

She headed into the back room to grab her phone. “Hello,” she purred without looking at the ID, wanting the fresh surprise of his voice.

“Well, hello to you too. What are you wearing?”

“A thong made of gummy bears, a bra made of Moose Tracks and a smile. You?”

“Right now? A hard-on and…oh yeah, a hard-on. You are an evil woman, Cassidy Dixon.”

She laughed and idly rubbed her knuckles over her chest. Being called evil was so much better than being called a good girl. Even cute or adorable seemed more tolerable. “You’re contributing to my delinquency.”

“Hell yeah, I am. I’m proud of it too, since I get to reap all the rewards.”

“Uh huh. Where are you? I thought you had business to take care of tonight.”

“We got done early. Deuces Wild is now handling overflow security for both The Platinum Club and Trix.”

“That’s awesome. You guys must’ve nailed it.”

“Sterling says it’s my big ball…background that nailed it.” His muffled laughter as he said something to Sterling made her grin. “He’s just getting done now and we’ll be on our way back shortly. ETA about twelve-thirty.”

She grinned. “Ooh, I love it when you get all bodyguard-y.”

“Keep it up and I’ll spank you extra hard when I get there.”

“Promise?”

“Oh yeah, it’s a promise.” He lowered his voice. “Are you in bed yet?”

It was probably better to say yes. If she said no, he’d hound her about why she was still in the shop after closing. He’d never understand why she felt like she’d lost some of her independence by having to shut herself into her apartment every night as if she wasn’t allowed out after sundown.

So what if she wanted to sit in her back room and run out reams of paper on her calculator? She missed the sound of that clackety old thing. She missed sitting on her padded chair late into the night while she ran projections and did budgets.

“Cass? You okay, baby?”

“Why do I like it when you call me that? It could be perceived as misogynistic.”

“Here we go. I should’ve gotten you naked faster.”

“What makes you think I’m not already?” She sat at her desk, kicking her feet up. “Besides, I hear Sterling now. You can’t talk dirty to me when he’s around.”

“You think not?”

“I know not, since we haven’t told anyone about us.”

“That was your call. If it was up to me, I’d tell the whole world. Actually, I’d skywrite it. Far as I’m concerned, I’m the luckiest bastard on this earth.”

She couldn’t stop grinning. “That so?”

“Oh, it’s so.”

“I told someone tonight. Two someones. I only meant to tell one, but they’re kind of a matched pair.”

He didn’t say anything for a minute. Then he murmured, “Really? You told Summer and Chase about us?”

“I did.” She winced. “You haven’t gotten any phone calls yet?”

“No, but holy son of a bitch, I am right now. Does that guy have ESP or what?” Jax laughed. “How bad am I in for?”

“Pretty bad. He was not happy.”

“Duh. I violated the bro code.”

“Not that again.” Cass rolled her eyes. “Go ahead and take it. Call me back when you’re done. Or you know, I’ll see you in a couple hours.”

“I’ll call you back. Lock up.”

“Yeah, yeah. Bye.”

“Bye. Love you.”

She’d already clicked off when she realized what he’d said. A ridiculous grin cracked her cheeks as she clutched her phone to her chest.

“Love you too,” she whispered.

“Did you just say ‘love you’ to Chase’s sister or am I hearing things?” Sterling asked, pulling away from the curb and slipping into midtown traffic.

“You’re senile. Turn up your hearing aid.” Jax answered Chase’s call. “Hey, man.”

“Don’t you ‘hey, man’ me. I trusted you with her while I was gone with Summer, and this is how you repay me? By taking advantage? You’re lucky I’m not twisting your balls into pretzels right now.”

Low freaking blow. It tweaked Jax’s last nerve and sent his good humor from the night’s successes and his conversation with Cass underground. “You can’t do it.”

“And why not?”

“Because your sister would miss their use.”

Sterling cut him a glance and whistled low. “Hearing aid, my fanny.”

Jax grinned and mouthed, “Fanny? Really?” Sterling really needed to unlace his shorts and get away from the tea party and crumpet set more often.

Chase, on the other hand, had no problem making up for Sterling’s reluctance to use unsavory language.

“You seriously better hope you see me coming before I see you, because if you don’t, I’m going to turn your balls and your dick and the rest of you into dust even the rats won’t touch. I can’t fucking believe you. Actually, no, I can believe you. This is vintage Jax Wilder BS. You’ve always wanted what wasn’t yours and what you couldn’t have.”

Jax took a deep breath and fought not to slam his fist against the dashboard of Sterling’s luxury SUV. Chase dared to bring up that whole jealousy deal of his now? Chase’s envy over Jax getting drafted to a better MLB team than Chase had—despite Chase playing ball longer—had poisoned their friendship and eventually ended it for almost ten years. How Chase could equate a stupid sports’ rivalry to Jax’s feelings for Cass boggled the mind.

“I’d say you’re wrong about that, because I have had her, and you know what else? I just fucking told her I loved her and I do, so shut your mouth and mind your own business.”

“Who’s going to make me? You?”

“Maybe. Maybe I fucking will. It’s long past time we had this out. You’re the one who pushed me out of your life. If you hadn’t, who knows, perhaps Cass and I could’ve gotten it together years ago. We’ve wasted so much goddamned time. I lost my best friend for all those years for a dumb reason, and now you expect me to walk away from Cass when she’s the best thing I’ve ever had?” Jax dropped his head against his seat and hissed out a breath. “I can’t do it. Not even for you. Not for anyone. I’ll sign over my share of the business to Sterling, but I’m not giving her up.”

Silence descended for several minutes until Sterling spoke up. “I’m supposed to have my own share of the business. When is that coming through, exactly?”

Jax glanced at Sterling and tried not to grin. Then he gave up. “Dude, you are one pixie short of a stick. And your timing blows.”

Sterling started to reply when a loud series of beeps filled the car. They stared at each other, eyes narrowed, until Jax glanced down at his phone at the same time Sterling pried out his.

One word flashed at him. Cass.

“It’s the fucking panic button.” Jax cut off Chase without a word and immediately dialed Cass. The call went through to voicemail, as did the next two he placed.

“Goddammit, she’s not answering.” Jax cut a glance at Sterling and saw the same concern in his eyes.

No, it wasn’t the fucking same. He was willing to guess Sterling’s heart wasn’t beating out of his chest like a runaway locomotive. Was this how Cass felt when she had one of her episodes, like she couldn’t take a full breath? He’d bet Sterling wasn’t on the verge of passing out either.

“Maybe it malfunctioned and she’s in the shower.”

“Fuck, no. Something happened. She needs us.” Jax slammed his fist on the dashboard and hit the speed dial again with his other hand. The only thing keeping him from going completely insane was the fact that he knew the panic button would also summon the police. Police that were a hell of a lot closer than two hours away. “Punch the fucking gas and get us to her.”