“Shut it, you silly fucker.”
Cork picked up his cockroach, which had slowly crawled to the edge of the bed and turned it in the opposite direction. “Yep, all that long red hair looked really soft. I’ve got a thing for redheads. I think I mentioned that before. Today when you were putting on her vest, all I saw was miles of pretty smooth skin. I’ll bet she’s totally unmarked, isn’t she?”
“Barbara is none of your business,” Ace groused.
“Tell the truth. Are you really hitting that, brother?”
“Yep, and I’m gonna be hitting you in about three minutes if you don’t shut the fuck up about her.”
“I heard all about how she’s a doctor of archeology and all,” Cork kept rambling, pushing his luck. “I say we put her in one of those skimpy outfits like that tomb raider bitch wears and see if she’ll dance on the bar for us.”
“She won’t.” Balling his hands into fists, Ace struggled to keep his cool.
“Bet she would if you asked her real nice like. All the brothers say she’s crazy about you.”
“She’s going to be the mother of my children. Stop perving on her or they’ll never find the body.”
Ryder mused out loud, “I just remembered something interesting. The two of you never did get along.”
Ace responded quietly, “Yep, because he’s an ass.”
“I gotta admit, Ace, I ain’t never seen this side of him, and it’s freaking me out a bit.”
Cork turned his cockroach around one more time. “Don’t get distracted from the subject at hand. We were talking about that redheaded archeology professor. When they pulled her out, I didn’t see a property cut or a tramp stamp with your name on it. I got a good look at her body, ‘cause she damned near tore her whole shirt off trying to tend to your wounds.”
“She’s mine. Don’t you worry about her body or what she wears.”
“Until she’s properly marked, she could be anybody’s. You know the rules better than anyone, brother,” Cork taunted.
When he didn’t answer, Cork continued his low-grade needling. “Ryder here was real smart. He slapped a property cut on his pretty little bitch almost immediately. That made it clear that she was off-limits. It broke my damn heart, but I didn’t flirt with her even once.”
Ace spoke through clenched teeth. “Shut the fuck up, Cork.”
“I’m just suggesting that maybe she ain’t wearing a cut, ‘cause she ain’t made her final selection yet. We got a lot of good brothers who’d love to settle down with a nice gentle little redhead who can make those delicious little meat pies.”
“They’re called beef wellington, you ass.”
“Sounds fancy and tastes better than anything I’ve ever ate. I’ll bet that she tastes just as—”
Ryder spoke up. “That’s fuckin’ enough, Cork. A little needling to pass the time is one thing, but you are crossing the line into disrespect.”
Turning his cockroach around again, Cork sighed. “I was just trying to be complimentary of Ace’s new lady friend.”
“You’re being an annoying little shit. Play with your cockroach and shut the fuck up.”
Chewing his bottom lip for a brief moment, Cork had a strange little smile on his face. “Is your old lady still playing around with that crazy ex-husband of hers?”
“You are not gonna stop until one of us beats the shit outta you tonight, are you?” Ryder said tightly.
Looking at Ryder with breathless anticipation, he dropped the bomb. “Just thought you might want to know that Darkness got him out of the psych ward for a little bit. They’re calling it a trial placement in the community.”
Ryder lurched forward to glare at Cork. “Are you fucking serious?”
Glancing down to turn his cockroach again, Cork full-on smiled. “I am many things, but I’m not a liar. I think it’s odd that you’re locked up in here with us and your old lady is out there with her ex-husband running free. I wonder what they’re doing tonight.”
Ace slid to the edge of the bunk just in time to grab Ryder. “He’s baiting us.”
Cork glanced up at them. “The way I hear it, her ex is into some pretty kinky sex. Sometimes women scream about not liking stuff like that but when nobody’s looking they come crawling back for more.”
“Tiff does not crawl, you filthy fucker.”
“Maybe not, but you know how obsessed he is with her. I can see why. She’s sweet and pretty and she’s been real nice to him since she found out how crazy he is. A man could really take advantage of woman like that, what with you being in here and not able to protect her.”
Ryder tried to shove Ace’s leg out of the way to get to Cork.
Even though Ace wanted to beat Cork’s ass too, he held firm and reminded him tightly, “If you get in a fight with him, they’ll add extra charges. That means everyone will walk outta here, and you’ll still be sitting here. Don’t let the stupid fucker push your buttons. There is a time and place for everything.”
Slamming himself back against the cinderblock wall, Ryder eyed his newest club brother. “You are one crazy, sick bastard to do shit like this to fellow club members.”
Cork’s eyes turned sad and strangely anxious. “I don’t handle being locked up very well. My ma did it to me a lot when I was little, and it fucked me up. I probably should have mentioned that before I got patched.”
Ryder eyed him critically. “You’re really about to lose it, aren’t you?”
Rather than answering the question, Cork started at the beginning. “Want to race cockroaches?”
It took a second for Ace to catch up and get on board, but then he shrugged. “What the hell, I’ll race cockroaches with you. Will that help calm you down?”
Cork nodded and tipped his head, his eyes focused beyond Ace’s shoulder. “You got a nice big one crawling on the windowsill beside your head.”
~ Ace ~
Sitting at their attorney’s office, Ace refused to allow Barbara to sit anywhere but at his side with his arm wrapped around her. Strangely enough, Cork didn’t even glance in her direction. It was for the best. Despite their little cockroach bonding moment behind bars, Ace still wanted to take his head off.
Darkness sat with his hands steepled together. “Tell us one more time why it was necessary to shoot that poor college kid.”
“The detective thinks Reynolds Sr. had some plan to pin the bodies on your club. They thought that a man trying to eliminate witnesses might somehow further that end.”
“Since the shooter was on a motorcycle and dressed in jeans and leather, it might have gotten the cops focused on us,” Darkness considered.
“They pulled the phone records, and we know he talked to his son the better part of the night,” the attorney informed them. “They think it was an effort to keep him sober and maybe talk him into going home. According to the GPS, Reynolds Jr. sat outside your home all night.”
“So the farmer called his attorney and the attorney called Reynolds Sr., who conspired with Reynolds Jr. They get the ex out to the site, thinking she’ll call Jr. and get him to sort it all out. Only Ace is already on the scene and involved with the woman, so she turns to him instead,” Darkness said, working it all out. “They want to separate them, so they send someone to pretend to be a club member and shoot one of them.”
“That’s the part that doesn’t fit. Why try to kill an innocent college kid?” Ace questioned.
Darkness explained, “Most people underestimate how difficult it is to control a motorcycle in motion while shooting a gun. He probably meant to make it look good without intent to kill. Dragging us into danger might have forced us to make some tough decisions, like whether or not to stay involved. Even if they couldn’t pin it on Ace directly, it might have gotten us to pull back, giving Jr. his in.”
“The farmer came clean, the lawyer lawyered up, and Reynolds Sr. was just picked up in Reno this morning on a DUI,” the attorney added.
“Apples and trees,” Ace murmured.
&nbs
p; “The body cam you were wearing really helped the cops put it all together. Even though there were no visuals, the voice recording of Sr. admitting to his plan was admissible because in this state, only one person needs to be aware that the conversation is being recorded.
“My brother made those from old computer parts,” Cork said proudly.
The attorney grinned. “He’s a talented man.”
Smiling slightly, Cork agreed. “Yeah, he’s growing up strong and smart.”
Darkness asked the question weighing on everyone’s mind. “Did they figure out who the actual killer was?”
“They picked up a local man and are looking at several members of his immediate family. The crime lab really came through on that one.”
“Moving bodies is sweaty business. It’s hard not to leave behind hair, fingerprints, or sweat,” Darkness surmised.
“Not that any of us know anything about that.” Ryder’s friendly reminder made Darkness smile.
Their attorney ignored the comment entirely. “So, the DA has dropped the charges, and it looks like the situation is wrapping itself up with a nice bow. I’m recommending a civil action suit against the very wealthy Reynolds Sr. and the farmer, Mr. Farrington.”
“I’ve never been one to turn down free money,” Darkness said brightly.
“Sorry it took three days to get you all released,” the attorney apologized. “The DA was being a real ass because the shoot-out was within city limits.”
Glancing quickly at Cork, Ace huffed out an exasperated breath. “It was a tough three days, but we got through it.”
After the necessary paperwork was signed and everything was sorted, they said their goodbyes and headed out to the street. All their bikes were lined up in a row, and Ace murmured, “Have you ever seen a more beautiful sight?”
Ryder headed for his bike and gave the woman sitting on the back waiting for him a kiss. Tiffany smiled up at her man, clearly happy to have him back in her arms.
Cork slowly walked out and faced off with his brother. “You did real good, Peb. The gadgets you made saved the day.”
The younger man nodded. “I hoped they would. You coming back to the clubhouse?”
“Three days, Peb. I was locked in that little room for three whole days. They didn’t let us out even once.”
Peb gave an understanding nod. “Take some time and ride. I’ll be here when you get back.”
Jerking his chin in the direction of Peb’s bike, Cork asked, “Is she yours?”
“Yeah, for now at least. Her name is Jennifer Jackson. You’ll like her, I promise.”
Cork patted him on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re not alone.”
Peb teared up but held it together. “I’m never gonna be alone again. You saw to that when we joined the MC. We have twenty brothers whenever we need them.”
“That’s right, brother.” Cork gave him a quick hug and jumped on his bike.
Overhearing their private conversation seemed wrong, but having it on the street made it impossible for Ace not to hear.
Barbara peered up at him. “Is he going to be all right?”
“I don’t know. I hope so.” He sighed. “Let’s get outta here.”
Darkness gestured to the bikes. “Go the clubhouse. They’ve got a welcome home party for you all.”
Peb nodded. “The ladies did a real good job.”
Getting back on his bike with Barb at his back felt phenomenal after having his freedom curtailed for three long days. The moment her arms circled loosely around his waist, a wave of emotion consumed him. From this moment forward, he wasn’t wasting any time or energy on feeling unworthy or doubting how right they were for each other. It didn’t matter that he was patched up and still hurting, because she’d stayed by his side in his time of need and sat in jail for three days right along with him. It infuriated him that she’d been arrested, but it was in the past now.
Flying down the highway, Ace enjoyed the cold breeze and his woman gently running her thumb over his abs as he drove. It didn’t take long before they were pulling into the clubhouse, which was an interesting experience. Everyone crowded around, welcoming them. Taking Barbara by the hand, he approached Tiffany, who didn’t appear to be feeling very friendly at the moment. Ryder propelled her forward slightly to meet him face-to-face.
Looking down at her, Ace apologized good and proper. “I’m sorry about telling you not to talk to me anymore. I was having a bad day, and my self-loathing got the better of me. You weren’t annoying, and you didn’t do anything wrong. I was just stressed and overwhelmed because a beautiful woman fell in love with me and I didn’t know how to handle it. Can you forgive me?”
Tiffany took a good long moment to stare into his eyes as if judging his sincerity, before stepping forward and giving him a hug. “I never stopped thinking of you as a friend.” Glancing at Barbara, she smiled. “I’m glad you found someone to care for. You’re both lucky to have each other, so don’t ever forget that.”
Drawing Tiffany back against his body, Ryder muttered, “That’s about enough hugging men that aren’t me, princess.”
Ace glanced around at the brothers milling around and grabbing beers. “It feels weird without Cork being here to enjoy the welcome home.”
Someone gave them cold beers, and Ryder caught his eye. “I feel like we should race cockroaches or something in honor of him.”
Ace grinned. “I’ll drink to that, brother.”
Peb strolled over. “My brother raced cockroaches with you? That’s awesome.”
Ace looked at the man curiously. “What is so awesome about racing insects?”
Without an ounce of guile, Peb enlightened them. “Cork and I grew up on a farm about a hundred miles from here. When we were kids, our folks locked us up off and on.”
Barbara asked, “Like in your rooms?”
“In the little closet under the stairs mostly,” he clarified, “but sometimes in the cabinets under the sink or in a wardrobe. They did it as a punishment or just to keep us safe while they went out. We’d get bored. Our favorite game was to race insects, and for some reason cockroaches were plentiful. Racing them was really fun. If my brother did that with you, it means he really likes you.”
Ryder swallowed thickly. “If I’m being totally honest, it was kind of fun.”
Ace chimed in, “Yeah, after you get past the fact that it’s a bug.”
Barbara snuggled closer to his side. “I hope he comes back soon. I’m worried about him.”
Peb sighed. “My brother never liked being locked up. He’s claustrophobic, but he’d never admit it. Every time they’d let us out, he’d run across our property for hours. Once he got it out of his system, he would be fine.”
Ace held out his bottle. “Here’s to Cork enjoying his run and making it back safely.”
Clinking the neck of their amber bottles together, everyone took a pull off their beer in Cork’s honor. Ace circulated among his brothers, ate, drank, told their story more than once, and finally landed at the bar. Strangely enough, Ryder was pouring drinks like a prospect. Stuart and Tiffany were knee deep in a conversation that closely resembled the one they always had.
“You really don’t get it, Tiff. Everybody else there had fallen apart over a major life crisis and were trying desperately to get back to where they were before.” Thumping his chest, Stuart’s voice edged up a notch. “I was never right to start out with, so I’ve got nothing to get back to.”
“You’re being absurd,” she accused.
“Am I? Because it sure as hell does not feel like it.”
“I’ve known you since kindergarten, Stuart. You were a fascinating person, even back then. I was drawn to you because you weren’t like everyone else. I’ll admit that you had some quirky personality traits from the get-go, but we both know it was because of the stress your family put you through. It always seemed to me that no matter how old we were, your dad was putting pressure on you like I’d only ever seen in the adult world.”
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“That much is true,” he said, nodding grimly.
“Well, I’m sure your therapist told you how unhealthy that kind of thing is. You managed to get through it without running away, turning into a serial killer, or harming yourself. In fact, I think you did pretty damn good.”
“I could have done better.”
“I took a psychology class or two in college and I know you did, too, Stuart. We both know that when things go terribly wrong, it’s because people don’t have the tools they need to deal with whatever is happening to them.”
“Got all the answers today, don’t you, Tiff?” he said with a note of resentment.
“I just want you to understand that we all make mistakes, Stuart.”
“Yeah, I shouldn’t have kept Walter and made him spend time with me. That was wrong. I was just feeling anxious and desperate.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that. I’m sure Walter will forgive you one day.”
“I hope so. Anyway, I don’t need to do stupid stuff like that anymore. Now I have you and Ryder for real friends.”
Ryder leaned over the bar and glared at him. “We ain’t friends, dude.”
Shooting Ryder an indulgent look, Stuart insisted pleasantly, “Yes you are. I can tell because you helped with my mother, and you haven’t killed me yet for talking to your Tiffany.”
Ryder’s face lit up. “You called her my Tiffany and not yours.”
“I understand now that Tiffany doesn’t like to be my kitten. She clearly likes to be your princess. I don’t care for princesses, so you can have her,” he said, as if it was of no consequence to him.
Ace chimed in, “That sounds kind of arrogant, as if you own her or something.”
Stuart crammed some chips into his mouth and began reading the bag. “That doesn’t make it any less true. Darkness says I get your room now that you’re moving in with your angel.”
“He does, does he?” Ace asked slowly. This was news to him.
Stewart grimaced. “Don’t say that. It’s redundant, like eating triple chocolate cake.”
Ace of Hearts (Blind Jacks MC Book 3) Page 19