Hyde and Seek

by Layla Frost

  I glanced over my shoulder and saw the other guys were positioned to block the scene. I knew they had Jake’s back, which meant letting him handle things his way and keeping everyone out of his path while he did it.

  The air went wired as Jake leaned down. “Get up, fucker,” he growled. His voice was barely above a whisper, yet it felt like he was yelling.

  “Go fuck yourself. The great Jake Hyde really is pussy-whipped, huh? Gonna get all bent outta shape about some piece? She really must be honey,” Blake taunted unwisely, blood dripping from his nose.

  Jake pulled him back up before his fist viciously connected again. The gruesome sound of flesh hitting flesh was audible over the noises of the party. Blake fell back on his ass, blood beading from a tear on his lip.

  Luckily, almost everyone was either at the bar, on the dance floor, or looking at the auction items. Only a few people in the immediate area were aware of what was happening, though no one jumped to Blake’s defense.

  “I said get the fuck up, motherfucker. We’ll head outside, I’ll show you how bent outta shape I can get.”

  “How about we finish here?” Blake asked, standing up and brushing himself off. “You know, that way I can take your piece outside and bend her.”

  When Jake stepped forward, Blake swung hard and fast. Jake was faster, though, dodging the punch and using Blake’s momentum against him. Jake brought his fist up, slamming it into Blake’s jaw with a sickening thud and sending him back down on his ass.

  Before things could get any more out of control, I pulled free of Kase and got in front of Jake. “Enough. It’s done, let’s just go enjoy our night.”

  “Gotta know I’m not lettin’ that slide, Piper,” Jake rumbled, not taking his eyes from Blake.

  “Jake,” I whispered, putting my hands on his chest and getting up on my tiptoes. “You’ve been working hard on tonight. Don’t let him take away from that.”

  “I don’t give a fuck. No one says that shit about you.”

  “I know, baby, I know.” I rubbed my fingertips over the stubble on his jaw. “But I do care. I’m thirsty, let’s go get a drink, okay?”

  Jake finally pulled his eyes from Blake to look down at me. “You thirsty, sweets?” Bringing his hand to the side of my neck, he rubbed his thumb along my jaw.

  I closed my eyes for a second, his touch tender and calming. “Yeah.”

  “Get his ass outta here,” he grunted, jerking his head towards Blake. “I’ll be back.”

  Jake slid his hand to the back of my neck and guided me towards the bar. When we reached it, his steps didn’t slow and we walked past it. He kept going, turning and walking us down a long hall.

  “Jake, what’re we doing?”

  My question went unanswered. Anger rolled off of Jake in waves, and it finally hit me that he wasn’t just pissed at Blake Green.

  But that’s just crazy. Well… okay, I didn’t exactly listen to his Mr. Bossy Pants order, but why would I? And, yeah, he ended up kicking ass at his meticulously planned party because of it. But how was I supposed to know that would happen?

  I braced when he stopped us near the end of the hall, boxes and miscellaneous buildup around us.

  “I asked you to stay with the guys,” Jake growled.

  I shuffled backwards as he advanced. When my back hit the wall, his hands went to the wall on either side of my head.

  “I had to use the bathroom.”

  “You should’ve had one of them go with you.”

  “I can’t go to the bathroom alone? What, worried I’ll get lost?” My voice dripped with sarcasm.

  Don’t poke the bear, Piper.

  “No, I don’t want you talkin’ to anyone.”

  “God, Jake, I wasn’t gonna embarrass you. I don’t need a sitter, especially not to go to the freakin’ bathroom.”

  “Is that what you thought this was?”

  “Isn’t it?”

  “No. Actually, fuck no.”

  “Then why?”

  Jake ignored my question. “Who was that first guy you were talkin’ to?”

  “James. You met him at my house before.”

  “Why were you talkin’ to him?”

  “He stopped me to say hi. Why?”

  “He touched you.”

  “He tucked my hair behind my ear. It isn’t like it was obscene.”

  “Not like what Green wanted to do to you. Why the fuck were you talkin’ to him?” His jaw clenched as his body tensed further.

  “He stopped me. I was politely excusing myself and trying to get away from him.”

  “That didn’t seem to be workin’, did it? You like what he was sayin’ to you, babe? Like hearin’ him talk about your sweet cunt? Were you thinkin’ about how it would be?” Jake asked crudely, his voice low and rough.

  “No, what? How what would be?”

  “Fuckin’ a rock star. Slummin’ it with the lowly mechanic not doin’ it for you anymore?”

  I stared up at him in wide-eyed disbelief.

  Fuck it.

  Poke the bear.

  I glared at him, my temper rising. “Why are you being a jerk? I’m here with you.”

  “Oh, so if I wasn’t around? I could leave if that’d make it easier for you to work the room.” He lowered his hands and stepped back. His shoulders were tight as his fists clenched by his sides.

  “You’re being an ass. Come find me when you calm down.” I shifted to leave but Jake moved back into my space.

  “James,” he sneered, “tucked your hair behind your ear. Do you know how intimate that is? How it felt to watch that? And Blake? I can’t even go there again. You stood there and let them touch you, Piper. Why?” His hands slammed back on the wall, punctuating the word as his body pressed close to mine.

  “Jake, I didn’t—”

  “You don’t care when we don’t see each other. I called you yesterday, fuckin’ hatin’ that I had to cancel, but you were totally fine with it. Christ, you couldn’t even call yourself my woman on the way here. Obviously, you’re still free and available to do what you want.”

  Oh yeah, poke the bossy bear with a sharp fuckin’ stick.

  “Are you serious? No, are you fuckin’ serious? You’ve never said you were my boyfriend or anything, either,” I pointed out.

  “I told you it was only you for me.”

  “What? When?”

  “Before the first time. I said it was only you and asked if you knew what I was sayin’.”

  “I thought that meant you were only gonna be having sex with me.”

  “No. It’s only you.”

  “I’m not a mind reader, Jake. How was I supposed to know that?”

  “I showed you—”

  “Wait! Was that what all that shit was last night? You’re more than a replaceable dick to me. I missed you, not just hungry and energetic. But you’re busy, and I get that. I’m not gonna bug out on you about your job. That’s not cool.”

  “You’re—”

  “We are… well, were awesome. I didn’t need a title to make it official because I was already there. You wanna put labels on us, we’ll put labels on us. I’ll buy a freakin’ label maker and label the hell out of us. But you know I’m yours. I’ve told you that over and over.”

  “When?”

  “During sex.”

  “Yeah, exactly. While my dick’s in you and I’m makin’ you come. Even then I’m promptin’ you to say it. Not once have you said it on your own. And then you wonder why I’d think I was a replaceable dick to you. I’m not a mind reader either.”

  As much as I hated to admit it, he had a point. Just because he seemed to know all my secrets didn’t mean he actually did.

  My shoulders slumped as I lost some of my anger. “Oh.”

  “Yeah. Oh.”

  “You’re right. I guess I just thought you knew how I felt. That you’d figured it out because of… well, everything.”

  Just like that, I could feel the tension leave his body. His eyes went warm and s
oft, though no less intense. “You’re my woman?”

  I stayed silent, staring beyond him, unseeing, as I worked through my anger and hurt at what he’d said.

  Blowing out his breath, he ran his palm down his face before bringing it up to rub the back of his neck. “Shit. I really fucked up. Let my temper get to me. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re an ass.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “I’d never be embarrassed by you. The way I see other guys lookin’ at you? Them talking to you as soon as I walk away? That’s why I wanted you to stick close to the guys.”

  Who knew a badass could be so vulnerable.

  Because Jake was so experienced in other ways, it was easy to forget that a lot of the relationship stuff was as new to him as it was to me. We needed to learn to communicate better so things didn’t build up and explode.

  “No one else has me. You do.”

  “You’re my woman?”

  I nodded.

  “Say it.”

  “I’m your woman, Jacoby.”

  He didn’t like anyone else calling him by his full name and it was rare that even I used it. Each time felt like a gift and I savored it.

  Watching his eyes close slowly, I knew he felt the same way.

  “Fuck yeah, you are. Pull your dress up.”

  I brought the skirt up enough that, when Jake’s hand on my ass lifted me, my legs were able to wrap around him.

  Shifting me higher, he reached under my ass to free his cock from his jeans. Pushing my panties to the side, he ran his fingers through my growing wetness.

  “Fuck. Soaked.”

  “Always.” I bit my lip to muffle my moan when he lowered me onto his cock.

  “I gotta be inside you. Need you, Piper, more than I’ve ever needed anything. More than I need my next fuckin’ breath.” Fisting his hand in my hair, he tugged my head back and kissed me hard.

  There was no thought to the hundreds of people a short distance away. In that moment, as the slow burn built, the world fell away. It was only Jake and me. With my back against the wall, his cock gliding slowly in and out, it was sweet torture.

  “Baby, I need it,” I said, breaking the kiss.

  “Need what?” He moved slower, building my orgasm but keeping it out of reach.

  “You. Always,” I panted. “But right now I need you to fuck me harder.”

  Jake’s low growl vibrated against me, my slow burn turning to an inferno as his momentum increased.

  I arched my neck, and his hand in my hair cushioned my head from hitting the wall. Biting my lip to muffle my moans, my legs tightened around him as I came.

  “Christ, my woman looks so hot when she comes,” Jake murmured, his words making the pressure build again. “Sweet pussy, squeezin’ my dick so hard.”

  “Oh, Jake,” I whimpered.

  “So fuckin’ perfect. God, Piper, I love you. So fuckin’ much,” Jake groaned, pounding on each word as he came.

  Tell him you love him.

  Okay, catch your breath and then tell him.

  Alright, fine, panic and be a coward on the off chance he said it in the heat of the moment and didn’t mean it.

  Cluck, cluck, chicken.

  When I undid my legs from his waist, Jake slowly loosened his hold on me and slid me down his body to stand. He stepped back to tuck himself away and arrange his clothes.

  “Don’t wanna go back in.”

  “Neither do I.” My heart was pounding in my near bursting chest as my stomach flipped wildly. “I’ve gotta go get cleaned up.”

  Jake pressed in close, his hands going into the back of my dress to grab my ass as he kissed me hard.

  He backed away. “I’ll be waitin’.”

  We walked into the main room a few minutes later and stopped at the bar. With drinks in hand, Jake wrapped his arm around me. We’d barely taken a step when he was stopped.

  “Hyde, how’s it hangin’?” a man greeted.

  I was with the hottest of the hottest. I knew this without a doubt. However, I had to admit this man was good-looking.

  Raw with a sharp edge, he was tall and thickly built. His dark hair was closely shaved and his eyes were a deep, midnight blue. Skipping over the traditional tux, he was wearing slate gray slacks and a shirt that matched his eyes.

  “Long and strong, brother, long and strong.” Jake released his hold on me long enough to give him a back thumping hug before he put his arm back around my waist. “Piper, this is Lars. Lars, this is my girlfriend, Piper.”

  I’d thought the label was silly. What we had was good. Perfect. There was no way that something so small and insignificant would make any difference.

  I was way wrong.

  Hearing Jake call me his girlfriend was awesome.

  “Nice to meet you,” Lars said.

  I knew I was grinning huge, but I didn’t care.

  “You, too.” I took his outstretched hand.

  “Happy for you,” he said, still holding my hand but looking at Jake. His voice was deep with meaning when he continued. “Truly, brother. Fuckin’ thrilled.”

  “You and me both.”

  “Alright, I’m gonna go catch up with Kase. See you both around.”

  From that point on, every time Jake introduced me to someone, he referred to me as his girlfriend. I knew my cheeks would hurt by the end of the night from smiling, but I didn’t care.

  We eventually made our way over to the tables and sat for a while with Jake’s childhood friend Liz and her partner, Sammi. They owned a restaurant together where Liz handled the business side and Sammi was the head chef.

  “I gotta go talk again,” Jake said, kissing me.

  As he walked away, Sammi and Liz burst out laughing.

  “Boy, you both have got it B-A-D, bad! I’ve never seen Jake like this. Not even with Chloe,” Liz said.

  “Chloe?”

  “Jake’s ex. She was years ago, but basically the only real girlfriend he’s had. Well, until now.”

  “I gotta say, I’m totally diggin’ this change in him,” Sammi put in. “He looks happy. Like really happy. And he isn’t even around a car.”

  “Which makes me curious what happened earlier when he looked like he was ready to kill someone,” Liz said.

  “Someone was talking to me that Jake doesn’t get along with.” I didn’t want to go into detail, mostly because I didn’t want to think about it. It was done, Blake was long gone, and what followed was what I wanted to focus on.

  “Who was it?” Sammi asked.

  “Blake Green.”

  “Oh yeah, they’re not fond of each other. Blake thinks they’re competing for chicks. They aren’t; Jake’s not like that. But if they were, Blake’s record would be dismal.”

  “That also explains the growl,” Liz put in.

  “Growl?” I asked.

  “Yeah, he stopped in the middle of what he was saying, growled, and was already on the move when he told us to have a good evening. He jumped right off the front of the stage, not even bothering with the steps.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  Jake’s voice came through the speakers as he let everyone know that there was a half hour before the end of the silent auction.

  When he returned to our table, he bent down and kissed the spot behind my ear. “Gotta make the rounds some more.”

  “Okay. It was great meeting you both,” I said, standing.

  “You, too. Stop into the restaurant soon,” Sammi told me.

  “I will.”

  Jake put his hand on my back, his thumb rubbing across my spine as he brought me over to another group of people.

  As everyone chatted, he leaned close to my ear. “Havin’ fun?”

  “A ton.”

  Moving in front of me, his hands went to my neck and he ran his thumbs along my jaw. “I love you. I’ve been tryin’ to think of when to tell you, but it just came out earlier. I know I’ve fucked up, and I get it if you don’t feel the same way, I just—”

  “I love
you, too, Jacoby.”

  I barely finished saying his name when he kissed me, soft and sweet.

  Jacoby Hyde loves me.

  Keep it together, Piper.

  Don’t squeal. Don’t even do Jet’s thrusting ‘in your face’ victory dance.

  “Jake?”

  Jake tensed at the interruption, pulling up but wrapping his arms around me so tight that I almost couldn’t breathe.

  I turned towards the voice and saw a tall, slender woman. Her blonde hair was cut in a fringed, shoulder length bob that highlighted her pretty features. She was wearing a black cocktail dress that showed off her porcelain skin and long legs.

  “Chloe,” Jake replied.

  Chloe? As in the heretofore unknown ex-girlfriend?

  And she’s the exact opposite of me.

  Awesome.

  “I’m here with Frederick, he just went to get drinks. I thought I’d stop and say hello.” She turned to me, her eyes critical as she looked at me. “Hi, I’m Chloe. You must be the Piper I’ve heard so much about.”

  “Chloe, go find your man. We’re in the middle of somethin’ here.”

  “Sorry, Jake, I didn’t mean to interrupt you acting like a teenager.”

  “Well, you did. And I’d kinda like to get back to it.”

  “Baby, don’t be rude,” I laughed playfully up at him. “I’m sorry, Chloe. He can just be so greedy when it comes to his time with me.” I rubbed my fingertips across his jaw, forgetting for a second that I was supposed to be returning some bitchiness. “Anyway, it was nice to meet you. I’m gonna go get my man a drink.” I turned, dismissing Chloe altogether. “Beer, baby?”

  Jake leaned down and kissed me. I knew his touch wasn’t to provoke a reaction, but just because he wanted to do it. “Yeah. I’ll come with. Don’t want to have to punch anyone else.”

  A shiver ran through me when he placed his hand on my bare back.

  As we walked away, I subtly looked to the side. Unsurprisingly, Chloe was glaring at us with her arms crossed. What caught me off guard was also seeing Dana staring us down with envy darkening her face.

  She’s always had a thing for James. Shouldn’t she be dancing on a table or something?

  The animosity was a physical feeling that hit me hard.

  I took a deep breath and exhaled, letting everything go. I couldn’t control how other people felt. I could, however, control how I dealt with it.