Jase (Kings of Korruption MC Book 3)

by Geri Glenn

  Me: You ready for that?

  Ellen: I was always ready ;) It was Bryce I was worried about.

  Me: Can we put him to bed early?

  I can picture her on the other end, rolling her eyes.

  Ellen: Good things come to those who wait.

  Me: If I wait any longer, my balls will burst.

  Ellen: You’re terrible. Wish my kid luck for me 

  I have to smile, knowing exactly what annoyed tone she would have used if we were talking. Stuffing my phone back into my pocket, I take a final look around before turning off the lights, stepping outside and pulling the door shut. With a turn of my key, the door is locked, and I’m ready to go.

  I’d parked my bike on the far side of the lot to make room for the moving trucks we’d been using earlier today. I check my watch and realize that if I’m gonna make it to Bryce’s game on time, I’d better haul ass. Traffic at this time of day is always a bitch in the city.

  I’m just reaching for my helmet when the loud roar of a vehicle hits my ears. I turn just as a black Escalade screeches to a stop behind me. The passenger door swings open, and my eyes are level with the barrel of a gun.

  I put my hands up as I look into the eyes of the man screaming for me to get down on the ground. Colt stares back at me, his eyes still filled with so much hate.

  I drop to my knees, my mind racing as I try to think of a way out of this mess. From the corner of my eye, I see another guy open the back door of the SUV, and I turn to look in his direction. That’s when everything goes black.

  Ellen

  The phone at the nurse’s desk rings just as I’m finishing up my final rounds. I rush forward to get it, knowing my supervisor gets angry if it rings more than three time.

  “B unit,” I say, a little out of breath.

  “Ellen, I have your son’s school on line three. They said that nobody came to pick him up after his basketball game.”

  My stomach twists in a painful knot. “Put them through.”

  I take the call from the school, my heart racing as I assure them that I’ll be right over to pick him up. I disconnect the call and press the extension number for my supervisor, letting her know that there’s been an emergency, and I need to get to the school. Since my shift is almost over, she hurries down to take my place.

  While grabbing my stuff, I call Jase’s phone, my heart sinking when it rings a few times and goes straight to voicemail. I hang up without leaving a message and dial the only person I know that can help.

  “Charlie, I think there’s something wrong with Jase.”

  “What?” she gasps out. I can hear Ryker talking in the background before he gets on the line. “What’s goin’ on, sweetheart?”

  “Jase never showed up for Bryce’s basketball game,” I blurt out. “The school just called and said no one showed to pick him up.”

  Ryker curses. I hear him talking to someone, giving orders, and then he’s back on the line. “You at work?”

  “Yeah.” Tears burn my eyes as I try to keep it together. What could have happened to Jase? I know he wouldn’t have missed that game for anything. It meant too much to him that Bryce had asked him to come.

  “Reaper will be out front in ten, and I’m sending Tease to get your boy. You need to call the school and let them know he’s coming. His real name is Travis Hale. They’ll be bringing you both back to the clubhouse until we can figure out what the fuck is going on.”

  Ryker disconnects before I have a chance to respond. With shaking hands, I dial the school back and let them know that Travis Hale is a family friend, and that he’ll be picking Bryce up. They don’t agree right away, not until I explain that there’s been an emergency. Finally, the principal takes pity on me and agrees to release my son to Tease.

  Reaper is there before the ten minutes are up, and I jump onto the back of his bike without a word. The ride feels like it takes forever, my mind going over all of the possible scenarios of what could have happened.

  We pull up to the clubhouse, and I look around for Bryce. “They’re not here yet,” Reaper grumbles. “Tease’s ride isn’t here. Come inside and I’ll grab you a beer.”

  Feeling helpless, I follow him in, desperately praying that Ryker has something to tell me. Charlie and Ryker come out of the back hall, both of them looking grim. “Okay,” Ryker says. “We used the Find My Phone app to locate Jase’s cell, and we managed to find it. We’ll wait for Tease to get back, then we’ll go get our boy.” His eyes move past me and he looks to Reaper. “The fuckin’ Crips, man. It’s gotta be. He’s right in the middle of their territory.”

  “You call Jasper?” Reaper’s voice is filled with anger.

  “He says he knows nothin’ about it. Thinks it might be that Colt kid. He’s givin’ us a free pass into the area to pull him out.”

  I look back and forth between them, not having the first clue as to what they’re talking about. “Jasper? Colt? What’s going on… where’s Jase?”

  Charlie comes forward and wraps her arms around me, while Ryker places his heavy hand on my shoulder. “We’ll get him back, Ellen. You have my word.”

  Tease comes in with an excited Bryce. “Mom, that was awesome! Tease drove so fast! Jase never went that fast when we rode.”

  Tease smirks and winks at him, then looks at me and his head jerks. “Sorry, Mom,” he drawls.

  I don’t get a chance to respond before every man in the room disappears, all of them going to wherever it is to “pull him out.” I don’t know what the hell is going on, but my heart is racing so fast, it feels as if it’s going to explode.

  I stand frozen in place, my eyes on the door. I can vaguely hear Charlie showing Bryce the pool table, and then she’s beside me, her arm going around my waist. “Ryker will find him, Ellen. He loves him too.”

  I look up at her with tears falling from my eyes. I never told him that I love him.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Jase

  The sound of two men arguing slowly pulls me from the hazy fog that I’m trying so hard to claw my way out of. My head swims and lolls around on my neck as I try to lift it. What the fuck happened to me?

  “Jasper fuckin’ knows, man! If he finds out I helped you start this shit, he’ll fuckin’ kill me right after he kills your crazy ass.”

  Groaning, I try to peel my eyelids apart and see where the hell I am, but they’re not cooperating.

  “You can’t leave, you stupid fuck. He already knows. We need to finish this shit and get the hell out of here.”

  Colt. That last voice was Colt. He’d pulled up behind me when I was going to my bike. Then he’d clubbed me upside the head with the butt of his gun. That fucker is dead.

  “You can’t just kill the VP of a goddamn motorcycle gang, Colt. Especially not the Kings of Korruption. Those fuckers will come for you. You’ll be dead before you even make it out that door.”

  “Those fuckers killed my brother,” Colt roars. “They showed up, uninvited, to that deal. They mowed down the Crips, right along with those other bikers, and my brother was one of ‘em! Did anybody do anything about that?”

  “We killed their fucking Prez, man, and look where that got us. They killed everyone that was involved, including our leader. If we kill this asshole, nothing’s gonna get solved. It’ll only get worse.”

  “Whatever,” he sneers. “Run home, ya pussy. I’m gonna show this asshole that the Kings don’t run the fuckin’ show around here.”

  I manage to open my eyes just enough to see the back of the guy Colt’s been arguing with, run out the door. I look around through narrow slits and see myself in a shitty apartment, with concrete walls and wooden slat flooring. I’m sitting against the wall, my arms tied behind my back, which explains why they’re numb. The rope used to tie them is cutting into my flesh, and I’m surprised I still feel them at all.

  “I know you’re awake, VP.” I can practically hear his lip curl. “That’s good, because we don’t have very much time. Somehow, Jasper foun
d out you’re here, and he’s on his way to kick my ass for fuckin’ with you.” He presses the barrel of the gun into the centre of my forehead. “Too bad for him, by the time he gets here, you’ll be dead, and I’ll be long gone.”

  I say nothing, because I can’t. There’s a filthy rag tied across my mouth. Colt’s body shakes, causing the gun to vibrate against my skin. Discreetly, I struggle with the bindings on my wrist, but they’re so tight, I can’t move them, not even a little.

  Sweat drips from my brow, trickling into my eyes as I survey the room, desperate to find a way out of this. My heart races as Colt’s thumb moves to the hammer and slowly draws it back with a click.

  Visions float through my mind, my gut twisting in despair. Ellen blinking up at me, her eyes full of emotion the night that I got rid of Paul. Bryce laughing over at me while I curse at the TV when I get slaughtered, yet again, in Call of Duty. Those two have come to mean so much to me in such a short amount of time. I can’t let this fucker steal my family from me. I haven’t even had the chance to love them yet.

  Colt’s finger tightens on the trigger. I squeeze my eyes closed, my breathing laboured and fast. Knowing that this is my only hope, I pull back my foot as fast as I can, and drive it up into Colt’s chin. The gun in his hand never goes off.

  I climb to my knees, trying like hell to get to my feet. But just as I do, Colt raises his gun. “Fuck you, asshole.” He pulls the trigger.

  Just as the gun goes off, the door to the apartment bursts open, and there they are. If I was a movie producer, I couldn’t have staged it better myself. Colt swings around with his gun, ready to shoot again, but Tease beats him to it, placing a bullet directly between his eyes.

  My body sways before I fall to my knees. “Jesus Christ,” Reaper shouts. “Get me my bag!”

  Reaper rushes over, lowering me to the ground, his face tense and his eyes wild as he yanks the gag from my mouth. “‘Bout time you fuckers showed up.” My voice is slurred, and I don’t know why. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

  “You got a bullet in your belly, asshole. Would you just lay back and let me fuckin’ fix it?”

  I do as he says. The room spins as I lift my head from the floor, trying to see my stomach, but all I see are spots. Spots everywhere. “Hey Reap?”

  Reaper presses something down against my stomach. “Yeah?”

  “You gonna admit I got shot this time?”

  Reaper curses and wraps his hand around the back of my neck, his face set in stone as he stares down at me. “You live through this, buddy, and I’ll admit anything you want.”

  I close my eyes and let sleep carry me away.

  Ellen

  The guys have been gone for over two hours now, and nobody’s heard from them at all. Bryce’s fear had gotten the better of him since they’d left, and Laynie had found him crying in the bathroom a little while ago. He didn’t want me to see him upset, so she’d distracted him with Dexter, asking him to keep the dog company. It’s seemed to help so far, but every time someone walks in that door, I see the look of hope on his face and know that it likely mirrors my own.

  An endless flow of people have been trickling into the common room of the clubhouse. Family members, old ladies, and even a few kids, all of them worried about Jase. They’ve been a wonderful support, and as I look around, I finally see the family dynamic that Charlie has told me so much about.

  I’m refilling my coffee cup when the door swings open, banging loudly against the wall. I turn to see who it is, and my coffee cup falls from my hand, spilling coffee everywhere as the cup shatters when it hits the tile floor. Reaper and Tease enter the room, their arms both wrapped around Jase, who’s walking between them, his feet dragging across the floor. Blood stains their hands and clothes, and Jase seems barely conscious.

  They’re moving fast, barreling through the room, and straight for the hall that leads upstairs. I stare in horror as one by one, the men file inside, all of their faces set in grim masks. “Wait!” I cry, running to catch up. Nobody stops. “Jase!”

  Just as I enter the hallway, Ryker grabs me from behind. “Ellen, you need to wait out here.”

  I blink up at him, my heart sinking. “Is he okay?”

  Ryker gives a single shake of his head, and for the first time, I notice the fear in his eyes. “But he will be. I’ll let you know when I know more.” With that, he turns and stalks off down the hall and up the stairs, leaving me staring after him. My entire world feels like it’s crumbling down around me.

  My eyes swing to Bryce, who’s standing across the room, staring at me with his fists scrunched up into tiny balls at his sides. A tear slides down my cheek. Bryce breaks from his stance and runs full out, his body crashing into mine and knocking me back a step.

  My heart breaks when I wrap my arms around his trembling shoulders as he lets out an agonized sob. “Please let Jase be okay,” he cries.

  Tease appears at the door. “Charlie?”

  I watch as Charlie gives me a sad smile and disappears down the hall with Tease. I hold my son close, trying to soothe him. I move to the couch, where Bryce curls up against me, and I stare off into space, toying with his hair as we wait. We wait for over an hour before Charlie places a hand on my shoulder, pulling me back to the present.

  “You can come up now,” she says. “He’s asking for you.”

  Bryce pops up beside me. “Can I see him, too?”

  Charlie smiles. “He’s asking for you too.”

  We follow Charlie up the stairs and enter, what I’m assuming, is Jase’s room. He’s lying shirtless in the centre of the bed, a large bandage on his side. His skin is pale, and I can smell the blood in the air. The door closes quietly, leaving me, Bryce, and Jase alone in the room.

  Jase looks up at us and doesn’t say a word. He just holds out both arms, motioning for us to come to him. As one, Bryce and I move to the bed, carefully climbing on each side of Jase and nestling up against him. I feel him press a kiss against the top of my head, then look up to see him do the same to Bryce.

  Bryce looks up at him, his head on Jase’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

  The dark circles under Jase’s eyes worry me, and I press my hand to his cheek, satisfied that he doesn’t seem to have a fever. He looks at Bryce and pulls him closer. “I am now.”

  “What happened?”

  “I got shot,” Jase says, a small smirk playing on his lips.

  “For real this time?” Bryce asks, and I shake my head as he bites back a smile.

  “Yeah, smartass. For real this time.” He looks to me and rolls his eyes. “Geez. What a man gotta do to get some respect around here?”

  I stare up at him, my throat burning as I think of how close I came to losing him. A sob bursts from my lips and I bury my face in his neck. “Hey,” he soothes. “I’m okay, El. I’m okay.”

  “I’m not,” I cry. Jase holds me close and presses soft kisses to my face and lips, waiting until the tears start to fade. “It’s not okay, Jase. You scared the shit out of me. I’ve spent years keeping people out, and finally you come along, making me fall in love with you. Then you just disappear. You were gone! And then the blood, and nobody telling me anything, and me and Bryce, we were both—”

  “Babe,” Jase cuts in. “Slow down. It’s over now.” I sigh and my entire body relaxes against him, careful not to touch the place where his bandage is. “I love you too, El.”

  I pop up and stare at him with wide eyes, just as Bryce lets out a disgusted, “Gross.”

  “You do?”

  “Baby, I think I’ve loved you from the moment you told me off that night at the club.”

  I blink at him and feel the bed move as Bryce climbs out. “I’m gonna go get a drink,” he says as he walks to the door. Just before Bryce pulls the door closed, Jase calls out, “Hey, B?” Bryce pauses and looks back in. “I love you too, Bud.”

  Bryce grins, his face lighting up as he shakes his head and walks out.

  When Jase’s eyes move back to mine,
my heart flutters in my chest. “You love me?”

  Jase chuckles softly and pulls me closer. His lips hover above mine when he whispers, “I love you, El.”

  His lips cover mine in a kiss that warms me to my toes. It’s soft, slow, and gentle. He kisses me in a way that will never again make me doubt the way he feels about me. He kisses me in a way that tells me, right down to my soul, that Jase Matthews loves me.

  “I love you, too.”

  EPILOGUE

  Jase

  “Supper,” Ellen calls from the kitchen. I put down the box I’m carrying inside and move in that direction. The house is filled with the delicious aromas of her cooking.

  I walk into the kitchen and see Ellen and Bryce, both already seated at the round table, with an extra place between them that’s meant for me. Watching Ellen spoon a helping of homemade macaroni and cheese onto Bryce’s plate, my throat gets thick with emotion. All my life, I’d never had a home like this, or even many home cooked meals, and that had never bothered me. Looking back, I realize just how much I’d missed out on growing up the way I did. I’d never change my life for anything, but looking at my family, I realize that it only gets better from here.

  “Come,” Ellen says, reaching for the empty plate that’s meant for me. “Sit. You must be hungry.”

  I shake off my thoughts and move to the seat between them. “Starved. I have one more trip to get the last of my stuff, but I think I’m pretty much moved in.”

  Concern crosses her face, and I don’t miss her glancing down at my stomach. “Maybe you should leave the rest for tomorrow. You’re still healing.”