by Dez Burke
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Jace nodded, holding back the smile he wasn’t certain what to do with. “Thanks, Piper. I mean it...thank you.”
“But there is one thing...”
“Yeah?”
“We share the remote.”
A smile curved on his lips before he roared with laughter. “You got it.” He looked at her intently, his cloudy grey eyes taking her in. Without another word, he slid over to her and pulled her close to him, leaning down for a kiss. The moan that escaped her lips set him on fire and he found himself pushing her back against the soft pillows, lowering himself down onto her until he could feel every inch of her soft and welcoming body beneath him.
Every protest escaped her mind and there was no turning back, the fever of desire burning inside of her. She let him kiss her, softly at first, and then with more force, her whole body tingling and welcoming the sensation of that unforgiving chest pressing against her, his thick, hard erection grinding against her thigh. She drank him in as his tongue and teeth grew more demanding, licking at her, nipping at her lips. She lost all reason and gave into her desire, shifting beneath him just to feel his body grind against hers. She looked up into his thickly lashed eyes and saw a wicked hunger in the dark grey irises.
“Don’t stop kissing me.” She barely recognized her own voice, consumed by the pressure of his hard, muscled body bearing down on her, his masculine scent reaching down to tickle her senses and fan the burning flames that threatened to overtake her.
The arousal that flushed her face left a sweet scent of femininity on his lips and she felt the blinding heat building inside of her stomach, burning into her skin.
“I have no plans to stop,” he growled against her mouth. She whimpered, her heart skipping a beat as his savage kiss fueled her need for him.
His hands roamed her body, gently squeezing her curves, running his fingers down her sides to her waist and then drifting up her hips. He could smell her arousal and was mesmerized by the softness of her body.
“Jace...” she whimpered. Oh, God.
And then suddenly she remembered herself and the consequences should she give herself to this man. With all of the strength she could muster, she pushed against his chest until he pulled back, growling. He looked down at her with such intense longing that she almost gave in. How badly she wanted to feel him inside of her, to give herself to him. But she wasn’t that girl, and as desperate as she was to give herself to him, if anything was going to happen between them, it was going to happen when there was less tension and they weren’t in the middle of a crisis. When there was a chance for it to last.
“Jace, it’s not that I don’t want you to kiss me. It’s just...I’m not ready for all of this.”
“I know,” he cut in abruptly, his eyes suddenly filled with sadness. “I understand, Piper. Really...I do.”
He leaned toward her again and she was sure that he was going to kiss her, but he only rested his forehead against hers, his breath hot on her face. His eyes closed and he exhaled, turning his face slightly so he could whisper against her cheek.
“It’s so hard to control myself around you.”
His lashes lifted to gaze upon her face. He already missed the feel of her lips beneath his but he fought the desire to taste her against her will. He could never do that.
“I just...I can’t do this right now, Jace.”
“I know.” His head lowered again and this time he smoothed his lips across her cheek to her jaw before lifting away from her. He’d already vowed to himself he wasn’t going to push her any further than she wanted to go, and he knew above all else that she deserved better than what he could give, especially now.
She slid out from under him and stood. “Your pain meds...” Before he could say anything, she hurried into the kitchen where she’d left the bottle. She shook out two pills and filled a glass with water to take back to him.
“Thanks,” he whispered, still sore and trying not to think about the smooth skin that was underneath that robe she had belted so tightly. “You’re a good woman, Piper.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” she smiled.
He nodded. “You are. I’ve never met anyone like you before.”
Piper blushed and laughed shyly. No one had ever made her feel this beautiful or had the power to turn her into a giddy, blushing schoolgirl quite so easily without even trying. She couldn’t make sense of the way she felt about Jace, as if she would do just about anything to keep the man safe despite the fact that she didn’t even know him.
She handed him the remote. “Let’s watch something.”
He chuckled. “I hope you don’t expect me to put it on some chick flick or anything like that. I’m not quite that soft.”
She laughed before nuzzling her head against his shoulder tenderly. “Good. Because neither am I.”
Chapter Ten
As the sun shone brightly through the windows of her apartment, Piper trudged into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. Surprised to see Jace already standing in front of the refrigerator, she smiled, happy to see him. She hadn’t slept well, tossing and turning through the night as she thought about the fact that she had a truly gorgeous man sleeping on her couch, one she’d like to feel curled up next to her through the night, yet she couldn’t let herself just give into her feelings of longing. Then there was also all of the unknown danger that he was facing.
“How long have you been up?” she asked as he reached into the fridge and pulled out a carton of eggs.
He shrugged. “Ahh, not long.” He didn’t even turn to look at her. “You like omelets?”
“Sure,” she replied, trying to ignore the fact that he stood there in nothing but boxers. She couldn’t pull her gaze away from his flawless back, taking in the line of tattoos and watching the muscles stretch as he worked efficiently, cooking breakfast for the two of them. No man had ever cooked for her before, and despite the circumstances, she rather liked it.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No, I got it. I wanted to show a little appreciation for everything you’ve done for me.”
“You don’t need to do that,” she quipped as she sat down in a chair at the table, smiling. She could get used to having such a sexy man kicking around her apartment.
“I wanted to.”
Within minutes, Jace presented her with a huge omelet stuffed with sausage, bacon, bell peppers, and cheese. It was absolutely delicious.
“Where did you learn to cook like that?” she asked, smiling.
“My dad. It was just the two of us for most of my life. My mom ran off when I was a kid so he was stuck taking care of me. Had to feed myself, so he taught me how to make a few quick meals, and omelets were one of those dishes that you could throw together regardless of what you had in the fridge.” He looked away with a slightly embarrassed smirk. “And there were times where there wasn’t much to put into the pan.”
“I’m sorry it was so rough,” Piper replied slowly. “Were you and your dad close?”
Jace nodded, his eyes dropping to the table. “Yeah, really close. He was all that I had, you know? But a few years back he got caught up in a bad deal...” he paused, clearing his throat, his gaze returning to Piper. “Trusted the wrong guys and found himself without protection. How ironic that I repeated his mistake, huh?” He laughed with self-derision. “My old man thought he was doing the right thing for the club. The Iron Soldiers was like family to him, so I get it. He would have done anything for them, and well, he did. He lost his life for the club.”
Piper was staring widely up at him and he reached out, taking her hands into his. She shook her head sadly, squeezing his fingers gently. “I’m really sorry, Jace. I can’t imagine.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t easy, that’s for sure. It was the first time that I felt truly alone.” He shrugged, forcing a smile. “But enough about that. It’s pretty heavy for a morning conversation,” he chuckled, but she caught him winc
e in pain. “So, are you working today?”
“I’m supposed to go in for a meeting this morning, but I’m technically off the clock. I shouldn’t be more than two hours, though. Do you need the car for something?”
Jace considered. “I need to figure out how to contact the ATF agents, see if I can talk to them about a deal.”
“One of the agents left a card at the nurses’ station. I’ll see if it’s still there while I’m at the hospital.” Getting up, she headed toward the bedroom to get dressed. She needed to be at the hospital in a little over an hour, and she just wanted to get it done and over with.
* * *
Over the next couple of days, Jace spoke with Donnie, who kept him up to date on all that was happening. According to him, several club members were considering abandoning Alec and the club in order to stand behind Jace. Everyone but Alec wanted out of the gun-running business, especially now that there was so much heat on the club.
Jace agonized over calling the ATF agents, not sure what the best move would be. If he helped them nail Alec, it would ultimately destroy the club forever, but if he refused to help, he could be on the run for the rest of his life.
He had no choice.
With a heavy heart, he dialed the number on the card and was greeted by voicemail. Cursing under his breath, he left a brief message and hoped that Agent Morris would return his call quickly.
Jace thought about everything that had happened over the last few days and how much his life had changed. In such a short time, he had lost the backing of a club he loved with all of his heart, turned on his friend and leader when the dirty deals became too risky, and met a curvy nurse who turned him on more than any woman ever had.
Her name rolled off his tongue in a whispered sigh...Piper. Always there to help him, tending to his wounds and willing to go the distance for a man she barely knew. That either made her desperate or crazy. He still wasn’t sure which, nor did he really care anymore. He enjoyed being around her, and despite all of the danger that stood just outside the door, Jace found himself caught up in his fantasies about her. They hadn’t kissed since the first night when she had brought him back to her apartment. He had respected her wishes and avoided getting too close, but last night his body had been so demanding he’d had trouble sleeping. All he could think about was how beautiful she would look sprawled naked across the covers on the bed, her hair fanned out around her, a sultry smile on her face inviting him to claim her as his own, her thick frame, curvy ass, and delectable thighs waiting for him to hold on tight and take her wherever he pleased.
And when he’d finally fallen asleep, his imagination had been so vivid he’d woken up in agony.
Her voice shook him from his thoughts.
“Jace, you hungry? I was thinking about going out and picking up food.”
He thought about the risk of being seen in public, about how many people could recognize him and cause problems, but there were parts of town where the brothers didn’t hang out. He was starting to go stir-crazy and needed to get some fresh air. He wasn’t used to staying put for too long.
“You know what? Let’s go out to eat.”
“But what if someone sees you?”
“I need to get out of here for a bit. We’ll just stick to this area. No one will see me.”
“You sure?”
Jace chuckled. “Yes, woman. I’m sure. You ready?”
Within minutes they found themselves in a little out-of-the-way restaurant, sharing a booth in the corner. As they ate, Jace watched her, noting a difference in the way she held herself. He would never have thought she could be more attractive, and yet he felt his heart racing just watching her.
“I’ve never been to this place,” he said as he tried his first bite, “but it smells great.”
She waved her fork in the air, nodding. “It’s been around for like thirty years or something...pretty good food, huh?”
He was so enthralled with his meal and conversation that he didn’t notice anyone approaching until a voice behind him made his hackles rise.
“Jace?”
He glanced up at Piper as the deep voice rumbled from just behind him. Turning, he came face to face with Ron, one of his old friends and club member.
Cautiously, he greeted his biker brother, his eyes narrowing. “Ron.”
Ron’s hand reached down to squeeze Jace’s shoulder in a friendly grip. “Oh man, it’s good to see you, brother. We’ve been worried as hell. Word has it you got shot, but no one knew if you were dead or what was going on. Alec’s been looking everywhere for you.”
Jace forced a smile. Clearly Ron wasn’t aware that Alec had put a price on Jace’s head.
“I’m fine. Whatever rumors you heard was exaggerated.” He started to turn back to his food, hoping he could blow Ron off and just disappear after this.
“Who’s your friend here?” Ron asked, his focus now on Piper. He held out a hand to her as if he expected her to shake it.
Before she could introduce herself, Jace cut in, “This is my step-sister, Elaine. She came in from Atlanta for a week to visit me.” He caught the flash in Piper’s eye as she realized he wasn’t sure if he could trust Ron and nodded.
With a quick smile, Piper shook Ron’s hand. “Good to meet you. Any friend of Jace’s is a friend of mine.”
Eager to get back to the safety of her apartment, Piper returned to her food, ignoring Ron until he and Jace finished talking. Then they quickly slipped out of the restaurant and disappeared into the night.
Chapter Eleven
“I just got off the phone with the ATF,” Sergeant Tomas Alvarez stood outside Lieutenant Dian Hargrove’s office, looking anxious. She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow in anticipation of his announcement. “Those guys got a call from Dawson a couple of hours ago. He’s offering information on a bust, and they’re offering to cooperate if they can use our resources to bring in whoever he implicates.”
Hargrove was out of her seat in a flash. “When are we supposed to meet this guy?”
“That’s the problem. They don’t know where he is. They’ve been following the motorcycle clubs but haven’t caught wind of him anywhere. It looks like he went underground. I would imagine he’s got a contract out on him, especially if he’s getting ready to rat out his guys. I wouldn’t blame him for burying himself. But they’re planning to get back on the phone with him and set something up. We’ll be invited.” Alvarez wanted something more solid, but he wasn’t going to complain. It was difficult to get the Feds to offer any kind of respect or cooperation in something like this, so he’d take what they could get.
With a sigh, Hargrove sat on the corner of her desk and crossed her arms. “I want to meet with these agents right away. I want to know exactly what it is they’re looking for and who they’re hunting. If they have a specific agenda, that’s fantastic and they can have their jurisdiction, but we still have a right to throw the book at anyone small-time who gets caught in the net. I want to know how wide that net will be cast.”
“You got it, boss. I’ll give Morris a call back in about 30 minutes. I’m going to wait long enough that he has a chance to try to get in touch with Jace Dawson.” He headed back toward his desk, feeling satisfied that he’d managed to pull this together. At the same time, he felt a bit guilty about not giving his partner all the details. He’d learned a great deal about this gun-running operation the ATF wanted to take down, and he was more than willing to help the Feds do it. The more he could assist, the more likely he’d find himself a place out at Quantico. But that wasn’t the only reason he hadn’t shared the information with Hargrove.
His partner had a tendency to jump first and ask questions later, and if she knew the extent of the operation they were after, she’d try to work this out on her own and get the glory for the department. That wasn’t the way this needed to go down. The Dallas PD may have significant resources, but they didn’t have the same power, authority, and guns that the ATF did. It meant people in the departmen
t could get hurt or killed, whereas if they cooperated with the federal agents, they would get the use of all the cool toys those guys had at their disposal. Not only would it be more fun; it would be safer and much more professional.
For his part, Alvarez did have one other lead he wanted to follow up, but he wasn’t going to share that idea with anyone. If he could find Jace Dawson, he’d be the golden boy and none of them would have to wait for Jace to set his own terms. Picking up the phone on his desk, he called Parkland Hospital. It was time to see if a certain nurse was on duty.
* * *
James sat around a back table at Stroker’s with Donnie, Butch, and Rafe, trying to talk quietly without being drowned out by the noise in the bar. “When is this next pick-up supposed to happen?”
Donnie gritted his teeth. “I can’t get the details, but up to now it’s been about every two to three weeks. I would guess it’s coming up pretty fast, probably sometime next week. I don’t know who’s supposed to be meeting the middleman, but I have a feeling Alec’s going to be on top of it himself. That’s going to make it difficult to break the deal.”
Donnie ran his fingers through his hair, glancing around nervously. “I should get in touch with Jace, see if he can help us out. He’s desperate to stop this whole thing. Ever since the first big transfer, he’s been looking for a way out. It’s what got him in this whole mess to begin with.”
“Man, if I had a hit out on me, I wouldn’t show my face anywhere.” Rafe shook his head and grumbled at the situation. “I don’t think he’ll come out of hiding until something happens to take Alec down.”
“Guess who I saw today.” All four heads turned as Ron approached, looking cocky. Rafe kicked Donnie under the table, stepping on his toe and making him grunt. As if he’d been invited, Ron pulled a chair up to their table, setting a beer on it as he lit a cigarette. “I ran into Jace last night. I have to say, I think this whole getting shot at thing is a bunch of bullshit. He looked great, was with some woman he said was his sister, but I don’t think he has a sister. I think she’s his old lady and for some reason he wants to keep it on the down-low.”