“We are,” he replied, touching my arm lightly with his fingertips and making me shiver. “I guess what I’d like to know is if we’re enjoying it as friends or… something more.”
Nervous, I brushed a lock of hair away from my eye. “What… what would you like it to be?”
He smiled slowly. “You can’t tell?”
Of course I could, but the words wouldn’t come out. I just stared at him, breathless.
Jayce slid his hand along my cheek and leaned in to me. I closed my eyes as his lips touched mine and he began kissing me. Enjoying the moment, I opened my mouth to his. My body felt like it was humming when his tongue moved in and began exploring my mouth. Although we’d done it before, this time it seemed different. It was a slow, leisurely kiss, both of us taking our time and enjoying the moment. I involuntarily pushed myself into him, and his hand immediately dropped from my cheek, slid lightly down my neck, brushed over my shoulder, and after trailing down my arm, landed on my waist, pulling me against him. He smelled so good, and his kisses were so intoxicating that I could feel myself begin to respond to him.
My body was igniting with desire. Everywhere.
It may have been the alcohol, or maybe it was just that I was so completely and utterly attracted to Jayce, but I was suddenly on fire. I dropped my cup onto the grass and slid both my hands around him, feeling hungry and desperate for more. My legs felt like jelly as I kissed him back with a passion I didn’t know lived inside of me.
Jayce groaned in the back of his throat, and soon both his hands were on me, one in my hair, the other holding me up. I could feel his hardness pressing against me, and unlike all the other times I’d considered a man’s erection, I was suddenly aching to feel it inside of me. Knowing that it wasn’t the time or the place, I managed to find the strength to pull away from him. When our lips separated, we were both out of breath and practically panting. We stared at each other. Jayce finally opened up his mouth to say something when a stranger walked around the corner, unzipping his fly with the intention of relieving himself.
“Oh, shit,” he said, looking embarrassed. “Sorry, my bad.”
“No problem,” Jayce replied. He put his arm over my shoulders and guided me around to the front of the barn.
“We forgot our cups,” I said, picturing them still lying on the grass.
“Forget about ’em. I’ll throw them away later. Let’s get some fresh ones,” he said softly. “You still hungry?”
“Yeah,” I replied.
His eyes met mine and they were lit with a blue flame of desire. “I’m hungry, too. Just not for what’s being served in there,” he murmured, kissing me on the temple before we walked into the barn.
I know the feeling.
We grabbed some food and more beer and then walked out of the barn to a picnic table, where a bunch of his club brothers were already seated. I recognized some of them from the birthday party the other night. This time, however, there were less wives, but plenty of club groupies. One of them, a tall, pretty brunette, looked at Jayce and then at me. Her eyes widened for a second and she opened her mouth. I thought she was going to say something, but apparently changed her mind because she remained silent.
Jayce and I sat down across from Phoenix and Brass. They both greeted us and then began talking about motorcycles and trips they were planning to take. I listened as I ate, my mind still on what had just happened. It had felt too right and that was wrong. Very wrong. I couldn’t afford to lose myself like that again. I decided to ease back on the beer to try and stay focused. Soon there would be a lot of drunk bikers and loose lips. At least, I hoped.
“Where are you from, Candi?” Phoenix asked.
I cleared my throat and looked up from my plate. “Vegas,” I said with a smile.
“What are you doing in Minnesota? Do you have family here?” asked Phoenix.
“No. I was just tired of Vegas and decided to move on,” I replied.
“I can appreciate that,” Len said from the other end of the table. “Although, I’d be more inclined to leave Minnesota and go to Vegas.”
Some of the others agreed.
“Sin City, man,” Len said. “Gotta love it.”
“Why did you pick Minnesota?” Tarot asked, staring at me intently.
“I haven’t exactly picked it yet,” I replied. I don’t know if it was the way he was looking at me, or my own paranoia, but I suddenly felt like I was being cross-examined. “I was on my way to Canada and that’s how I ended up here.”
“You thinking of staying?” Brass asked.
“I’m not sure yet,” I replied.
“I think it’s cool how you decided to just leave everything behind to start over somewhere,” said a girl named Eve, one of the club groupies. “I’d love to be able to do that. I just couldn’t afford it.”
“It’s definitely an expensive and risky move,” said Tarot. “You looking for a job at all? Phoenix mentioned you’d done some waitressing. We’re always in need of a good server at my establishment.”
I relaxed. Maybe my paranoia was just acting up again. “I might just be. Thank you.”
“No problem.” He looked at Jayce. “Bring her by the Wild River Saloon next week sometime. If she decides to stay in town.”
“Yeah. Definitely,” he replied and looked at me. “I hope you stick around.”
I smiled at him. “I’m definitely thinking about it.”
He grabbed my hand under the table and squeezed it. “Good.”
The tender gesture warmed my heart, but it also made me feel guilty as hell. Jayce was turning out to be a really nice guy and didn’t deserve the lies I was feeding him. When he found out later, he’d hate me. The idea made me sick to my stomach.
Chapter 35
Jayce
DAY TURNED INTO night and more people showed up from other chapters. Several Tiki torches were lit and then the band took the stage. This kicked the party up a few notches, and soon, everyone was dancing, drinking, and having one hell of a good time.
“Can I get you another beer?” I asked Candi as one of the songs ended. We were standing close to the stage and she seemed to be enjoying herself, dancing and singing to some of the songs.
“Sure,” she replied, turning her cup over to show it was empty. “I could use a refill.”
“Let’s go.”
She bit her lower lip. “Maybe I should meet you back here? I have to go to the bathroom.”
I looked around. Some of the guys were getting pretty hammered and there was no way in hell I was letting her out of my sight.
“We’ll do that first,” I said, touching her elbow. I began guiding her toward the porta-potties. Unfortunately, there were only two and the lines were long.
“I’ll be fine here by myself,” she said as we waited. “Go grab us a couple of beers.”
Needing to relieve myself too, I glanced toward the barn and then back.
“Seriously. Just go,” she prodded.
“Okay. Watch out for the wolves,” I said, smiling. “They’re everywhere tonight.”
She laughed. “So, what does that make you?”
“A lucky dog who has what everyone else wants,” I murmured near her ear, making her shiver.
Candi smiled and I leaned over and kissed her before heading over to the barn. At the last minute, I took a detour around the side to take a much needed piss. As I was zipping up, I heard someone gasp behind me.
“Sorry. I didn’t know anyone was back here.”
I turned around and saw Magpie, a chick I almost banged after the club’s Christmas party last year. We’d both been drunk and things had started getting hot and heavy, but then something had come over me at the last minute. Maybe it was the fact that she’d been with several of my club brothers, which wasn’t exactly an aphrodisiac. Whatever the case, I’d made up some excuse about not feeling well and we’d gone our separate ways.
“No problem,” I replied. “How’ve you been?”
“Okay.�
�� Magpie took a step closer to me and lowered her voice. “So, how long have you been seeing Candi?”
“Just a few days,” I replied. “Why?”
“I’ve seen her before and… her name isn’t Candi.”
I frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“When you first walked up with her, I thought she’d looked familiar. Then Eve mentioned that Candi was from Vegas. I was out there last month and pretty sure that I saw her on the set of a movie being filmed,” she replied.
Magpie’s sister was a set designer and sometimes she’d pay for her to fly out to watch some of the movies being filmed.
“I think you have her confused with someone else,” I said, smiling. “Candi is definitely not an actress.”
“No, you’re right. She’s a stuntwoman.”
I laughed.
“I’m serious,” Magpie said. “I saw her, or someone who looked exactly like Candi, on the set of a movie last month. I mean exactly.”
I could tell by the look on her face that she truly believed that Candi was someone else and wouldn’t rest until I was convinced.
“Who’s this stuntwoman? You have a name?”
“I’ll ask my sister if she can find out her last name,” she said, pulling out her phone. “I know her first name is Ava.”
“I’m telling you, it’s not her,” I said, shaking my head. “Why would a stuntwoman drive all the way out here, in a shitty car, and lie about her identity?”
It wasn’t to get a tattoo… that was for certain.
Magpie shrugged and then began typing out a message on her phone. “I don’t know. But, I’m telling you… Candi is Ava. They even have the same mannerisms.” She looked up from her cell. “Plus, they both have really toned arms, like they work out a lot. Obviously, stunt people need to be super fit.”
Candi obviously spent time at the gym. Even I could see that. But it didn’t mean anything.
“Hold on, my sister is typing back,” Magpie said, staring down at her phone. After a few seconds, her face lit up. She looked at me. “She remembers who I’m talking about. The stuntwoman’s name is Ava Rhodes. I bet if you Google her, you’ll find out more information.”
Sighing, I pulled out my phone and did what she suggested. Images and information pulled up about Ava Rhodes, who was a stuntwoman from Florida. She’d been in numerous commercials and a couple of independent movies.
As I looked at one of the close-up shots, my heart skipped a beat. The resemblance was definitely a little unnerving. They even had the same left-side dimple.
Fuck.
That definitely seemed like too much of a coincidence.
“See,” said Magpie, who was also looking at my phone. “It’s her.”
Tarot’s warning rang in my ears. If Candi really was Ava Rhodes, why was she lying? I could see if she wanted to protect her identity, especially since she was somewhat of a celebrity. But, we’d spent hours talking about her life, including the shitty abuse she’d received in the foster homes. It made me wonder if she’d lied about that as well.
“What are you going to do?” Magpie asked.
“Figure this shit out,” I growled, putting my phone away. “Have you mentioned it to anyone else here?”
“No.”
“Keep it that way for now. Okay?”
She flinched. “Yes.”
“I’m serious,” I said, knowing how much she liked to gossip. I pinned her eyes with mine. “Not a fucking word.”
Magpie nodded. “I promise, Hollywood. You can trust me.”
Chapter 36
Ava
I DON’T KNOW what happened to Jayce, but he was gone longer than I had to wait in line for the porta-potty. Not seeing him, I walked toward the barn where the beer was, and that was when I ran into Len. He was trashed.
“Hey, pretty girl. Where’s Hollywood?” he asked, swaying back and forth.
I looked past him toward the barn door. “I don’t know. He’s supposed to be getting me a beer.”
“I just walked out of there. I didn’t see him,” he said, holding up his own beer. “I’ll help you look for Jayce, though. You shouldn’t be wandering around out here unchaperoned.”
“Why?” I asked, amused.
“’Cause if you’re not someone’s Ol’ Lady, you’re free for the pickin’,” he said.
“Don’t I have some say in that?” I replied dryly.
“Not enough. Mind you, most brothers would leave you alone, but there’s some guys here I’ve never met before,” he said, lowering his voice. “They might mistake you for a club whore or something.”
My eye twitched. “Wow. Thanks for that.”
“Sorry,” he said and laughed. “Not that you look like a tramp or anything. But, around here we get a lot of chicks willing to do anything for one of us Gold Vipers.”
Len wasn’t exactly a handsome or suave guy. He was tall and lanky with a lot of miles on his face already. I’d have guessed him to be in his forties, although I’d heard someone say he was in his thirties. He partied hard and smoked a lot of hash, at least that’s what Jayce told me. I imagined that without the club whores, Len would have had a pretty dull sex life.
“It’s okay. I understand,” I replied, realizing that the opportunity had finally presented itself to start digging. “Let’s go find Jayce. Maybe he’s over by his bike?”
He shrugged. “I suppose we could look there.”
I didn’t think Jayce was by the motorcycles. I just thought it was a great opportunity to talk to Len.
We started walking toward the long gravel driveway, and I reached into my purse, and turned on the recorder.
“So, how long have you been in the club?” I asked.
“Since I was nineteen,” he replied and began to talk about how he’d joined up after going to a biker party.
I cut in to his story. “So, you were around when poor Peyton was attacked by creep last year.”
“Yep,” he said. “That motherfucker. He was trying to frame Tarot for some shit. The Blood Angels… they recruited him.”
He started going on about how they’d been dealing with the Blood Angels for the last few years.
“They’re disbanded now, though. At least the ones bothering us,” he said, taking out a cigarette and a lighter.
“What happened to Blade?” I asked, not really expecting him to answer me truthfully. But, he kept talking, which was a pleasant surprise.
“He got what he deserved. Tarot killed the asshole. I would have, too, if he’d been going after my woman and my child.” Realizing that he probably said too much, Len stopped abruptly and swore. “Me and my big fuckin’ mouth. Don’t you go repeating what I said.”
“Don’t worry. Jayce already told me about it,” I lied.
He relaxed. “Good.”
We started walking again.
“Hollywood was lucky he didn’t get killed that night,” Len said after a few seconds.
My heart started pounding. “What do you mean?”
“He was there, too. He surprised Blade and had him at gunpoint.”
“Jayce was there that night?” I said, the blood rushing to my ears.
He’d been involved in my brother’s death?
The very idea made me want to vomit.
“Oh yeah. In fact—”
Someone shouted my name. We turned to look and saw the the devil himself.
Chapter 37
Jayce
I DIDN’T KNOW why the hell Len was with Candi, or whatever the hell her name was, but it pissed the fuck out of me. I called her name and then jogged over to them.
“Where were you two going?” I asked.
“We were looking for you,” Len said. “Where’d you disappear off to?”
“I was talking to Phoenix,” I replied, noticing that he was drunk.
Tarot had left the party already, but I’d told Phoenix and Brass about what Magpie had told me. They didn’t have much to say other than I needed to figure out what w
as going on and make sure that it didn’t have anything to do with the club.
“You can’t leave a sweet thing like this unattended around this kind of party, brother,” Len said before taking a drag of his smoke.
“I didn’t think I’d be gone that long. Sorry,” I said to Candi, who looked like she wanted to ring my neck herself.
“It’s fine,” she said, her expression clearly telling me that it must not have been fine at all.
“You sure about that?” I said, trying to keep cool. I had so many questions and wanted answers right then and there. But, I’d been advised to take the drama somewhere else.
“I’m tired. Could you take me back to my motel?”
“Yeah,” I replied, relieved. I’d been about to suggest that myself. I pulled out my bike key. “You can make it back by yourself, right Len?”
“Of course,” he said, stumbling and spilling most of his beer.
I rolled my eyes. “Maybe you should go and find some place to lie down.”
“I need to find me a woman first,” he said and then laughed at himself.
“There are plenty to choose from,” I said. “See ya, Len.”
“Goodnight.” He looked at Candi. “Nice seeing you again, Candi.”
“You, too,” she replied.
“Nice girl you got here,” Len said and then hiccupped. “Damn it. Where the hell did all my beer go?” Mumbling under his breath, he walked back toward the party.
“Don’t you have to say goodbye to your friends?” Candi asked coolly.
“Already did,” I said.
She raised her eyebrow.
“Let’s get you home.”
Chapter 38
Ava
THE RIDE BACK to my motel was chilly, in more ways than one. I was livid about what I’d learned, and for some reason, Jayce seemed to have an attitude as well. It was even more evident when he walked me to my room.
“Well… goodnight,” I said, reaching into my purse for the motel key. I couldn’t wait to be alone so I could process what I’d learned and listen to the recording.
Destroying the Biker (Book 8): (The Biker Series ) Page 14