Hard & Reckless (Club Reckless Book 1)

by Victoria Ashley

  I shake my arm, causing Rowdy’s grip on me to loosen. My fight isn’t with him, it’s with Cole, so I’m careful not to take my anger out on him.

  After this, Rowdy might be the only friend left I can trust.

  My muscles flex as I stand back and keep a close eye on Cole, as he begins pacing and gripping at his hair. I’m not sure he’s done yet, but I won’t come at him unless he comes back at me first.

  “I can’t believe this shit!” he yells out before flipping one of the tables over and wiping his hand over his bloody mouth. “Fuck. I should kill him.”

  “In my office now.”

  Me and Cole look at each other when Mason’s angry voice comes through the earpiece.

  Cole is the first one to take off, knocking a beer bottle off a table, before making his way through the crowd that is now standing around, watching us.

  “Keep your cool, man,” Rowdy says, while squeezing my shoulder. “I knew this shit would happen. You both threw some punches and now it’s over. Let’s keep it that way.”

  Feeling tense as hell, I make my way upstairs to Mason’s office, ready to take my ass chewing. Hell, it can’t be any worse than taking a few blows to the face by your best friend.

  Mason looks up, his hard eyes landing on me, when I step into his office. “You both look like shit. What the hell am I supposed to do with this.”

  I take a seat in the chair next to Cole and hope like hell Mason doesn’t fire us both for the little shit show we just put on.

  “You do know what your job here is, right?”

  “Yeah.” I look up to make eye contact with Mason. I’ve never seen him look so pissed off in all the years I’ve worked here. “And we’re both damn good at it. This shit won’t happen again. You have my word.”

  Mason looks to Cole. “What about yours? Give it to me now or you can walk out that door and never come back.”

  Cole nods, but doesn’t speak.

  “Okay good. Here’s what’s going to happen.” He sits up straight in his chair, making sure we’re both paying attention. “You will take turns working the front door, until I feel like you can handle being in the same room together. I don’t give a shit if it’s a week, a month or even a fucking year. I will not have my security team fighting each other in my club. Am I clear?”

  “Got it.” Cole stands and walks around to grip the back of the chair. “Am I good to go now?”

  “Not until you, assholes, clean up the mess you made. There’s two broken tables and glass all over the floor. You both can leave for the night after that.”

  Once we get downstairs, we both stop to check out the mess we made.

  “Well, this is new,” I say with an amused laugh, while sweeping up glass like an asshole.

  “Never thought we’d be the bitches told to clean up our own mess.” Cole grabs the table he flipped over and begins dragging it to the back. “Guess that’s what happens when we fall for the same fucking girl.”

  I feel like shit as I watch Cole leave the room with his face all bloody and swollen from my doing. I’m sure I look just as bad as he does. Hell, I feel it.

  This is not how I wanted this to go down tonight. Us beating the shit out of each other in front of the whole club.

  Time is the only thing that’s going to be able to fix this mess now, because I’m not leaving Brooke alone and he’s not going to stop caring about her anytime soon.

  How much time is the fucking question . . .

  Brooke

  I SLOWLY BLINK MY EYES open when I feel a hard body crawl into bed with me, pinning my body down to the mattress.

  My body fills with warmness at the realization that Jameson is back to see me.

  When he left for the club, I had no idea what to expect after his talk with Cole. To be honest, a part of me was worried he’d never want to see me again. I was afraid after talking with Cole he’d believe he made a mistake by falling for me.

  I was terrified he’d walk away.

  Relief washes over me when I feel his lips against my jawline, working their way over toward my mouth. He’s so soft and caring right now, that it has my heart melting with each kiss.

  “Jameson,” I whisper into his neck, while closing my eyes as the masculine smell of his skin surrounds me. “I wasn’t sure I’d see you tonight.”

  “Like I told you . . .” he cups my face with both hands and kisses my lips, but something feels different. His mouth feels swollen against mine. “Nothing is keeping me away from you.”

  I open my eyes and grab his face, holding it still so I can attempt to get a good look at it in the darkness.

  That’s when I see his face is bloodied and bruised, his mouth swollen.

  “Oh my God! What happened, Jameson? Are you okay?” I run my hands over his face as panic surges through me. Seeing him this way breaks my heart more than I could have ever imagined. Every single part of me screams and aches to take care of him and take away his pain. “Did Cole do this? You guys fought. I should’ve been there. I should talk to him too.”

  “I’m okay.” He smiles and pulls my hands away from his face, looking down at me with soft eyes. The way his eyes search mine has my heart beating wild with emotions. “We just got into a little scuffle. Trust me, you didn’t want to be there to see it. I didn’t want you there to see it. I know Cole. He will come to you once he has time to think it over. He needs to cool down first.”

  Guilt washes over me, making me feel like it’s my fault this happened. If I wouldn’t have given into my feelings for Jameson, then he wouldn’t be fighting with Cole. They’d still be friends and they’d both still be happy.

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper, while shaking my head and removing his hands from my face. “I didn’t want this. I don’t want you and Cole to hate each other over me. It’s not right.”

  I’m so overwhelmed with emotions I can’t stop the tears from falling down my face. Seeing Jameson hurt is killing me so much.

  He pulls me into his arms, holding me against him as tightly as possible, while kissing my neck and whispering for me not to cry.

  “Shhh . . .” he whispers just below my ear, sending chills up and down my body. “I never want to see your tears. I’ll always want to kill whoever is the cause of them. Even if that person is me.” He rolls us over, maneuvering his body to lay between my legs. Having him there makes it so hard not to want to run my hands all over every inch of muscle.

  I feel him smile against my lips, right before he pulls the sheet over our heads and begins kissing all over my face, while pressing his body harder against mine.

  After a few more kisses, he surprises me by using his teeth.

  A laugh immediately escapes me, this moment reminding me of how playful he was with me last night.

  I find it to be amazing just how easy it is for Jameson to make me forget about everything else around us and just focus on him.

  On his body against mine. His lips caressing my face. The feel of his breath against my skin as he lays on top of me.

  He is all that matters in this moment and I want nothing more than to continue feeling this way.

  Jameson Daniels . . . is everything I could ever hope for.

  I just hope I can be the same for him . . .

  IT’S BEEN FIVE DAYS NOW since Jameson told Cole about us and it’s been eating at me that I haven’t had a chance to talk to Cole yet.

  I don’t feel right just leaving things how they are right now. I care about Cole and I care about his and Jameson’s friendship. He’s a good guy, he just wasn’t the right guy. Hurting him wasn’t my intention and I hate it had to happen.

  I’m just about to leave work for the night and I know for a fact Cole will be working the front door at the club. I know this because Jameson said he’d be working in section A and they’re still not allowed to work together yet.

  With it being a Tuesday, I’m hoping it’ll be slow enough that I’ll get a chance to pull him away for a few seconds and apologize for getting in between
him and Jameson.

  My heart beats harder and faster, the closer I get to the club, my nerves really starting to take over.

  “You can do this. Just say what you need to say and leave.”

  I pull up at the club and easily find a parking space. Just as expected, they’re slow and no one is waiting outside to get in.

  I can’t tell from where I’m at who’s working the door, but it doesn’t look to be Cole or Jameson.

  Taking a deep breath, I undo my seatbelt and push the door open. As soon as I step out of my car, my eyes land on Cole walking from across the parking lot toward his Charger.

  He stops walking and looks my direction, once he notices me parked just a little more than a few spots over. The first thing I notice when he looks at me is his face is just as beat up and bruised as Jameson’s. Maybe even worse.

  “Leaving for the night?” I question with my heart racing.

  He nods his head. “Yeah.” His eyes look me over for a few seconds, before he begins walking toward me, stopping once we’re a few feet away. “I was hoping to catch you at work, actually.”

  “That was my intention as well.” I shut my car door and look up to meet his eyes. He looks hurt and I hate it. “I’m sorry. I never meant to . . .”

  “It’s not your fault.” He shakes his head, before running his hands down his bruised face. “It’s our fault. Mine and Jameson’s. We were assholes for letting you get involved. And it pisses me off that it’s probably my fault the most.”

  “Why?” I lean against my car and watch as he shoves his hands into his pockets.

  He looks embarrassed to be telling me whatever it is he’s about to say. “I slept with his girlfriend of four years. I didn’t do it for my pleasure. I did it to open his eyes and make a point to him that Katie had been sleeping around behind his back and lying.”

  He stops talking and nervously runs his hands through his hair. “I knew catching her with me would be all the proof he needed. I was an asshole and didn’t think it through enough. And that’s why you and Jameson ended up together. He wanted to make me work for you.” He shakes his head and huffs. “It worked and fighting for you ended up not being enough.”

  I seriously have no idea what to say to what he just told me, so I just nod my head and look out toward the cornfield. Jameson mentioned Cole sleeping with his girlfriend, but we didn’t get into the details of the whole story.

  “I’m not mad at you, Brooke.”

  I turn my head to look at him, when I feel him step up beside me. “But you’re mad at Jameson?”

  “Yeah.” He steps in close and places his hand on my chin. “I hate him right now, but it’s not the first time I’ve felt like killing him. Hasn’t happened yet.” His body moves in closer as his eyes meet mine. “Are you happy?”

  His closeness has me feeling uneasy so I turn away and begin talking quickly. “Yes. I haven’t been this happy for a long time,” I admit. “I care about him a lot, Cole. I feel good being with him. I . . .”

  “Good.” He releases my chin and smiles. “I’m glad to hear you’re happy, Brooke. I think that’s what matters the most to both of us. Doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy to forgive Jameson. The sight of him still pisses me off. But for you, I won’t kill him.”

  The look on his face has me laughing. “Thank you, I think.”

  “I should get going before Jameson comes outside for a cigarette break and gets the impression I’m trying to pick you up.” He points at his face. “This shit still hurts. I don’t want to add to the misery. My face is too sexy to feel this bad.”

  We both laugh this time as Cole backs away and then turns around to jump into his car.

  I feel just a tad bit better, knowing Cole will be okay. I also have hope after our chat that with time, the boys will be on speaking terms again.

  I stand here by my car, enjoying the fresh air for a few minutes, before I look over to see Jameson coming toward me.

  Without hesitation, he picks me up in his arms and lifts my legs up to wrap around his waist.

  All the uneasiness and stress I was just feeling from my conversation with Cole is completely gone, replaced by the warmth of being in Jameson’s arms again.

  I melt into his body, holding onto him tightly as he runs his scruffy face over my neck. “Fuck, I’ve been dying to see you all day, baby.”

  He kisses my neck and then moves his way up to roughly press his lips against mine, taking my damn breath away.

  His kiss has me moaning and digging my fingertips into his strong shoulders. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get enough of this man. “Same here,” I breathe. “Work couldn’t have gone by any slower tonight. I was losing my mind.”

  He walks us over so he can set me on the trunk of my car, keeping his body pressed between my legs. Not that I plan to let him go anytime soon. “I saw you and Cole talking.” His thumb brushes over my bottom lip as he looks me in the eye, looking concerned for me. “Did he say anything disrespectful to you?”

  I shake my head and gently run my fingers over his bruised face. It looks even worse than it did a few nights ago. I hate his beautiful face looking so painful. “No. I promise.” I kiss his face all over, smiling when he grabs my face and holds it still.

  “Come here,” he demands.

  Once he releases my face, I lean in and brush my lips over his, giving him a taste of what he wants. I’ll always give him what he wants.

  “Kiss me,” he growls.

  Wrapping my hands in his hair, I kiss him harder than I have in days. My heart skips a beat when I feel his perfect teeth nip my lip and pull roughly as if he wants to take me right here.

  Jameson has a way of being sweet and dirty at the same time and I love it.

  “Break over, Romeo.” I hear a deep voice say through his earpiece.

  I can’t be sure, but it sounds like Rowdy.

  “Remind me to choke Rowdy later for interrupting this perfect fucking moment.” He growls against my lips, before pressing his hips into me, showing me just how hard he is. “My place or yours tonight?”

  I wrap my legs tighter around him, not wanting to let go yet. I love the way his hard body feels between my legs. “Hmmm . . . your place. There’s still a lot to set up at mine.”

  “I’ll be there,” he teases.

  I laugh. “But don’t be surprised if you walk in to find Karson crashed out on your couch. She wants to hang out for a while and watch some TV. That means she won’t want to go home.”

  “Your friends are welcome at my place just as much as mine are.” His muscles flex under my hands as he tangles his hands into the back of my hair and kisses me. “I’ll be home in a few hours. Don’t be surprised if I wake you up to pick up where we left off.”

  I unwrap my legs from around his waist and smile as he backs away, looking me up and down as if he wants to attack my body with his mouth. “Don’t be surprised if I’m awake in your bed waiting, Romeo.”

  “Fuck,” he says softly. “This is going to be the longest three hours of my life. I’ll try to get off early.”

  I sit here on my car, smiling like a fool, for ten minutes after Jameson is gone, before finally jumping in my car to meet Karson.

  I feel an emptiness in my chest, the moment I pull out of the parking lot, heading away from Jameson.

  That’s exactly how I know that with each day I spend with him, I fall deeper and deeper into him. And this is only after spending six nights in a row with him.

  I’m looking forward to seeing how this man can make me feel after a month . . .

  One Month Later

  Brooke

  I’M STANDING AT THE KITCHEN island, chopping up vegetables for dinner when I hear Jameson whistle from the doorway.

  My entire body ignites with heat when I look over to see him gripping onto the doorframe, standing shirtless in a pair of low hanging sweats. His hard, tattooed body is still dripping wet from the shower he just took, making him look that much more desirable.


  “It smells delicious in here.” He lifts a brow and releases the doorframe. My eyes wander his glorious body, watching as his ab muscles flex when he speaks. “Thought it was my turn to cook dinner?”

  I smile and fight to pull my eyes away from him so I can continue cooking. It’s soooo hard. “You’re distracting me. Go away before I cut a finger off.”

  Ignoring my demand, he comes up behind me and runs his hands down my sides, while slowly kissing my neck. My body instantly melts into his, going crazy with need when I feel his erection press against my ass.

  Everything with Jameson only seems to intensify the more I’m with him. Some days I can hardly even handle being in the same room with him without wanting his hands all over me as he takes me.

  “What’s distracting you?” He tilts my neck to the side and presses his entire body flush against my backside. The feel of his lips brushing up my neck as he makes his way to my ear, has me dropping the knife and closing my eyes. “My body?”

  I nod my head, my breathing picking up when I feel his hands lower to my ass and squeeze.

  “My hands?”

  I nod my head again, biting my bottom lip when I feel his hands move to lift my skirt up. My breath escapes me, causing me to reach back and grip his hair when I feel him slide into me from behind, stopping once he fills me.

  “My cock?”

  “Mmm . . . Jameson . . .” I lean my head back and grab his hair with both hands now, moaning as he slowly thrusts in and out of me.

  His hands run across my body, his mouth kissing me in ways only he can make me melt, as he continues to take me slow and deep, showing me just how passionate he can be when it comes to me.

  “I’ll always take care of your body, Brooke,” he breathes into my neck, before kissing it again. “I’ll never grow tired of making love to you and hearing you whimper my name as you come for me.”

  My heart speeds up at the mention of the word love. I’ve completely fallen head over heels in love with Jameson, but I haven’t had the courage to say it first.

  Even just hearing him say he’s making love to me has my heart doing flips and my stomach filling with butterflies.