“Answer me.”
If my irritation hadn’t just been stoked, I could’ve fully appreciated the fine specimen in front of me. Cut and well defined everywhere, his body was a work of art. Swollen muscles and a deep-ridged V made my mouth water. His ass was something to write home about. His physique aside, Ace was extremely handsome. But going a step further, he was sexy. Not many men pulled off sexy, but he did in spades. He exuded a cocky confidence that would be construed as arrogant on most others.
“Why don’t you believe me? I’ve never lied to you.”
“So you say.” I struggled against the grip he had on my legs but failed. “Let go.”
“Not until you say you believe me.” He moved closer to the bed, anticipating my retreat.
“I’d be lying if I told you that.” The constriction of my thigh muscle had him clamping down harder on my ankle. While he didn’t hurt me, I wasn’t goin’ anywhere until he released me.
“I’ve never done anything to make you mistrust me. You’re the one who doesn’t want to commit to me, not the other way around.”
“I asked if you wanted something more, but you turned me down. Remember that? Don’t turn this around on me,” I shouted, lowering my voice when I realized how loud I’d been. I wanted to add I’d asked him that during a moment of weakness but thought better of it.
“We’d only been foolin’ around for a month. I didn’t know where this was goin’, so I didn’t want to commit then.”
“Oh, and you do now?” I crossed my arms over my chest, shielding at least that part of my body from him. I could feel the warmth of anger wafting through me and if he didn’t let go of me soon, I’d start screaming. I’d apologize to Riley afterward for waking her up.
“You know I do. It’s been seven months since then, and I’ve asked you at least five times to be with me, but you always give me some bullshit excuse as to why you don’t wanna.”
“They’re not bullshit. You know I have trust issues.”
“Yeah, because of your father. Not anything I’ve done. You should trust me.”
“That’s not how that works,” I retorted. “Now let go of me.”
“No.”
“No?”
“I think you heard me just fine. I’m done tryin’ to figure you out. You’re back and forth. Hot and cold. I never know which Chelsea I’m gonna be dealin’ with on a day-to-day basis. This shit is exhausting.” His grip on me loosened but not enough I could pull back.
“What are you sayin’?”
“I’m sayin’…” He licked his lips before pulling the bottom one into his mouth with his teeth, popping it free only to do it again. The column of his throat constricted as he swallowed, his eyes resting on mine the entire time he was silent. “Either you agree to be mine or we end this right now. No more calls. No more texts. No more sex. No more anything. We’d be done. Over for good.” What he didn’t say, but was implied, was that we’d be free to fuck whoever we wanted, and while he pissed me off right now, I couldn’t stand to picture him with someone else.
“All this because I want you to wear a condom?”
“I’ll wear a condom. It’s not about the fuckin’ condom.”
“Sounds like it is,” I huffed.
“Christ, woman! You’re exhausting. You know that?” He finally released me, moving toward his discarded clothes. I didn’t think I’d ever seen him get dressed so quickly before. Undressed, sure, but not putting his clothes back on. “I’m givin’ you twenty-four hours to make a decision.”
“You’re gonna show back up here at”—I looked over at the alarm clock—“three forty-eight tomorrow morning?” Avoidance had become my defense mechanism, and while it’d worked in the past, it wasn’t effective right now. All he did was give me a slight scowl before disappearing from my room.
Thirty seconds later, I heard the front door shut, then a moment after that the roar of his bike, a noise I hadn’t heard when he initially showed up here.
Then again, I’d been lost in sleep, a place I hoped stole me again and soon because I didn’t want to think about my answer to his ultimatum.
I had no idea what my decision was gonna be.
7
“You gonna stand there all day and pout or are you gonna tell me what’s wrong?” Kaden asked, leaning over the engine of a blue 1965 Ford Mustang. If I wasn’t in such a foul mood, I would’ve drooled over the classic vehicle.
“I’m not pouting,” I fired back, crossing my arms over my chest, and leaning against the edge of the wall in the garage. “I’m not allowed to be in a bad mood?”
“Sure. If it’s because of the tension in the club between me and Stone. Or if it’s because of having to deal with the Reapers again after all these years because Linc took Maddie. Or if it’s because of the debacle with Tag. But not if it’s because of Chelsea.”
Kaden looked back at me when he said her name, cocking his arrogant eyebrow at me, as if he just challenged me.
“Fuck you,” I spat, turning on my heel to leave.
“Maybe if she was fuckin’ you, you’d be in a better mood,” he shouted after me, but I didn’t say anything back. Strolling across the clubhouse lot, the sun beating down on the top of my head, I started to lose myself to thoughts of what happened not seven hours ago, but the sight of Addy stepping out of her car with her black bag in hand was all the distraction I needed. There was only one reason she was here right now and that was to check on Tag. I wondered if she knew what happened to him, or was she walking in there blind? Did Sully fill her in? Or had Stone? If I had to guess, I’d say if she knew anything at all, it was because of her friend, seeing as how she and her husband were still arguing over his pigheadedness concerning Kaden and Riley.
“Hi, Addy,” I greeted.
“Hey, Ace. How are you?”
I gave her a quick grin. “I’m fine. What brings you here?” I knew the answer but was curious as to what her response would be.
“I heard my services were needed. Again.” A slight breeze kicked up, blowing a strand of her blonde hair into her face. After pushing it back, she flashed me a tight grin. “Do you know which room he’s in?” I wasn’t gonna play dumb, acting like I didn’t know who she referred to.
“The one next to Maddie.”
With a heavy sigh, she nodded and continued across the parking lot, but she didn’t get far. Stone appeared from around the corner of the building, rushing up to his wife once he saw her.
“You just get here?” he asked, reaching out to touch her arm. She moved back before he made contact, and while I wanted to give them their privacy, I couldn’t help but stand frozen in place, watching their interaction, curious as to what would happen. Chelsea often called me moody, but I was fuckin’ jovial compared to Stone, especially lately. He was a stubborn pain in the ass and Addy didn’t take his shit, which was exactly why he’d been sleeping here at the club.
“I have to check on Tag.” Addy had met Tag once at her house when we all went swimming, unlike Sully whose first introduction to the guy was last night.