Chapter 25
JASE
My cell is ringing and buzzing from my jeans.
I turn over, burying my face in the bedding, pulling that incredible scent into my body, relaxing into the cloud I’m in.
The noise and buzzing sensation immediately starts up right after stopping, so I pry my eyes open and haul the phone out of my pocket.
Joel.
I answer. “Yeah?”
“Where are you?”
“I’m in Bailey’s bed.”
“But Bailey’s not with you,” Joel says.
“Rub it in, why don’t ya?” I mutter but realize the bathroom door is open so she finally got out of the tub.
“What’s up?” I jackknife up, nose twitching.
“I’m lookin’ at your mate on the dance floor at Roxy’s. Was guessing you didn’t know.”
I’m on my feet now. “Fuck! Tell me she’s not eating dinner with that beta!”
“She’s… havin’ a dance party.”
“Who with?”
“Anyone she can get on the dance floor. Her mother, Mase’s mom, Erica and two of her sisters, my cousin, plus a few other females including your youngest sister.”
“The fuck?”
“She skipped her way in here announcing she was havin’ a dance party. She took control of the jukebox and the music? Sensing a theme. A… pissed off at Jase theme.”
“Fuck.”
“She’s tanked, brother. And it could’ve gotten rowdy in here if Cade hadn’t decided to wait.”
“For?”
“You. He’s holdin’ off opening up the patio. More than a few males here and with all these females dancing, there’s a vibe.”
Shit.
“Why are you callin’ me just now?”
He laughs. “Why is it I need to call you at all?”
Though I don’t see the humor, he’s right. I shouldn’t have let my guard down.
“Haven’t slept more than a couple hours a night since before Rome. Crashed by mistake while she was in the tub and clearly she gave me the slip. Be right there.”
“There’s more.”
“I’ll walk and talk. Give it to me.”
“Before you get here and blow your top… she was tryin’ to get some betas on the dance floor with all the females, Jase.
Claiming she didn’t wanna slow dance and get them in shit, that she never meant to get Malachi Carswell on your shitlist, but that everyone could fast dance together and it’d be all right. ”
“My female is gonna be the death of me, Joel.”
“Everyone knew better, knows you identified her even if you haven’t been allowed to close the deal yet.”
I grind my teeth and pick up my pace while Joel keeps on talking.
“Word about what happened today with that beta had already gotten around. Don’t come in here ready to crush bones, brother.
Lots of males here but nobody got within five feet of her on purpose, nobody laid a hand on her.
Your pack knows this is your girl and they’re keeping a distance.
The Young sisters showed up and redirected her attention by keeping her occupied with them on the dance floor the last few songs, so she’s been leaving the males alone. Those girls are helping out.”
I scoff at the notion of the Young sisters lifting a finger to help me.
“But a slow song came on…” he says, leaving it hang.
“She didn’t slow dance with somebody?” I demand, anger heading toward a rolling boil in my veins.
I’m outside now, relieved to see three cars in the driveway, meaning she didn’t drive. Not that she’d ever do that anyway. Bailey is typically the most responsible person around. Though not tonight, obviously.
“No. But…”
“But?” I inquire.
He holds the phone a second.
I repeat, “But?”
“She asked Linc to slow dance.”
“She did?” I pick up my pace.
“He told her no, then he promptly left.”
“Fuck!”
“She’s just hammered and trying to make a point because she’s ticked at you.”
“Believe me, she’s been makin’ that point for days. But Linc? What the fuck is she playin’ at?”
“She told Erica, who pulled her away from Linc, that at least he’d stand a chance against you in a fight because she knows you two like to roughhouse, so she claimed she wasn’t being a troublemaker by tryin’ to get him to dance with her and…
” He laughs. “Added that it’s fun to watch Jase and Linc wrestle, that Roxy should charge an admission fee to feed the poor.
But then she was muttering about the only slow dance she’s ever had was with you and how you’re a… ” He doesn’t finish that sentence.
“A what?”
I’m off the Blackwoods’ block now and on my street. Just past my house is the bridge to Roxy’s bar so I’m nearly there.
I pick up pace.
“She had a few choice words. Jackass. Man whore. Ass–”
“I get the picture. Her father there?”
“He was earlier, but he and Carrie got into it outside before he, Ace, and Andy went to Andy’s for drinks. That was before Bailey got here.”
“Thanks, bro. Be there in two minutes,” I say and end the call, breaking into a jog.
***
I’m pissed the rest of the way to Roxy’s, but it’s good Joel said what he did because I’m prepared for the fact that when I smell her, her scent is surrounded by the stench of other males.
When I walk in, there’s music playing, but the place goes silent otherwise, conversation halting and all eyes bouncing between me and the dance floor.
Nearly all the female Arcana Falls pack members here move off the dance floor. Only my mate, my sister Gwen, Erica Savage, plus Veronica and Vivica Young remain, dancing to that Whitney Houston song, I Wanna Dance with Somebody.
My mate is glassy-eyed and definitely drunk, twirling around barefoot and singing off-key.
The double doors open and the place empties of males who head out, Cade and Joel closing the doors behind them. There’s already a fire roaring outside.
Bailey notices and stops dancing.
“Hey!” she complains, but then spins around to look at me, wrinkling her nose, like she’s just scented me and found me repulsive.
Her hair is loose, falling halfway down her back.
She’s wearing tight faded jeans with splits in the knees and higher up on the thighs than I’m comfortable with based on the other eyes that have been on her tonight.
She’s also got on a light knitted top with one tie around the collarbone, yellow daisies all over it and it’s over a white cropped racerback tank that shows her navel.
And her lips are painted, looking like a glossy, mouthwatering, candy apple.
She fans herself and pulls the sweater off, tying it around her waist with the sleeves.
Yeah, I’d say it feels like it’s about a hundred in here.
There’s a light sheen of perspiration on her skin that makes her cleavage shiny.
And in just that tank top there’s more cleavage than usual, probably as much as I saw overseas when a few of her shirt buttons were broken only now with the addition of her belly button and those red glossy lips, the ache is a living, breathing beast.
I’m sure relieved all the other males around here are now outside.
“Oh bother,” she complains. “The neanderthal is here. Everyone better run and hide before he beats you up.” She rolls her eyes and moves to the table closest to the dance floor where she takes a big sip of red wine from a stemless wineglass.
Another song comes on, the first line of lyrics singing,
I was on fire for you.
She stares at me for a long minute with a sour look on her face that gets sourer as the song goes on, the lyrics evidently striking a chord for her as she turns her back to me.
The other girls have moved to their table to watch us. Erica. Veronica. Vivica. Audrey. But my sister Gwen grabs her handbag from a nearby table and walks to me.
“Be cool, Jay. Don’t make it worse,” she says.
I grind my teeth.
There’s motion in my periphery. Bailey’s mother along with Mase’s mom Skye appear in the mouth of the hall that leads to the restrooms. Skye whispers something to Carrie and grabs her hand, calling something out to Roxy behind the bar before she pulls her into the kitchen.
My mate now stares at me with her lower lip quivering. Shit. She’s about to cry. And there’s not a thing I can do about it.
My eyes bounce between her and the Youngs.
Erica decides to come my way. “Hey Jase.”
“I’m here to bring her home. It’s about to get rowdy out there and I…” I thrust my hand through my hair frustratedly.
“They cleared out for you,” she says reassuringly. “We came over to keep an eye on things. She’s only been here a little more than an hour. She needed to let loose a little.”
I regard her for a second. She’s not here to tell me off, warn me, or threaten me. She’s trying to reassure me, I think.
Before I can respond, Bailey stomps over. “I told you I was coming to Roxy’s for dinner!” she says and she’s definitely slurring.
“What’d you have for dinner?” I ask.
She twists her lips. “Well, technically I didn’t eat here. But other people were eating.”
“Okay, Bay,’ I say, rubbing my forehead. “You done here or you wanna dance some more?”
She frowns like I’m speaking another language, before she asserts, “I do what I want!”
“You wanna keep dancing, go ahead.” I gesture to the dance floor.
She looks at me like she doesn’t understand.
“Well?” I ask.
“What would you do if I did that?”
“Sit and have a beer. Watch.”
Make sure no other males come in here and get an eyeful...
She assesses the surroundings. “Nobody’s dancing. Because you’re here.” She pokes me in the chest. “All the males ran off because of you.”
I want to touch her, haul her close, carry her home and put her to bed, cover her with my body, fall asleep with her under me. I want to know she’s safe, that she’s close. But I can’t touch her. She can touch me, but I can’t touch her.
I’m very fucking relieved I don’t have to set eyes on Danica right now sitting there smug in this knowledge.
Bailey adds, “Of course you ruined my dance party, Jason Creed. Of course!”
“Sorry, Bay,” I say.
“Zap!” she says and pokes my chest. “Zap, zap, zap.” She rests her palm on my chest and the feel of it burns a path straight to my dick. I hold myself still, which is difficult.
I’m not sorry all the males are out of sight. I still smell them and I’m not pleased about that, but the fact they’re on the other side of those doors is tolerable for the moment.