Say My Name (Whispering Oaks: Steel & Seduction #2)
Prologue
LOCKE
One Week Earlier
“Babe, you’re playing a dangerous game.” Fuck, we both are. She’s my best friend’s little sister, ten years younger than me, and Jace would castrate me if he knew the thoughts I have running through my head.
“What’s life without a little risk?” I take my eyes off the parking lot at Barlow Auto Repair for the slightest of moments to look at Jade. There’s a playful look on her face.
“I tend to like my family jewels exactly where they belong.” Between my legs, not sucked up into my stomach after her brother rightfully kicks me square in the nuts.
“That would be a problem, especially since I’m particularly fond of them.
” Jade and I, well, this is new, though not new-new.
Still, it’s long enough to know she’s it for me.
I’m gone for her, and she’s damn sure gone for me.
Nobody knows, and considering the pact I made with Jade, it’ll be a while before they do.
“Fuck.” I bite down on my lower lip, giving her the same look she likes a little too much, even when we’re somewhere I can’t make good on it—a damn issue considering what went down not even twenty minutes ago.
The minute Jade called me, everything stopped. She’d sounded upset, and I didn’t know what the hell was happening.
Did Jace figure shit out?
Did some dickhead touch her at the bar she works at?
I didn’t fucking know, and as much as I wanted her to spew it out as fast as she could, I didn’t push for answers.
I grabbed my keys, dropped the invoice I’d been working on for Locke she has all her life. Even with the ten-year age difference, she’s always been able to hold her own and, in rare occurrences, outmaneuver him.
“I didn’t see anything, I didn’t hear anything, and I don’t know anything,” Colt says by way of greeting.
“Appreciate that. Jade says she’ll be in after she deals with Jace tracking her, but I’ll give you the lowdown. She’s pretty sure the transmission is toast, if you can take a look all the same.” I take his offered hand, and we shake, pulling each other in for a quick hug and a slap on the back.
“You got it.” I’m in and out of the office in a couple of minutes. Jade is still standing in front of Jace, hands on her hips, talking a mile a minute. I take the time to get her car off the flatbed, and when they’re still going at it when I’m finished, I make my way over to them.
“Hey, giving you the keys to the yard. She can pick a set of wheels till you figure out what’s going on with hers. Colt is waiting on her inside.”
“Jade is right here. And thank you, Locke, for everything.” Jace must have really ticked her off.
“I’ll give you a ride to the yard, Jade,” Jace says like it’s set in stone.
“I’m not getting on that death trap. Maybe Locke can take me.” Fuck, she’s gonna piss him clear the hell off. Which is only fair, since he’s doing the same to her.
“No, he won’t.” Jace gives me a chin nod as if to say, no offense. If he only fucking knew.
“Fine, I’ll call Mom.” This is where Jade’s tenacious side comes out to play. Their mom is a single mom; she never did find a man to settle down with after her ex took off, leaving Jace to take being the man of the house to heart.
“Fine.” He hands the keys to Jade. “Thanks for taking care of her. You didn’t have to if she’d have picked up the phone.”
“Looks like you did that for me.” Jade pulls out her phone and walks away as she starts to make a call. I thank god I had the forethought to slide on a pair of mirrored sunglasses, or my best friend would see me staring at his sister’s ass, and then all hell really would break loose.
“Fuck,” Jace says. I laugh at his annoyance, we talk for another minute or so until I get another call dispatched, and then I’m leaving. Unfortunately, this time without Jade by my side.