Prologue
Locke
Two Weeks 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 and when I glance down the length of her body.
“When it comes to my family jewels, I tend to like them exactly where they belong.” Between my legs and not sucking up to 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, not new-new, but enough for it to be going on for a couple of weeks. Nobody knows and with 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 at a place, 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 Jase figure shit out between us?
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.
I grabbed my keys, dropping the invoice I’d been working on for Locke & Key Towing, and started making my way outside.
The only glitch was trying to figure out what vehicle to take, when she finally got to the part of being broken down on the side of the road.
Fifteen minutes later, I’d reached where Jade was, a deserted back road, clearly on her way home from working at the bar, judging by the black top, jean skirt, and canvas style sneakers on her feet.
I pulled in front of her car, prepared to hook her up in case I couldn’t figure out what the problem could be.
She greeted me with a hesitant smile, told me she couldn’t get her car to shift into second gear without slamming down on the pedal, and is pretty sure the transmission is shot to shit.
Instead of commenting, I wrapped her up in my arms, kissed the crown of her head, and told her she could take one of the spares I keep at the yard until she got a new set of wheels sorted out.
That led to her kissing me, me lifting her by the back of her legs, and us going at each other like we weren’t wrapped up with each other last night.
“Yes, please.” I shake my head, she lets out a giggle, and I get back to what I was doing, offloading her car at Barlow’s.
“Sit tight, once I have it offloaded, I’ll walk in with you to see what Colt has to say.” She’s known Colt for years, hell, everyone has, and she can also take care of this without me running interference. Except she doesn’t have to, and I don’t want her to feel like she’s ever alone.
I hop out of the driver’s side, leaving the door open, knowing I’ll be back in it after I look to make sure my rig is lined up with the parking spot.
“You’re playing with fire, J,” I say as Jade slides down the driver’s side of my tow truck.
If it weren’t for me standing there, she’d show the world exactly how soft, firm, and bare she is beneath her jean skirt.
I’d know because in my pocket is a pair of her panties I managed to snag from the ground before she could locate them.
I’ll keep them at my place for safekeeping and when neither of us can sneak the other in, they’ll be wrapped around my length as I take care of business.
“Who, me?” I can hear the sound of a motorcycle off in the distance, which can only mean one thing. Jace is on his way. How he knows where Jade is is anyone’s guess, and I can tell you one thing: I’m not looking forward to starting a fight out in public.
“J, you’re the fuel to the fire and I’m the wood soaking it the hell up,” she tosses her head back, laughing freely, and only stops when she hears the same distinct sound that I do.
“I’m going to snap his phone in two. I gave him my location for emergencies only. This isn’t one of those times.” Technically, it kind of is, if she’s broken down without a vehicle, but I’m not touching that subject with a ten-foot pole.
“You’d better grab your things from the front seat.” Instead of going around the tow truck, she climbs back inside, bending over, and I’m having to crowd her in again. I swear to christ, she’s trying to kill me, showing the way more than I’d like the world to see.
She’s mine.
“Be right back, I’ve got to talk to brother dear. Will you let Colt know I’ll be inside in a moment?” She’s back on her feet, facing me, and reaching up to peck a kiss on my cheek.
“Will do, you sure you don’t want help with Jace?” I offer, even though I know what the answer will already be.
“Not a chance. Thank you, though, and thanks for picking me up.” Jade’s emerald eyes sparkle with mischief, she’s gonna get it later tonight.
“Get outta here.” I pat her ass as she walks away, Jace pulls in at the same time, and instead of moving her car to offload it, I head inside to talk to Colt and Kara.
I put one booted foot in front of the other. Jade can handle her brother, 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 low down. She’s pretty sure the transmission is toast, if you can take a look all the same.” I take his offered hand, 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, and 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. Pick a set of wheels till your figure out what’s going on with yours. Colt is waiting on Jade.”
“Jade is right here and thank you, Locke, for everything.” Jace musta 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. I’ll see if Locke can take me.” Fuck, she’s gonna piss him clear the hell off. Which is only fair, seeing as he’s doing the same to her.
“No, he won’t.” Jace gives me a chin nod as if to say, no offense. Except 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 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.