Chapter 23 #2
She presses her lips together as she holds back a smile. “Well, well, well, you really are a little minx. You didn’t know who was doing that to you?” She blows out a breath. “And I thought I was the adventurous one.”
I ignore her comment. I have to know for sure, and there can’t be any room for misinterpretation. If I go to Jack with this, and it turns out I misunderstood Felicia or she got it wrong, then I’ll be confessing to Jack that I let a man whose identity I didn’t know finger me in the clubhouse.
“You’re certain it was him, though?”
“Darling, I saw him right behind you, his hand up your skirt. I’m sure.” She taps one long fingernail against her pink lips. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell. I don’t want to be on the wrong side of Jack. I haven’t even told Tank. Though I must admit, I thought you knew.”
“No. I mean, yes, but… it’s complicated.” Fuck, I am burning up with the weight of her stare on me.
“Listen, no judgement from me, but just be careful. These men play dangerous games, and you’re a young slip of a thing, and God knows what will happen if they all start fighting over you.” She shrugs then looks beyond me and smiles brightly. “Ace, my beautiful boy. Is one of those for me?”
I whip around as Ace strides toward us, holding two glasses filled with dark liquid. I know one of those is my vodka and Coke. Ace hands me it and looks at the second glass.
“You can have it if you want, Felicia. It’s vodka and Coke.”
“Thanks, darling. I will.” She takes the drink, letting her fingers brush over his for a beat too long.
I frown at the gesture. Is she into Ace? Or is she just one of those naturally flirty women? But then a shadow falls over us.
“What are you doing?” a heavy bass voice demands.
Felicia turns around and stares up at the man who was fucking her over the pool table. He’s even bigger close up, and I can see why he’s called Tank. He’s probably six-five and has muscle on muscle. There aren’t many men who could make Jack look small, but he manages to.
“Oh, nothing. Maybe you need to remind me who I belong to, though.” She bats her lashes up at him, and he growls, picks her up, and tosses her over his shoulder, making her spill her drink, and carries her away from us and the crowds.
“She’s a lot,” Ace says with a shake of his head.
“As if you wouldn’t be into her, given half the chance.” I laugh, though I don’t really mean it. I’m testing the waters, seeing if I have any reason to be jealous.
He frowns, seemingly unamused. “She’s not my type.”
“Oh, come one, she’s every man’s type.”
“Nah, she’s really not. I prefer brunettes. Petite, sexy, brave brunettes.”
I feel my cheeks flush at his words, but then my face tightens. Jack strolls into the gathering as if he owns the place, which I guess he does.
He’s such a fucking liar. He lied by omission. And, in doing so, he made me think he didn’t want me.
I think about the fight with Vani in the clubhouse.
I’d been made to feel like an idiot and a complete bitch that day.
He’d lied to his daughter about there being anything going on between us when he’d known he’d had his fingers inside me at the clubhouse, then he’d sent Ace after me to make me feel better.
God, this is all such a headfuck. If he really does care about me, why would he send Ace after me?
If he’d been honest about his feelings from day one, would I even have been alone in that house and been taken? Maybe it’s not fair blaming him, but I need an outlet for my anger.
I take the drink Ace brought over for me and tip it down my throat in a few quick gulps. The alcohol immediately warms me through, loosening my limbs and making me feel braver. I need that bravery right now.
“Jesus, Princess.” Ace’s eyes grow wide. “Take it easy. You’ll get drunk.”
“Maybe that’s exactly what I want.” I put my hands on my hips. “Can I have another?”
Ace sighs, throws his hands up in the air, and turns and heads back to the drink table.
Meanwhile, I stare at Jack, wondering how the hell to bring this up with him.
Do I just come right out and say, ‘I know it was you in the clubhouse?’ How will he react to that?
Will he deny it? Then where will that leave me?
But then I see a familiar figure being dragged through the crowd, and all thoughts of having a word with Jack blow away on the breeze as my stomach drops.
“Oh, fuck,” a male voice curses.
Rook is by my side in an instant, his hand snaking into mine, fingers holding tight.
“?Mierda! What is he doing here?” I hiss.
“Fucked if I know.”
A group of younger guys, some prospects and some patched in, drag Ledger through the crowd.
Muttering spreads around the group in a wave. The men drag him near the fire, and the voices quiet. Oh, my God, are they going to burn him?
I move toward the group, despite my shaking legs, wanting to know what’s going on.
Jack makes a gesture across his throat to the guy manning the music decks, so he cuts the sound.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Jack demands of the younger men.
“We heard this piece of shit came onto our compound and took one of our women,” one of the kids say. “We think he should pay for that.”
“Yeah, we heard he killed an ol’ lady!” another young man shouts.
Shelley shakes her head and storms over to the guys who have Ledger.
There are five of them, and they’re basically holding him up.
His head hangs, and his body is limp. He’s a totally defeated man, and that fact gives me a surge of victory.
It runs like steel through my veins, providing me with a newfound strength.
“Do you see any ol’ ladies missing, Jagger?” Shelley asks him. “Think before you speak and start spreading rumors that might scare folk.”
“He fucking raided us at night,” a different guy yells. “Burn him, like he deserves.”
“Burn him like a witch.” Someone gives a manic laugh.
“Oh, fuck,” Ace says as he joins us.
“What?” I demand.
“Just that holding a club of hardened, hot-headed, and in many cases supremely fucked-up men in line can be hard. Sometimes things get out of control.”
“What happens if they get out of control?” I’m scared, suddenly. “Will they attack us?”
“Us?” Ace focuses on me, and his face softens. “Ah, Princess, I didn’t mean to scare you. Not us. But Ledger might not be so lucky.”
A ripple of talking, some shouts, and demands spread around the group. The next moment, a shot rings out.
“God,” I yelp in shock.
Ace puts his arm protectively around me, and I lean into the strong muscle of his bicep and the familiar scent of him.
“Shut the fuck up.” Jack has fired his gun and is holding it up in the air. “Now, the rumors stop this minute. This man, Ledger, did indeed have someone taken from our compound. The friend of my daughter who we’ve been protecting. Because of that, he does deserve a punishment.”
Ghost has his hand on his hip, his fingers inches away from a holster. Big Mike also saunters over, and Saul is making his way through the crowd to Jack.
A male voice calls from the crowd. “He came onto our territory. Justice should be done.”
Jack glances around, and his gaze lands on me. Our eyes meet, and for a brief moment, everything else stills. My heart thumps in one heavy, solid beat.
Jack nods once. “Okay, you’re all correct, but only one person should decide Ledger’s fate. Camile, come over here.”
He gestures for me to go to him.
I shrink back a little, nervous of going near Ledger.
“Come on, Princess, I’m with you. He can’t harm you now.” Ace squeezes my hand.
“Me, too,” Rook says and takes my other hand.
I’m dimly aware that I’m letting two men lead me through the few people between me and Jack, and therefore probably causing a lot of gossip about myself. I can’t do anything about it because it’s as if I’m having an out-of-body experience.
I feel as if I’m floating over the grass toward Ledger. He looks up, sees me, and immediately starts begging.
“Please, Camile. I’m sorry. I am so sorry. Give me another chance. I can make you my wife, and—”
Jack backhands him with the gun, and Ledger screams as blood bursts from his nose.
“One more fucking word and I’ll let Ace at you again, in front of everyone.”
Jack turns to me. “Camile. This piece of shit did you wrong. You too, Rook.” He looks at us both. “So, I only think it’s right that you get to decide his fate.”