Chapter 12
TWELVE
ROYCE
This wasn’t the best idea I’d ever had; I could admit that. What I couldn’t confess, however, was the real reason I was about to travel across the back of the club property at midnight.
Dad and Mom were both already fast asleep and likely had been for a while. I typically got home around twelve, or later depending on the band that was playing. Tonight, I parked my bike closer to the garage than the house and pulled out my phone.
Me: You close to coming home by chance?
It would be nice to have my sister with me, so I had more confidence about this decision. That or I could ask her to talk me out of it.
Taryn:…No, I won’t be home until morning. Sorry, big sis.
I wanted to ask where she was and why she’d turned off her location sharing, but I was too focused on this terrible idea that Ford had placed inside my head earlier.
Julian had ruined the vibe we had going, where Ford had flirted with me in a way that might have led to an overnight situation.
Maybe a hookup. I wasn’t sure, but I was interested.
Clutching my phone, I ran upstairs to change into a pair of tight jeans and an even tighter tank top that dipped low enough that my cleavage looked incredible.
Over it, I pulled on my leather jacket and then yanked my combat boots back on.
I was out the door, quietly shutting it behind me seconds later.
I walked my bike toward the edge of the fence line before turning the key over and riding to the clubhouse.
There was no guarantee that Ford would even be there, but it was the weekend and the odds were high that he would be.
I was curious about Ford’s departure earlier.
I was mad at him, but I liked flirting with him…
even if he made it feel like learning another language just to decode if he was, in fact, flirting.
He confused me so much. Why suggest having me stay overnight, and then disappear the next second and ghost me?
It only made me that much more confused by his actions. One second he seemed to hate me, the next he acted like he wanted nothing more than to hear my next thought and see how close he could get before actually touching me.
I parked alongside a few other bikes, near the backyard, and dismounted, leaving my helmet on the seat.
Music blared from inside, welcoming me like an old friend.
Someone stumbled out the back door, and I shifted to avoid him before taking his spot in the back hall.
A few people were making out, backs against the stretch of wall, but I kept my gaze forward.
Even when I heard heavy moaning and saw a girl drop to her knees.
This felt mildly thrilling, walking through these halls, knowing my father wouldn’t pop up and there wasn’t anyone who would pull me out like a toddler.
Whoever had picked the music tonight had done a decent job.
I liked the emotion and angst behind the lyrics.
I bobbed my head to the song as I ducked into the kitchen and sidestepped another member who barely gave me any notice.
Most of the members were either high or drunk.
Which was good, that meant a lot of them were likely sleepy and headed to bed soon.
The pantry was open, and I knew where the snacks were stored, so I dug in the white box for a treat.
Once I had peeled away the wrapper and taken a generous bite, I glanced across the hall into my dad’s office and froze.
The door was open, which wasn’t normal if Dad wasn’t in the club.
I knew Wes wasn’t here either, so who was in the office?
Creeping forward the slightest bit, I tilted my body enough that the wall hid me as I peered inside. I heard a giggle first, and then a deep, familiar laugh.
One that had recently given me confusing goose bumps.
Realization dawned, and I stopped caring about being seen. I walked into the office, pressing my hand to the door so that it swung wider. A light on one of the desks illuminated enough of the room that I had no trouble seeing what was inside.
With his legs wide, Ford reclined against the cushioned seat with a woman who had long dark hair, straddling his lap.
They were both fully clothed, but she was giggling and playing with his hair, while she nuzzled his neck.
She couldn’t see me, but Ford’s hazel gaze locked onto mine instantly.
There was something that hinted at a challenge in them, but I didn’t know what that meant.
Seeing her in his lap stung my heart like a venomous barb.
It throbbed inside my breast, making my nose flare and my air feel constricted.
Tears burned at the edges of my eyes and begged to fall, which felt like part of the unspoken challenge.
It almost seemed as though Ford wanted to see me break.
As if he needed some reassurance that his departure earlier and now finding him like this wounded me.
I could laugh and make a joke about this, but I wouldn’t. Our friendly flirtation was over.
Ford waited to see what I would do even as the woman I now recognized as Jasmine Hersh’s long hair swayed against her back as she pressed another kiss against his neck. He wouldn’t push her away, and if I didn’t leave, then would he fuck her right in front of me?
How had I gotten to this place where I cared who Ford Ryan touched?
Because if I touch you, even once…I won’t stop.
I wanted his hands on me. I wanted his gruff voice against my ear. His hair between my fingers. Jasmine seemed to finally realize Ford wasn’t moving. She pulled back and then glared over her shoulder at me.
“What the hell are you doing in here?”
My petty smile made her glare worsen.
“I was waiting to talk to Ford about when he’d like me to come over tonight.” I abused the conversation we’d had about Gus, making it seem so much more than me playing with his cat, but I was too petty to care.
Jasmine narrowed her eyes, then swung her pretty, stupid face back at Ford. “Are you hooking up with her after me? I mean, I get that you’re in a motorcycle club, but that’s pretty messed up, especially after we—”
“Sorry, I assumed our plans were canceled when you started making out with the fucker with cropped hair,” Ford cut her off.
“Julian?” How had he not seen how unhappy I was to see him?
I hid a delighted smile that he’d revealed his own jealousy. Jasmine was just a pawn, a tool to wound me.
“If you’d stuck around for more than the two seconds our kiss lasted, you’d know that I told him to leave.
He was trying to use me to help his friend.
It’s why we met at the Drip the other day.
He wanted me to bump a band, and when I told him no, he assumed he could win me over with affection.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any for him, so that didn’t go well. ”
“Julian Thomspon?” Jasmine asked with a raised brow.
I blinked at her.
She let out a small sigh and then removed herself from Ford’s spread legs.
“Julian brushed me off two days ago because he said he was into someone else. That was probably you. Now, based on how Ford only paid attention to me after he caught you kissing another guy tells me he’s also into you… So, I’m gonna go.”
“I’m not into her,” Ford argued.
That stinging venom curled inside my lungs this time.
Jasmine moved to her purse, where she dug through it until she produced a small tube and began reapplying her lip gloss. “You left me during our date the other day after ignoring me the entire time. I can tell when a guy is into someone else, so save it.”
They’d gone on a date? That meant she wasn’t a pawn at all…she was someone real in his life. Suddenly, I felt like complete and total shit.
“Jasmine, there’s nothing going on with me and Ford. I was trying to piss him off for being a dick earlier. We’re childhood friends. Please stay.” I took a step back toward the door.
Ford’s nose flared as he finally got to his feet.
Jasmine flicked her gaze between us. “I don’t exactly believe you.”
My heart felt like it had been untethered from my chest, in the oddest way.
Even after Connor and I broke up, I’d never experienced this before.
I’d never felt as if I couldn’t catch a breath, or like my heart was so bruised, it wouldn’t beat properly anymore.
I hated how deep Ford had already dug under my skin.
“Ford has never cared about who I date, or what I do. I told you…we’re childhood friends. We were just joking with each other. I’m sorry that I interrupted. You guys have fun, I’m going to go home.”
I turned away from them and began walking down the hall.
There was a loud, chaotic shout that came from near the front of the club.
It had several members hollering and excited, but I used it as an opportunity to escape.
Two steps away from the hallway that would lead out back, I froze when I heard my name called.
It flung me back six years to the last time I had heard it spoken in that tone. That cadence.
Connor.
Turning slowly, I found my high school boyfriend standing there with that same familiar smile. Same dark hair, blazing blue eyes, and wide jaw. I walked toward him and flung my arms around his neck, hoping the feel of his arms around me would somehow stitch up the damage Ford had created.
My eyes landed over Connor’s shoulder, on Ford who lingered in the hall from which I had just fled. Jasmine shoved her shoulder into his arm as she rushed past him, her jacket on and purse swung over her chest.
My eyes closed as Connor hugged me back, then he pulled away and inspected me.
“Been a long fucking time, Roy.”
“Yeah, it has. Where the hell have you been?” I tugged at the familiar hoodie he wore, and alarm bells sounded in my head when I realized why it seemed familiar. Taryn.
“I have a lot to tell you, but first—” he swung his head around and located Ford—“I need to talk to Ford. Will you stick around, or do you need to head back home?”