Authors: Layla Frost
“What the fuck did you just say, Rachel?” Kase snarled.
He moved towards the corner where Biker Barbie still stood, getting
way
in her space as he stared down at her. Anger radiated off of him, filling the room and making me tenser.
I’d never seen Kase mad and hoped to never see it again. He looked way scarier than I’d have thought possible.
When I’d asked, Kase had told me that his easygoing personality was courtesy of his Hawaiian heritage but his temper was 100% from his Colombian half. He’d said it was good he was so chill all the time since his pissed was off the charts.
I hadn’t believed him at the time.
I believed him now.
“Hon, I was just trying to warn her. Us girls gotta stick together,” she said with such a fake smile, I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. “You know how Jake can be.”
“Yeah, I do. You don’t. You only know how he can be when it comes to you,” Kase spat out.
I opened my mouth to call him off when Jake came through the doorway. If Kase’s reaction was bad, I knew Jake’s would be explosive. I was hoping Biker Barbie was smart enough to haul ass, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Jake as he stalked towards me.
When he reached me, I realized that not just had he not overheard anything, he hadn’t even noticed our audience in the corner of the room.
His hands cupped my ass, his fingertips digging into the cheeks, as he kissed me hard but quick. “Christ, I missed you, sweets. It’s been fuckin’ forever.”
“Baby, it’s been a few hours.”
“Well, it felt like forever.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, the tension leaving my body.
“So,” Jake whispered against my lips, “what’s under that hot outfit? Fuck, please tell me garters. The mental image will get me through the day until I can get home and see for myself.” His voice was husky as his grip on my ass tightened and he pulled me closer.
Before I could answer, Kase loudly cleared his throat and drew our attention. Jake turned slightly, though his hands stayed on my ass.
“A word,” Kase clipped, his face thunderous.
Biker Barbie, proving she had no sense, stood next to him as she avidly watched Jake and me.
“Yeah, gimme a minute,” Jake muttered, his brows lowered as he looked between them and tried to figure out the vibe of the room.
“Jacoby,” I interjected, purposefully using his full name.
So sometimes I stumble off the high road. Sue me.
“Did you get everything figured out?” I asked.
Jake’s organization system sucked and another part had gone missing. He’d been working late the past couple nights to try and get things in better order. They’d been finding parts that had rolled under things or been set down and forgotten about.
He left work well into the night, came to my place to crash, and then would wake up at dawn to start again.
“Not yet. I had to secure a replacement to get the car done. Now I’m dealin’ with tryin’ to sort shit.”
“I hope you figure it out.” I went up on my toes to kiss him. “I gotta go. I’m gonna be late.”
“Okay, babe,” he murmured. “Come back here when you’re done. Yeah?” He looked down, his face soft as I nodded up at him.
I didn’t want to be in the same county, let alone the same room, when Kase inevitably told Jake what he’d overheard. An angry Kase was bad enough. I’d been on the receiving end of Jake’s temper and, according to him, he hadn’t even been mad at
me
.
Even still, I forced myself to walk away calmly when all I wanted to do was run.
*******
I felt deflated when my meeting ended. It’d been like talking to a robot that was programmed to give predetermined, generic answers. I left with the promise that I’d hear soon regarding any other available options.
I wasn’t holding my breath.
Rehashing the meeting as I walked back to my car, my frustration grew the more I thought about it.
“You are a valued bank customer,”
I said to myself in a robotic voice.
“That’s good, but what about my loan?”
“You are a valued bank customer
,” I repeated in the robot voice.
“Cool, cool. But my loan?”
“Loan reviews are a lengthy process and can be denied for any number of reasons.”
“The reason for my denial was…”
“Any number of reasons.”
“But my specific reason was…”
“You are a valued bank customer. Bee boo bee bop bop.”
When my phone beeped in my purse, I laughed at the timing.
“Dude, I think that hot chick thinks she’s a robot and her phone just told her a joke,” a teenager in front of me said, drawing my attention to the fact I was talking out loud.
“Yeah, man, the hot ones are always fuckin’ nuts,” his friend put in.
I pulled out my phone to find a message from Jake.
Jake:
What’re you doing?
Me:
Definitely not talking to myself. Why?
Jake:
You coming back? We gotta talk.
That’s never good.
Me:
Yeah. Guys want anything for lunch?
Jake:
No.
Yeah, this was
not
good.
Me:
Okay. See you soon.
When I got to Hyde, I parked in the back and walked through the garage. My apprehension was cemented when the boys expressed their appreciation for the cinnamon rolls in a polite way, and not one filled with proclamations of everlasting love.
There wasn’t even any bickering about someone taking more than they were supposed to.
Wild stab in the dark says that Kase shared about the drama-rific morning.
Shit.
I’d spent the drive to the bank going over what had happened. As I thought about it, I just couldn’t believe the level of stupidity on Rachel’s part. She invited the wrath that was Kase, and most likely Jake, for no reason.
I’d bet dollars to my best homemade donuts that Rachel was just hoping I’d flip out on Jake. Even if I was going to, I would’ve refrained just to throw a wrench in her catty plans.
I had no intention of bugging out at him, though. It wasn’t like he could go back in time and undo anything… or anyone. I wasn’t a big fan of his past coming in and insulting me. Other than a lack of judgment on his part regarding the quality he hooked up with, though, that wasn’t really his fault either.
When I walked into the waiting room, I saw Jake in a conversation with an older man. Both of their frames were tight and Jake’s jaw was clenched.
As I moved to sit and wait, I wondered if it was regarding the missing car parts.
I didn’t even make it to Jake before he reached out and gently grabbed the back of my neck to pull me close.
The older man’s words trailed off as he watched the intimate gesture with undisguised shock.
“Wasn’t expectin’ you gone so long. You okay?” Jake asked, his voice soft as he searched my face.
“Yeah, great. The meeting at the bank went longer than I’d expected.”
I hadn’t told him about the initial loan denial, only that I was still in the process of meetings and interviews. I wasn’t holding out hope that I’d be able to share better news anytime soon.
“Kase told me what Rachel said to you. Care to elaborate on that conversation?”
Looking off to the side, I shook my head. “Not particularly, no.”
“Babe, I talked to Rachel and let her know, straight up, she isn’t welcome here anymore.”
“Oh, Jake, this is your business—”
“Damn straight it is. That’s my name outside and that means I say who can and can’t be here. Even if I hadn’t, Kase filled the men in about what he overheard. I walked into the back and each of them said they wouldn’t touch her bike.”
“Jacoby Hyde, this is a business. How’re you supposed to run it if you’re banning customers? Huh, Mr. Bossy Pants?”
“She had no right to say any of what she said to you. Rachel and I—”
I held up my hand to stop him. “Trust me, I don’t need to know. Not just don’t need to, I don’t want to. You owe me no explanations. I’m not your keeper. Honestly.” I looked up at him, hoping he believed me and didn’t drag this out.
I might be cool with everything but there was a limit to that. Hearing any details about him and Bitchy Biker Barbie was
well
beyond that limit.
Jake opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a low chuckle. I looked over at the other man who still looked serious, though there was some amusement in his eyes.
His sharp and intense green eyes.
I knew who he was even before Jake introduced us.
“Piper, this is my father, Gregory Hyde. Dad, this is Piper Skye.”
I extended my hand to meet Gregory’s outstretched one. He took mine in his big, soft hand.
You could tell a lot about someone by their hands. Jake’s were large and calloused. They were strong, hard worked hands. I didn’t need to see his dad’s expensive, tailored suit to know he didn’t work with his hands like his son.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Hyde. Why don’t I go see the guys and leave you two to talk.” As I inched away, Jake’s hand released my neck in favor of this idea.
His father, however, held my hand tightly. “Please call me Gregory.” Not Greg. Gregory.
Don’t roll your eyes at Jake’s father!
“I just stopped by to take my son to lunch. I’d be honored if you’d join us.”
“Oh, Mr… Gregory, that is very kind of you. I couldn’t possibly—”
“Nonsense.” He guided me to the door. “Are you joining us, Jake?”
Jake grunted an unintelligible response, though he did follow.
*******
Lunch went well for the most part. Jake stayed quiet but it wasn’t his usual intimidating silence.
Key’s brooding could make a girl want to hold him and heal his wounded soul.
Jake’s brooding would make anyone run and hide.
Gregory was polite as we made small talk, but he watched me with a critical eye and it was hard not to fidget. He grilled me about my business, asking loads of unexpected and thoughtful questions. I wasn’t surprised when he told me he was an ADA.
As the lunch wore on he seemed to warm up and drop the interrogation. Unfortunately, he moved on to something worse.
For the second time that day, I was grateful for my mother’s lesson on not showing a reaction.
When Gregory began telling me about Jake’s time in law school before he’d dropped out, I easily hid my surprise. As he continued talking, though, I had to work hard to hide my anger. I’d heard the tone often enough to know that, much like mother, Gregory was disappointed in his son’s choice of career.
“I’m sure your parents are very proud of you.” Gregory smiled at me. “It sounds as though you’re doing quite well in such a lovely business.”
I didn’t get it at first. Hyde was a huge success. Jake had accomplished much more than I could ever realistically dream of.
It finally clicked that his dad was disappointed in the
type
of work he did.
“Actually my mom is dreadfully disappointed in me. My stepfather is Thomas Scalding, of Scalding, Inc.,” I revealed to the surprise of both Jake and Gregory. “My mom wants me to work a cushy job at Scalding until I find a husband and have children. She wants me to be happy, and, in her eyes, that means doing what she thinks would be best. If I did what she wanted, though, I’d be miserable.”
Gregory quietly looked at me for a minute, though it felt like much longer. His eyes, much like his son’s, seemed to be all-knowing.
Oh hell, he can see into my soul. He knows all the things I think about his son. He knows that in eighth grade I let David Ramber touch my boob to prove I didn’t stuff. He knows about that night when I told my mom I had the flu but I was really drunk and had held the thermometer near the light bulb.
Okay, he knows I’m lying and it was multiple nights.
He knows everything!
Abort lunch! Abort lunch!
“Hmm,” he interrupted my panic. “Well, Miss Skye, that’s an interesting point.”
Thankfully, we moved on and finished lunch on a lighter note. Gregory told endearing stories that gave me a glimpse into what Jake was like as a child. He told me about how he would try to fix anything and everything, even if that meant he had to break it first.
“I can’t really picture Jake as a kid. I just see this mini-badass trying to boss everyone around and caveman grunting.”