Masuk~Lily~Jace came home that night looking like he'd swallowed a lemon, phone still in his hand, jaw tight enough I could see the muscle jumping.I was on the couch in his hoodie, pretending to scroll TikTok, but really refreshing the department's internal tips line for the hundredth time.He dropped his keys in the bowl too hard, metal clanging loud."Hey," I said, all soft and sweet, patting the cushion next to me. "Rough day?"He flopped down, rubbed his face with both hands. "Yeah. You could say that."I crawled over, straddled his lap slowly , hands sliding up his chest because I knew it short-circuited his brain every time."Tell me," I murmured, kissing his neck light. "You look like someone kicked your puppy."He groaned, hands settling on my hips automatic. "It's the club. My friends have been texting. They want to meet you."I pulled back, blinked big innocent eyes. "Meet me? Like... officially?"He nodded, looking anywhere but my face. "Cookout this weekend. Family only. Pros
~Lily~I woke up with this huge stupid grin on my face, the kind that hurts your cheeks if you hold it too long, and I couldn’t stop because last night Jace looked at me like I’d handed him the whole damn world when it was just a lopsided cake and some cheap balloons.He was still passed out on the couch, one arm flung over his face, mouth open a little, snoring soft. I stared at him for a minute, feeling that warm fuzzy rush hit me again, then remembered everything I actually knew and almost laughed out loud at how good I was getting at this fake-happy bullshit.I slipped out from under his arm, padded to the kitchen in his tee, started coffee because today was his actual birthday and I’d invited a few people from work over for cake and beers nothing big, just enough normal cops to make it look legit.My phone buzzed on the counter. Text from Marcus: On our way. Bringing pizza and that dip you like. Sarah’s driving so we won’t die.I snorted. Perfect.I texted back: Door’s open. Don’
~Jace~My phone buzzed in my pocket right as I was walking out of the clubhouse, the air still thick with that post-church bullshit tension, guys shooting me side-eyes while pretending to laugh at something on their phones.I pulled it out, saw Lily’s name, and my stomach dropped straight to my boots.Ryder was two steps behind me, lighting another smoke. He clocked my face. “Who is it?”“Lily,” I muttered, thumb hovering.He exhaled hard. “Answer it.”I hit accept, put it to my ear. “Yeah?”“Hey.” Her voice sounded normal, too normal, like she was trying extra hard to keep it light. “You busy?”“Uh, just leaving the club. Why?”“I was thinking maybe you could swing by? I got off shift early and… I don’t know, I kinda miss you.”My heart slammed against my ribs. Miss you. After the night I just had, that felt like a trap wrapped in a bow.Ryder leaned closer, trying to hear. I turned away a little.“Yeah,” I said, voice rough. “I can come by. Everything okay?”“Totally!” She laughed,
~Jace~Ryder’s cigarette snapped between his fingers.I saw it happen in slow motion, ash flying.“Don’t,” Ryder warned.Diesel shrugged. “Just asking the question we’re all thinking.”Hammer nodded slowly. “He ain’t wrong.”I couldn’t breathe right. My chest felt tight, fists clenched so hard my nails dug in.Grudge spoke again. “I say we vote. Put it to the table. Do we handle the cop permanently, or do we keep playing house and hope she gets bored?”“No,” Ryder barked. “She’s off-limits. She’s my girl's family.”“Family?” Tank snorted. “She’d put a bullet in any of us and sleep fine.”“She’s Skylar’s blood!” Ryder roared, standing now too. “That makes her ours, like it or not!”“Ours to protect?” Diesel asked, voice mocking. “Or ours to shut up?”I moved before I thought, grabbed Diesel by the cut, slammed him back against the wall hard enough his head bounced.“Say it again,” I hissed in his face. “Say we touch her.”He grinned, blood on his teeth already. “You are gonna pick her
~Jace~I walked into our ‘church’ - of course it's not a church, - twenty minutes late because I’d been at Lily’s again, holding her hair while she puked up last night’s whiskey and case stress, and yeah, I still smelled like her shampoo, which was a real smart move when half the table already wanted my balls on a platter.Ryder banged the gavel once, hard, the second my ass hit the chair. “Nice of you to join us, VP.”“Bite me,” I muttered, slouching back, arms crossed. “Traffic.”“Traffic named Lily?” Tank snorted from across the table, big arms folded, beard twitching like he was holding back a grin.A couple guys chuckled. I flipped him off without looking.Ryder didn’t laugh. He just lit a smoke, took a long drag, and blew it toward the ceiling. “We’re going cold. No runs. No drops. Nothing moves till I say. Shops only. Everybody tightens belts.”Murmurs started instantly. Hammer leaned forward, tattoos shifting on his knuckles. “How long are we talking, Prez? I got rent.”“As lo
~Jace~I pulled up to the compound just after noon, bike still rumbling like it was pissed off too, head all tangled up with Lily’s face from this morning eyes red from crying, body curled into mine like I was the only thing stopping her from falling apart completely. I killed the engine, yanked my helmet off, and tried to shove that image down deep because Ryder was waiting and this conversation was gonna suck worse than a hangover after cheap tequila.Prospect at the gate jerked his chin. “Prez is inside. Said drag your ass in the second you show.”“Tell him I’m coming, genius. Don’t pop a vein.” I shoved past, boots kicking dust, couple brothers elbow-deep in a Harley glanced up, one threw me the finger just for fun. Same old Sunday.Office door half open, Ryder inside hunched over the desk with a cigarette burning and a beer sweating even though the sun was barely overhead. Guy ran on spite and nicotine. He looked up when I walked in without knocking only one who could.“You’re la







