Kace (Allen Securities) Read online

  She jumped back when the guards pulled him back.

  “I’ll come back,” she said as they pulled him away. Despite his past, her heart hurt for him. “I’ll bring Victoria.”

  He smiled sadly and nodded. The guards pulled him back to the prison door.

  Jessica turned to Kace. Drained and emotional, she let herself fall into his arms, weeping.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he said in her ear.

  She nodded and followed him out.

  * * *

  They drove in silence away from the prison. Kace was glad for the moment to think.

  If things were as bad as Ando said, it could really spell trouble for everyone. It meant Finn was going to have to work hard to retain his part of the family. If they splintered, it would be all the Russians needed in order to take over. So many factors at play.

  He ran a hand through his hair. Maybe he could convince her to stay home, take a leave of absence. Something. Anything.

  Kace glanced over at her. She stared solemnly out the window, and he knew she wouldn’t step down. This was her way to pay for Victoria’s school. There was no way she would take money from him.

  “You’re not going to listen to his warning are you?” he asked finally.

  Jessica looked over to him. “He wouldn’t bail on me, and I’m not bailing on him. He might be a criminal, but he’s loyal and so am I.”

  Kace sighed. “Well it looks like we should call a meeting then.”

  “You know you don’t have to,” she said.

  His fingers tightened on the steering wheel.

  “No fucking way are you risking your life, and I’m not a part of this shit,” he ground out.

  Jessica chuckled and put her hand in his. He loosened his grip on the steering wheel when she laced her fingers with his.

  “Got it.” She smiled. “No risking my life unless I risk yours.”

  Kace chuckled. “Damn skippy.”

  He watched as she relaxed into her seat.

  “Ouch. What’s this?” She pulled out a piece of folded paper.

  When she unfolded it, a key fell onto her lap.

  They stopped outside the club, and Kace looked over at the paper with some numbers and letters. The middle of the page had a name and phone number, but neither rang a bell. At the bottom of the paper, there was some writing.

  “I always meant to do better by you both,” Jessica read. “He’s got a few tricks up his sleeve. What do you think it is?”

  She held up the little key and looked it over.

  “It’s got a local bank name on it. Think it’s a safety deposit box?” She turned to him.

  Kace grimaced. “Likely.”

  “What?” Jessica lowered her hand to look at him.

  “I don’t know how he was able to even have that to give to you, but technically, it should go through the proper channels.”

  She looked down at the key and then back to him. “For a key?”

  “What if the box has drug money? Or incriminating evidence?” He stared at her, hopeful she would understand his position.

  “So I just turn it in to the police.” She grinned.

  Kace groaned and leaned his head against the back of his seat. Couldn’t they at least limit the law breaking to one law at a time?

  “Listen,” she said quietly. “Let’s just put it back in my pocket for now and deal with this mess later.”

  He glanced from the key back to her and nodded. The problem wasn’t going to go away, but it wasn’t something they had to deal with right away.

  “Later then,” he said and slipped out of the car.

  He saw the car out of the corner of his eye. It wasn’t hard to miss. Viktor was known for using a certain type of car.

  “Get down!” Kace yelled as he slid across the hood and nosedived right into her.

  The spray of bullets screamed around them, shattering glass and pinging off the side of his car.

  He could feel her under him, shaking as the world seemed to explode around them.

  The endless gunfire ceased, and the squeal of tires let them know they were gone. He lifted his head and body off of her, thanking God they had made it out of it unscathed.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Jessica nodded and looked around. Her face had gone almost ashen as she assessed the damage. The car had been ventilated. The front windows of Cortex had been shattered and the door riddled with bullets.

  “I think I’m going to vomit,” she said after some time.

  He could hear the sound of sirens quickly approaching and cursed. For once in his life, Kace wanted what the police couldn’t give him. Revenge.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Jessica watched as the repairmen installed the new glass. Things had died down now, and she was left wondering what had happened. For some reason, the idea that someone would shoot at her just didn’t seem to be registering in her head. She sighed, hopped down off the stool and walked back to the office.

  Everyone stopped to look at her as she walked in. Kace was the first to speak.

  “We’re getting the hell out of here,” he said.

  “And then what?” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him.

  “And then I take care of this shit,” he said.

  She threw herself on the couch and stared defiantly up at him.

  “Well I’m not leaving,” she said.

  “You think I can’t make you?” Kace stepped toward her but stopped as Meg stood between them.

  “This is personal to all of us, Kace,” Meg said. “But right now, you need to pull your head out of your ass, so we can find these guys.”

  The room was silent as Meg faced off with her brother. Jessica stared in awe. It was amazing how someone that much younger could put the whole thing into perspective.

  Kace glared around the room and tossed himself next to her on the couch, a possessive arm thrown over her shoulder.

  “Ando said there would be trouble, and there is.” Finn scrubbed his hand on his face. “Where do the police stand on this?”

  Kace shook his head. “As far as they are concerned, no one was hurt, and it’s gang problems. I don’t know how many tears they’ll shed if a few Kellys or Russians get popped.”

  Reed cursed. “We’re getting nowhere with this.”

  Meg piped up. “I should have something tomorrow from the UK. There have been a few transactions, and they are cross-referencing them now.”

  “Well that’s part of the problem,” Finn said. “So, we know a shipment of guns is on their way here. Big guns. Maybe more than even guns.”

  Jessica gripped Kace’s arm. If something like that made its way to the Russians, there would be nothing stopping them from laying them all out.

  “I’m going to take that shipment out,” he said.

  The room went quiet as Finn and Kace stared at one another.

  “Fine,” Kace said quietly.

  Finn nodded. “It’s the only option.”

  Jessica looked around the room.

  “Ryder is watching your sister,” Reed said, and she sighed with relief.

  With everything that was going on, it was good to know she could trust that Victoria was in good hands.

  “Let’s all get out of here,” Finn said. “It’s been a busy day, and they might come back.”

  “Why don’t we just close tomorrow?” Jessica looked to Finn.

  “I’m the boss,” he said in a low voice. “If I don’t show, they take it as a sign of weakness. Anyone not ready for trouble tomorrow should stay home. I’ll make sure the rest of the staff knows this as well.”

  She felt Kace twitch and knew this would be a point of discussion later.

  Jessica stretched and yawned. It really was getting harder to do the late evening shifts. Of course, Kace wasn’t helping on the sleeping front. Not that she was complaining. Being sore for all the right reasons was amazing.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he mumbled in her ear.

/>   She nodded and waved to people as they made their way to the door. Once outside, she noticed the dark car outside. Without even thinking, she tossed herself on to Kace and knocked them to the ground.

  “Stay down,” she shouted.

  She lay on top of him and waited for the world to erupt around them. Jessica looked up when Kace started shaking.

  “Are you protecting me?” He was laughing so hard, he shook while he talked.

  Jessica frowned. “Yes,” she said and glanced over to the parked black car.

  Kace sat up and placed her on her feet.

  “That is one of Reed’s company cars,” he said. “We’ll be borrowing it for a bit.”

  Jessica groaned. “This day just keeps getting better.”

  She dusted the dirt off her pants and climbed into the plush car. Kace climbed in and chuckled as he started the car. She sank further into the seat and closed her eyes.

  “I’m glad you think I’m worth saving,” he said quietly as they drove through the dark neighborhood.

  She peeked over at him with one eye open. “Keep talking and I might not next time,” she said.

  “Noted,” he laughed. “Next random parked black car, you’ll leave me to fend for myself.”

  Jessica sighed and turned to look out the window. He could laugh all he wanted, but when she saw that car, all she could think was to save him. In such a short time, he had become someone important to her. The idea that he could be hurt made her stomach twist.

  She thought about what it would mean being with someone who risked their life on a regular basis. Bile rose in her stomach. Jessica thought about Olivia and wondered how she dealt with it.

  They pulled in front of the house, and she climbed out. She stared up at the beautiful Victorian. Somehow this had come to feel like home. But it wasn’t. Not really.

  They climbed up the steps and stopped at the door.

  “What’s going on?” Kace opened the door, and she walked through.

  “Maybe I should stay with Irene,” she said quietly.

  Jessica jumped when the door slammed behind her.

  “Is this about before?” He came to stand in front of her. She could smell the soap from his shower. “Because I was just teasing. You throwing yourself on me was one of the best things anyone has ever done for me.”

  She shook her head. “It’s just…” She sighed. “What are we doing here?”

  His eyes narrowed on her. “I’m keeping you safe, and we’re seeing where this goes.”

  Jessica backed up. His hard eyes searched her face, and she was afraid he would see what she wanted to hide.

  “I mean us.” She looked wildly around for a way out. “What are we going to do when all this is over? We can’t just keep playing house.”

  He stopped and stared at her. This was it. The thing that would push him away.

  She yelped when he pushed her against the wall with his body.

  “So don’t play house with me,” he said. “Move in. Bring your sister. Marry me. Make babies with me.”

  Her heart beat wildly in her chest, and she forced herself to breathe deeply.

  “Are you crazy?” She stared into his earnest face.

  “Yes,” he said flatly. “You are the only thing that has given my life any real meaning or purpose. You.”

  He leaned forward, their lips nearly touching.

  “I can’t.”

  Kace leaned back slightly. “Why? Why can’t you?”

  She tried to think about why she couldn’t just upend her whole life to be with a man that made her feel like she’d never really been alive. Jessica took slow breaths and looked back to him. His eyes were fixed on her, more determined than anyone she’d ever seen.

  “Okay.”

  Her answer echoed in the front entrance.

  “Thank God,” he mumbled and swept her up in a kiss.

  Unlike the others they had shared, this was a slow burn, the passion building until they were lost in each other’s embrace. The kiss left her aching and needy in ways that she didn’t even know she could be.

  Kace pushed her against the wall, and she groaned when she felt his hot length against her.

  He pulled away slightly to lift her shirt off and paused when he had. She felt a blush creep over her as he continued to stare at her bared skin.

  “So beautiful,” he whispered when he released the clasp on her bra.

  She smiled at his honesty. He was never going to sugar-coat things, but that made the things he said that much sweeter.

  He leaned down and rolled her hardened nipples against the roof of his mouth. She groaned and moved her body against his. Jessica huffed when she wasn’t able to center herself against him.

  Kace chuckled and grabbed her thighs. She gasped when he hoisted her up and pushed his hard cock against her hot core. Gripping his arms, she reveled in the feel of the muscles beneath her fingers.

  Her hands snaked behind him and grasped his hair to pull him back into a deep kiss. His warm fingers molded her breast to his hands and hissed when his calloused palms rubbed against her hard peaks.

  He lowered her feet back to the floor, and she bit back a protest. When he came back up, he spun her around, so she was facing the wall.

  Without much effort, he slipped her jeans down her legs, kissing and nipping the exposed skin as he went along. She stepped out and tried to turn but was stopped by his forceful hands.

  His pants rustled as he pulled the zipper down. When she tried to look, he stepped out of her view. The crinkle of the condom came, and then she felt him, prodding her, bumping the hard head against her tender clit.

  Without warning, he filled her to the hilt. He reached so far inside that she felt him pushing against her stomach. Kace stayed still for a moment and let her adjust. After a bit, she was able to gyrate her hips over him.

  “Baby,” he groaned. “I can’t hold off much longer.”

  “Fuck me,” she said and reached behind to push him against her walls.

  Kace groaned. “You keep talking like that, and I’m not going to hold back.”

  “Who told you to hold back?” She twisted her head and shot him a dirty look. “I said fuck me damn it!”

  Kace let off a stream of curse words as he began to slam into her. She bounced into the wall as he gripped her hips with unyielding force. Jessica braced herself against the wall and pushed back against him.

  Her hips bucked wildly. She came hard when his fingers gripped onto her breasts. The more he pinched her nipples, the harder her walls contracted around him. She felt him push hard into her one last time. The wave of her second orgasm hit, and she shook so hard her legs caved beneath her.

  His hands on her hips gripped her hard to keep her from falling down.

  When he pulled out, she shuddered at the loss. She turned in his arms and embraced him like she wanted to earlier.

  “Let’s go to bed.” She yawned.

  Kace nodded.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Jessica groaned with Kace kissed her for about the millionth time outside the shop.

  “That’s it,” she said and pushed back on his hard chest. “I can’t sit out here kissing you all day.”

  He stuck his lower lip out and pouted at her. She couldn’t help but laugh at how silly he was being. Although, she had to admit, seeing him dressed in uniform made her want to do things to him that wouldn’t be legal in a number of states.

  She grinned at his sharp look and leaned over. Giving into temptation, she kissed him again and yanked on his cuffs.

  “You bring these to bed, and we won’t have to worry about going off to work,” she laughed.

  He groaned and lunged for her, but she was just quick enough to slip away in time.

  “You don’t know what you do to me,” he complained. Jessica grinned.

  “Oh I think I do, and if I’m right, I’m not that much different.” She shifted in her seat, only proving her point.

  Kace took a deep breath and wave
d to Ryder through the window of the pastry shop.

  “So just remember, no going into the house before Ryder checks it. You stay as a group. Just grab what you need and get out.”

  Jessica sighed. “I’m not a baby.”

  “I worry,” he said quietly. “I’ll meet you at the club, and remember I love you.”

  Her heart beat wildly every time he said it. He loved her and he meant it. Not only that, but he would stop at nothing to keep her safe, which both frightened and flattered her.

  “I love you too,” she said and blushed. This whole love thing was going to take more than just a few days for her to get used to.

  He grinned when she climbed out and turned around. She knew how happy it made him and that, in turn, made her happy.

  “Go do your paperwork,” she said through the window. “I’ll see you later.”

  She waved to him once she reached the door of the shop.

  “Wow, I didn’t think you’d ever stop kissing,” Victoria said from the other side of the counter. Ryder coughed loudly. She suspected it was to cover the laugh.

  “Hey, I don’t think I would want to stop kissing him either,” a short girl with curly blonde hair said next to Victoria.

  Jessica laughed. “Hey, Taylor.”

  “So what’s up with all the man-cakes around here? And where do I sign up to get one of my own?” Her fairy-tale cute face was no match for the foul mouth that Taylor had developed over the years.

  “Love to help you out with that, but there’s no list.” She looked over to Ryder. “Unless you’ve got a brother you want to torture a bit.”

  Ryder laughed loudly. Jessica smiled. It wasn’t often that people were able to see that side of him. She only wished her friend could see that as well. Jessica peeked around the corner to see Irene watching him intently, her cheeks bright with color.

  She slipped behind the counter and moved to the door leading to the back.

  “Still hiding I see,” she said when she had stepped into the back.

  Irene shot her a dirty look.

  “It’s not like that,” Irene said.

  “Oh?” Jessica looked into the front to see Ryder looking hotly at Irene.