“It’s helped having Ty here.” She doesn’t glance up at me, but she squeezes my fingers, and I don’t fight the urge to press my lips against the top of her head.
Grace says all the right things, without any underlying double meaning, and the tension slowly drains from Jas. I glance at Zach, but he only has eyes for Grace, and for once I don’t feel the need to mock him.
Why the hell would I? His old lady is doing exactly what I knew she would—showing my girl the respect she’s entitled to.
Zach never mocked me, even when we were sixteen and I first fell for Jas.
We go down the stairs to the club, and Jas glances around. I lean in close so the others can’t hear, although that’s not likely over the thud of the live band. “Like it?”
“Impressive. I love the whole gothic atmosphere. You’d never guess it was like this from the outside.”
I grin. “Yeah, it’s ugly as fuck. But it’s the inside that counts.”
She gives me the strangest look. “You’re right,” she says softly, and I get the feeling she’s not talking about the club at all.
Gage and Amelia join us, and after reminding Jas who he is, the chicks chat about God knows what. It washes over my head, and judging from the expressions on Zach’s and Gage’s faces, I’m not alone. We catch each other’s eyes, and it’s like an unspoken message flashes between us.
When did we get so fucking pussy whipped?
I grin—can’t help myself. In the past, we’ve often had chicks hanging off our arms while at a bar or club. But they were disposable, only wanting us for our colors and connections, and they sure as hell never dominated the conversation.
Jas is maybe the only girl I’ve had who didn’t want me just so she could get closer to the Bastards. Not ten years ago and definitely not now. After we broke up, I never cared about a chick’s motives for screwing me. Didn’t matterwhy,just that shedid.
After a few years, even that got old.
Jas strokes her thumb over mine, almost as though she can read my mind, which is so crazy I grin again. If my brothers didn’t know that this was serious after I called and asked them to turn up here tonight, they would now.
We make our way to the bar, and Jas gives the dancers a quick glance as we pass by them. She doesn’t say anything, though, so I guess she doesn’t have a problem with their costume or routine.
Cade and Hawk watch our approach without any mocking smirks on their faces. I give them the nod and tug Jas close.
My brothers know the score.
…
Jasmine
Did Ty arrange this?It’s ridiculous to think he’d go to that much trouble, but how likely is it that four of the guys we’d once hung out with—who’re now all Bastards—would be here tonight?
Cade hasn’t changed that much, but whoa—just like with Gage, I take a second look when Ty introduces me to Hawk. There’s nothing of the gangly boy I remember. But although he’s now all muscle and wears the colors well, he sure doesn’t give off a sinister enforcer vibe the way Viper did.
“Hey, Jas.” He tips his head at me in acknowledgment. Just like with the others, there’s no hint of a sneer in the words, or any slow appraisal of my body. Well, Zach and Cade never treated me like that anyway, but still…
None of them were Bastards back then, either.
I tug on Ty’s hand, and without even asking what I want, he lowers his head toward me.Like he used to.
“Is this a coincidence, or do the guys always hang out here on a Tuesday night?”
He flashes me a grin, and for a moment looks eighteen again.He’ll always be eighteen to me.“Don’t know what you mean.”
“It’s almost like you’re showing me off or something.”
“What if I am?”
I’d expected him to laugh, not virtually agree with me, especially when I was only half serious. And I can’t afford to wallow in the frisson of pleasure his comment evokes, because I’m leaving him in three days.
I’m leaving L.A. Nothim. Because Ty wasn’t the reason I came back here.
