“It also doesn’t mean Idon’twant to move on with Wyatt.”His expression darkened, and I felt an evil amount of satisfaction. Total lie, of course, but I wanted Jake to suffer a bit.
After a few minutes of electric silence, Jake sighed. “I love you, Addie. Not sure that means a whole lot right now, but I’d really like the chance to make it up to you.”
“I don’t know if you can.”
“Well if that’s the case, I misjudged you.”
“You don’t get to put thison me, Jake. That’s totally a dick move.”
“I’m not trying to put anything on you, baby. I’m just saying that the woman I fell in love with has a big heart and I’m confident that she also has a great capacity to forgive those she loves even when they’re idiots.” He shrugged. “But maybe I’m wrong.”
I felt my nose burn as the tears formed. “You’re not playing fair.”
“I’m not playing at all, Addison.”
“You broke my heart,” I whispered.
“I know, honey.” He pried my arms from my body and lifted my hands to his mouth, kissing each palm. “I was a dick. You’re right. I have no excuse other than allowing my fears to take over my common sense.” He closed his eyes for a second. “But when I got notice you were on the Spiders’ radar...” He shook his head. “I lost my mind for a minute.”
I took a deepbreath and bit my lip. “You’re a cop, Jake. You don’t think I worry about you getting hurt too?”
“Addie, it’s my job.”
I pulled my hands from his. “As isthis!”
“I’d argue you could do your job in a way that wouldn’t get you shot at—”
“Ohmigod!” I shoved my door open and climbed out of the car and onto the gravel road. At some point in time we’d gone from the desert to the forest and we weresurrounded by enormous trees. I had nowhere to go and no way to get away from him. So I did the most rational thing I could think of and started walking down the gravel road.
This was not at all how I thought this would go. Stupid me, of course, for believing he’d finally pulled his head out of his ass. I’d let down my guard enough to cry in front of him. I got about a hundred feet before myheel caught on gravel and made my ankle wobble. This probably wasn’t the best idea I’d ever had, but I needed a little space. I checked my phone. No service, and we had less than three hours to get to Klamath and hunt down the jewelry, so I stopped and headed back to the car. My feelings were going to have to take a backseat to the job at hand.
Jake was leaning up against the passenger’s door,his arms crossed, his head down. I forced down my desire to burrow against his chest and make him hold me, and closed the distance between us.
He was blocking my entrance, so I asked, “Are you ready?”
Shaking his head, he slid his hand to my neck and tugged me gently forward. “I’m sorry, baby. I can’t seem to bury my burning need to protect you above everything else. But I know I have to stowit, because you’re good at what you do. It’s not fair for me to try to change your life just so I don’t have to worry.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What brought this change on?”
“I can’t just be enlightened?”
“Not by yourself, no,” I said.
He sighed. “I talked with a couple of buddies. Their women are also badasses, and they set me straight.”
“Who are these buddies? I want to meet them.”
“Youalready know Ryder and Sadie.”
“Oooh, I love Sadie. Sheisa badass, but quiet-like.”
Jake chuckled. “Yeah. The other one was Hawk. He’s an officer in the Dogs of Fire Motorcycle Club.”
I groaned. “An MC? Like the Spiders?”
“No. They’re a clean club, but they’re dealing with some shit with the Spiders as well. And you may not know this, but Ryder’s dad was the president of the Spiders. He’sin jail, but he still has power.”
I gasped. “I didn’t know that. I thought Ryder was a real estate guy.”
