Jake’s Angel (King’s Of Fury MC #2)

Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

AVERY

Jayde dropped me off about an hour ago. It’s late and I still don’t know if Sadie is coming home or not.

I spent the entire day running errands with Jayde, pretending to be excited for Sadie’s party and listening to Jayde prattle on about her family, the work she does for the MC and their businesses, and her classes. She loves math and accounting, which I never would’ve known by looking at her. The way she dresses and her car would be enough to convince people she’s into fashion and money. I would never have thought she graduated from high school a year early and was a closet nerd.

Way to be judgmental, Aves.

As soon as Jayde’s car left the driveway, I was sprinting down the hall to my room, grabbing a duffle bag from the floor of the closet, frantically pulling out all my new clothes and packing what I can. I can’t take everything, but I’ll need enough for at least a week or so. I can always find a laundromat to wash them.

My bag is stuffed with all the clothes and shoes that will fit. I grab my backpack and add it to the pile on the bed.

Running into the bathroom, I grab shampoo, conditioner, my toothbrush, toothpaste, a hairbrush, and deodorant. I shove them all into my backpack, along with a few extra pairs of panties and bras. If I can’t find a laundromat, at least I’ll have enough clean panties to last a few days. I might have to sleep on the streets for a while, but that doesn’t mean I have to lose all my dignity.

I’m spinning around double checking the room to make sure I’m not forgetting anything when the phone in my pocket vibrates. I pull it out, thinking it’s Sadie letting me know she’s close, only to find it’s not the phone she gave me that’s vibrating. It’s his. The man from Magpie’s. The one who said he could tell me about my mother’s death.

T: Don’t leave. You’re safer here with them than you are on your own.

Me: Safer with who?

T: The Kings

Me: I don’t know them

T: They take care of their own

Me: I’m not one of theirs

T: You are and you need to stay

What the hell does that even mean?

T: Trust me

Said the wolf to Little Red.

Me: I don’t know you

T: Stay

I’m about to send another text telling him he can fuck right off when Sadie’s excited voice echoes through the house.

“Where you at, hooker? I know you’re home! We’ve got some celebrating to do!” She’s still shouting as she comes to an abrupt halt in the doorway of my room and sees my bags. I drop the phone into my backpack, hoping she didn’t see it.

“Where are you going?” She sounds both shocked and hurt.

“I need to go.” Not wanting to tell her about the stranger, I go with the next best thing. “Jake knows who I am. He saw the bruises on my arm and Jayde let my name slip. I need to leave before he figures out you were the one who helped me and tells Mack where we are.” I zip up my backpack and carry both bags past her down the hall, setting them down on the floor near the kitchen counter. I don’t tell her about the incident at the diner today. It would freak her out.

It's still freaking me out!

Sadie walks over to where her stockpile of computers are, then digs through her purse sitting beside them. Taking something out, she pushes a button and the tabletop computer lights up. She types something into the password prompt, clicks on a few things I can’t see, then puts in a thumb drive. Several more taps to the keyboard, then she’s turning the screens off and walks back to meet me.

Rubbing my arms, she says, “You’re not leaving. At least not tonight. I sold my prototype,” she says excitedly.

“That’s … that’s amazing Sadie! I’m so proud of you.” I pull her into a hug. She’s been working on a tracking device since our sophomore year. It’s meant for children with special needs or adults with dementia and other mental instabilities that could cause them to wander and get lost. She told no one other than me she was working on it until now, apparently.

“See, so you have to stay and celebrate with me, and …” she draws out the word, “my Uncle Mack is at home with his wife, whom he hasn’t seen in months, alone. I don’t think Jake is going to be able to get ahold of him until,” she looks down at her wrist that doesn’t have a watch, “she’s well and truly satisfied.” Her eyebrows wiggle, and her grin spreads wide. I can’t stop my grin from mirroring hers. “And he has a lot of time to make up for.”

“Ew. Not a picture I need in my head.” I punch her arm lightly.

Though she’s probably right. I don’t know of any man who would want to be bothered when he’s been starved for his wife for months and finally gets her alone for several hours. I’ve never had sex, but even I think that sounds … sweet. Even if the mental image is somewhat disturbing.

She takes my bags and moves them over by the front door, then walks back, pulling me by the hand into the kitchen. “Let’s grab some ice cream.” She pulls the half gallon of Rocky Road we bought from the freezer and grabs two spoons from the drawer.

“We’ll both put on our comfy pajamas and then we can binge watch whatever you want on Netflix tonight.”

“Are you asking me to Netflix and chill?” I tease.

“Absolutely! But I must warn you, I don’t put out on the first date.” We both laugh.

“Wait a minute. We’re supposed to be celebrating you, and you’re going to let me choose the show?” Either she’s really excited about something, or she just wants me to stay one more night while she plots our next escape together. She’s probably already a step ahead of me and planning on a place we can go. The thought of her carefully planning another disappearing act causes another knot to form in the pit of my stomach. She’s done so much for me already. I can’t ask her to do anymore.

I can wait one more night. It’s not going to hurt anything. I can always slip out before the sun rises in the morning.

I hate lying to Sadie, but I know it will be for the best if I leave while she’s asleep.

With my decision made, I sit down at the bar and dig into the ice cream.

“Yes. That’s my girl.” Sadie beams.

“So, what are we celebrating exactly? It seems like you’re not telling me everything.” I hadn’t noticed her outfit before, but she looks different. She’s wearing a black pencil skirt and a cobalt blue button-down blouse. Her black high heels are discarded under the barstool I’m sitting on. Definitely not the traditional Sadie outfit when dealing with people in Baron’s Edge. She thrives on wearing things like Guns N' Roses T-shirts and cutoff shorts, completely separating herself from the ‘norm.’

“Well, I met with someone today and he liked my designs, but when I told him I want to start my own tech company using the Snitch Program to launch the business, he fell in love with the concept. He’s going to help me do it!” She squeals, jumping up and down on her toes. I circle the bar, grabbing her with a tight squeeze.

“Oh my God, Sadie! That’s amazing!” We’re both jumping up and down now, squealing with delight. She’s always talked about starting her own business and working for herself. Now she is about to get her chance.

I can’t take her with me. This is too important to her. I won’t ask her to sacrifice her dreams for me.

“What did he say? How are you going to do it?”

“We haven’t worked out all the details yet, but he gave me a check for three hundred grand to help me get things started.”

“Holy shit!”

“I know! I need to put together a plan. I’ll need an office and more computers. Maybe a good friend to work with me to get things started.” She smiles a mischievous smile.

I can’t stay here. But I can’t tell her no either.

I do the only thing I can do. I lie.

“Yeah, I think I know someone.” She rocks me back and forth, hugging the hell out of me. Pulling out of our hug, our arms still locked together, she tells me, “Wait here. I have something for you.” I stay in my spot as she walks to her purse, grabbing out a long blue velvet box and handing it to me. “Open it,” she urges.

I open the long slender box to find a silver bracelet with five sapphire blue daisies all connected in a line. My eyes well up with tears. When I look up to see her smiling face, she whispers, “It’s for you. A graduation gift. To remind you, you can plant yourself anywhere you want. You’re free to become whoever wherever you want now.” Her smile softens, her eyes glassy. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t hope you would plant yourself here with me.”

I slam into her, wrapping my arms so tight around her waist I’m sure I’m hurting her, but she doesn’t complain. She just holds me while I sob into her blouse.

A dinging sound from her computer snaps me out of my blubbering state. I pull out of her embrace, pulling the bottom of my T-shirt up to wipe my face. It’s not ladylike, but who cares? I already know I look a mess and couldn’t care less.

She goes over to her computer, removes the thumb drive, then puts in another one. She’s bent over at the waist, typing at a ridiculously rapid speed on the keyboard. I grab the ice cream and my spoon and stand behind her to see what she’s doing. When my eyes find the framed picture sitting on the desk near her computer. The same picture I was looking at before. A familiar face stands out. A heavy feeling settles in my stomach, causing my knees to buckle slightly. I catch myself on the back of the chair behind her.

She glances back over her shoulder, but she’s completely enthralled in whatever she’s doing, not noticing my current state of panic.

Oh, shit.

“Why don’t you go have a seat on the couch and find us something to watch? I need to finish downloading something onto my computer and change my clothes, then I’ll be right out.” She taps a few more keys, then turns the screens off again and makes her way down the hall to her bedroom.

As soon as she closes her door, I pick up the picture and study it.

It’s him. The guy from Magpie’s today. He’s Sadie’s father. Holy shit!

I put the picture back in its place, shocked and unable to move.

“I thought you were going to put something on the TV?” She eyes me curiously.

“I was, but your remote has too many damn buttons and I can’t figure it out, so I was eating away my frustration while I waited for you,” I lie, taking a huge bite into my mouth to stop myself from spewing any more untruths at her. I quickly realize my mistake when my head throbs so badly. I want to lie down in the fetal position and never get up again.

“Owww,” I groan, holding my hand to my head.

Sadie laughs hysterically at my motionless, painful state. “It’s called a brain freeze.” She’s still laughing when I stand back up, feeling the pain slowly subsiding. “You ate the ice cream too fast. It will stop in a second.”

“Ugh. People eat this stuff knowing it can cause this kind of pain? What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Oh, knock it off, Miss Priss,” she chides. “You’ll be just fine in a minute. Here. Give it to me. I’ll eat it since you’re obviously in too much pain to enjoy it anymore.”

I stand up, pulling the carton tight to my chest. “Don’t. Touch. My. Carbs.” She cracks up, laughing at my stubbornness.

“Welcome to the dark side of carbs, Aves,” she teases. We’re giggling like a couple of little girls. All seriousness and worry aside. I’m going to enjoy this night, especially since it’s our last one together.

Tomorrow, I’ll leave her a note and be on my way. I won’t bring any more of my trouble down on her.