Jake’s Angel (King’s Of Fury MC #2)

Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

AVERY

Don’t let them see it. Never let anyone see they have the power to hurt you.

I knew better than to believe Jake was any different from any other male in my life. They all manipulate you. Lie to you. Make you feel something genuine, then rip it all away.

Gramps. Adopted me. Took care of me. Then abandoned me for his work, leaving me with that retched woman and her merciless ‘yes man.’

My father, Gabe. He gave me away. Let others believe I was dead, under the guise of what was best for me . When it was actually what was best for him and his precious club.

Mack knew about all of it and never said a word. He watched me grow up believing my mother was a whore, and I was a fucking mistake. One that my grandmother wanted to eradicate but settled for humiliating and abusing for years.

And then there’s Jake.

The boy who carried so much guilt over not being able to protect me. The man I gave my first real kiss to the hallway of a diner. The man I allowed to get me off beside my mother’s grave. I still can’t believe I let things go as far as they did, where they did. But I wanted him, and I thought he wanted me.

My mistake. Fool me once.

I put up my best Avery West, granddaughter of Eleanor and Russell West, debutant of Baron’s Edge, bullshit pageant queen smile and look at Hawk, and then around the yard like I’m searching for someone, but not making eye contact with anyone.

I can do this. I’ve spent years of my life perfecting the act of being happy in a place full of people I can’t stand.

Jake reaches out and grabs my arm. I glance back and forth between his hand on my arm and his face, but I don’t pull away.

“Look, Avery—,” He starts, but seems surprised when I cut him off.

“You owe me no explanations. I know who I am. What I mean to everyone. Especially to you.” I sweeten my tone and lower my voice to where only he can hear me. “You just be the wonderful SOB you are, and I’ll act like the perfect little angel . Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to tell dear old dad that you’ve been the best bodyguard a girl could have. At least you’ve done a better job than either of our fathers.” I pull out of his grip and take off into the crowd toward the restrooms.

I need to get out of here. Away from him. From all of this.

I hear him calling after me, pushing his way through the crowd, but I don’t stop until I reach the bathroom door and lock myself inside.

A few minutes later, I hear voices outside the door.

“What the fuck did you do, asshole?” It’s Sadie.

“I made a mistake. She won’t come out so I can fix it. Save the fucking lecture and get her to come out here so we can talk, will you?” Jake sounds angry at me, at himself, at Sadie—I don’t know. Could be all three.

“Go back to the party, Jake. I’ll talk to Avery. For fuck’s sake, you’ve done enough,” Sadie snaps back. “I’m not going in there until you leave. Give her time to cool off. If you’ve hurt her, she won’t listen to you until she’s had a chance to calm down. Now fuck off.”

I hear what sounds like a growl and the stomping of boots, followed by a hard knock on the bathroom door.

“Aves. Open up. I know you heard us.”

I turn the lock and let her in. I hate that I’ve been crying over him. Maybe It’s not just him. Maybe everything is finally sinking in. My life is one big fucking lie and a shitshow to boot. None of it is of my making. Everyone else has been controlling every aspect of every moment in my life.

I’m so over it. All of it.

Before Sadie can start giving me some pep talk about the club and Jake, and whatever it is she was going to tell me, I grab her hand and say, “I need a drink.”

“But you don’t drink at social events.” She looks at me, puzzled.

“I don’t want to get drunk. I just want a drink . I don’t want to feel anything for a little bit. Just relax, take the edge off, clear my thoughts, dance with my best friend, and celebrate our graduation. Everything else can wait until tomorrow. Can you help me do that?”

“Fuck, yeah. Let’s go!” Sadie squeals, dragging me by the hand out of the bathroom, through the crowd, and to the bar. “Jinx, we need two Taming of the Shrews, please.”

Jinx shifts some bottles around, then turns back with two glasses double the size of a regular shot glass, filled to the rim with the sweet, yummy, goodness. “Bottoms up!” She has to shout to be heard of the music.

We toss back our drinks and slam the glasses back onto the bar top. Sadie grabs my hand, dragging me out to the dance floor. She spots Jayde on the way and drags her out of her conversation to join us.

The drink and the dancing work for a little while. I let my thoughts go, and allow the beat of the music and the laughter of my friends to take me away to a better place.

“You know he feels like shit. He’s been staring at you all night. Brooding.” Jayde says, snapping me out of my moment of Zen.

Bitch.

“He’s been shooting daggers at every man out there on the dance floor with you ladies, too,” Liz says, interrupting our girl talk as she steps up to join our group. She grabs Blake, who’s been standing in the same spot for the last hour just watching us. “Blake honey, would you get me a beer please, and one for the Captain?” She winks.

“Captain?” I ask, confused. Then I remember the name on Caleb’s cut. She smiles as she sees my thoughts coming into recognition.

“Your grandfather is known as Captain to some of the older men. He served in the military with some of them, and he’s served this club for many years. He pioneered it, and because of that, some of us still call him Captain.” Her smile beams with pride as she talks about her husband. “Now, what’s got you looking like you swallowed a lemon over there? You were excited and giggly before we got here.”

“Jake seems to have stuck his foot in his mouth and his head up his ass!” Jayde yells out over the music. Liz eyes me suspiciously.

“It doesn’t matter. I can be polite until Gabe decides I’m safe enough to leave, and then we can both go our merry way.” It’s not really what I want. Actually, I don’t know what I want, but it’s the way things will have to be. The longer I stay here, the less I feel I belong.

Liz puts her hand on my shoulder and gives it a little squeeze. “Oh, my little Bug, you have no idea about these men, do you?” I shake my head and look at the ground. I’ve never been on a proper date or had an actual boyfriend. Everything in my life has been forced upon me, and not in a good way.

I got to choose with Jake. I chose to kiss him, and I chose to allow myself to let go with him, and it all felt amazing. But I guess I chose wrong.

Liz moves her head until I look her in the eyes and then leans in close to whisper, “He’ll never let you go.” She must mean Gabe, but I doubt he’ll want to keep me. I pull back, giving her a look that tells her I think she’s crazy, but she just laughs. “Mark my words, baby girl. I know what I’m talking about. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this happen and it won’t be the last with all these boys, I’m sure.” I watch her walk away as she tips her beer at someone across the way.

Jake.

The DJ drops a hard beat and Sadie and Jayde start screaming. Jake’s eyes never leave mine as the girls drag me further onto the floor. “Let’s go Aves! Show us what you’ve got, girl!”

We move in time with the music as the DJ mixes a dirty dance groove. I start moving my hips with the beat and Sadie moves with me, front to front. She puts one hand on my hip, her other hand holding her drink high in the air. We start swaying and dropping low as we feel the music take us away. I haven’t felt like this in a long time.

“Hell, yeah, Sadie! Get it, girl!” Skyler shouts from her place on Ethan’s lap. She was out here dancing for a little while but became too tired to keep up.

I wonder if she’s told him yet.

Jayde pulls both our hands away from each other and widens our circle, squeezing herself in with us. I’m finally relaxing as the DJ mixes another song, bringing out a new hip-hop beat and I allow myself to get lost in the moment.

Sadie and I are both swinging our hips and moving our arms through the air.

I miss dancing. I miss the girls I was teaching. All the little ones coming in dressed in their leotards and sweatpants, with their hair pinned up in tight buns, all so eager to get to work and learn new moves.

I never thought I’d miss anything about my life in Baron’s Edge, except maybe Gramps. But I find myself thinking about the girls I was teaching, and wondering how their recital is going tonight.

Someday, I’ll own my own studio. Someday, I’ll teach little girls to dance because they love it. Because it moves something inside of them. Someday, I’ll take the passion I have for dancing and turn it into my dream.

Sadie and Jayde are caught up in conversation with a couple of young guys who’ve joined the dance floor. I don’t recognize them, so I don’t think they’re members. They must be people from town.

They’re discussing some teacher they all know and reminiscing about things from their childhood. I stop listening and let my thoughts drift with the music.

I must’ve gotten too relaxed in my environment. I feel two strong hands grip my hips and everything inside me turns to ice, and I freeze. A man’s voice whispers in my ear, “Don’t stop now, Princess. We’re just getting started. Come a little closer, baby. Let’s have us some fun.” His grip tightens as he begins to move me in time with his motions.

I don’t know this man. I don’t want him touching me. I try to think of a polite way to get out of this situation, not wanting to cause a scene. I’m sure he means no harm.

You’re okay. It’s okay. Keep breathing. Politely excuse yourself to the bathroom and everything will be fine.

I start to turn to face him, but as I grab his hand I notice he’s wearing a pinky ring.

His pinky ring.

My breathing picks up, my legs stop moving. My heartbeat is thundering in my ears.

It can’t be him. He can’t be here. How would he have known where to find me?

I hear voices around me, but they sound so far away. I recognize Sadie shouting at someone to back the hell up and get their hands off me. I hear her words, but I can’t bring myself to speak. I open my mouth to try but nothing comes out. The words feel trapped.

Just like me.

She’s yelling at someone else now, but my heartbeat is too loud. I can’t make out her words.

My head swims, and my sight is turning black around the edges. There’s motion all around me, but I can’t make out any other sounds except my own breathing as I gasp for each breath. Everything else sounds muffled.

I can’t bring anything into focus.

Sadie? I need Sadie.

She would never leave me when I’m like this. She knows.

She’s shouting at someone to move. Several hands grab me at once, and I feel my legs give out as I drop to my knees on the ground. The feel of the cold cement under my bare legs takes me back to that place and time.

Then everything goes dark.