Jayden (Aces MC Series Book 4.5) (8 page)

Jayden

"Hi babe, how you been?"
Paige stood from her chair to greet me and air kissed either side of my face.
"What's with the air kissing?" I asked before grabbing Paige and
bringing her in for a hug."
"Shit Jay, you'll crease my outfit."
"Fuck your outfit, you should be over the moon that your big handsome
brother is home."
Paige rolled her eyes, "Oh I am but can the women of Essex handle
it?"
I sniggered at her smart mouth, she was certainly one of a kind and that's why
I enjoyed spending time with her.
"What can I get you two?" I turned to see Amy with a bright smile on
her face.
"Hi Amy, how are you?" I leaned in close and gave her a kiss on her
cheek. She was a good looking woman and had it all going on but she was a
forbidden fruit.
"Very well thank you, and you?" she asked out of politeness.
"All the better for seeing you babe," I gave her a wink as I sat
down.
Amy smiled ignoring my comment, "So what can I get you?"
"A room!" Paige said in a clipped tone as she sat in the opposite
chair folding her arms.
"Amy knows I'm messing," I turned towards her and gave her my biggest
smile. "Could I please just have scrambled eggs on toast and a glass of
iced water?"
"You on a diet?"
I scoffed at Paige's question, "No, I'm sparring with CJ later."
Paige raised her brows, "And how long has CJ been your bestie?"
"He's not my bestie, I'm his sparring partner that's all."
"And what would you like Paige?"
"Sorry Amy, can I have the same please." Amy wrote the order on her
pad before walking over to greet a couple that had just entered the cafe.

"So how are things with you?
You're looking well." Paige had a healthy glow about her and I didn't know
if it was due to her being drug free or because of her busy love life.
"I'm doing okay, I'm still seeing the councillor."
"Well that's a good thing isn't it?" I knew this process wouldn't be
an overnight thing, fucking hell she'd be lucky to even go a day not thinking
about it.
"It was difficult at first, you know talking about what happened but I've
built a good relationship now with the councillor."
"Well I'm pleased things are working out okay, and what about your love
life?"
"The love life is okay too."
Paige's facial expression didn't change, she wasn't giving anything away
although I was aware of her relationship with Cade through correspondence with
Chloe. "Is that all you're saying?"
"Yes. Changing the subject so it's about you and not me, you've upset mum
and dad."
"Yeah I know, I didn't mean to but they just need to chill and let us all
get on with our lives. You if anyone should know how I'm feeling right
now."
"I can see it from both sides babe. I was like you before, bottling up my
secrets but it was only when it all came out that I could try and put it all behind
me."
I rubbed my forehead, "I'm not sure if I like the reasonable adult Paige?"
I said humorously.
"Haha!"
Amy placed our drinks on the table and left us to our conversation. "So
what's the gossip, I know you're the hub of anything juicy!"
"Were do I start. Our dear sister is seeing a club member." She said
dryly picking up her glass to take a sip.
"No fucking way! Who?"
Paige's excitement grew, "Why don't you guess?"
"I wouldn't know where to start. Who would be so stupid to even
contemplate touching Chloe knowing she's a club member's daughter?"
"Well, as far as I'm aware he's been told to stay away and it looks like
he is but I just don't know how long they can keep it up."
"The only blokes I can think of are Ramsey and Buster but they're
prospects not members." I tried to rack by brain trying to think if
there'd been any tell tale signs but I was at a loss.
"Woods!"
"No fucking way."
"Oh yes fucking way, I caught them snogging in the yard so I've seen it
with my own eyes."
"Well he's a good bloke but he obviously has a death wish." I
couldn't believe that Woods would pursue something so crazy.
"But can you help who you fall for?"
"I suppose not but you should be able to have a little restraint and not
give in to every urge." At that moment thoughts of Sam entered my mind
making me smile.
"Even if it could be your happy ever after?"
"Seriously, what have you done with the old Paige?" I asked sarcastically.
I'd never known her to be so reasonable before and see the positives in life.
"She's still in here don't worry about that."
"You never would've stuck up for Chloe in the past, not that I ever
condoned you slagging her off I just find it hard to believe."
Paige sniggered and picked up her glass to take another sip of water, "I'm
the same old Paige but just have a different outlook on life. If Woods makes
her happy then I can't see why it's an issue her being with him."
"I agree but it's a respect thing, he needs to speak to dad about it
probably to ask for permission but I can't see a sane person doing that."
We both sniggered at my response, Woods was a good bloke and would treat Chloe
right but the lifers in the club needed to be a little open minded at times and
that wasn't happening any time soon.

Amy placed our lunch on the table,
"That looks lovely Amy, thank you." I picked up the pepper pot and
sprinkled some on top of the egg.
"You're welcome." Amy turned to walk away and then stepped back as if
she'd forgotten something. I looked up registering her confusion.
"Sorry but I overheard some of your conversation, I don't mean to pry but
how do you think Frank would react knowing that those two were getting it
on?"
"Do you know something we don't Amy?" Paige asked affronted that
someone would know more about her sister than her.
Amy shook her hand, "No but if they were serious about each other and you
think your dad would accept it, I could at least speak to Mitchell to try and
smooth the water."
"Thanks Amy, I'll speak to Chloe and see what the state of play is."
"Okay, I'm only trying to help." Amy smiled and left us to continue
with her work.

"Fucking do gooder!" I
laughed and spluttered water down the front of my polo shirt. "Well, she
does my fucking head in acting the fucking innocent and flouncing around like
she's Mother fucking Teresa. Look I can cook, I work in a refuge, I babysit
children, I get along with everyone!"
"Could you get any more f's into that sentence?"
"I probably fucking could if I tried. Did you know that she nearly broke
my nose a couple of months ago?"
"I didn't but why would sweet little Amy do that?" I asked
sarcastically knowing that it would rile her further. See this is the thing, I
knew Paige better than anyone and knew how to push her buttons and sit back to
watch the show.
"She said she didn't like me but that's beside the point, she fucking head
butted me! What sane person head butts another?"
I sniggered at her response, "You must have annoyed her Paige, Amy has a
kind temperament and wouldn't go around head butting people for no
reason."
"Well I may have said something about her relationship with Recon but that
doesn't give her the right to assault me." I rolled my eyes, so there was
a genuine reason for Amy to get upset, I thought as much as that was so out of
character.
"Anyway enough about me, how are things with you?"
Paige was the only person that I felt comfortable talking about myself to, well
tell a lie as I could add Sam to that list. "All good, I've settled in at
CJ's and met his family yesterday as I'll be doing a bit of work for them."
"Those boys are hot, Rian especially."
"How do you know the family? I only met them yesterday."
"Face book!"
I sniggered, "You've stalked them on Face book?"
"I'm a girl it's what we do."
"No, I think you'll find that's what stalkers do!"
"Well if they don't want people to see their hot chests and bulging biceps
then they shouldn't put images all over the internet for me to see." Paige
picked up her phone that was on the table and continued to beaver away looking
for something. "Here you go!" Paige smiled as she passed me her
phone, I flicked through the images to see Rian in some compromising positions.
"Oh my god, really?"
Paige nodded her head as she chewed on her food, and took the phone off me to
place it back onto the table. "He's a hotty in fact they all are."
I shook my head in disbelief that my baby sister was perving over one of my
mate's brothers but even more shocked that Rian would set up a Face book page
for her to be able to perv.

I glanced at my watch, "Right
I better be going I've gotta be at the clubhouse in ten."
"Sparring friend!" Paige air quoted mimicking the Inbetweeners.
"Fuck off!"
Paige sniggered at my response. "It was great catching up, we'll have to
do it again soon."
"I agree, give me a call when you're free." I stood to make my way
around the table and bent down to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Look
after yourself, and stop perving over my mate's brothers!"
"I can only promise to one of them."
I threw a note on the table to cover the cost of lunch and gave her a quick
wink before leaving the cafe and taking the short journey over to the
clubhouse.

"Come on CJ, you gotta work
harder than that!" I was putting him through his paces this afternoon, I couldn't
move around as much as I would've liked but I was able to take a punch and duck
accordingly in order for him to get a good workout. I'd decided to bring him to
the yard this afternoon rather than the usual confines of the gym for a change
of scenery, this also gave us a lot more room to move around in like the real
fight.
I'd conducted some extensive research over the last couple of days and was more
aware of the set up of bare knuckle fighting. I just thought two men would rock
up, knock the shit out of each other and whoever could still stand at the end
won, more of a brawl then a fight but there was big money riding on this and
most importantly pride. CJ needed to keep his fitness up and over the past week
he had upped his game and was taking everything more seriously, he'd even
drafted Amy in to cook him protein rich meals each day at the cafe to keep his
energy levels up.

"What's this? You look like
your rehearsing for the fucking ballet rather than training for a fight."
I turned towards the voice but already knew that it was Lyric trying to wind CJ
up. He had hold of a dog that was pulling on the lead attached to its neck as
it got excited by the movement around him.
I shook my head and lifted my arms again to face CJ, he surprisingly kept his
cool and ignored Lyric's comment as he continued with his workout.
"What's the matter baby, are you getting excited about the silly boys learning
how to fight?" I assumed Lyric was talking to his dog as there was no one
else in the yard but continued to press CJ by stepping closer to apply pressure
on him and make him change his footing. The dog was barking loudly and I
started to lose a little concentration but I pursued closer to CJ only stopping
at the look of horror on his face.
The dog had stopped barking and silence fell around me, I spun my head around
looking at the worried faces of CJ and Lyric before I noticed some of the guys
had come out of the clubhouse to see what was going on. Everything seemed to be
in slow motion again, like it had the day of my injury. I returned my attention
back to CJ and followed his eyes down to my leg to see the dog gnawing on my
prosthetic limb.

I tried to shake it off but its
jaw was locked and the weight of the dog was slowly pulling me to the ground.
The silence quickly lifted and with it, a hive of activity as the group surged
towards me to get the dog off my leg. I saw their confused faces but they went
about trying to prize open the jaws of the dog.
Whack! Justice punched it square in the face but it clamped harder and shook
it's head aggressively pulling me to the ground in the process.
"Don't fucking hit her." Lyric rushed forward to try and get to the
dog but was held back by Duke.
"We've gotta get her off Jay, don't make matters worse." Duke growled
obviously annoyed by the situation.
The guys continued to grapple with the dog but it wasn't letting go.
"Stick your finger up its arse!"Everyone stopped what they were doing
including myself to look at Ramsey. "What?" he asked shrugging.
"I read it in an article once."
"I don't know if I'm more shocked that you can read or that you're asking
me to stick my finger up a dogs arse." Justice sniggered to the roar of
laughter from the group.
"Trust me, lift her hind legs and insert your finger."
Through the commotion, I saw Justice screw his face as he slowly lifted its
hind legs and looked in the region of the dogs arse. "I've fucked some
dogs in my time but this takes the piss!"

"Move out the fucking
way." Before I knew what was going on Recon stomped over to the group
pushing people out of the way. "Cover your face Jay." I looked
towards Recon's hand and saw the glock briefly before he lifted it to the dogs head
and pulled the trigger.

The noise echoed around the yard
as the guys all stood in a state of shock. I immediately wiped the shit from my
face as I didn't have time to cover it before he pulled the trigger. I was also
struggling to hear as the close proximity of the gun being fired sent a ringing
in my ears.

"You fucking prick!"
Duke still had hold of Lyric, and there was no way that he'd be able to free
himself unless Duke wanted him to but he tried by twisting and turning, trying
to get to Recon.
He stood tall and slid his glock into his back pocket, "Tell me something
I don't already know." Recon kept his cool and slowly walked over to
Lyric, "If Tommy or Devon were running around this yard, it could've been
them rather than old peg leg there. This is your fucking mess, now clear it
up." Recon pointed to the dead dog on the ground and turned on his heels
walking slowly towards the clubhouse.
"You'll pay for this you son of a bitch," Lyric shouted after him.
Duke loosened his grip and Lyric broke free and collapsed at his dog's side. Out
of the corner of my eye, I noticed Recon turn back around probably wanting to
have another go but Duke stuck out his arm to halt him.
"Duke brought me here as the Sergeant at Arms which makes me the enforcer.
Now if that were a crazy bloke attacking one of our guys I wouldn't have had to
shoot him because you would've done it before I arrived. It's no difference
that it's a fucking dog, it's just a godsend that Nemo here, has a lucky
fin."
The guy's roared with laughter as CJ helped me to my feet. I continued to wipe
the dog off my face the best I could but I was only making it worse. I breathed
in the smell and it immediately made me feel sick, I doubled over and heaved,
vomiting onto the ground. The retching eventually hurt my throat and I couldn't
bring any more up but it was all that I could smell. I pulled my t-shirt up
over my head trying not to wipe anymore onto my skin and threw it to the
ground. My tracksuit bottoms were flapping around in the wind around my prosthetic
leg, visible for everyone to see where the dog had ripped them apart so I had
nothing to hide. I simply pulled at the waistband of my joggers and brought
them over my thighs, as I went to step out of them CJ came to my aid but I
shooed him away, as I was more than capable of undressing myself although it
was a little difficult. I stood in my boxers feeling the wind swirl around me
as the guys couldn't help but stare.