Down & Dirty: Linc (Dirty Angels MC Book 9) Page 18

  “I want to defend innocent people. Whether they’re falsely accused or are arrested due to shoddy police work. People like your son.” Jayde shot her father a pointed look. “I don’t want what happened to Zak to happen to others, Dad. He lost ten years of his life because of it.” She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to her father’s cheek, then held up a key fob. “Yes?”

  Mitch’s gaze bounced from the fob in her fingers to Jayde’s face then to Linc before landing back on Jayde. After a long moment and an equally long sigh, he finally agreed. “Fine.”

  Jayde smiled and released a cute little squeal. “Thanks, Daddy. Love you.”

  Mitch closed his eyes and stood there silently.

  Linc figured they’d better split while the splitting was good.

  He yanked on the suitcase handles and rolled them noisily down the porch steps heading double-time over to her Camaro.

  Jayde followed with a big smile and a spring in her step. He loaded up her car and waited until she pulled out of the driveway before following his woman home.

  Dinner. All of them at dinner. Since she was no longer on any pain medication, she couldn’t blame the drugs, couldn’t ignore that fact that this wasn’t a hallucination.

  Because it wasn’t.

  Linc’s hand was on her knee under the table and every once in a while, he’d squeeze it. More like every time Mitch spoke, he’d squeeze it. She shot him a glance. Was he nervous sitting around the table with her family?

  It started out awkward, which was no surprise, especially after the last time they tried this, when Z walked out.

  But for whatever reason, Mitch—and, surprisingly, Zak—was willing to try again.

  She wondered if her father banged his head during a police incident.

  Z sat at one end of the table, disturbingly quiet. Their father sat at the other. And neither looked at each other.

  That had to be awkward.

  Her mom sat to Mitch’s right, Axel sat to his left, then Bella. Sophie sat to Z’s right, Linc to his left and Jayde was sitting in the middle across from Bella.

  Axel was going on and on about something, but Jayde wasn’t sure if anyone was paying attention.

  Well, until he said, “And Ace wants to give her away.”

  Wait. What did she miss?

  Axel turned his blue eyes to Z’s end of the table. “Brother, want you and Soph there. It’s important. And not just you. Bella’s DAMC, so...” He sucked in a breath. “Shit. Don’t know how this is going to work.” He sat back and scrubbed a hand over his short hair. “I really don’t know how this is going to work,” he turned to Bella, “with both your family and members of the police department being there.”

  “Could be a fuckin’ disaster,” Z muttered.

  “Maybe we should elope,” Axel suggested.

  “Maybe we shouldn’t do it at all,” Bella returned softly.

  April leaned forward, saying, “You probably need to be married to adopt, Bella.”

  “Baby, we’ll figure it out,” Axel whispered to his fiancée.

  “Right.” Bella snorted. “I can imagine it now, a big brawl breaking out, D punching a cop and getting thrown in jail.” She shook her head.

  “You can do two celebrations,” Jayde said. “One for us, and then one for the cops.”

  “Us?” Mitch asked, his gaze landed on her, then it slid over to Linc. “Us now?” He eyeballed Z. “He claim your sister at the table?”

  Z pulled his shoulders back and pursed his lips, staring at their father before saying, “Yeah. Gotta problem with that?”

  Jayde was surprised when Axel spoke up. “Dad, you knew that would happen. Shouldn’t be a surprise.”

  Linc’s fingers were no longer squeezing her knee, instead they had a death grip on her thigh. She slid her hand over his and squeezed gently. He released the grip, turned his hand over and intertwined their fingers.

  “Dad, it’s not like we’re married...” Yet.

  Color started creeping into her father’s face. That was not a good sign. “I know! You’re a biker’s ol’ lady! That’s worse!”

  “Here we fuckin’ go again,” Z muttered under his breath next to Linc.

  “No. It isn’t,” Linc said. His head twisted toward Mitch to address him. “It isn’t. Told you I was gonna do my best with your daughter. Claiming her is proof of that.”

  “Turning her into your claimed property is best for her?” her father blustered.

  “Shows her how important she is to me. Shows my loyalty. My dedication. Sorry you don’t see it like that, but that’s what it is.”

  Mitch stared at her, his jaw tight. “Are you wearing his colors?”

  “Dad—”

  “Just on the club runs,” Linc answered.

  Mitch’s nostrils flared. “See, honey? This is what happens when you become a man’s property. You don’t even get to finish your sentences.”

  April cleared her throat. “Honey, you do realize you do that all the time to me, right?”

  Mitch turned to his wife and blinked.

  Jayde rolled her lips under as her mother continued, “What’s the difference between Andrew claiming Jayde at the table or sliding an engagement ring onto her finger? He’s showing her how much he loves her.”

  Uh...

  “It’s true. Love your daughter. Gonna do right by her. Promised you that. Not breaking that promise.”

  Uh...

  “An’ he knows his ass is on the line if he does,” Zak said to Linc with a raised brow.

  Linc gave a nod to her oldest brother. “Got you, brother.”

  Zak gave him a return nod.

  Hold up. They needed to get back to this “love” part. She couldn’t let that go ignored.

  Jayde leaned over and whispered to Linc. “You think if you’re going to tell people you love me, you could actually tell me first?”

  “Told you,” he said under his breath.

  “No.”

  His brows furrowed as he turned his full attention on her. “Yeah.”

  “When?”

  “Mentioned it when you were still living here.”

  “When I was drugged up?”

  Linc only frowned at her.

  “Did I say it back?”

  His frown deepened. Jayde glanced around the table to see everyone with their eyes and ears on them.

  Shit.

  “We’ll talk about this later,” she whispered.

  Oh, but no. Her father wasn’t letting that one go, either. “No, honey, let’s hear it. You’re wearing his cut. Living with him. Man tells you he loves you, I expect to hear an answer.”

  Jayde’s jaw dropped as she stared at her father. The man was almost looking smug at the head of the table.

  “Don’t need to say it,” Linc muttered next to her. “’Specially if it ain’t true.”

  Wow. That... that cut her. “Linc...” she whispered.

  “Can we get back to our wedding?” Axel asked.

  Jayde appreciated the fact her brother was trying to pull the attention from her and Linc and that extremely uncomfortable moment.

  But then both of her brothers were the bomb, which was cemented by Zak speaking up next.

  “No, we can’t. So no one dies, you’re gonna need to elope, so that fuckin’ conversation is over.” Z said matter-of-factly. “Got somethin’ else to talk ‘bout. It’s important. Figured might as well do it tonight.”

  Now what?

  Everyone seemed to be sitting around the table on the edge of their seat. This time it wasn’t because of awkwardness and nervousness. Now it was due to anticipation. Of course Z wasn’t on the edge of his. He always sprawled in any chair—even an uncomfortable wooden one—like it was a La-Z-Boy recliner and managed to look cool about it.

  Z turned toward his wife, who gave him a little nod, then he pointed his gaze at Axel. “Got a question for you, Ax. It’ll affect Bella, too. Already talked to her an’ she’s good with it.” Axel shot a glance at Bella, w
ho ignored him as Z continued, “Askin’ you two to take Zeke if anything ever happens to me an’ Soph.”

  Axel’s eyes became wide and he didn’t even bother to hide his surprise. No, it was more than surprise. He was stunned, as were their parents. “Like his guardian?”

  Wow. That was a huge step to fixing the remaining rift between her brothers. One she never thought would be smoothed over completely. And for Z to actually make that leap...

  Zak lifted a shoulder and let it fall. “Yeah, like that. Even if somethin’ just happens to me. Need you to step in an’ be a father figure to my son. Know he’s got the club to help raise ‘im. Everyone would step in, help Sophie. Want ‘im to grow up DAMC, got me? But, fuck, Ax... You’re my brother. My actual blood.”

  Oh my God. Jayde peered into her water glass with suspicion. Had her mother drugged them all?

  “Need you to step up if something happens, it’s all I’m askin’. Willin’ to do that for me?”

  April slapped a hand onto Mitch and was squeezing his forearm so hard that her knuckles were turning white. Their parents’ eyes met briefly, then they turned back to Axel, waiting for his answer. Jayde wondered if she appeared as shell-shocked as Axel did. His mouth hung open and it looked like he struggled to close it.

  “I... Uh... You sure you want me and not Diesel? You two have always been as close as brothers.” A look of regret slipped across his face. “Actually, closer.”

  “Yeah, but D’s got his hands full already an’ if you haven’t heard, Jewelee’s expectin’ number two. An’...” He glanced at Sophie, who wore a secret smile, then back to Axel. “So’s Soph.”

  April let out a high-pitched squeal that made everyone wince as she jumped to her feet, rushing over to Sophie and wrapping her arms around her. “That’s great news!”

  Jayde slammed back against her chair and blinked. She should feel happy, feel joyous like her mother, like Z and Sophie, who now wore huge grins. But she wasn’t sure what she felt. Maybe a little bit...

  Hollow.

  She glanced over at Bella, but the woman showed no reaction to the news. While her face appeared neutral, Axel was watching her carefully. Most likely Zak gave her the heads up before announcing it to everyone else. But, what the hell, maybe he should have done the same with her and Linc. Especially so soon...

  “Did you know?” Jayde asked Linc softly. She didn’t think anyone heard her with how her mother was squealing and yelling and crying as she alternated hugging the stuffing out of both Sophie and Zak.

  “No,” was all Linc said, his face an unreadable mask.

  But she was wrong, Z had heard her. He scraped a hand through his dark hair. “Fuck, sis, sorry. Shoulda warned you an’ Bel—”

  Their attention was drawn to Axel rising from his chair and stepping behind Bella to wrap her in his arms. She seemed to be fine until her brother did that, then she just looked sad.

  “It’s one thing I want to give you and can’t,” Bella whispered.

  April became silent while they watched another shocking moment. Which was Mitch reaching out, grabbing one of Bella’s hands and giving it a squeeze.

  Who was that man?

  Bella’s words cut her deep. She knew how much Axel wanted a child with her. But that day would never come. It was one reason Jayde had gone to them about adopting her baby.

  Their baby.

  Jaymes.

  Jayde wiped a stray tear from her cheek. Out of everyone at the table, she understood Bella’s loss better than anyone.

  She couldn’t even be their surrogate by using one of her eggs, because the sperm would have to come from her brother.

  So yeah. That wouldn’t work. And Bella’s sister, Ivy, had a hard time conceiving herself. Though now she would soon pop out Jag’s first child. Otherwise she would have made a good surrogate.

  “Baby,” Linc murmured next to her, then caught another one of her rogue tears on his thumb. “You okay?”

  She sniffled and nodded. No reason for tears, unless they were happy ones. Sophie being pregnant, giving Jayde another niece or nephew was good news, not sad. “Yes. I’m happy for them.”

  “Yeah,” he breathed.

  April moved around the table, giving Jayde’s shoulder a squeeze before returning to her seat. “Well, now you definitely need a bigger place.”

  “Yeah. Movin’ outta the bakery. Gonna build a place. DAMC’s buyin’ a big piece of property an’ making a gated complex.” He looked at Mitch. “Linc an’ Jayde’s gonna get a place built, too.”

  “We are?” Jayde whispered. “Did you know about that?”

  Again, Linc answered with a soft, “No.”

  Z continued, ignoring Jayde’s shock. “Yeah. Gotta keep family close. Keep ‘em safe.”

  “That’s quite an undertaking, Zakary,” Mitch said quietly.

  Z lifted his chin in the typical stubborn Jamison way. “Yep, sure is.”

  A cry came from the other room where Zeke was sleeping in a playpen. Before Sophie could push her chair back, Mitch was out of his. “I’ll get him.”

  Jayde thought her jaw dropped for the millionth time that evening. Everyone just stared at Mitch as he left the dining room and headed into the den. Then they all just blinked at each other in stunned silence.

  “Mom, are you drugging Dad or something?” Jayde asked.

  April whispered, “I threatened to leave him if he didn’t fix all of this.”

  “Mom!” Axel exclaimed.

  “Holy shit,” Jayde mumbled. “Mom laid down the law.”

  “Well, I’m tired of this division. It’s gone on way too long. I shouldn’t have to sneak around to see my own goddamn grandchild. Soon to be grandchildren. Having dinner at this table should be done every Sunday—”

  “Club runs,” Z muttered.

  Their mother’s light brown eyes landed on her oldest son. “What?”

  “Runs are on Sunday, Mom. Party at church after.”

  Their mother waved a hand around in exasperation. “Whatever, I’ll pick another night.”

  Z and Axel both groaned in unison.

  “I work rotating shifts, Mom,” Axel said. “It’s hard to plan something weekly.”

  “Once a month?” she asked.

  Jayde heard the hope in her mother’s voice and didn’t want to dash it. “Once a month would be great, Mom. Right, Linc?”

  Green eyes blinked back at her. She jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.

  “Uh, yeah. Great.”

  Sophie leaned closer to Z. “You think your dad is doing okay with Zeke?”

  Zak looked in the direction their father went. “Fuck,” he muttered.

  “I’m just saying, maybe you should go check on them,” Sophie suggested. Jayde didn’t miss the look in her eyes. The woman was a master manipulator—of the good kind—when it came to her husband. And apparently, the Jamison family in general.

  “Fuck,” Z muttered again.

  “I can go check on them,” April said, starting to stand.

  “No!” Sophie yelled, then quickly recovered. “No, Zak can do it.” She faced her husband. “Why don’t you check, please?”

  “Babe.”

  “Zak.”

  “Babe.”

  Sophie lifted her eyebrows and pursed her lips.

  Z sighed, then muttered, “Fuck,” one more time as he pushed away from the table.

  Axel leaned forward and glanced down the table at Sophie. “You sure that’s a good idea?”

  “What’s the worst that can happen? They get in a knock-down, drag-out brawl like you two did in the parking lot of The Iron Horse?”

  Axel sat back and shut up. Bella was staring at the table, hiding a smile. At least she had pulled out of her funk.

  “You did what?” April squeaked.

  “Nothing,” Axel muttered.

  “You two boys got into a physical fight? And tried to hurt each other?” April’s voice rose a few octaves.

  Axel sighed.

  “Axel, w
e’ll get Kiki to draw up the emergency guardianship papers, if you’re okay with it.” Sophie to the rescue. Again.

  “He’s good with it,” Bella answered.

  “Um,” Axel started.

  “And have her include baby number two, as well,” Bella added.

  “Um.” He glanced at Bella, then to Sophie. “Yeah, I’m good with it.”

  Bella smiled. Sophie smiled. April beamed. And Jayde figured it was time for her and Linc to get the hell out of there.

  She had something important to tell him. And not at the table in front of her family.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “It’s been a month.”

  Linc glanced up from scrolling through his cell phone. He was sitting against the headboard and had been waiting for her to finish “getting ready for bed.” Getting ready for bed for him meant stripping off his clothes, leaving them where they dropped onto the floor and then climbing into bed wearing nothing but his fucking tattoos.

  For her. Not so much.

  For her, it took what seemed like fucking hours. But then, the bathroom was stuffed full of shit he never saw before, never even knew existed. She had creams and lotions, gadgets and torture instruments for everything. And he really didn’t fucking care what they were all for. He just knew it was like having a whole drugstore shoved into one tiny bathroom. Forget finding a spot for his razor and shaving cream. And in the shower... fuck... all he needed was a damn bar of soap. She had shit covering every available surface in there. Poufs, body washes, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream... the shit was endless.

  Women.

  “Yeah,” he said when he realized she was waiting for an answer.

  She walked deeper into the room and stood at the foot of the bed. “I’m ready.”

  With zero makeup on her face and her long hair falling loosely around her shoulders... that alone was enough to give him a fucking hard-on. But her stating she was “ready” turned that erection into a ballistic missile. Especially since she was wrapped up in her silky pink robe that clung to her hips and clearly showed how hard her nipples were. Fuck.

  “Yeah,” he finally grunted.

  “Are you?”

  She normally just wore a tight little camisole that hugged her tits to bed along with some shorts that showed off her sweet thighs he couldn’t wait to get back in between. But she never wore that robe around the apartment, so he wondered what she had up her sleeve.