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They’d moved on. Why did she have to return to his life now, of all times? He needed to get rid of her.
Kara and Dylan. Bad combination. Did she realize the kid was into stealing from jewelry stores? Did she know he courted trouble and stood on the verge of arrest?
He focused on fixing the motorcycle he needed to repair before tomorrow. The smells of grease and oil lingered in the air, along with the delicate trace of Kara’s perfume. Something light and floral. Not heavy. He remembered breathing it in as he’d nuzzled her neck with long, sweeping kisses that made her tremble in his arms...
His hand slipped on the wrench and he cursed another blue streak.
For an hour, he worked steadily on the bike until something made him glance up.
Big Mike stood at the garage entrance, silhouetted by the bright sunlight outside.
Not a social call, either. Jace could tell. Mike seldom visited the garage except when his own bike needed repairs.
This wasn’t good. The garage floor seemed to quake beneath the tread of Big Mike’s boots as the barrel-chested biker strode forward. He wasn’t happy. And not about the condition of the bike Jace was working on right now.
Jace set down the socket wrench, trying to ignore the little hairs on his arms and the back of his neck saluting the air. Mike stood six feet, four inches tall and outweighed Jace by at least one hundred pounds.
He can turn me into dog food. Show no fear.
Too much had been invested in this assignment. He was closer to nailing the guy at the top of the food chain. Couldn’t blow it now.
“What’s up, big dog?” he asked Mike.
The man scowled. “I saw you talking with Diesel earlier. He just got released. How the hell do you know him?”
A bead of sweat trickled down Jace’s back, nudged itself into the waistband of his jeans. He shrugged. “Fellow biker, just chatting. Guy told me he was imprisoned. He wanted to know a cheap place to rent.”
Not a lie, but not the full truth, either.
My own father didn’t know me. Thank You, sweet Lord.
At Big Mike’s silence, he broke his own rule to never offer more information than necessary. The biker’s scowl hadn’t lessened.
“Diesel told me he used to go on runs with the DP. I think he was looking for work. He told me his name was Al and the garage was named after him. You think I should avoid the guy?”
He made his voice flattering and subservient, eager as a puppy wanting to please his owner for treats.Here’s a good boy.
Big Mike’s expression didn’t change. “Stay away from Diesel.”
Jace saluted him with the wrench. “No problem.”
My pleasure, dickwad. I have no intention of seeing dear old Dad again.
As Jace squatted down to the floor again, the other man added, “There’s something about you I don’t trust. You smell all wrong, Gator. Like trouble. Big trouble. You’re not telling us everything.”
“Sure I am, man.” Jace kept his voice steady. “What do I have to hide?”
“I’ve been watching you,” Big Mike said, squatting down and coming inches from Jace’s face. “And I gotta say, I don’t think you’re who you say you are. You act funny.”
Think of a way to defuse the situation. “Funny ha ha?”
“Don’t mess around with me, Gator.” Big Mike narrowed his eyes. “You’ve been acting weird. Asking too many questions. I don’t like how you’re getting close to Lance. Not when you’re acting as if you have something to hide.”
Jace felt real alarm. He had to think fast. “Yeah, I get it. You’re right. I do have something to hide.”
Big Mike stood and stared him down. Jace stared back and stood, flexing his arms. “The something I have to hide is that girl you saw at the Tiki Bar two months ago. Her name’s Kara. I finally got her interested again. I don’t want Lance or anyone sniffing around her, disrupting my plans to get laid.” He narrowed his eyes. “Got it?”
“Kara,” the biker said slowly.
