This Broken Beautiful Thing Read online

  I didn’t realize I could be that far along, that means I was pregnant longer than I realized. I was disappointed in myself when Lynn lectured me on my weight; I never want to cause my baby harm ever.

  “Harley who is your…uh…friend here?” Lynn says in a snotty voice.

  “He’s um –”I say but I’m interrupted by Jace.

  “I’m her man, why are you speaking to her so rudely?” Jace says as he turns around and stands up next to the bed opposite Lynn with an angry expression.

  “Jace, wait. This is Ashley’s mom, you know that best friend I told you about? I’ve known Lynn for a long time and she’s like a mother to me. Calm down big man.” I say as I reach out for his arm and pull him closer to me.

  “Oh… Sorry Ma’am.” He murmurs looking back and forth between us.

  “Honey why did he say he’s your man? Why isn’t Caleb here with you?” she asks genuinely now looking back at me.

  “Me and Caleb aren’t… I mean… he-” I say but I’m interrupted yet again by Jace.

  “Well that piece of shit isn’t here because Harley caught him having sex with none other than…your daughter!” Jace sneers as his temper rises again and his face turns red. I hear Lynn gasp and cover her mouth in shock.

  “What! Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry honey…I don’t know what to do with her anymore.” She walks back and forth scratching her head. “I don’t understand how she could do that to you? You both are as close as sisters! She loves you as much as we do. I’m so sorry honey, don’t you worry when I see that girl her father and I will be having a few words, her behavior is so disappointing.” Lynn says in an angry tone. “What is going to happen to the baby and you? Where will you be going? Have you told Caleb yet?” she rambles on nervously as her attention turns back on me.

  “I’m going to be living with my father as you already know. I still have to tell them about the baby. You know I was supposed to tell him tonight, you knew how special tonight was…but yeah… I am going to tell him, I just need a little space right now. I can’t look at him in the face after what he did…not for a while at least.” I say as I wipe the tears away from my face. Jace comes up to me and rubs my back, he smells good… manly.

  “Of course honey…you call me if you need anything.” She gives me a hug and leaves the room.

  Jace and I sit in silence before he decides to speak up.

  “Sorry about my temper…I kind of have a short fuse and I didn’t like the way she was talking to you.” Jace says as he moves his hands through his long messy hair moving the hair that’s falling into his face.

  “Yeah I noticed. “ I chuckle.

  “You know… you didn’t have to lie to your father about the accident. I deserved to get my ass beat by him for skipping the light.” He says as he sits on the chair next to my bed and gets comfortable leaning back with his arms behind his head, boots up right against my bed. His arms are covered with various tattoos and it only adds to his masculine beauty.

  “I don’t want there to be a dead body on my hands.” I tease him and he chuckles. “Why did you skip the light?”

  “I…ah…was on a job and I was trying to get out of there quickly. I had someone on my tail but when I hit you, they drove past not wanting to be there when the cop’s came. I wasn’t focused on the road and I didn’t even see your car until it was too late. I’m sorry babe.” Jace says and his voice is full of sorrow.

  “A job?” I ask him.

  “Um…yeah for your dad and please don’t ask me what job because I really don’t want you to think badly of me anymore than you already do.” He lets out a small laugh but I know he’s faking it, just trying to sway from the topic.

  “C’mon just tell me? I give him a pleading look and I can see he’s about to cave.

  “Okay but you keep this between me and you and don’t tell your daddy, he will kill me if he hears me telling his little girl all his club business. Ah man… I really don’t want to tell you.” he signs but continues.

  “Okay, so Grimm sends me around for the money runs. Meaning, I collect the cash from the guys that owe him but…if they don’t …I ah….rough them up a little…just to get the point across that we don’t expect tardiness on our payments. So that’s what happened tonight, I had to get in and outta there quickly before anyone sees but a couple of their guys came after me. I swear I never saw you at the robots and I feel terrible that I’ve put you through all of this.” Jace says quietly and I see the regret all over his face.

  I knew the club was dangerous and my dad was involved in illegal activities but I didn’t know the extent of it all. I don’t understand how the Jace I’ve met , the one whose treated me with such gentleness is basically a hit man for my father. I’m shocked by what he tells me even though he looks exactly like the dangerous type I should stay away from, but I can’t seem to get him out of my head.

  We spend the rest of the morning chatting, I enjoy his company and spending time with him. My father and Anna come back and he looks angry, my mother was most probably at the house when he arrived. He doesn’t mention anything to me but I notice the tension in the air.

  My father argued with Lynn when she said she wanted me to stay in hospital for a few more days. He was still in the dark about the baby so to him all I had wrong with me was a few scratches and bruises. After he informed her that he will make sure his doctor keeps an eye on me she reluctantly let me leave that afternoon. Jace wheeled me out and I was thankful that Caleb and Ashley weren’t outside waiting for me. Jace helped me into my father’s SUV’s, dad’s Harley sits on a trailer at the back of the car. Yeah that bike is daddy’s pride and joy, no one else is allowed to drive it.

  I’m guessing you’ve realized how I ended up with the name I have...

  My body is sore and stiff, the medicine I was prescribed was definitely doing its magic. Jace sits in the back with me while Anna and daddy are up front. We’re escorted all three hours back to the club house. I woke up as Jace carried me into a room and placed me on the bed. I knew it was his room from the scent that surrounded me. He placed a side light on and I sat up in bed wiping my eyes.

  “Grimm told me to look after you;, he hasn’t had a chance to get your room ready. Guess you will be sleeping next to me so I can keep an eye on you if anything happens.” Jace winks as he closes his room door and stalks over towards a desk where he throws his leather jacket over the chair. I notice him pull something out from the back of his jeans and put it in the drawer next to his bed, it lands with a loud thud. I look closer….a gun. My eyes widen with surprise and I’m a little scared. I’ve never seen one in real life.

  I’ve only ever been around guys my age and even then they were never really much to look at because Caleb was everything I wanted and more. Aside from my father, I’ve never been around guys like Jace, he is angry and mean looking but the way he talks to me and treats me is something else. I’m so in awe of him and even though my conscience is screaming and telling me not to go down this road I just can’t keep my eyes off him.

  He sits on the bed and takes his boots off, followed by his shirt. He’s definitely something else. His chest has a tattoo of two large sparrows surrounded by beautiful red roses. His nipples are pierced too with small little studs in each. He suddenly stands and I watch his hands go to his black studded belt but suddenly he stops with his fingers on the zip of his jeans and he looks down at me.

  “Um… Sweetness, you might want to turn around, I’m commando.” His sexy grin appears and I know I’ve been caught staring. Thank goodness I’m not drooling. I quickly turn my head and hide it in his pillow covering my face as I lie down.

  Oh god how am I going to get any sleep with all THAT next to me…Argh…

  I feel the bed dip behind me and the covers are pulled, I move up to the other side of the bed as far away from him as possible. I take a sneak peak to see him getting comfortable leaning his hands behind his head.

  I raise an eyebrow and point to the large thick blanket,
“I swear Jace… you better not be naked underneath here.”

  He chuckles as he rests his head on his folded arm making the muscles stick out and flex. “Why don’t you have a look and find out?” he gives me a naughty smile as he lifts the blanket slightly. I quickly turn my head and whine, “Jace…”

  “Fuck…didn’t think I’d get this response the first time I brought a girl to my bed.” He says dramatically and I whip my head back to face him.

  “What do you mean first time you brought a girl to your bed?” I ask confused, surely he would have tons of girls lining up for him.

  I don’t know how but he reads my thoughts, “Oh baby I have plenty of girls waiting on me but I never bring them back here. I’d rather they not know where I stay so they don’t hassle me after all is said and done. I don’t want a relationship, I could never make one woman happy and I don’t do well with commitment. I’m still young, I can worry about having an old lady in a couple years. You’re the first girl to ever sleep here next to me.” He says in a cocky tone as if it doesn’t faze him.

  What a player….

  “That’s disgusting…” I fold my arms over my chest, “…and why am I so special that that you allow me to grace your precious bed with my presence?” I say sarcastically causing him to chuckle.

  “Yes you are very special…and…by that repulsed look you just gave me, I know your hands won’t wonder in your sleep, besides all that? You’re already pregnant…damage is already done.” He trails off laughing as if me being pregnant is a good enough reason for him allowing me in his bed.

  His cockiness annoys me, I turn over and put the side lamp off. I don’t climb under the blanket even if I am freezing my ass off and I curl up into a ball.

  “Harley if you don’t get under this blanket right now, I am going to make you.” Jace says firmly through the silence of the dark room.

  “Go to sleep Jace.” I say with the same tone as I make my pillow comfortable.

  “I’m wearing boxers for fuck sake just get under the blanket you stubborn woman.” he rumbles.

  “No.” I say through gritted teeth.

  “Fine…I warned you.” I feel him leave the bed, and then I hear his heavy footsteps in the dark as he walks towards my side of the bed.

  I won’t lie…I’m kind of scared.

  I see his shadow loom over me as he gently picks me up ignoring my squirms then pushes the blanket down and places me on the bed. He climbs in behind me and pushes me with his body towards the other side of the bed. I surrender and hold the blanket up to my chin enjoying the warmth from the spot that he was laying in moments before. I’m only wearing tight leggings and a long t-shirt that comes mid-thigh.

  Jace doesn’t stop there, he pulls me into his side so that my head is resting on his arm and his hand is over my stomach. The side of my body is pressed up against his front as he lies down facing me, I can feel his warm minty breath on my right temple. He slowly moves his hand over tummy and I flinch as his rough hands touch the bare skin under my belly button where my small baby bump is. Fact is I hardly know him and even though it feels like we know each other…we don’t, not really. I attempt to move his hand away.

  “Keep still baby, you don’t want to know what I’ll do next if you don’t listen to me this time.” Jace says against my head with a stern voice and I nod and sigh defeated and a little afraid. I don’t know why the hell my father would let the guy that’s beats up people for a living look after his daughter.

  I feel him smile against the skin of my temple when my body relaxes against his.

  “I like it when you listen to me babe. Are you warm now?” he says softly.

  “Yeah. Thanks Jace.” I whisper.

  He starts rubbing my stomach now from hip to hip. His large rough hands leave tingles all over my body. Only Caleb has ever touched me and left that feeling. The way he brushes his rough hands against my belly is such a protective gesture, I do it all the time when I think or worry about the baby growing inside of me and what the future holds for us.

  “I don’t know what I would have done if your baby didn’t make it.” He lets out a deep breath and I can feel his chest rise and fall against me.

  “I’m so sorry for putting you both through all of this.” He whispers in rough voice and slows the rubbing on my belly, my heart melts at his sincerity and affection. Without realizing it I relax and snuggle closer to his warm bare chest. I can’t see him in the dark but I can feel the ripples of the muscles in his stomach as well as the firmness of his chest and arms around me, I turn my face so that my cheek is now leaning against his warm chest and he snuggles closer to me breathing into my hair. His hand from the arm that I’m leaning on comes up pushing me impossibly closer against his chest as he softly runs his hands gently on my scalp through my hair. In this moment I feel so safe and protected in his warm arms.

  I guess that’s what I’m going to miss most about Caleb, how I felt when he held me tight. A tear falls from my eye as I clear the thoughts of Caleb from my mind. I breathe in Jace’s minty scent and instantly fall asleep

  CHAPTER 5:

  A week passes and the medicine Lynn has put me on has made me rather sleepy so I’ve hardly been outta bed the entire week. My father and Anna have been in and out of the room but Jace is always here. Ready to wake me up to get food or walk me to the bathroom, he even threatened the doctor that my dad sent to look at me. He told him about the pregnancy and that I didn’t want my father to know about it yet. I think the doctor was more afraid of keeping it from my father than the thought of what Jace might do to him if he let it slip. Even though we’ve only known each other for a week , I’ve grown quite attached to him.

  The next morning I wake up early because my stomach feels funny. My face is resting on something hard and warm. I open my eyes to see that I’m lying on Jace’s rock hard chest. The blanket has slid down to his hips revealing his very appealing six pack, he has the perfect V-line disappearing into his boxers and I immediately want to run my hands down his rippled muscles. Of course Caleb had a six pack , I think that boy was born with one and he didn’t have one ounce of fat on him but it was still a boy’s body and who knows maybe when he’s twenty five he’ll look as manly as Jace. I wasn’t this fascinated by Caleb’s muscles and I want to touch Jace’s really bad. It’s probably because I haven’t been this close to another guy….it has always only been Caleb.

  My thoughts vanish as soon as the nauseous feeling takes hold. I quietly disentangle my body from his and tip toe out his room toward the bathroom at the end of the hall. I make it just in time to empty my stomach in the toilet bowl. I sit there against the wall next to the toilet with my head in my hands for a couple more minutes waiting for the nausea to disappear. I eventually find the strength to get off the floor and wash my face, after using the toilet I quickly make my way back to Jace’s to collect clothes. I think if I have a shower I’ll feel better.

  I notice the entire building is quiet, I don’t even hear a sound from the bar downstairs.

  You see, Daddy has a house by the lake which only ever gets used when he and Anna need a break, most of the time they live in the club house. The club house is near the local college, so we are basically surrounded by fraternities and dormitories. It consists of an old apartment building, the upper two floors daddy has converted into rooms with the furnishings a normal household would have where some of the guys stay. Beneath the living quarters is a bar. The bar is often crowded by the bikers themselves but also with the students from the college that are brave enough to enter a biker bar. At the back entrance of the building Daddy has recently opened a tattoo studio, it was his nineteenth wedding anniversary present to Anna since she’s a tattoo artist. There is also a work shop at the back of the apartment next to Anna’s tattoo parlor near the parking area that my father owns as well and he works on various cars and bikes in his free time.

  I visited my father regularly and that’s how I know all about the club house but dad would always keep
me to himself so I never got the chance to meet all the guys from the club.

  I walk back to Jace’s room and sneak inside towards my bag on the floor. It’s only seven in the morning and he’s still out cold. He’s cuddled up to the pillow I was using and its rather adorable seeing a man as raw as he curled in a ball holding a pillow tightly against his chest. I pick out my navy blue sundress that hides the baby bump easily with a pair of pumps. I have the same sundress in five different colours. Even if I have my tom boy ways, putting on a pretty dress always makes me feel better. I head to the bathroom, take a shower and wash my hair. I feel so much more awake now that I’m all cleaned up. I head down to the kitchen to see if I can find something to eat, I have such a craving for pancakes with syrup. My tummy rumbles thinking about it.

  I search through the cupboards and look for the ingredients and luckily they have everything I need. I decide to make breakfast to thank them for all their help.

  I let the bacon and eggs fry while I start on the pancakes. The kitchen in the house is rather massive, with all black and grey granite and stainless steel appliances. The food smells really good and I can’t help but taste the pancakes as they come out the pan.