Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 131

CHAPTER 83-1

yoke before my alarm and for several seconds I stayed beneath the blankets while I stared at the ceiling and listened to the familiar sounds of Lawson Customs waking up below me. The pipes rattled when the building settled, a truck groaned somewhere out on the street, and the faint hum of the refrigerator filled the apartment, but beneath all those ordinary sounds was something I couldn’t ignore anymore.

I was listening for danger and that made my stomach twist. I finally pushed myself out of bed, rubbed the sleep from my eyes and headed toward the bathroom because I needed a shower before I could face another day of pretending everything was normal. The hot water helped loosen the tension in my shoulders, although it didn’t touch the knot sitting inside my chest, and when I brushed my teeth afterward, I caught myself checking the bathroom window twice.

I hated this. I hated wondering who was watching. I hated wondering whether every unfamiliar car belonged to somebody connected to the Black Reapers.

Most of all, I hated that my life had become a constant game of looking over my shoulder.

I pulled on a pair of jeans and a faded Lawson Customs shirt, tied my blonde hair into a messy ponytail, and headed downstairs with my coffee in hand. The moment I stepped through the door into the shop, I knew something was wrong because Derek was standing near the front window with his arms folded across his chest.

Jace stood beside him and Hunter was leaning against one of the motorcycles but none of them

looked relaxed.

“What happened?” I asked, setting my coffee on the counter as Derek looked toward me, and his expression immediately told me that I wasn’t going to like the answer.

“We found someone watching the shop.” Derek said.

My fingers tightened around the edge of the counter.

“Watching how?” I asked.

“He was across the street for almost forty minutes. He wasn’t looking at the traffic, and he wasn’t waiting for anyone, because he kept taking pictures of the building.” Derek replied, and he pulled

his phone from his pocket.

“Pictures of what?” I asked.

“The shop, the entrances, the bikes, and probably anyone who came through the doors.” Derek

said.

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13

CHAPTER 83 1

I stared at him and suddenly the windows felt far too large.

Did you get him?” I asked and Derek nodded slowly.

Ca

“I caught him.” Derek said and I released a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding, but the relief

lasted less than a second.

“He got away.” Derek said as my eyebrows shot upward.

“You caught him, but he got away?” I asked.

Derek gave me a look that suggested he wasn’t thrilled about it either.

“He ran when he realized I was behind him, and he was faster than he looked.” He said.

“Did you call the police?” I asked.

“I did, but by the time they arrived, he was gone.” Derek said.

I picked up my coffee, took a sip, and immediately regretted it because my hand was shaking badly enough that some spilled onto the counter. Jace noticed and he stepped toward me, and his hand settled over mine.

“We’re going to handle this.” Jace said as I looked at him.

“That’s what everyone keeps saying.” I said as his expression hardened.

“Because we’re going to.” He said.

“But when does it stop? When do I get to walk outside without wondering whether somebody is taking pictures of me? When do I get to close the shop without checking every car parked across the street? When do I get to go upstairs, shower, eat dinner, and go to bed without wondering if someone is waiting outside?” I asked, and my voice came out sharper than I intended.

Nobody answered immediately and the silence told me enough.

I pulled my hand away and paced behind the counter because sitting still suddenly felt impossible.

1 “I never asked for this.” I said.

1 “I know.” Jace said quietly.

“I never asked for your enemies to become my enemies.” I said.

“I know.” He said.

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