Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 181

CHAPTER 108-1

Jace’s POV

The clubhouse was louder than usual that evening, because the women had taken over the kitchen while the guys had claimed the main room for poker.

I walked through the front door after work, and the first thing I heard was Mason laughing.

The second thing I heard was Paige telling him to stop stealing food.

I smiled before I even reached the room and Derek noticed.

“There it is again.” Derek said and I looked at him.

“What?” I asked.

“That smile.” He said.

“What smile?” I asked and Mason leaned back in his chair.

“That one.” Mason said but I shook my head.

“I smile.” I said.

“Not like that.” Mason said and Derek laughed.

“You used to look like you wanted to punch everyone.” Derek said.

“I still do.” I said and Mason grinned.

“Not when Paige is around.” Mason said.

I ignored them and walked toward the kitchen.

Paige was standing beside Emma and both of them were preparing dinner while several of the wives moved between the counters and she looked up when I walked in.

“You’re home.” She said.

“Yeah.” I said and she smiled.

“How was work?” She asked.

“Good.” I said and she handed me a piece of chicken.

“Try this.” She said so I ate it.

“It’s good.” I said.

“That’s all?” She asked.

“What do you want me to say?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” She said and I leaned closer.

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CHAPTER 104.

“It’s really good.” I said and she smiled,

“Better.” She said and I kissed her forehead as Mason called from the other room.

“We’re waiting.” Mason yelled and I looked toward him.

“Nobody asked you.” I said and he laughed as Paige shook her head.

“Go play poker.” She said.

“I’ll be back later.” I said and she smiled.

“I’ll be here.” She said.

I returned to the main room, where Derek was already dealing cards. Mason sat across from me, and Hunter was beside him.

Derek pushed a stack of chips toward me.

“Buy in.” Derek said so I dropped the money onto the table.

“You planning on winning tonight?” I asked and Derek smiled.

“I’m always planning on winning.” Derek said and Mason laughed.

“That’s why you lose.” Mason said as Derek glared at him.

“You’ve been lucky.” Mason said.

“I’ve been better.” Derek said.

“Keep telling yourself that.” Mason said and the game started.

For the first few hands, everyone played quietly, although Mason couldn’t stay quiet for more than thirty seconds.

He made jokes. He complained about the cards. He accused Derek of cheating. Derek accused him of being paranoid and Hunter mostly watched.

I simply enjoyed the evening.

There was something about sitting around a table with people who had been through everything with me that made the tension of the last few weeks feel distant.

We weren’t talking about Victor. We weren’t talking about the Black Reapers. We weren’t talking about fires. or threats. We were playing poker.

That was enough.

Derek lost the first hand. Then the second and then the third.

Mason was laughing so hard that he nearly fell out of his chair.

“This is beautiful.” Mason said and Derek glared at him.

“Stop.” Derek said.

CHAPTER 10

“You’ve lost three times.” Mason said:

I know.” Derek growled.

“Four.” Mason said and Derek-looked at his cards.

“What?” Derek asked.

“You lost again.” Mason said as Derek threw his cards onto the table.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Derek said and Mason laughed.

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