Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 87

CHAPTER 54-1

The drive back from the festival felt much quieter than the ride there. Diesel lay stretched across the back seat of my truck and occasionally lifting his head whenever we stopped at traffic lights before settling back down again. The trophy from the engine building competition rested on the passenger seat beside me, but I barely looked at it. My thoughts.kept returning to Tyler’s warning.

Charlotte had been meeting strangers. Not business associates and not friends. Strangers who arrived on motorcycles and gathered in abandoned industrial buildings and the more I thought about it, the less I liked it.

By the time I pulled into the Lawson Customs parking lot, several Iron Vipers had already arrived. Ben and Mia finished unloading the last display motorcycle while Hunter unsuccessfully tried convincing everyone he deserved partial credit for my competition win.

“I carried a toolbox.” He argued.

“You carried it ten feet.” Derek replied.

“It was a very important ten feet.” Hunter said and Jace chuckled as he walked toward me.

“You alright?” Jace asked.

I glanced at the others to make sure nobody was close enough to overhear.

“Can we talk inside?” I asked and his smile faded immediately.

“Of course.” He said.

We climbed the stairs to my apartment while Diesel followed close behind, his nails clicking softly against the timber steps. Once inside, I locked the door out of habit and set the kettle on for

coffee while Jace leaned against the kitchen counter.

“What did Tyler tell you?” He asked so I repeated the conversation almost word for word.

I described Tyler’s apology, his admission that Charlotte had manipulated him and finally the part that mattered most.

“He said she’s been meeting people near the industrial district.” I said and Jace’s expression became thoughtful.

“He seemed genuine?” Jace asked.

“He wasn’t asking for anything. He didn’t want another chance. He looked… relieved. I don’t think he was lying.” I said as I wrapped both hands around my coffee mug and Jace nodded slowly.

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“I don’t either.” He said and that answer surprised me.

You believe him that quickly?” I asked.

“I believe the details. If he’d come to me with a story about hidden money or some elaborate conspiracy I’d have questioned every word.” He said and he rested his elbows on the counter.

“But?” I asked.

“He admitted what made him look foolish. He admitted he was manipulated. People rarely invent things that make themselves look worse. He also described the location.” He said and I hadn’t thought about it that way and Jace continued calmly.

“He didn’t exaggerate. He didn’t try to convince you Charlotte was guilty of something specific. He simply told you what he saw.” He continued and I sighed.

“I hate that this makes sense.” I said.

“So do I.” He said.

The apartment fell quiet for a moment and Diesel wandered over and rested his head on my knee, somehow sensing the tension without understanding the conversation and I scratched behind his

ears absentmindedly.

“What happens now?” I asked and Jace answered without hesitation.

“We don’t confront Charlotte. We don’t accuse her. We quietly find out whether Tyler was right.” He explained as I looked at him.

“You’re talking about watching her.” I said.

“I’m talking about gathering facts.” He said as I stared into my coffee.

“She’s still my sister.” I said.

“I know.” He said.

The words escaped before I could stop them.

“It feels wrong.” I said.

Jace walked around the counter and gently rested one hand over mine.

“It feels wrong because you’re a decent person.” He said.

He didn’t pressure me and he didn’t tell me what I should do. He simply waited. So after a long

silence, I nodded once.

“If she’s involved with dangerous people, I need to know.” I said.

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