Page 6 of Jace (Wolf Rider MC Daddies #2)

Caleb

“Get a grip, Caleb,” I say, doing my best to steady my breathing and center myself just a little bit. “You’ve got this.”

The truth though is that I can’t stop shaking.

It’s not the cold, though my apartment’s drafty windows let in the late-night chill.

It’s the memory of the Wolf Rider clubhouse—the pounding music, the leering bikers, Jace’s fist clenched like he was ready to break Snake’s face.

And that kiss, out in the dark, his hands claiming me, his voice rough and commanding, calling me his .

My lips still tingle, my body still hums with the heat of it, but my mind’s a mess. I’m falling for Jace, hard and fast, and… it scares me to death.

Jace is a storm, wild and unstoppable, and I’m not sure I can survive the wreckage. It might sound dramatic, but this is unlike anything I’ve known.

I’m curled on my couch, a mug of chamomile tea gone cold in my hands, staring at the stack of ungraded essays on the coffee table.

I should be working, losing myself in my students’ messy handwriting, but all I can think about is him .

The way he stood up for me, his body a shield, his eyes blazing with something fierce and protective. The way he kissed me, like he was staking a claim, guiding me into a world I don’t understand but can’t resist.

I touch my lips, my pulse quickening, and I wonder what I’m doing…

I’m a teacher, not some biker’s boy.

But when I’m with Jace, I feel alive in a way I never have, like I’m more than the quiet, studious Caleb everyone expects. Growing up I was told that this was my path, that I was a hard worker who got good grades, and I played along, thinking it was my only option.

Now though, now I’ve seen another way of life.

But I’m brought out of my thoughts when my phone buzzes, and I flinch, half-expecting it to be Justin, ready to lecture me about ditching him at the Spur last week. But it’s a text from Jace:

JACE: You up?

My heart stumbles. It’s past midnight, and the clubhouse party was hours ago.

I should ignore it, set boundaries, protect myself from whatever this is. But my fingers move before my brain catches up, typing back:

ME: Yeah. Can’t sleep.

Three dots appear, then:

JACE: Open your door.

My stomach flips. He’s here ?

I scramble off the couch, smoothing my oversized sweater and pajama bottoms, suddenly hyper-aware of my messy hair and the fact that I’ve got nothing underneath my bottoms.

I glance around my tiny apartment—bookhelves stuffed with novels, a cozy throw blanket, a potted plant I keep forgetting to water.

It’s so… me, so different from his world of leather and chaos.

But what’s he doing here? And why ?

A soft knock pulls me to the door, and when I open it, there he is, leaning against the frame, all tattoos and danger.

Jace’s leather jacket is gone, leaving him in a black t-shirt that clings to his muscled chest, his dark hair mussed like he’s been running his hands through it. His eyes, those intense dark eyes, lock onto mine, and the air between us crackles.

“Jace,” I breathe, my voice shaky. “W-W-W-What are you doing here?”

“Couldn’t stay away,” Jace says, his voice low, rough, like he’s been fighting some internal war. He steps inside, closing the door behind him, and the small space feels smaller with him in it, his presence overwhelming. “You okay? After tonight?”

I nod, but it’s a lie, and he sees right through it.

He steps closer, his hand lifting to brush a stray strand of hair from my face, his touch gentle but deliberate.

“You don’t have to be tough with me, boy,” Jace says, his voice dropping to that commanding tone that makes my knees weak. “You can be honest with me. Tell me what’s going on in that pretty head.”

I swallow, my throat tight.

“It’s just… a lot,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. “The clubhouse, Snake, you. It’s not my world, Jace. I don’t know how to do this.”

His thumb grazes my cheek, and I lean into it, helpless.

“You don’t have to know,” Jace says, his eyes intense, holding mine. “You just have to trust me. Can you do that?”

I want to.

God, I want to more than anything .

But the fear’s there, sharp and real, whispering about the club, the danger, the blood I know follows men like him.

“What if I can’t?” I ask, my voice breaking. “What if your world… what if it breaks me?”

Jace cups my face, his hands warm and steady, and pulls me closer, his forehead resting against mine.

“I won’t let it,” he says, fierce and certain. “You’re mine, Caleb. That means I protect you, no matter what. You hear me?”

His words hit me like a wave, washing away some of the fear. Mine . The way he says it, like it’s a vow, makes my heart ache.

I nod, my hands finding his chest, gripping his shirt.

“Okay,” I whisper. “I’m trying.”

“That’s my boy,” Jace murmurs, and then he kisses me, slow and deep, like he’s savoring every second.

It’s different from the clubhouse, softer but no less intense, and I melt into him, my body pressing against his.

His hands slide down my back, one settling on my hip, the other gliding over my hair, guiding me, controlling the pace. It’s intoxicating, the way he takes charge, and I feel that spark inside me flare, wanting more, wanting everything.

He pulls back just enough to look at me, his eyes dark with hunger.

“You’re gonna drive me crazy, you know that?” Jace growls, his voice rough. “All sweet and shy, but you’ve got this fire I can’t get enough of.”

I blush, but his words light something in me, bold and reckless.

“Show me,” I say, surprising myself, my voice low and daring. “Show me what you want.”

Jace’s grin is pure wolf-like sin, and he backs me against the couch, his body caging mine.

“Careful what you ask for, boy,” he says, his hand sliding under my sweater, his fingers grazing the bare skin of my waist. “I’m not a gentle man. I’m the kind of Daddy who lives up to the Dom side of the deal too…”

“Yes… Daddy,” I whisper, and it’s like I’ve unleahed something.

Jace’s kiss turns hungry, demanding, his tongue teasing mine as his hand roams higher, brushing the curve of my ribs.

I arch into him, my hands clutching his shoulders, and he groans, a low, primal sound that makes me clench my ass and thrust my crotch upward.

He’s guiding me, his touch firm, his voice a soft growl as he murmurs,“Good boy, just like that.”

I’m lost in him, in the way he makes me feel—wanted, powerful, alive.

But then Jace shifts, his hand sliding to my thigh, and he pauses, his breath ragged.

“Tell me to stop, Caleb,” Jace says, his voice strained, like he’s fighting himself. “If you’re not ready, tell me now. That’s cool, but I need to know right now.”

I shake my head, my fingers tightening on his shirt. “I don’t want you to stop,” I say, and it’s the truth, even if it scares me. I want this—him, us, whatever this is. “I want you… Daddy.”

I can’t believe I’m calling Jace Daddy. I don’t know where it came from, but it feels so right. And right now, I’m letting myself do what feels right to me, no matter what anyone else might think.

He searches my eyes, then nods, his control snapping back into place.

“Then you’re mine,” Jace says, and kisses me again, slower this time, but no less intense. His hand stays on my thigh, teasing but not pushing further, and I feel it—the promise of more, the way he’s holding back, giving me space but still claiming me.

We’re tangled together, the room fading away, when a loud crash shatters the moment…

It’s outside, sharp and jarring, like glass breaking or metal hitting pavement. I freeze, my heart lurching, and Jace pulls back, his body tensing, his mindset all business.

“Stay here,” Jace says, his voice hard, as he moves to the window, peering through the blinds.

“What was it?” I ask, my voice trembling. My apartment’s on the ground floor, and the street outside is quiet, too quiet.

“Dunno,” Jace says, but his jaw’s tight, his hand already reaching for the knife I didn’t notice tucked in his belt. “Could be nothing. Could be trouble.”

Trouble .

The word lands like a stone, and I think of the clubhouse, the whispers about the Iron Vipers, the way Jace’s phone keeps pulling him away.

“Is it… the club?” I ask, fear creeping in. “Are they watching us?”

He turns to me, his eyes softening despite the tension in his frame.

“If they are, they’ll regret it,” Jace says, fierce and protective. “I’m not letting anything touch you, Caleb. You’re safe with me.”

I want to believe him, but the crash echoes in my head, a reminder of how far I’ve stepped into his world.

Jace pulls me close, his arms strong around me, and I bury my face in his chest, breathing in his scent.

“I’m scared, Jace,” I admit, my voice muffled. “I want this, but I’m scared.”

“I know,” he says, his hand stroking my hair, his voice steady. “But I’ve got you. I promise.”

I nod, clinging to him, but the fear lingers, sharp and cold.

I’m falling too fast, too deep, and the crash outside feels like a warning.

Jace’s world is closing in, and I’m not sure I’m strong enough to face it. I’ve never wanted a man like I want Jace. I called him Daddy for a reason. But the truth is I just don’t know if I can handle everything else that comes with it…