Page 8 of Jace (Wolf Rider MC Daddies #2)

Caleb

“Argh,” I say. “I hate this. Hate, hate, stupid hate .”

I can’t sit still.

I’m all fidgety and on edge.

My apartment feels like a cage, the walls closing in as I pace the living room, my bare feet cold against the hardwood.

Jace’s scent—leather, smoke, and him—still lingers on my skin, but so does the memory of his face when he left, all hard edges and urgency.

“Club emergency,” he said, and the way his voice tightened told me it was bad.

Worse than the crash outside my window.

Worse than the tension at the clubhouse party.

The Iron Vipers are out there, and Jace is walking right into their crosshairs… for me, for his club, for a life I’m only starting to understand. And I’m terrified I’ll lose him before I can figure out what Jace and me could be together.

It’s been hours since he left, the clock ticking past three a.m., and my phone’s silent…

No texts, no calls, just the echo of his last words: Stay here, lock the door.

I’ve tried to distract myself—grading papers, brewing tea, even rereading Persuasion —but nothing works.

My mind’s a whirlwind of fear and need, replaying our night together, the way his hands claimed me, his voice calling me his boy.

I’m in love with him. There’s no avoiding that any longer.

I know it now, the truth settling heavy in my chest. It’s reckless, irrational, but it’s real. And if my Daddy is in danger, I can’t just sit here, waiting for a call that might never come…

I grab my keys, my heart pounding. I’m going to the clubhouse. It’s crazy—stupid, even—but I need to see him, to know he’s okay.

I pull on jeans, a sweater, and my sneakers, my hands shaking as I lock the door behind me.

The night air is sharp, the streets of Willow Creek quiet except for the distant hum of a car or two in the distance.

My old Civic sputters to life, and I drive, the clubhouse’s address burned into my memory from the party. It’s a risk, walking into the Wolf Rider’s den uninvited, but fear for Jace outweighs the fear of what I’ll find…

“Here goes,” I say, wary but knowing that I’ve come too far to turn back now. “Just pretend it’s that terrible class from two years ago…”

The clubhouse looms at the edge of town, a hulking warehouse surrounded by a chain-link fence, bikes lined up like sentinels.

The neon sign flickers, casting an eerie glow, and the thump of music is gone, replaced by shouted voices and the rev of engines.

My stomach twists as I park, spotting a group of bikers near the entrance, their faces grim under the floodlights.

This isn’t a party anymore—it’s a war zone.

I take a deep breath, channeling the courage that got me through Jace’s world before, and step out, my sneakers crunching on gravel.

A burly biker—Arch, I think—spots me, his brow furrowing.

“What the hell you doing here?” Arch growls, but there’s no malice, just confusion. “This ain’t a good time, boy.”

“I need to see Jace,” I say, my voice way steadier than I feel. “ Please . Is he here?”

Arch hesitates, glancing at the clubhouse, then back at me.

“He’s inside, but shit’s going down,” Arch growls. “You sure you wanna walk into this?”

“I’m sure,” I lie, my heart hammering. I’m not sure of anything, but I can’t turn back now.

Arch sighs, jerking his head toward the door.

“Your funeral, kid,” Arch grumbles. “Stay close.”

I follow him inside, the clubhouse a stark contrast to the party’s chaos.

The air’s thick with cigarette smoke and tension, the tables cluttered with maps, guns, and empty beer bottles.

Bikers are everywhere, some barking orders, others loading weapons, their faces set hard and brooding.

My eyes scan the room, desperate for Jace, and I find him near the bar, talking to Razor, his posture rigid, his hand gripping a knife.

He looks like a warrior, all muscle and menace, but when his eyes meet mine, they widen, shock cutting through the steel.

“Caleb?” Jace’s voice carries over the noise, and he’s across the room in seconds, his hands on my shoulders, searching my face. “What the fuck are you doing here? I told you to stay put. And it wasn’t a polite request either, boy.”

“I couldn’t,” I say, my voice breaking as I grip his jacket, the leather rough under my fingers. “You left, and I was so scared, Jace. I needed to know you’re okay.”

His jaw tightens, but his eyes soften, and he pulls me into his arms, crushing me against his chest.

“You’re crazy, boy,” Jace murmurs, his voice rough with something that sounds like awe. “Fucking crazy as hell. What were you thinking coming here?”

I cling to him, breathing in his scent, the solid warmth of him grounding me.

“I love you, Daddy,” I whisper, the words slipping out before I can stop them, raw and desperate. “I couldn’t stay away.”

Jace freezes, then pulls back, cupping my face, his eyes searching mine.

“Say that again,” Jace says, his voice low, commanding, that Daddy Dom edge making my pulse race. “Word for word.”

“I love you, Daddy,” I repeat, louder this time, my fear giving way to certainty. “I’m terrified. I don’t know what the hell is going on. But I know I love you, Jace.”

He kisses me, hard and fierce, like he’s claiming my words, my heart, everything. I feel my knees buckling and I fall into him, my hands fisting his shirt, the chaos of the clubhouse fading to nothing.

Jace’s lips are demanding, his hands possessive, one sliding to my waist, the other tangling in my hair, guiding me like he always does.

It’s desperate, emotional, a promise that we’re in this together, no matter what. I feel his strength, his need, and I give it back, letting him lead, trusting him completely.

Jace pulls back, his forehead against mine, his breath ragged.

“I love you too, Caleb,” Jace says, and it’s like the world shifts, the weight of his words anchoring me. “Fuck, I didn’t want this to happen, but I do. You’re mine, and I’m not letting you go. And I don’t give a damn who knows it.”

I nod, tears pricking my eyes, but before I can speak, Razor’s voice cuts through.

“Jace, this is all charming and all, but we’ve got a problem,” Razor says. He’s holding a crumpled note, his face grim, and the air shifts, heavy with dread.

Jace takes it, his expression darkening as he reads. He hands it to me, and my blood runs cold. Scrawled in jagged letters:

Keep your teacher close, Wolf. Or he’s next.

No signature, but it doesn’t need one. The Iron Vipers. My hands tremble, and Jace’s arm tightens around me, protective, fierce.

“They know about me,” I whisper, fear clawing at my chest. “They’re coming for me.”

“Not happening,” Jace growls, his voice deadly. “They come near you, they’re dead. I swear it.”

“And me too,” Arch adds, soon joined by the other men too. “No one fucks with us like this, especially not when there’s a boy involved.”

I want to believe Jace and Arch, but the note’s a cold reminder of how deep I’m in…

This isn’t just love—it’s danger, blood, a world I barely understand.

“What do we do?” I ask, my voice small, but I force myself to stand taller, to be the young man who walked into this clubhouse.

“We handle it,” Jace says, his eyes burning with resolve. “You stay with me, Caleb. No running, no hiding. We face this together.”

I nod, my fear battling the strength his words give me.

“Together,” I say, and it’s a vow, as much to myself as to him. I’m not the shy teacher anymore, not entirely. I’m his, and that means facing his world, no matter how terrifying.

Jace kisses me again, softer but no less intense, and I feel the clubhouse watching—Arch, Razor, Clay, everyone—noticing the shift, the way Jace’s claiming me in front of them all.

It’s a statement, a line drawn, and I know it’s not just the Vipers we’re fighting. It’s the club, his loyalty, the life he’s always known.

“Get him somewhere safe,” Razor says, his voice gruff but not unkind. “We’re moving out soon.”

Jace nods, his hand on my back, guiding me toward a back room.

“You’re staying here tonight,” Jace says, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I’ve got shit to handle, but you’re not out of my sight.”

I want to protest, to say I can go home, but the note’s words burn in my mind. I nod, letting him lead me, his presence a shield against the fear.

As we move through the clubhouse, the noise and chaos swirling around us, I realize something…

I’m not just falling for Jace. I’m becoming part of his world, for better or worse.

And as he pulls me close, his voice a low growl promising to keep me safe, I know I’m ready to fight for us, no matter what the price might be…