Page 24 of The Biker’s Second Chance (Chrome Creed MC #2)

IN LOVE AGAIN

SPIKE

T he clubhouse is alive tonight. Laughter bounces off the walls, glasses clink, and the low hum of the jukebox keeps time with the celebration. It should feel like every other night we’ve toasted to a victory, but it doesn’t.

Because Jayne is here.

She’s curled against me on the couch, her head resting on my chest, her hand tracing the ink along my arm. I don’t miss the stares from my brothers, quiet at first, weighing what they see. But when Jayne tilts her face up and I press a kiss to her temple, the whole room erupts.

“About fucking time!” Rumble yells, beer lifted high.

“Thought I’d never see the day,” Tella smirks.

Even Leo cracks a grin with Nisa tucked under his arm.

For a moment, the sound of laughter and celebration drowns out the dark cloud hanging over us. For a moment, everything feels right again.

We did it. We went into the party and came out with the girls in toe. They are safe now because of us. I'm sure there will be other parties but maybe Xavier will think twice when he decides who to pick up. I can only hope.

Then the phone rings.

The sharp trill slices through the air, and the noise dies instantly. Virus grabs it, his face hardening the second he hears the voice on the other end. He doesn’t say a word before holding it out to Leo.

“It’s for you.”

Leo takes the receiver, jaw tight. “Yeah?” His voice is clipped, ice-cold. He listens for a beat, then, “You sure about that?” His eyes cut straight to me. “Say it again.”

The minute I see the grim look on Leo's face I know it's not good.

"What's going on?" Jayne asks but I shake my head because I don't know yet. I kiss the side of her head and leave her sitting on the chair before I hurry up to where Leo is speaking.

Even from here I can hear the voice on the other end, smooth, mocking, amused. Xavier.

Leo’s lip curls. “You think calling here is smart? You’re already dead, you just don’t know it yet.”

A laugh filters through the line, lazy and cruel.

As close as I am now, I can hear what Xavier is saying through the line. Dread fills my gut.

“Funny, I was just about to say the same thing. See, I know things now. I know about your little club. And I know you’ve been sticking your nose in places it doesn’t belong. Harboring strays. Protecting girls that should’ve been mine.”

Leo stiffens. My fists clench.

Leo’s voice drops to a growl. “You fucked up making this personal.” He pulls the phone away from his ear, then holds it out to me. “He wants you.”

I take it, pressing it hard against my ear. “This is Spike.”

“Well, well,” Xavier drawls, savoring my name like poison on his tongue. “The man of the hour. Tell me, Spike, how’d it feel? Putting my girl on display in front of my men? You fuck her like that just to survive, or because you missed the taste?”

Rage ignites behind my ribs. “You talk about her again, and I’ll cut your fucking tongue out.”

He chuckles, low and taunting. “There it is. The temper. No wonder she ran from you before. You can’t control yourself. Tell me, do you think she'll cry for you when I ram my cock down her throat? Will she beg for you when she's on her knees in front of me?”

I slam my fist against the table, the phone nearly cracking in my grip. “You so much as breathe her name again and I’ll end you. You hear me? Chrome Creed doesn’t scare easy, and you just made yourself my number one fucking priority.”

“Oh, I’m shaking,” Xavier mocks. “You think you’re the first man to threaten me? You’re just another dead biker waiting for a bullet. The only difference is, you’ll get to watch me take your woman apart first.”

My vision goes red. “You’ll never touch her. Never. You’re already buried, Xavier. I’m just the one who’s going to put the dirt over your face.”

There’s a long silence, then a laugh, calm, cold, confident. “We’ll see about that. Enjoy your little clubhouse reunion, Spike. Time’s running out.”

The line clicks dead.

I lower the phone, my pulse still roaring in my ears. The brothers are watching me, waiting. Jayne stares at me waiting for my reaction. I have to keep this from her. It won't do anything besides scare her even more than she already is.

Leo studies me, his expression unreadable. Finally, he says, “It’s about to get bad. He knows who we are now. He knows you’re tied to Jayne. You need to be ready.”

I nod, jaw locked. “I’ve been ready. Now he’s mine.”

Leo nods in return and I turn on my heels to go to where Jayne is sitting. I grab hold of her hand and pull her to her feet before I make a beeline to my bedroom.

A few seconds ago, we were all happy. Basking in the bliss that came after doing something good.

I knew that it wasn't going to be the last we heard of Xavier but I was hoping that we'd have more time.

Seems like time is the one thing that we don't have.