Page 4 of The Biker’s Second Chance (Chrome Creed MC #2)

PAYING THE PRICE

SPIKE

I don't know what I was expecting when I opened the door.

Maybe one of Jayne’s items was stolen, or even some random john had snuck into her room and she had to knock them out. Something I could fix easily.

It's obvious just from the mess in this room that there's no way I'm going to be able to fix this easily.

Also, it's obvious that whatever Jayne has gotten herself into, there's no way she's going to be able to handle it on her own either.

As much as I don't want to admit it, she was right to try and get some help. Even if that help is presently turning my fucking life on its head.

"What in the hell happened here?" I look around the room, my eyes still taking in the words on the wall and the condition of the room itself.

When I suck in a breath, I can smell the underlying cleanliness of the room. Eva may run nothing more than a shack house for truckers and the working girls, but she takes pride in keeping the place clean.

The room was in good shape before whoever did this decided to go crazy in here.

"I don't know. When I came back from the clubhouse, this is how I found it." Jayne sniffles, and I finally turn to look at her. Those bright blue eyes are way too big in her face. She's in a state even though it seems like she's trying her best to keep calm.

The sound of her sniffling and crying is pulling at parts of me that I thought were long gone. Parts I tried to bury under miles of concrete. It only takes one tear from her for that barrier to start crumbling underneath me.

My fingers itch with the need to grab hold of her. I want to pull her into my chest and lay her head there near my cold heart. Tell her it's going to be okay. I don’t. I know what will happen if I do that.

Nothing but more pain.

I don't want to care, but just keeping my hands to myself is proving nearly impossible.

Looking away from her, I start checking the room for anything the perp might have left behind.

The nerve.

Everyone who is anyone knows that this area is controlled by Chrome Creed.

That means someone basically spat in our face by thinking they could come in here and do this with no repercussions.

Either they were just a bunch of dumb fucks who didn't know what was good for them or they thought they were going to beat us in our own territory.

Whoever did this was about to have a whole club of angry bikers breathing down their neck. If they needed any evidence about how serious we take protecting our town, all they needed to do was talk to what was left of Marc's crew.

Chrome Creed takes our town seriously.

"I don't see anything. No notes or anything like that.

I'm sure it would be too much to ask if the cameras are working.

" I eye Eva, who presses her lips together hard and tilts her head.

Of course the cameras didn't work. Most people who came to her establishment didn't really want any photo footage floating around of what they were doing.

"Shit." I press my hands against my hips and walk over to the wall to examine the writing there.

"You can't hide." The words are still wet, and when I press my nose closer, I can tell what it was written in. Not that I really had to get very close. I know what blood looks like.

For a second, a wave of fear washes over me, and I turn to look at Jayne once again. My eyes scan her body, but I don't see anything.

"Are you hurt? Did you get here before they left?"

Quickly, she shakes her head. "No, they were gone already. I walked into this."

The relief that settles on me is unnerving. I want to separate myself from her, but I can't. Not now.

I walk over to her, and she lifts her head so she can look me in the eyes.

Uneasiness and confusion are clear on her face. Her fingers twitch once before she lifts her arms and wraps them around herself.

It's nice to see that I'm not the only one having problems keeping my hands to myself.

My entire body is vibrating, and I can't tell if it's because I'm pissed or if it's simply because I'm so close to Jayne. We haven't even touched, and she already has such a profound effect on me.

"Jayne, I don't know what the fuck is going on here or what part you play in it, but you came to Chrome Creed for help, right?"

"Yes," she says breathlessly.

"Fine, you'll get help. I'm going to figure out what the fuck is going on here. Deal with these bastards on my own terms. I don't want to hear any objections from you."

Jayne opens her mouth to object, but I put my hand up to stop her. The no-objection clause starts now.

"I don't care. Whatever it is you're about to say to me right now, I don't give a fuck. You brought this problem to my goddamn doorstep, and now you're going to have to deal with it in whatever manner I say. You got that."

She nods and clenches her jaw tight. She's getting pissed. Just another thing I don't give a fuck about.

"Lastly, and I really need you to hear me.

" I move in a little closer so I can keep her gaze and let her feel how serious I am when I say, "The second you lie to me or try to hide something, I'm gone.

My club is gone. Any protection you might be getting right now is gone.

I don't have time or the patience for any bullshit. Do you understand me?"

Jayne glares at me. She's waiting for me to break. For a sliver of the sweetness that I used to show her to peek through. There's none.

"Sure, Spike. Whatever you say." She sighs and takes a step away from me as if she doesn't want to be too close.

I look her over once more before I turn my back to her and go back to examining the room. Someone left this place in shambles on purpose. They knew she'd find it. They knew she'd bring Chrome Creed.

This is a clear message, and it's not just meant for her. Now I have to figure out what exactly it means.

I'm going to help Jayne one final time just so I can get her out of my life completely. When this is all over, so will my connection with her.

I squeeze my hands into fists.

Jayne has moved away from me, but she's still within arm’s reach.

I'm fighting hard against the need to grab her. Fighting the urge to just wrap my arms around her.

Fighting to keep myself from doing everything I swore I'd never do again.

How the hell am I supposed to help her when just being in her presence is so damn hard? How do I fix this without losing myself in the process?

If I stumble down the road of loving her again, I don't think I'll be able to come back. I'll lose myself all over again.

That's just not a pain I can deal with, not when the last time nearly killed me.