Chapter 20

brOOKE

It's past seven when I arrive at Jax's. Today's session with Levi was actually fun. He took me to their gun range to shoot. I think he was surprised I knew how to handle myself around a firearm, not knowing my dad raised me on guns and taught me how to use them. He's a collector, so he wanted me to know how to use one properly. He gave me the education, so I was never stupid enough to accidentally make it go off. Though the best thing about today was I used guns I had never seen, let alone touched before.

After, I headed home to take a shower, checking my phone countless times to see if Chase had responded to my messages, but nope, he's shutting me out of something, and I don't know why. He's read them all, yet no response. Something about that note spooked him or upset him in some way and what was that about the fact I will end up hating him? The boys are all keeping a secret from me, but I think now I know enough to understand whatever it is their hiding, it's to keep me safe. So, I decide to accept it because what else can I do?

I open the truck door, locking it before knocking on Jax's door. Asher opens the door, smiling. "Hey, B."

I lean up, kissing him on the cheek. "Hey, is Chase here yet?"

He nods, closing the door behind me. I walk upstairs, finding the boys in Jax's room. "Hey, how was training?" Jax asks me.

"Yeah good, got to shoot, think I taught Levi a thing or two."

He laughs, "Didn't know your dads a pro?"

I shake my head, laughing as I take my jacket off, throwing it lightly onto the chair.

Chase walks over to me. "I'm sorry, baby."

"You didn't reply to any of my messages. You suck, you know. You need to stop shutting me out."

"I know, and soon, we…I'll tell you everything, but not now. I can't jeopardize everything."

"Okay, but look, I get that you're trying to protect me. Just don't scare me like that again."

"Scare you?" He runs his fingers through his hair, looking flummoxed.

I nod.

"Because I grabbed you?" He swallows hard, and I reach up, caressing his chiseled jaw as the guilt shows on his face.

"No baby, I know you wouldn't hurt me. I meant making me think you were gonna walk away from me, from us."

His arms go around me. "Not possible, baby girl. You're my goddess, remember." He moves his hand to grab mine and places it to his heart as I feel it beating under the palm of my hand. "I couldn't leave you because you're in here. I wouldn't survive without you."

My heart melts at that. This man who has so much darkness in him can say the rawest, heartfelt things to me. I lean up, kissing him softly, nothing outrageous. After all, we're with the guys but enough to show him I love him and feel the same way, but truthfully, we need to talk once things calm down. I'll let this go for now. We don't need to be on opposite sides with what's coming but soon, I'll make him understand.

He pulls back, smiling at me before taking my hand and leading me over to the chairs by the computers.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Jax asks, looking and deferring to Asher. It definitely shows that despite the guys being in this together, they will always look to him because that's where it started.

Asher smirks. "Okay, so we know there's going to be five of them in total. We're going in with guns; the Twisted Brothers hooked us up with silencers, so we get in and out quietly."

He grabs something out of his pocket. He places it on the table and Chase twirls it to face us, opening the case up. Inside sits a vial of clear liquid and a syringe.

"What's that?" I ask curiously.

"One shot of this will take Shane out, I don't care if he gets hurt, but we can't kill him. So, this gets him out of the house quietly. I'm thinking Brooke, we use you to go in first."

"What?" Chase exclaims in surprise. "Uh uh, no way, she wants in fine, but she's not going in alone."

"Listen, they hire a girl to dress up and serve drinks all night. Our contact already intercepted it, canceling the girl. B goes in as if she is serving them. If she can get Shane alone, she injects him, knocking him out. She barricades them in a room, messages us, and we take out the other four."

"There's a problem with that. Shane saw the picture of me, remember."

He smiles, walks over to a gym bag, and opens it in front of us. "One step ahead of you. How do you feel about being a blonde?" He pulls out a wig and I grin.

"Well, they do say blondes have more fun."

"Baby, nope, no way."

I look at Chase as I see the fear in his eyes, sighing. He needs to let me do this. "Babe, I get it, okay, but this is the only way we get in without shooting up the place. I can leave the front door unlocked and you guys can get in and get out without causing a scene."

"I don't like it."

I climb up, sitting in his lap, "You gotta trust me, Chase. I got this."

He looks at me before he sighs, and I know his resolve is broken. "One sign of trouble, you text us or get out. I mean it, Brooke."

I give him a peck on the lips, happy that he's accepting this and trusting me. This goes a long way between us.

"Wait, what do you mean they pay a girl to dress up?"

I look over at Asher, and he looks sheepish.

"Uh they like their girls well a little more exposed."

"I'm not going anywhere naked."

Asher laughs. "I forgot you were this cute, innocent virgin till recently."

Chase's jaw clenches, but I stop him from getting up and look at Asher.

"This cute innocent ex-virgin is about to come over there and kick your ass if you talk about me like that again."

Asher goes to laugh, but Chase interrupts. "Dude, she could take you. You should have seen Levi after they trained."

"Wait, what the fuck? That was you? Damn, his jaw was fucked when I saw him this morning, I didn't know you did that. Proud of ya, girl."

I smile back at him, almost laughing. "Wait, why were you there this morning?"

Jax looks stumped for just a millisecond when Asher jumps in.

"He helped me get the shit for this."

Bullshit. I can smell it. But clearly, this is just another one of his secrets.

"Let it go, baby girl," Chase whispers in my ear, and I do reluctantly. I swear to God—me and these guys are gonna have it out one day. All the cards on the table.

"So, what's the outfit I have to parade about in then?"