Unarm (Hooked Book 5) Read online

  The more detailed Tyler’s story became, the more suspicious Jace grew. “How could you possibly know that?”

  Tyler smiled. Jace wanted to lick him. “Because she said as much when she called her husband while the other girl was in the restroom.”

  “Hmmm,” Jace hummed, barely hiding his skepticism. “Anything else?”

  “You haven’t gone out with anyone else since kicking Jimmy to the curb. My guess is the two of you never slept together. Even though you know he’s a fucked-up mess, you still think the fault lies with you somehow. I haven’t figured out why yet.”

  Tyler’s claim was like getting punched in the chest. Jace sat back in his chair—winded. “Maybe we should go.”

  If Tyler was the least bit put off by Jace’s wounded tone, he didn’t show it. In fact, the man’s gaze turned hotter. “We should definitely go. You need someone to show you how desirable you are. I can’t do that here.”

  Jace wasn’t so sure that was true. The man did a damn good job of making Jace feel wanted with only his stare. Tyler watched Jace like he’d be the man’s next meal.

  “Okay.” Holy fuck. Had he just said that? Thankfully, they were still sitting inside the restaurant. Jace had plenty of time to change his mind. There were a thousand reasons he should stop this now. Tyler may as well be Jimmy’s father. Even though Jace had met Tyler several months before tonight, Tyler was—for the most part—a stranger. Not to mention, Jace wasn’t looking for another man to make him feel worthless. He was done trying to please someone else.

  Jace glanced over at the married couple beside them. He didn’t want to end up like them. A bitter smile twisted his lips, matching his heart. At some point, he’d turned hard and unfeeling. That was probably the real reason Jimmy hadn’t wanted him. From what Jace heard, Jimmy’s new man, Eli, was sweet and innocent. He probably gave Jimmy all the warm and fuzzies. Fuckers. An inner sigh ran through Jace’s head. In all truth, he hoped they were happy. After all, someone should be.

  “Are you ignoring me now?”

  At Tyler’s question, Jace tore his gaze away from the couple beside them. “No,” he said, not bothering to speak quietly. “I was wondering where that lady got her gorgeous shoes and sort of wishing she’d get up and walk out. Maybe then her date would give her the attention she deserves.”

  The woman snorted. Jace met her gaze and winked. A glance passed between them. An understanding. Life sucked ass and not in a good way.

  Chuckling, Tyler stood. “I’d better get you out of here before you start trouble. When I pictured you in handcuffs tonight, it wasn’t because you were getting arrested.”

  Longing hit with a vengeance. Jace stumbled to his feet. If there was any chance Tyler wasn’t joking, Jace wanted it. He was already half hard at the thought.

  *

  Tyler cursed himself for the idiot he was all the way back to Jace’s house. Jace wasn’t a wilting flower, but he was bitter as hell. Disappointment in life bled from his every pore.

  “I had a great time tonight,” Tyler said as he opened Jace’s car door. “Am I still invited inside or did you come to your senses yet?”

  Jace’s sexy eyes flashed with mischief. “Kiss me and then I’ll decide if I’m impressed enough to keep you around a little longer.”

  Tyler bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. “Your bravado is beautiful.”

  “Kiss me before I lose it,” Jace whispered, sounding breathless.

  The space between them disappeared before Tyler realized he’d moved. Their bodies collided. Tyler’s caught fire. Jace fit perfectly against him. The way Jace watched him as if he held his breath—anticipating—had Tyler’s lust skyrocketing. Despite the man’s jaded outlook on life, there was something innocent about Jace. Tyler wanted to taste it on his tongue. He thought to move slow, giving Jace time to back out. Tyler didn’t want Jace turning him down.

  His fingers splayed across Jace’s cheek. For a split second, he was captivated by their differences. Jace’s skin was a few shades lighter than his dark hue. Tyler’s hands appeared rougher than usual against Jace’s unblemished body. He dipped his head. Jace met him halfway. Their lips touched. Tyler was lost to Jace’s kiss.

  The man was a nibbler. Deepening their kiss never lasted long. Jace kept backing away and drawing Tyler’s bottom lip between his teeth, as if he couldn’t get enough. There was no slow burn. Tyler was ready to fuck Jace standing up, against the truck, and in the middle of Jace’s driveway.

  A sound, somewhere between a moan and a growl, came from the back of Jace’s throat. Tyler’s knees weakened. An image of Jace on his knees, making that noise around Tyler’s dick, flared to life in Tyler’s mind. Jace wasn’t one-night stand material. He was the kind of guy a man settled down with. The type he wanted to come home to every night. Tyler had no business touching him, tainting him. There was a huge list of reasons he should stop. He didn’t.

  “I want to peel these clothes from you and fuck you right here.”

  Jace swayed on his feet. “Oh, God.”

  “Let’s go inside, Jace. Keep me for a few more hours. I can make you scream.”

  Jace’s eyes fluttered open. The gorgeous irises that captured his attention from the start held him captive once more. Instead of answering, Jace linked his fingers through Tyler’s and tugged, leading him inside. The man was a fool. Tyler would eat him alive. Since Jace was obviously willing to let that happen, he wasn’t turning Jace down. Tyler drew a steady breath as Jace unlocked the door. His muscles tensed. Patience was a thing of the past.

  Jace glanced over his shoulder as they cleared the doorway. “Can I get you something—”

  In one quick motion, Tyler kicked the door closed behind him and took Jace to the floor, cutting off whatever Jace had been about to say. He hadn’t been lying earlier. Tyler loved sex. The kinkier the better. Jace’s lips had been tempting him all night. He wanted to fuck them. To his surprise—somehow—Tyler was the one who ended up on his back while Jace tore at his clothes. After Tyler’s shirt disappeared, Jace sat back on his heels while straddling Tyler’s hips and pulled his shirt off. God. Damn. Tyler nearly swallowed his tongue. The man’s body was perfect—cut in all the right places. Too late, he remembered where Jimmy had met Jace. They fought the same MMA circuit. He’d thought his dick couldn’t get any harder. Tyler had been wrong. It leaked at the sight of Jace above him, taking what he wanted.

  Jace loosened Tyler’s belt. He glanced down as if surprised by its weight. Fuck. Tyler hadn’t thought about his gun and handcuffs. He was a detective all the time. It was second nature. For other people, it could be off-putting. Jace stood. Tyler’s heart dropped. He wished he hadn’t been so engrossed in Jace he’d forgotten he was armed. There were lots of people who didn’t like to be near a gun. Except Jace didn’t back away. He held his hand out to help Tyler stand.

  “Come on, darling. I don’t do carpet burn for anyone. Not even someone as sexy as you.”

  Relief washed over him as he accepted Jace’s hand and stood. He wasn’t getting turned away, only relocated. Tyler held tight to Jace’s fingers as the man led him through the house. It wasn’t a huge place, but it was nice. Tyler didn’t possess the mental capacity to absorb his surroundings right now. All he could concentrate on was the way the muscles moved in Jace’s back when he walked. It should be illegal for anyone to be so sexy. Tyler bet everyone tripped over themselves to get this man’s attention. Right now, Tyler was who Jace had chosen to bring home. He wouldn’t let the man down.

  Jace’s bed came into view. It was high—like high enough he’d damn near need a step to get up in the thing, but perfect for bending Jace over. Reaching behind him, Tyler unsnapped his handcuffs before pulling them from his belt. Without giving Jace time to realize his plan, Tyler clapped them around the man’s wrist.

  “Now’s your chance to back down,” Tyler said before reaching for the man’s free arm.

  A hum came from the back of Jace’s throat, making Tyle
r’s dick leak. “I’m not that easy to scare.”

  “We’ll see,” Tyler said, clicking the other bracelet around Jace’s wrist, trapping the man’s arms behind his back. He should’ve tried to be at least a little romantic, considering it was their first time. Tyler didn’t hold back. He nearly ripped the zipper out of Jace’s jeans as he peeled them down the man’s legs. Before he knew how it happened, Tyler had Jace bent over the edge of the bed, ass cheeks spread and tonguing the man’s asshole. It was Jace’s fault. He didn’t hide his pleasure. The sounds he made and the way he rocked against Tyler’s face was addictive.

  Saliva ran down Tyler’s hands as he fucked Jace with his fingers. Tyler wasn’t the least bit gentle. His teeth sank into Jace’s ass cheek hard enough to draw blood. He couldn’t stop. His dick was climbing out his open pants. Jace’s pre-cum combined with Tyler’s spit. It was rough, raw, and dirty. Tyler experienced a real moment of fear that he might not ever want to leave. He had one fucking condom with him and already knew that wouldn’t be enough. Jace was the type of man he could fuck all night.

  Tyler shed his pants and found the condom in his wallet. It was lubricated, but he’d also made sure Jace was well soaked. With one hand holding the man’s cuffs, Tyler used the other to guide his way inside Jace.

  “Goddamn, Jace. Fuck.” He couldn’t be quiet. “You feel so good.” Tyler’s eyes fell closed as Jace’s tight heat pulled him farther in. “Seriously, you’ve already got me ready to explode. I knew you’d be amazing. Anyone who made you feel unwanted is insane,” Tyler said, between licking and sucking the side of Jace’s neck. “I can’t remember the last time I was this hard.”

  “Tyler.”

  It was one word, barely whispered. Yet it sent Tyler into a frenzy. He tugged at Jace’s cock, determined to make the man fly while pounding Jace’s tight ass. Jace’s muscles tensed, proving how close he was to the edge, and nearly taking Tyler’s knees out as he tightened around Tyler’s cock. When Jace finally exploded, his ass convulsed, milking Tyler’s dick. He held still, hoping the man didn’t cripple him for life even as Jace’s orgasm triggered his own. Wave after wave of ecstasy pulled loud gasps from Tyler. His lips brushed Jace’s sweat-soaked skin and words slipped from Tyler he couldn’t control. He praised the man wrecking his body and swore he’d make him come again before the night ended. It wasn’t empty talk. Before Tyler finally set Jace free from the cuffs and they fell into an exhausted heap of legs and arms into Jace’s bed, Tyler had done his damnedest to ruin Jace for all others. God knew, Jace had already ruined him.

  *

  Cool air brushing his bare ass pulled Jace from the sleep of the dead. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth before his eyes opened. It was darker than he expected. His gaze moved to the clock. Only an hour had passed since he’d cried “uncle.” Light peeked around the closed bathroom door, casting just enough glow on the room for Jace to see Tyler gathering his clothes to leave. It was obvious by his slow movements that he was trying not to wake Jace. The muscles in Jace’s stomach twisted. Tyler was seriously sneaking out on him. Part of Jace wanted to throw the covers back and demand Tyler leave like a real man if he wanted to go. The rest of Jace was resigned. As much as Jace had wanted Tyler to be different, turned out he wasn’t. In truth, Tyler wasn’t to blame. The problem was Jace. There was something fundamentally wrong with him—something that kept men from caring about him. As much as he tried to work on himself, convincing himself he was worth more than the people he surrounded himself with, men kept proving him wrong. It never hurt less—learning every horrible thing ever said to him, putting him down, was merely putting him in his place—undeserving of love.

  Chapter 2

  Three weeks later…

  Jace didn’t need to look at a calendar to know exactly how many days had passed since the last time he’d seen the man crossing the room. This was the last place he expected to see Tyler. The giant man leading him through Smith Brothers Fight Club stood a foot taller than everyone else, just as Tyler did. That made them easy to spot. Any other time, Jace may’ve made a run for it. Since Jimmy’s engagement had just been announced to the club, and Jimmy stared at him with the only hint of apology Jace would ever get, Jace’s brain wasn’t working at full capacity. It had been less than a year since they’d split. Jace’s current shock had nothing to do with that detail. It was the sure knowledge Jace would spend the rest of his life alone that glued Jace’s feet to the ground, and then, Tyler had appeared, as if to emphasize how pathetic Jace was.

  As Jace looked on, Tyler joined the celebration surrounding Jimmy and Eli. Jace couldn’t tear his gaze from the smile stretching Tyler’s lips. The man was happy—like Jace meant nothing. As if he felt Jace’s stare, Tyler glanced over Jimmy’s shoulder. Their gazes met. Tyler’s smile slipped from his face like melting butter. For a moment, Tyler continued to hold Jace’s stare even as his mouth kept moving, holding up his end of the conversation with Jimmy. Then the moment passed, and Tyler looked away, dismissing him. Funny, that small gesture hurt more than watching Tyler sneak away in the middle of the night. Jace grabbed his things. He couldn’t do this. While skirting the edge of the gym, he tried making a break for it, hoping to slip away unnoticed. Two people stopped him, trying to lure him into a chat before he made his getaway. He knew everyone’s hearts were in the right place. They all thought he was running away because his ex had just announced his impending marriage to someone else, but Jace wanted to get the fuck out of there before Tyler looked at him again. The man didn’t need to speak to him to fuck with Jace’s head. Jace did that all on his own.

  His car came into view. “Jace, hold up.” Jace’s eyes fell closed at the sound of Tyler’s voice. He was in hell. There was no other explanation for the nightmare this day had become. Jace picked up his pace, hoping Tyler would take a hint and leave him be. It didn’t happen. “Seriously, Jace. Hold on a minute. I need to talk to you.”

  The day’s events crashed down on Jace’s shoulders, bringing with it a swell of pure rage. Without thought, Jace turned on Tyler. “What do you want, Tyler?”

  His open hostility had Tyler taking a step back as if shocked by Jace’s tone. The man was a goddamn idiot. He’d fucked Jace and then ran for the hills but still expected a jovial greeting. Well, fuck him. Jace barely stopped himself from saying as much.

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “Really?” Jace said, infusing as much sarcasm as he could into the question. “What do I think?”

  “That I got what I wanted and disappeared. Now I’m here taunting you with my presence—like you didn’t matter. But, I swear, it’s really not like that. I like you a lot, Jace. Way more than I should.”

  Jace stopped himself from crossing his arms over his chest, protecting his heart by force of will alone. Damned if Tyler hadn’t named off every single fucking thing Jace was thinking. Hell would freeze before Jace admitted it. “I’m still waiting for you to tell me how it isn’t like that.”

  Tyler looked panicked—like he hadn’t expected Jace to press. He gave Jace a short nod as if he’d come to a decision. Jace hoped he’d chosen to be honest, because he’d been fed enough lies over the years. He didn’t need a new man to shove shit down his throat. “All right, I guess—in a way—it is like that.”

  Okay. That hurt.

  “But you do matter,” Tyler added. “It’s just that… Jimmy matters more.”

  Jesus. Really? Jace could’ve gone his whole life without this discussion.

  “I’m not expressing myself well. See, like just now, Jimmy called me family, and I don’t want to fuck that up, but I do like you, and fuck.”

  Enraged didn’t begin to explain how Jace felt. His eye twitched. As he tried calling his temper under control, Jace ran his tongue over his teeth. Going to jail wasn’t on his to-do list for the day. Tyler was cop; even off duty, Jace would probably get twice the time if he killed him right here. He knew the right thing would be to walk away. Jace had never been accused
of showing good sense when it came to his heart.

  “Here’s the thing,” Jace said, surprising even himself with how steady his voice sounded. “You knew I used to date Jimmy before you fucked me. It’s not like you found out who I was after the fact. So… I’m not the fucking idiot you obviously take me for.” Jace was beyond caring they were airing their business to all the people on the street. He needed to have his say. God knew, he never intended to see this bastard again after today. “You made a conscious decision to fuck me and walk away. This isn’t you trying to do right by someone you care about. You planned all along to have both—me for one night without ruining what little relationship you have with Jimmy.”

  Tyler’s expression gave nothing away. It didn’t matter. Jace didn’t need Tyler’s thoughts. It was his own feelings Jace would have to live with when he walked away from Tyler. He already knew he would look back on this moment in shame if he didn’t speak his mind now. “What you didn’t consider is this,” Jace added. “Not only does Jimmy not give two shits about me, or you, for that matter, but after you snuck out on me, you never had a shot at a second night with me. Following me out here gained you nothing.” Because he was done and didn’t care to hear anything else Tyler had to say, Jace turned away.

  “Hold up, Jace. I’m sorry.”

  Jace didn’t bother slowing. “Fuck you, Tyler,” he called over his shoulder. “Oh, and by the way, Jimmy has been standing six feet behind you this entire time.” Jace almost hated he missed Tyler’s reaction to the news, but he couldn’t look at Tyler a second longer. He thought he knew what it was like to be pissed off at someone. Tyler had shown him a whole new level of rage.

  *

  At Jace’s words, Tyler’s eyes fell closed. He tilted his chin to the sky even as his shoulders fell. There wasn’t a doubt in Tyler’s mind Jace had known the entire time Jimmy was there and intentionally ensured Jimmy heard every word. Jace was a little evil. Goddamn. Tyler loved that. If Jimmy’s stare wasn’t burning a hole in the back of Tyler’s head, he’d be hard as steel right now.