BRICK (Forsaken Riders MC Romance Book 17) Read online

  “Exactly!”

  Cadence let the cool wine trickle into Jasmine’s glass and then filled her own.

  “I wonder what you’ll be doing,” Cadence mused. “He might have you cooking dinner for them both, wearing a little apron and playing the wifey.”

  “Don’t be so ridiculous,” Jasmine rolled her eyes. “You really are mad sometimes. I’m there to look after Maddy, not be the hired help to run the household.”

  “But he let you open the shutters,” Cadence half-laughed. “Maybe he secretly wants you to go in there and spruce things up.”

  “I think this is your fantasy, not mine! Like I say, maybe you’re the one who should be playing babysitter, not me.”

  “No way,” Cadence laughed. “I hate kids. I couldn’t think of anything worse.”

  Jasmine shook her head. “Once again, you are insufferable.”

  “I know,” Cadence grinned. “Well,” she looked up at the clock on the wall. It was only nine pm but it was a Sunday and both of the girls had plenty to do the following day. “I guess I better quit whilst I’m ahead and get going,” she said as she quickly sipped down the remainder of her wine.

  “Yeah,” Jasmine sat her glass down and rubbed her temples. “Now I have the dilemma of what the hell I’m going to wear. It has to be appropriate, but I don’t want to look like a nerd.”

  “What you had on today sounded perfect,” Cadence offered.

  “Well, yeah, but I can hardly wear the same thing two days in a row, can I?”

  “Oh, you want him so bad,” Cadence laughed. “I can’t even begin to tell you how obvious it is… Oh what will I wear? I can’t wear the same thing two days in a row!”

  “That’s just some of life’s rules, Cadence, it has nothing to do with me having a crush on my new employer.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Cadence winked as she skipped forward and planted a kiss on Jasmine’s cheek. “Good luck tomorrow. I want to know everything.”

  “I’ll keep you well updated, don’t worry.”

  “And text me his address, for safety reasons, you understand,” Cadence winked again.

  “Come on, out!” Jasmine laughed as she pushed her toward the door. “I don’t know how I put up with you sometimes, I really don’t. You drive me insane.”

  “But you wouldn’t know what to do without me,” Cadence trilled as she stepped out the front door and started down the hallway. “I hope you can sleep tonight, don’t have too many hot and heavy dreams about Daddy Brick now, will you.”

  “Stop. Saying. Daddy.” Jasmine said through gritted teeth.

  “Haha, bye babe,” Cadence blew another kiss as she skipped off down the stairs and Jasmine had to hide her smile as she turned back into her apartment and closed the door.

  She turned the latches and locked herself in for the night and then she began to tidy everything. It had been such an interesting day. She had enjoyed being with Maddy so much, and now that she had spoken to Cadence about Brick her mind was actually racing with scenarios.

  He was sexy.

  She couldn’t deny that for second.

  But Cadence had just gotten carried away. There was no way Jasmine could seriously consider crushing on a man almost twice her age who she was working for. It was just madness. She shook her head and carried the empty wine glasses back into the kitchen and placed them in the sink.

  She had two options for the rest of the evening. Either spend her time rooting through her closet and stressing over possible outfits, and then cleaning and tidying so she didn’t have to do it the following day, or going straight to bed with a good book and getting a good night’s sleep.

  “Look after yourself for once,” she said aloud as she began to turn the lights off in the front room.

  Her shoulders were aching and her muscles were tired. She turned off the TV, blew out the candles and then walked to her bedroom. The sight of her bed was so enticing she could barely even be bothered to remove her make-up. She stripped off her lounge pants, throwing them into a ball in the corner of the room and slithered her way under her bed covers and stretched her arms over her head.

  “Bliss,” she moaned as she rolled onto her side and reached for her book.

  She couldn’t remember the last time she had just climbed into bed early and gone to sleep. She was so used to getting up early to go to work in Lisa’s store that it was an alien concept for her to be starting work much later in the day.

  “I could even sleep late,” she whispered to herself as she found the last chapter she had been reading. “But that would be foolish. You have to make sure you’re fully ready.”

  She got comfy in bed, propping herself up on pillows and letting the bedside light cast a warm glow over the pages. It was cozy and idyllic in there, and because of that, it wasn’t long before she started to drift peacefully off to sleep. The words she had read bled in front of her eyes and she couldn’t take any of them in.

  All she could think about was Brick.

  The daddy.

  And the fact that she would never admit it, but she couldn’t wait to see him again.

  7.

  Morning arrived almost too soon and her dreams had been filled with muscles, danger, and tattoos. She had woken in the middle of the night in a hot sweat and had to go into the bathroom and splash her face with cold water.

  She could kill Cadence.

  This was all her fault.

  She had gotten her thinking of Brick in ways she really shouldn’t be. And now she had to go work for him and try to act normal. She had to try to act like she hadn’t been dreaming about him all night. As if she hadn’t felt the sensations of him undressing her, laying her back on the bed and climbing on top of her. Her heart raced even as she just remembered the dream. It had been so hot and frantic. He had flipped her over onto her stomach and entered her from behind while he twisted her hair around his fist.

  He was so big and powerful.

  He was so experienced.

  A daddy.

  Fuck! she thought. I’m really going to have to cleanse my mind before I go anywhere near that house. Fucking Cadence.

  She sat on her couch with a big, steaming mug of coffee and opened the messages on her cellphone and started to write a text.

  J: I am actually going to strangle you… do you have any idea what bad thoughts you’ve gone and put in my head about that man? You’re not allowed in my apartment ever again… #JustSayin. Xxxx

  She hit send and took a sip of her coffee and within a split second, she had a reply.

  C: I only speak the truth, sucker! Enjoy your day with Daddy ;)

  Jasmine smirked and threw her cellphone down on the couch next to her. She had no idea how she was going to waste all the time she had leading up to when she had to go back to Brick and Maddy’s house, but she was going to have to think of something. She already felt as if she were being tortured.

  “Come on,” she coached herself. “Pick an outfit, clean the apartment, cook some lunch, drink more coffee, and prepare yourself for your first day on the job.”

  And just like that, she rose to her feet and forced herself into action.

  She climbed the steps to the old house and her heart beat hard in her chest. She had walked there feeling calmer than she had all day, but now that she was back, it was a whole different story.

  The garage door was closed and a bike was at the side of the road down at the foot of the steps. She tried not to look at it as she walked past. She didn’t want to think too much about it and what it would mean when Brick went off to “work”, and left her and Maddy alone.

  She straightened the top of her blouse and then smoothed her palm over the top of her hair. In the end, she had chosen something halfway between formal and casual. Tight jeans and a light blue blouse. She was just a babysitter, after all. And the more she had thought about it, the more she had convinced herself that a man like Brick probably wouldn’t even notice what the hell she was wearing.

  She reached up and presse
d the bell, and from inside, she could hear the excited calls from Maddy.

  “Daddy! Daddy! Jasmine is here!” she cheered, and then there was the sound of little footsteps jumping up and down and running around the hallway.

  When she heard a heavier set of feet coming toward her on the other side of the door, she waited with baited breath. Suddenly, it flew open and Brick stood there looking back at her with those intense eyes and his wicked grin.

  “Hey,” he said.

  “Hey,” Jasmine smiled as she watched him step back to make room for her to enter.

  “Bang on time,” he said as he closed the door behind them. “I like punctuality.”

  “Well, that’s definitely a good trait of mine,” she confessed. “I don’t think I’ve ever been late for anything in my entire life.”

  “Good to know,” he smiled over his shoulder as he walked down the hallway toward the kitchen.

  Jasmine looked at his shoulders and at how broad they were. He was wearing battered denim jeans and a black t-shirt which was tight and v-cut at the neck, showing off the top of his muscular chest and the snake of dark tattoos that were working their way toward his neck.

  He really was seriously good looking. And the fleck of gray in his hair only enhanced it. It was like a badge of honor. Brick had done time and he had earned his stripes. He had lived a fast life and he had learned. He was wise.

  Jasmine flushed again. She was always trying to piece people together. Maybe she should just stop and let them show themselves to her when they were ready.

  “Hi, Jasmine!” Maddy beamed from the table in the kitchen. She swung her legs from side and side, and Jasmine walked over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a little hug squeeze.

  “Hey, Maddy,” she smiled. “How was school?”

  “It was great!” Maddy chirped. “We got to paint pictures and learn some spellings.”

  “Awesome,” Jasmine said. “I loved painting the best.”

  Not that Cadence would have ever agreed with her after their experience in the art gallery…

  “So,” Brick said as he ran a hand through his hair. “This is the kitchen, the hub of the house, the favorite place of Maddy and me. This is where we spend the majority of our time.”

  “This is where we eat,” Maddy clapped her hands together.

  “Refrigerator is there,” Brick said as he started to point around the room. “Stove is there, trash can and recycling is through there, we’ve got cupboards full of food and a separate freezer out in the garage where we keep the…,” he cupped his hand up to his face so that Maddy couldn’t see what he was saying in a low whisper, “Ice… Cream…”

  Jasmine laughed and nodded her head.

  “You have my cell, right?” he asked as he walked over to stand by Maddy’s side.

  “Yes, the number I first got you on?”

  “That’s the one,” he nodded.

  He kissed Maddy on the cheek and pulled her in for a big, bear hug. She nuzzled into his chest and when he pulled back and looked at her, Jasmine could see the affection and love they had between them.

  “If you need anything, just give me a call. She’s usually in bed by seven. Seven thirty at the latest because school is early!” He looked at Maddy with a warning look and then back to Jasmine.

  “Don’t worry,” Jasmine assured him. “We’ll be fine. If I need you, I’ll call.”

  He walked toward the door and motioned for Jasmine to follow him. When they were out of ear shot in the big, darkened hallway, he turned to her and stared deep into her eyes.

  “She’s a good kid, she’ll let you know if she wants anything,” he began, then he paused and cleared his throat. “I don’t know what time I’ll be back…” he looked uneasy. “But like I said, if you need me, just call. If I don’t pick up, leave a message.”

  Jasmine nodded. There was a sense of urgency in his voice that made her nervous.

  “Bye, Jasmine,” he said seriously. “Look after my kid, okay?”

  Jasmine could sense the threat in his voice and it made her spine tingle and her heart race.

  “Of course,” she stammered. “She’s my priority now.”

  “Good,” he said sternly with a dark look in his eye.

  And then he turned and started to walk away.

  Jasmine held her breath until he had reached the doorway and left the house behind. When she heard the roar of the bike’s engine, she finally let herself suck in a lungful of air and leaned back against the wall and breathed quickly until her heart slowed to normal.

  This man was dangerous. It was so clear to her now. He played the doting dad, and it was obvious that’s who he was deep down. But there was an edge to him that was truly terrifying and Jasmine knew she never, ever wanted to get on his bad side.

  She composed herself and pushed the door to the kitchen back open and saw Maddy still sitting there, swinging her legs and grinning from ear to ear.

  “Can we do hair again?” she asked excitedly, completely unaware of what had just gone on between Jasmine and her father.

  “Sure, we can,” Jasmine beamed. “Let’s go into the front room and set up the salon.”

  Maddy jumped to her feet and raced out into the hallway, and Jasmine followed behind her meekly, feeling like a dog who had just been told off by its owner.

  She got Maddy to bed as promised by seven o’clock, and then spent the rest of the evening tidying the house, making sure everything was spotless and nothing was out of place from when Brick had left.

  She checked on Maddy every hour and tucked her back in without fail if the covers had slipped. And she marveled at how stunning the old house was, even though some of the rooms were filled with ancient junk which clearly served no purpose.

  When it had hit eleven pm, Jasmine had made cocoa and was sitting on the couch with a blanket and turned on the TV. Reruns of old sitcoms were on and she settled in for the night, trying her best to stay awake as long as possible before she finally succumbed to sleep. She laid down on the couch and pulled the blanket tight around her, as she tried to watch the television. When she couldn’t do it anymore, when her eyes got too heavy, she felt herself falling, and she decided it was all she could do. It was late, she had to rest. She would check on Maddy again when she woke back up.

  “Jasmine,” the voice came from above her and she could feel a strong, hot hand on her shoulder.

  She rubbed her eyes and tried to focus. The room was dark but the light from the static on the TV was blaring out around her and it cast a shadow across his face.

  “Brick,” she said with confusion as she pushed herself up on her hands and looked around the room. “I’m sorry, I must have fallen asleep.”

  She felt terrible and expecting him to chastise her, but instead, he just nodded and rose to his feet.

  “Sorry I’m so late,” he said as he stretched and started to shrug off his heavy leather jacket.

  Jasmine could smell the scent of liquor and smoke clinging to him, and he seemed much more relaxed than he had before. She looked over to the wall and saw that the clock said it was five am.

  “It’s okay,” she croaked as she sat up fully and rubbed her eyes.

  “I thought it would be more like midnight,” he said. “But you never can tell what the fuck is going to happen…”

  He trailed off and looked troubled again.

  “Is everything okay?” Jasmine asked.

  Brick paused for a moment as if he was thinking and then he smiled and nodded.

  “Yes, everything’s fine,” he reassured her. “Tell me, how was Princess Maddy for you?”

  “She’s just amazing,” Jasmine beamed. “She really is. We played all afternoon and into the early evening. We made our own quesadillas for dinner, and then we watched an episode of Sophia the First before bed.”

  Brick smirked.

  “Yeah, she loves that show,” he said fondly.

  “I bet you do too, by now,” Jasmine joked.
/>   Brick raised his eyebrows.

  “Dad life, huh?” he laughed.

  Jasmine smiled. He really was handsome. But he seemed so complicated. It was as if he had two completely different sides to him, and she never knew which one she was going to get. Would he be the sweet doting dad she knew he could be, or was he going to be dark, sharp and cold like he had been just before he’d left? She just could never tell.

  She swung her feet down so they were skimming the floor and she rose quickly to her feet.

  “I’ll check her again,” she said as she moved toward the door.

  “It’s all right,” he said. “I just did, she’s absolutely fine.”

  “I can’t believe I fell asleep,” she said as she rubbed her forehead.

  “It’s five am. I wouldn’t have expected you to stay up that whole time,” he said as he scratched the back of his neck.

  “Okay,” she smiled, looking down at the floor.

  “I’d offer you a ride home, but…” he pointed to the ceiling.

  “Oh no, it’s fine,” Jasmine smiled. “Honestly, I didn’t expect you to take me. I can walk.”

  “You sure?” he asked as he looked out the window.

  The sun wasn’t rising but there was a pinkish glow on the horizon and it certainly couldn’t be long.

  “Of course,” she laughed. “I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself.”

  He turned to look at her and their eyes locked in on each other’s. Jasmine’s stomach flipped when she was caught in his sights and she found herself fidgeting nervously. He looked as if he wanted to say something but didn’t know what, and then he broke the moment by looking away.

  “Send me a message when you get home,” he said sternly. In that instant, he completely changed from the man he had just been only a split second before. “I don’t want anything on my hands here.”

  Jasmine laughed, but then she realized he wasn’t joking and she quickly gathered up her jacket and coat, and walked quickly toward the front door.

  Brick followed behind her and kept his hands in his pockets as if he was having to force them to stay there. He pursed his lips and cast his eyes down toward the floor.