Craving Rose (The Aces' Sons 5)

“He’s probably runnin’ scared,” I spat, checking the tent. “Rose’s fuckin’ bag is gone.”

“He stole her bag?” Dragon asked in surprise.

“What the fuck is wrong with that dipshit?” Grease said in frustration.

“I don’t know, but we need a fuckin’ sit down,” I replied. “From this point forward, he’s no brother of mine.”

“Hold it,” Dragon said warningly.

“How the fuck can I keep Rose safe if he’s always lurkin’ around?” I said, struggling to keep my voice even. “He came into our camp and started yellin’ at my woman while she was half dressed. I get held up for ten minutes, then what? He coulda done anythin’ he wanted.”

Grease made a sound, and I looked over at him. The veins in his neck were bulging, and he looked ready to lose it.

“We’ll deal with it,” Dragon said. “Once we’re back at the clubhouse. We’re not bringin’ this shit to someone else’s doorstep.”

“Know that,” I said in disgust. “Why do you think I pulled you away instead of announcin’ that shit?”

“Appreciate it.”

“You better handle this before I come across him,” Grease said quietly to Dragon. “Or I’ll deal with it myself.”

“Man’s stupid enough to get anywhere near you,” Dragon said with a sigh, “I won’t stop ya.”

Grease wasn’t gonna touch him. As Rose’s man, that fell to me. But I kept my mouth shut as we walked back toward the party. I couldn’t imagine some man going at Kara the way Copper had lunged at Rose.

The party raged on, but as we reached the group, our men watched us closely. They knew something had gone down, they just weren’t sure what. As Dragon moved toward Cam and Grease headed for his sons, I searched for Rose.

“Callie took her in the house,” Hawk said, as she came up beside me. “You might want to go in there.”

“Thanks.”

“Do I wanna know what happened?” she asked as I started to walk away.

“Go take care of your man,” I replied, nodding my head toward where Tommy was rising from his seat. “Calm him down.”

“Oh, shit,” Hawk muttered as she took off at a jog.

Inside the house was as loud as outside. It took me a few minutes to find the women in a quieter room upstairs, and my stomach twisted when I saw Rose sitting on the edge of the bed.

“I told you I’m fine,” she said to her mom, pushing her hands away.

“Sweetheart, you’re still pale as a ghost,” Callie said, crouched in front of her.

“Would you just tell us what the fuck happened already?” Lily snapped. “This is bullshit.”

Rose just shook her head. “It’s none of your business.”

“Say what?” Farrah asked dubiously.

“Copper showed up,” I said quietly, stepping inside the room and closing the door behind me. “Started hasslin’ Rose.”

“I saw him hanging around,” Farrah said. “But he looked like he was keeping his distance.”

“Cornered her at our camping spot,” I replied.

“Oh, fuck no,” Lily snarled.

“It was fine,” Rose said, her eyes on mine. “Nothing happened.”

“It doesn’t sound like nothing,” Callie retorted.

“I put a stop to it,” I said.

“Well done,” Farrah said.

“I was handling it,” Rose said stubbornly.

I saw red. “You were handling it?” I ground out. “You think so?”

“I know so,” Rose replied, standing up.

“How you figure?” I asked, taking a step forward.

“I would have taken care of it,” she hissed back.

The tension in the room amped up as we stared at each other. I wasn’t real happy we had an audience, but fuck it.

“By eggin’ him on?” I asked. “You think you can take on a grown ass man?”

“I’d do my best,” she shot back.

“Your best is shit,” I roared. “He coulda done whatever the fuck he wanted.”

“No, he couldn’t.”

“You got a piece you’re hidin’?” I asked. “Huh? You got anything to defend yourself?”

Rose just glared at me.

“You got a drunk, pissed off man comin’ at you, and you think it’s a good idea to call him a needle dick?”

I ignored Farrah’s snicker.

“I wasn’t just going to stand there and let him talk to me like that!”

“That’s all you had to do,” I yelled, pointing at her.

“Okay, lets all just calm down,” Callie said, trying to defuse the situation.

“I’m her man?” I snapped, looking at Rose’s mother.

She looked back and forth between us. “Yeah.”

“Then you got no part in this,” I said, dismissing her as I turned back to Rose.

“You didn’t think to bide your time and keep him calm and wait for me?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head.

“What the fuck, Rose?”

“I wasn’t going to just let him do that again,” she shouted back.

“Words hurt, huh?” I replied, getting in her face. I was so livid I could barely see straight. “You know what hurts worse? Fuckin’ fists.”

“Come on, man,” Farrah said. “She gets it.”

I ignored her.

“You know what hurts? A man twice your size overpowerin’ you. Doing whatever the fuck he felt like doin’, and havin’ it easy because you were already half naked.”