Page 1 of Jace

Prologue

I spentthe majority of my childhood fighting for my next meal. I have the scars to prove it. Nothing came easy and everything, came with a price.

I had shit parents, no living grandparents I could turn to, and to be truthful I’m not even sure the man that claimed to be my father truly was.

I was a mistake and my cracked-out mother reminded me of it often. She blamed me for all her wrongs, claiming I’m the one that led her to be the worthless person she became. Fact is she was gone long before I ever existed.

There was never any food in the house, but if you wanted to get high, hell you could pick your poison. It would have been so easy to go down the wrong path and become as useless as those surrounding me. I’ll admit I have my share of wrongs. I’ve fucked up more times than I can count.

Mr. Mcleary, the nosy neighbor across the alley was a bastard. But it was that bastard who saved my life. I never got the chance to tell him that, because eight years later when I finally made it back to my old neighborhood he’d already passed away.

I was just shy of ten years old when I was placed into foster care. A skinny, malnourished little asshole who treated everyone like the enemy. I’d been dealt a shit hand, and though getting passed around in the system sucked, it was better than the first ten years of my cursed existence.

Daxton Ford and Oliver Riggins, two of the greatest guys I’ll ever know. They didn’t owe me a damn thing but they both treated me like I was worth something. I’d never felt that before them. I never thought I had a purpose, never felt like I deserved anything good, but they refused to let me believe I couldn’t make something of my life.

They forced me to find the good within me, and I owe them everything.

I don’t believe in angels and the greater good but still like to consider the idea that I’d been blessed with them. Maybe by accident or some glitch in the grand scheme of things, but I’d take the fuck up. I’d take that win.

With Dax and Olly, came Zac, and Luna—my people.

They’re loud, opinionated, and we all think we are the boss; we clash on most days but damn it we’re a family of five.

I’d give my life for any of them, together we are strong, together we are unbreakable.

Chapter One

Aurora

I’ve always had a hard time connecting with people. It’s my curse, I don’t trust easily, I have the bad habit of seeing the bad outcome of every situation before it even happens. When I met Bree, I knew I’d met the one person I was meant to find. She’s my other half I swear. She sometimes knows what I’m thinking before I say the words out loud. She knows what I need, she knows how to redirect my crazy thoughts and ideas, making everything fit like the perfect puzzle. She evens out my unsettled thoughts.

But then I met Luna and instantly knew she was the missing piece we never knew was gone. We create the perfect two, complimenting each other’s weaknesses. And we hold each other up.

I know that neither Bree nor I imagined the day that we walked into Deranged Ink it would change our lives. It all started with a music festival in the middle of Bear Creek Colorado. Bree was hired to take photos, and of course, I tagged along. She ended up dumping a drink down the front of a moody stranger and that stranger is now the father of her daughter, Piper.

The road for Bree and Daxton has not always been smooth. In fact it’s been more like the Rocky Mountains at times, they eventually found their way and created a beautiful little family. But for months their path was riddled with potholes the size of canyons and there was a lot of heartache and tears.

But watching them together, witnessing the troubles and seeing how far they’ve come, it gives me hope.

Piper, their daughter, is by far the sweetest baby on the planet, with the ability to make any bad day seem bright again. She wasn’t planned but she is the greatest gift. Deranged Ink is made up of four burly men and Luna, and Piper has every single man and even us ladies wrapped securely around her fingers, and those sweet little toes.

Daxton, Olive, Jace, Zac, and our girl Luna were a package deal. I’ve never seen a tighter group, one that would lay it all on the line for the other, no questions asked.

It took a while for Oliver to wise up and grab the girl, because I may be straight but Luna, hell that woman could have turned me. She is gorgeous and I’m not only referring to her perfect hair, smile, and aura. She’s incredible in every sense of that word.

Their story had some rough ugly patches, and the darkness of Luna’s past caught us all off guard. I know I never expected to get myself tied up in the middle.

I still sleep with a light on now, unable to shake the feeling of monsters in the night. And Luna lived like this for years. She lived in fear and her nightmares never stopped. She was always afraid, always looking over her shoulder. It only brings truth to the strength she possesses.

But now those nightmares have come to an end, for her anyway. I still dream of someone breaking into my apartment and attacking me. I see things in the darkness that aren’t even there and I hear the screams echoing in my mind. The night Luna’s ex came into her place and attacked me, my cousin, and finally Luna, it’s a night I know I’ll never forget.

As I lay in bed, staring ahead at the open bedroom door that overlooks my small living room, I have the perfect view of the front door. I purposely moved my bed this way, ensuring that if anyone entered, I’d see it coming. Never again did I want to be caught off guard by a surprise attack. I never again wanted to be a victim.

Reaching out for my phone that sits on the nightstand I lift it and look at the time.

Barely after one in the morning I know he’ll reply, even if he’s asleep. He always replies.

Me: Awake?

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