A Perfect Chance Read Online Free Page B

protect her.
    "She could do worse."
    What the fuck?! A broken nose, a punch in the gut, a warning to keep my hands to myself, any of those I was prepared for, but his words… I was left reeling. I hadn't even realised my mouth was gaping until Diesel pointed it out to me.
    "Don't get me wrong, you fuck with her, you're a dead man." This I could relate to. I nodded in response. "But, the fact that you don't fuck around with any club pussy, hell, hardly any fucking pussy in general, matters. Plus, despite your eyes all over my baby fucking sister, not once have you even touched her, so fucking careful, respectful." He leaned back in his chair. "That, Mace, that right there is enough for me to know that you're fucking good enough. I know it, and she knows it."
    I took a few moments to gather my thoughts. Diesel giving me the go-ahead and me actually acting on it were two completely different things. I voiced as much to Diesel and continued, "I honestly don't think I can ever let my guard down again, Diesel," I admitted. "It wouldn't be fair for any woman, especially not Lena. Keeping my distance is easier."
    His laughter had me lifting my brows. "There's no chance of keeping your distance with Lena. I need you to help her, protect her, so you need to deal with whatever shit you've still got going on and think of another approach."
    The fucker was right, but the last thing I needed in my life was another woman who had the power to bring me to my knees, or more specifically, whose death had the power to obliterate my heart and soul. Never a-fucking-gain. I ran my hand over my face, no longer caring about holding my mask in place. "Fuck. I'm totally screwed."
    Diesel's laughter rang out around the bar. I picked up my bottle of beer, and he clinked his against it. "That you are, brother, that you are." He winked and took a deep pull of his beer.
     

Chapter Four
     
    LENA
     
    Nerves bubbled through my veins, settled in my stomach, and left me feeling like I was going to puke… or pee. Hell, there was a level of excitement there too that made me want to fist pump and do a girlie squeal. I could not for the life of me remember the last time I had squealed in excited anticipation.
    Mace.
    Holy cocking hell! I was going to be working for hot-as-hell moody and mysterious Mace.
    The last thing I wanted was to be falling for a guy connected to my brother, not that Diesel would allow me the freedom to pursue such a thing, and of course, Mace had made it pretty damn clear he wasn't interested in me. Strike that, in any woman. And that was fine by me. Or at least, that was what I tried to convince myself.
    I eagerly allowed my thoughts to be consumed by all things Mace. It was easier to be thinking about him, imagining what he would look like naked, what his lips would feel like. It was all so much easier than focusing on the bigger, terrifying reality of having a new job, in a new place, with new people.
    I wanted it all. I'd begged my brother for his support, and he'd made it happen. When he'd told me he'd try to sort something, it had left me with a glimmer of hope, but I also wasn't expecting him to come through for me, or at least not so soon. He'd made it happen. My amazing, pig-headed, bloody brilliant, pain-in-the-arse brother was the best.
    And the need to puke was back.
    I breathed in deeply through my nose and held it for six seconds before breathing out. "Relax," I said aloud. I did this twice more, in and out in a six-second cycle , all in the desperate hope of regulating my breathing and eradicating my desire to vomit.
    "You okay?"
    I paused at five on my third loop of counting and flicked my gaze to Diesel. I hadn't realised we'd parked. Diesel sat in the driver seat with his body angled towards me. I nodded at him and smiled, hoping it didn't come out as a grimace.
    "You've got this."
    I loved him even more for not just offering me an out and giving me the chance to turn back. It would be too easy to accept such an