Jackson (A Steele Riders MC Novel Book 3)

  Jackson

  A Steele Riders MC Novel

  C.M. Steele

  Acknowledgments:

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments:

  To my husband and best friend who tries to help me stay off the internet but fails miserably. I love you to pieces.

  My betas and online therapists: Thank you. You’ve pushed me through a big hump and helping me to focus. You all rock.

  And to my readers…without you all I wouldn’t be living the dream.

  The second Penelope Banks stepped into his office, Jackson knew that she was trouble. She could fight it if she wanted to, but the lust in those baby blues said all he needed to know. Penny belonged to him. Now, all he had to do was claim her.

  The second she stepped into Jackson Steele’s office, Penny knew he was trouble. The man had everything in one look that could take down a hoard of women: sexy, pure, raw appeal. If she was smart, she’d keep her distance. And she sure tried, but no one can fight their forever.

  Copyrighted © 2018

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without written expressed permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is purely coincidental.

  Cover design: C.M. Steele

  Cover Image: Deposit Photos

  The use of actors, artists, movies, TV shows and song titles/lyrics throughout this book are done so for storytelling purposes and should in no way be seen as advertisement. Trademark names are used in an editorial fashion with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and please purchase your own copy.

  Prologue

  Jackson

  I tip my sunglasses and survey the property my brother just purchased for damn pennies. I’m proud of him, but I feel like I’ve stepped into an old mining town that’s in some John Wayne movie. “Boomer, this looks like a fucking ghost town. Bro, we have our work cut out for us.” Truthfully, I’m shaking with excitement inside, not that I’d show it. I’ve always been one to hold back my feelings, but damn this is going to make me let loose a howl. My eyes adjust, then I close my eyes and picture all this could be. The vision is fascinating.

  “Think of it this way, next week it’ll be a blank canvas.” He smiles at me because he knows that’s when Steeleville will become my project to work my magic on. As an architect with my own company, I love planning and overseeing some of the builds. The end result and the happiness with my customers is the best part. This is so much more. This is ours.

  “I guess you’ve got a point there. Let’s check it out so I can draw up some blueprints for you to approve.” I look at the classic look of some of the old building and see that maybe it could work. “Now that I’m looking at it, bro, there’s a lot of potential.”

  “I want it to have that old town feel with all the modern upgrades.”

  “Gotcha.” I make some notes in my favorite leather-bound legal pad binder. There’s so much we can do. I can see a strip mall of businesses that make life a lot easier for people living so far away from the city.

  I look up and see Boomer giving me a once-over with a cocked brow. “Jackson, have you been lifting more?” he asks.

  “Yep, it helps me think.” It does clear my head. It’s as if ideas form and problems are resolved when I let the burn hit me at the gym.

  “Don’t think too much or your brain will be your weakest muscle soon. I was starting to wonder if you put yourself up for the Strongman competition.”

  “Fuck off. I’m not a gym rat,” I complain. He’s ridiculous. He’s still bigger than me. Changing the subject, I get back to the town issues and ask, “Have you talked with any city project managers? There’s an integral amount of planning involved.”

  “Yes. Once you give me your blueprints, I’ll contact the company for the electrical grid and get the ball rolling. It’s going to cost a fortune to get the basics running, but I’m sure once we get that set, the other plans will fall into place.”

  “Okay, I’m just saying you’re under the county guidelines until everything else can be implemented. You might as well get some help from them. They would love to have a greater tax generating place filling their coffers,” I scoff. It’s no damn joke. They’re going to take a cut of the earnings of any sale of property. I don’t know the ramifications for permits to build considering he’s the owner of the town itself, but I’m sure they have a stipulation in that, too.

  “I bet. I know we’re going to need a set of houses built, a five-floor apartment building, a grocery store, and gas station to start. I want everything up and running before we populate it.”

  “What are the odds on the name, Boomer?” I ask, looking at the old general store sign. Steeleville General Store.

  “That’s why I picked it. No need for a name change,” he remarks, nudging me on the shoulder. I roll my eyes and nod. It’s a bonus for sure.

  “Since this used to be an old steel mill town, there’s a large factory building I had inspected. It’s on the edge of the land and sound. I was thinking that’s where our club will be.”

  I’m grinning like a motherfucker. It’s what we need. When he first mentioned the town to me, I thought of the criminal element that would want a safety tax for staying away. If we handle our own problems besides a small law enforcement, then we wouldn’t have shit to worry about. Besides, we had our crew already set up. “Fuck yeah, let’s check it out. I’ll question you on the way there about the rest.”

  “Sure thing, bro,” Boomer answers. We head over to the truck, getting out of this shitty heat that’s baking my skin.

  “Do you know how much is going to be used for farming?” If we can be self-sustaining, it might attract more people to the area. And it’s also a possible revenue stream or tax write-off.

  “That’s still up in the air. I can start with two hundred acres, and if they need more, I’m sure that’ll be no problem.”

  I look around as we drive and there’s not much. It looks as if Main Street was the ticket. I wonder if it was all farmland. “Most of this area was never really developed. There are a couple dozen rowhouses I’m assuming for t
he steelworkers, but that’s about it. So, what happened to the town? Why are you sure it’s financially viable?”

  “The steel mill went out of business due to some shady dealings. Then a small fire was set but didn’t develop because the person didn’t take all the factors into account. It, of course, was later ruled as suspicious. The town’s sole focus was the mill. Now we’ll have several ways to make this place boom.”

  “If anyone can make something from nothing then turn it to gold, it’s you.” We come from a pair of druggie parents that died when I was in high school. Boomer went into the Military while I stayed home and tried to get an education at a community college then finished up at UNT. We both had to take responsibility for our little sister Morgan who’s still a teen. It’s been one hell of a ride, but we love her.

  “Same to you, Jackson. We’re here,”

  “The guys are going to flip when they see it all done. You did good, bro,” I say, clapping his back as we get out of the truck. We unofficially started a club with some of Boomer’s buddies from the Special Forces.

  I never joined, but when he was on leave, they would all come around and ride on our bikes. It was a special treat when Boomer got me my first motorcycle. I couldn’t afford it at the time, but he had connections from one of the other riders who was a mechanic.

  We take a quick look around. I’m examining all the possibilities, and I’m loving the potential in the town. He’s right; most of this town is a blank canvas for me to go buck wild on. I can’t get the shit eating grin off my face.

  "I can't wait to get started,” I exclaim like a kid in a candy shop.

  He nods at me, and I can see the swell of pride coming from my big brother. "Me either. Let's head out and grab a bite back in Dallas, so we get some of those plans underway."

  "Good deal, Boomer,” I say, giving him a side hug before walking to the truck. The town is going to be amazing.

  Chapter 1

  Jackson

  Five Years Later

  I lean back in my office chair, my hands behind my head with my thumbs moving up and down in my hair, feeling completely relaxed. The sun is shining, and another successful project is in the books. I’ve been busy for months, projects and plans one after the other. Finally, I have a moment of relative relaxation. Next week my books are full of clients again for months.

  This week I’ll be heading down to Steeleville to deal with club matters and hang with the crew while Boomer gets his businesses back on track. For months we’ve been dealing with attacks left and right from those wanting to move in on our territory. My brother and I created the town. He owns the majority of properties, but he has leased or sold some of them to the brothers in our club. The Steele Riders formed because a group of ragtag former Special Forces and their buddies rode out every time they could. It’s funny that I ride a lot less than I did before the town was formed. I need to get on my bike more.

  Things have been running smoothly for most of the time since we built up the town, but like all good things, it must come to an end. There’s always someone greedy enough to want what you have, trying all they can to take it. We had to watch our backs, but the damage had been done. We won’t be caught off guard again.

  My phone buzzes, interrupting my thoughts. I sit back upright and pull it up off my desk. Swiping the screen unlocked, I see it’s a text from my sister Morgan. We’re having a BBQ for Ewan. Sunday.

  I respond with a quick okay, then set the phone back on the desk and resume my relaxed pose, smiling to myself. It’s good to have Mick, as I prefer to call him, back to his old self. He gave us a scare of a lifetime, almost dying and shit. My sister was a total wreck, but he saved her life in the process, something my brother and I were forever grateful for. It was one of the most fucked up times for us since our parents died. Now things are getting better and no sign of trouble, but I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop, cracking the ground under me.

  My phone pings again, forcing me out of my damn comfort zone. “Fuck, I can’t catch a moment of peace.” I check it, but this time it’s Boomer. Call me as soon as you can.

  Shit. I hope nothing else has gone wrong. I need a break. The stress of worrying about my fam being killed has aged the fuck out of me. I’m not even thirty, and I have grey hairs at my temples. I thought a wife and kids was supposed to do that to you. And that’s a long way off. I’d actually have to find interest in a chick long enough to want to fuck her.

  I dial him up. “What’s up?” I ask a little hesitant.

  “Hey, I need you to do me a solid,” he pleads.

  “Of course, bro. What’s going on?” I’d do anything for him just like he would do for me. He can always count on me. We’re a tight family since our parents died, leaving Boomer and me to look after Morgan.

  I hear a long sigh before he says, “Well, you know how I made a deal with Penelope Banks for the storefront in the strip mall with added conditions?” I had a feeling that deal was going to bite him in the ass.

  “Yeah, I remember.” She’s supposed to open up a bakery in town. Boomer said she seemed sweet, but her dad who had to be there too was a real ball-buster.

  “Well, they had a small setback with the crew she contracted for the build. They botched the job or some shit, then her father canned them.”

  “Are you serious?” That’s not good. This is what happens when they didn’t want to go with our suggestions. Boomer offered our services with the contract, but they refused that addendum.

  “I can have a crew build the frame up and shit, but I said you’d do the design. Pro bono.” I can actually picture him cringing. I knew this break wouldn’t last long.

  “Well, the space isn’t huge, so I can do it. It’s not like I have to actually build it myself, but I’ll need to meet with her this week.” It’s the only way I’ll manage this project without bumping another project.

  “I’m glad you said that because they should be at your office in about ten minutes.”

  “What the fuck? Thanks for the warning,” I complain. He’s never pulled this stunt so there must be a good reason for it. I have a feeling that things are getting harder to handle when you have a wife who you worry could be in danger every damn day.

  “Sorry. I’ve been behind schedule with all the bullshit, and her father wanted to pull the contract because I didn’t get back to them in a timely manner.” Fuck, I know he’s been going through a lot to get back on track with his freaking empire. My brother is a one-man show. It’s about time he starts getting rid of some control. Several of the Riders own businesses, but they lease the buildings from Boomer. He should sell them as fast as possible. We turned a ghost town into a growing community.

  “That’s cool, but if they give me shit, they can go. We can find someone else to open a shop. The town is doing fine without it” The intercom on my desk buzzes, so I add, “I’ve gotta go. They’re probably here.”

  “Thanks.”

  I hang up and hit the button on my intercom. “Elise, what is it?” I ask her.

  “Um. There are two people here to see you, but they’re not on your calendar, and they say they have an appointment.” She sounds worried. I wonder if Mr. Banks gave her a fucking attitude. Rich people sometimes forget that they’re the ones coming for a service, and I have the right to refuse.

  “Yes, a last-minute add-on. Please send them in.” I stand up and straighten my tie, but leave my sleeves rolled as they are. I’m not in a suit jacket because it’s too constraining for an artist, but I do dress the part of a professional architect when necessary. Right now, it’s not necessary.

  Elise opens the door, holding it open for them. First to enter is a woman who needs to leave. Or better yet the guy with her needs to go. My entire body radiates with a foreign feeling. A wild insatiable need to kiss her comes over me that’s unexpected and unwelcomed. “Never mix business with pleasure,” I chant internally. I tamper down all thoughts of throwing her against the wall, banging her brains out, and give them a neut
ral expression.

  “Hello, I’m Jackson Steele,” I say, reaching for Mr. Banks’ hand.

  He gives me a very manly handshake with an intentionally punishing grip. I wonder if that’s his intention to ward me off his daughter or he doesn’t like to show weakness during meetings. “I’m Denver Banks, and this is my daughter, your client, Penelope Banks.” Damn, did he catch my instant reaction to her? I take her in as I pretend that she has no effect on me. Her long blonde hair is in a high ponytail and not a single hair out of place. Her lips are plump, but she’s pressing them tight together. I can’t tell if she’s nervous or not. Penny’s eyes are a bright blue surrounded by a thin black eyeliner, accentuating the vibrant color even more.

  “Welcome, Ms. Banks. Please, come and take a seat,” I offer, stepping over to the round meeting table I have just for such intimate meetings.

  “So what kind of workup do you have in mind?” Mr. Banks asks me with a friendly demeanor. He doesn’t seem to be as rough as I thought he would be.

  “As it happens, I thought Ms. Banks would tell me what she likes.” I direct my answer at him, but as I finish, I focus on her.

  “Another one without a plan,” she scoffs. Holy fuck, who the hell does she think she is?

  I try to keep my cool and say, “Ms. Banks, as the client you should have an idea of what it is you want. This is yours. It’s not like you can just redo the entire thing when it doesn’t work out the way you hoped it would.”

  “Well, aren’t you the best?” she adds with an air of disbelief and condescension. “I mean that’s what your brother exclaimed.” She rolled her eyes at me.

  I take a calming breath, then explain, “I was still on the phone with him when my secretary paged me.”

  “Oh. Be nice, Penny,” he warns her, tapping his hand on hers.

  “Daddy, I’m not in the mood for someone who is rude to me.” She rolls her pretty blue eyes at me, heating my already confused body up. I want to kick her out of here and fuck her at the same time.