Until Jax

by Aurora Rose Reynolds

  Opening the door and closing it behind me, I pull my coat tighter around myself as I walk across the sidewalk. When I reach the salon and go inside, I’m bombarded with the familiar smell of hair products. Looking around, the place is more than nice. The décor is simple but high class. A large, dark purple couch sits in front of the shop windows, scattered with white pillows that have gold streaks through them. In front of the couch is a mirror-top table, two small kid-size chairs, and a stack of coloring books and crayons.

  “Can I help you?” a beautiful woman with long, almost-white blonde hair asks when I get to the front desk.

  “I’m here to see Frankie,” I say softly, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. The salon I worked at back home wasn’t even half as nice as this one, and the women I worked with were much older. I’m not sure how I will get along with women my own age.

  “Do you have an appointment?”

  “Yes, I’m Ellie. Lilly sent me,” I say, and her face goes soft, seeming to make her even more beautiful.

  “I’m Kimberly, but everyone calls me Kim. It’s nice to meet you. Frankie’s with someone right now, but if you give him five, he’ll be done.”

  “No problem.” I smile, taking a seat on the couch.

  “I’m sorry about what happened to you,” she says, catching me off guard. “Frankie filled us in on what went down, and then I saw the news report. I hope they catch the other guy. Have you heard anything?”

  “Um, no, not yet,” I say, feeling a chill slide over me. I don’t want to think about him still being alive, or the fact I could still be in danger.

  “I’m sure they’ll catch him.”

  “I hope so,” I reply then think about Jax, and something deep within me knows he will make certain Hope and I are safe.

  “You’re going to love it here. Frankie’s the best, and Mickey, Ian, and Kendal are all really great too.”

  “Have you been here long?” I ask, jumping on her change of subject.

  “I just moved into town a month ago, and this was the first place I stopped.” She shrugs, but I still catch something flash through her eyes before its gone.

  “Are you a stylist?”

  “Yep, and we all work the front desk between clients, except weekends. Then Becka comes in to help out, ’cause we’re all normally booked.”

  “Cool,” I mutter, watching a woman a few years older than me walk toward the front. She’s stunning, with big green eyes that stand out against her dark, almost-black hair and pale skin. Her eyes scan over me and her lip curls up at the corner, not a smile, but like she smells something bad as she flips her hair over her shoulder and turns, dismissing me to face the counter.

  “Kim, can you take care of Mellissa for me?” I hear from behind her.

  “Of course.” Kim smiles, but it’s nothing like the smile she had on earlier directed at me. I can tell it’s the kind that has been rehearsed.

  “Ellie?” Pulling my gaze from Kim, I turn and come face-to-face with a very pretty man wearing jeans and a plain tee. His face is contoured with makeup, his eyebrows sharp, his lashes long, and his lips lined and glossy. Yes, very pretty.

  “That’s me.” I smile as he sticks out his hand.

  “Frankie. It’s so nice to meet you,” he says, smiling back.

  “It’s nice to meet you too.”

  “Why don’t we go back to my office and sit down for a few minutes.”

  “Sure,” I reply, and he places his hand at the small of my back, leading me through the salon, which I notice has six booths, all clean and tidy with dividers between, offering a little bit of privacy for the stylist and their clients. When we reach his office, he takes a seat in a hot pink chair behind a white desk with a mirrored top. Sitting across from him in one of the two stylish turquois chairs, I cross one leg over the other.

  “So, tell me about yourself and your experience,” he asks casually.

  Leaning back in the chair, I do just that. I tell him about myself and what has happened to make me move to Tennessee. I tell him about my experience as a stylist and what I want for Hope’s and my future. I tell him everything, and when it’s over, I feel like I have just spent an hour with a psychologist, rather than twenty minutes applying for a job.

  “Where do you see yourself in five years?” he asks, causing visions of Hope and me living with Jax in his castle in our own happily ever after to fill my brain. “Do you have any goals?”

  Clearing my throat and the vision of me with Jax and Hope out of my head, I say, “Yes, I see myself with my own salon or managing one. I see myself and my daughter in a nice house I provide for us. I see a different childhood for her than the one I was raised with, and a much brighter future.”

  “I see that for you too, girly,” Frankie says softly, sitting forward in his chair. “I’ll see you Monday.”

  “Wait, what?” I ask.

  “Take the weekend and get things sorted with your daughter, and I’ll see you Monday.”

  “So I have the job?” I ask, just to clarify.

  “Girly, you already knew you had the job. You just proved you’re worthy of working here.”

  “Awesome,” I breathe, standing when he does.

  “See you Monday, Ellie, and tell Lilly I said hi.”

  “I will,” I promise with a smile, heading out of his office, feeling better than I have in a long time. When I reach the car, Lilly is standing with Hope on her hip, who’s wearing a purple tutu she didn’t have on earlier. She’s talking to Mellissa, the not-so-nice girl from the salon.

  “Oh, there she is,” Lilly says as I get close enough for Hope to move from her grasp to mine. “How did it go, honey?”

  “Really great, I start Monday.” I grin and then turn when I feel eyes drilling into me from my side, where Mellissa is standing. “Sorry, I’m Ellie,” I introduce myself.

  “Mellissa,” she says then looks at Lilly. “Tell Jax I love him and to call or come over whenever he has a few minutes,” she says as something ugly crawls over my skin.

  “Sure.” Lilly frowns.

  “Thanks, Mrs. Mayson, and nice to meet you, Ella,” she says, turning on her heels and walking away before I have a chance to reply or correct her about my name.

  “I’m hungry,” Hope says, and I look at my daughter and kiss her cheek, knowing she is the reason I’m doing what I’m doing and that I need to remember that.

  “How about we stop for brunch?” Lilly asks, breaking into my thoughts.

  “Sure,” I agree, and we hurry to get into the car.

  *

  “Perfect timing, looks like the guys just got here too,” Lilly says, looking in the rearview mirror. Turning my head, I look through the back window, seeing Cash is driving Jax’s truck and Jax is driving a white Range Rover. After we stopped for brunch, where I ate waffles, eggs, and a fruit salad, I vowed I would start my diet tomorrow. Then we went to the DMV and I got a new driver’s license before heading to the bank for a new card.

  Getting out of the car, I open the backdoor. As soon as I do, Hope is out and running towards Jax, yelling, “Ax!” at the top of her lungs. She stops midway and spins in circles, showing him the purple tutu his mom bought for her while I was in the salon. She got it from a woman named Liz’s store, called Temptations.

  Smiling, he picks her up, saying something that makes her laugh before setting her back on the ground and walking toward me. Suddenly, yelling, “Catch, babe!” tossing something to me.

  Catching a set of keys I hold them out in front of me, frowning. He already gave me the house key this morning, so I have no idea what these are for. “What’s this?” I ask, holding the keys out toward him.

  “I got you a car.” He smiles bigger, jerking his head over his shoulder towards the white Range Rover parked behind his mom’s car.

  “You got me a car?” I repeat just for confirmation as anger and something ugly turns in my stomach.

  “I know you’re gonna need some wheels to get around, so—”

  �
��You did not buy me a car,” I murmur, looking from the car to him then back again.

  “I did.” He grins.

  “Yay, Mama! You got a car!” Hope cries, dancing around me.

  “I cannot believe you,” I hiss, throwing the keys at him, which he catches before they smack him in his stupid face. “I’m not a charity case.”

  “Uh oh, Mama’s mad,” I hear Hope say from behind me as I storm toward the house. I’m angry, but I also feel extremely vulnerable. So much so, I feel my throat closing up with tears.

  Not wanting to be rude, I turn to look at Lilly, who is frowning at her son. “Thank you so much for taking me today,” I croak out.

  “Anytime, honey,” she says gently. I nod and wait until Hope catches up to me to go into the house and close the door, wishing I knew how to change the code so I could lock Jax out. Going to my room, I make sure Hope is settled while I start to put away my laundry.

  “Ellie, I need to talk to you for a minute.” Jax says lightly tapping on the door.

  Gritting my teeth, I get off my bed, making sure Hope is distracted by her doll before opening the door and stepping into the hall then to the side when Jax takes a step towards me.

  “I never said you were a charity case,” he says, and the urge to punch him in the stomach hits me so hard I have to fist my hands at my sides to keep from doing just that.

  “I never asked for a car, and if I wanted a car, I would have found a way to get one for myself.”

  “I’m just trying to help you, Ellie.”

  “Well don’t, and please take the car back, Jax,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

  “I bought it cash, so you’re gonna have to suck it up and accept it.”

  “I’m going to have to suck it up?” I repeat, just to make sure I heard him correctly.

  “It’s paid for.” I have no idea how much a car like that costs, but I have a feeling it’s a lot of money, and there is no way in hell I would take a car like that from anyone. Definitely not from an almost stranger, even if he is just trying to be nice.

  “I don’t want it. Take it back.”

  “Too bad, it’s yours,” he growls at me. Yes, growls, like he has the right to be pissed off at me for not accepting it.

  “We’re done talking,” I announce, turning and walking back into the room, hearing him growl again as I shut the door. I don’t even care if it seems like I’m acting like a child throwing a temper tantrum. I’m thankful for his help, but no way in hell am I taking a car from him. And he can’t make me, I think immaturely as I walk to the bed and plop down next to Hope, deciding then the only way Jax and I will be talking again is when he takes the car back to wherever he bought it from.

  Chapter 3

  Jax

  My head lifts as the backdoor opens and Ellie whispers, “Jax?” loudly, stumbling into the kitchen. She’s holding onto Wes, whose body is bent almost double from her weight.

  “What the fuck happened?” I ask, getting off the stool I was sitting at, working on a case for a client while waiting for Ellie to get home so we can talk, whether she wants to or not.

  “Her, July, and all the sisters and cousins decided to have an impromptu bachelorette party at the compound,” he says, chucking when Ellie says something about loving July and going on runs with her.

  “And you didn’t think to call me?” I growl, pulling Ellie away from him and tucking her into my front, smelling tequila mixed with her sweet scent.

  “Sorry, man.” He shakes his head. “July told me if I called I wasn’t gonna be sleeping in bed with her tonight. I’ll do a lot of shit, but no way am I taking the couch over some shit that’s not my concern.”

  “I’m not talking to Jax,” Ellie cuts in, looking at Wes then up at me, pointing a finger then going cross-eyed when she stares at it, muttering, “I’m not talking to you.”

  I know this, since she hasn’t talked to me in almost a week. I had no fucking idea women could use silence as a punishment, but Ellie does and it fucking sucks. This shit has been going on since the day I drove up in the Rover, which is still parked out front of the house, because I refuse to take it back. Ellie needs something safe to get her and Hope around in, and I know eventually she will see it my way.

  Or at least I hope she will.

  For the five days, anything and everything Ellie felt necessary to tell me, she did it through text messaging, including the fact July asked her to be one of her bridesmaids at her wedding this weekend. After what happened with July getting kidnapped, Wes told her they were going to get married now, rather than in a few months. Aunt November refused to let July get married at the courthouse like she did, and she pulled my mom and aunts together and planned a wedding in just a few days, which apparently included an impromptu bachelorette party tonight, since tomorrow night will be the wedding.

  I also learned through text that Harlen would be escorting Ellie at the wedding. Though that text came from my cousin, who I’m pretty sure was just saying it to piss me off. And it worked. That day, I found my ass at the Broken Eagles Bike Shop, where I had a talk with Harlen about his hands and what would happen to them if even one touched Ellie in a way that I didn’t like.

  “My wedding’s tomorrow. Any other time, I would have called, but my girl needed tonight, so I gave it to her.”

  “That’s ’cause your sweet…and hot,” Ellie slurs, looking at Wes, which causes my chest to vibrate in annoyance, but the feeling abruptly ends when she presses her face into my shirt while wrapping her arms around my middle.

  To say I’m over this shit is an understatement, but now, seeing Ellie drunk and cute, I’m completely the fuck over it. We need to talk, and whether she wants to or not, it’s happening. Maybe not tonight, because she wouldn’t likely remember any of it, but it would be very soon.

  “You should have called me to come get her.”

  “Like I said…” He shrugs then looks at Ellie in my arms and raises a brow.

  Shaking my head, I ask, “Where’s Hope?” while pulling Ellie’s hands out of the back of my shirt, where they had wandered. I was already hard from seeing her in the tight jeans and tighter tee with her body pressed against mine, but her hands on my skin would send me over the edge.

  “Your mom took her home with her for a sleepover when the girls decided they were gonna drink and hang out.”

  My mom is in love with Ellie and Hope, and completely backed Ellie in her silent treatment, so it doesn’t even surprise me that she wouldn’t call to give me a heads up about tonight. Still, that shit pisses me off too. What happened to loyalty?

  “If you’re good, I’m gonna head out. July’s in the truck,” Wes remarks.

  Lifting my chin, I walk with Ellie, who’s still glued to my front, to the door and lock it behind him.

  “It’s so hot,” she gripes. Tilting my head down, I see she’s peering up at me. I close my eyes for a moment, praying for strength. “I need to get out of these clothes.” Opening my eyes, I watch as she pulls from my grasp and drops her coat to the ground, her shirt coming up and over her head, leaving her in a dark purple lace bra and jeans.

  “Jesus,” I hear myself hiss under my breath, knowing I should stop her, but fuck if I can do or say anything as her hands go to the buttons of her jeans and I see dark purple lace is there too.

  “Ellie,” I growl, needing her to stop.

  “What?” she asks, tilting sideways, but before she can hit the floor, I pick her up bridal style and head for the stairs.

  “I’m too heavy for you to carry. I suck at being on a diet; I don’t even like vegetables,” she murmurs, pressing her face into my neck, where I swear I feel her tongue touch briefly.

  “You don’t need to diet, Ellie. You’re perfect the way you are, and I could run laps with you in my arms just like this.”

  “Really?” she whispers, pulling her face away from my neck to catch my eyes.

  “Really,” I grunt, feeling my zipper imprinting on my dick just from her weight in
my arms, her skin against mine, and the view of her tits in her lace bra.

  “Can I see?” she asks, wrapping her arms around my neck as I head up the stairs.

  “Another time.” I chuckle from the serious look on her face.

  “Fine,” she pouts, laying her head back against my shoulder. Once we make it to the second floor, I lead her to my room and set her on the bed. I know I should probably put her in her own bed, but I tell myself I need to be close in case she gets sick and needs me during the night.

  “Why are we here?” she asks, sitting up and looking around.

  Ignoring her question, I walk to the dresser and find a shirt before going back over to her and answering, “In case you get sick, my bathroom is closer than if you were in your bed and would have to go across the hall.”

  “Oh.” She smiles, flopping down on my bed and raising her arms above her head, giving me a visual of her spread out just like that for me to enjoy. Shaking my head, I lift one of her feet then the other and pull off her boots and socks then help her sit up. I slip the shirt on over her head, and as soon as she has it on, she does the shit girls do and puts her hands behind her back, unhooking her bra and slipping it out the sleeve of the tee.

  “I hope Mellissa doesn’t get mad that I’m in here,” she mutters, lifting her head to look at me.

  “Mellissa?” I frown, wondering how she could possibly know about her.

  “Yeah, Mellissa…the one who loves you,” she singsongs, making my eyes narrow.

  “Babe, Mellissa and I dated back in high school,” I rumble.

  “Well, she loves you, and even told your mom to tell you that.”

  “I don’t love her, and I’m not with her, or anyone else,” I say, knowing I’m going to have to repeat this shit when she’s sober, because I’m sure she’s not even comprehending anything I’m saying right now. “Jeans off, babe, and get under the covers,” I order, turning around toward the bathroom, so I can grab the garbage can, but I stop when she sits up and bolts past me to the bathroom, landing on her knees in front of the toilet.