Relentless (Relentless #1)

by Alyson Reynolds

  It was horrible being back in the eye of the paparazzi after staying out of the limelight for so long. My career choice made it something I had to deal with every day. I had chosen to come back to this life when I accepted the role, so I had no one to blame but myself.

  Jaxon hated the tabloids even more than I did, but with his background I understood why. No one would blame him for being weary of the media with everything that happened. All we wanted was to be normal.

  Jaxon thought we should just wear our rings and not say anything, but that would be worse than coming straight out and announcing it. None of my ideas were better than that though. We needed to decide what to do soon, but until we did, I would enjoy keeping our little secret.

  “Are you sure this dress hides my bump?” I asked looking in the mirror. The long empire wasted gown was beautiful, but I was still nervous about my growing bump. Silver beading detailed the sweetheart neckline of the black sheath dress. I had on matching silver Jimmy Choo stilettos and a little silver clutch. Tonight would definitely not be an appropriate night for everyone to find out about our secret.

  “Yes, love. Don’t forget to take off your ring,” he reminded me, tapping the band with his finger. I became a little more bitter every time I had to take it off my finger. Sighing, I slipped it into the jewelry box.

  “Are you planning on taking yours off?”

  “Maybe, maybe not.” He winked. “We need to leave soon. The car is waiting outside, love.”

  During the drive, we walked about how to handle the media attention. This wasn’t the first event we had attended together, but it would be the biggest. Arriving together would cause an uproar, but we were prepared for that. We weren’t sure how we should act without triggering a huge paparazzi storm for days to come though. Tonight would be a risk, but it was worth it to support Jaxon’s brother.

  Connor’s premiere would be the first time Jaxon had seen his brother in a little over six months. He was thrilled to be supporting him tonight. Both men had been so busy that they hadn’t had time to catch up. Jaxon had also never kept something so important from his brother before. He was nervous about how Connor would react to the news of our marriage and the pregnancy.

  The car drove up to the press line entrance. I grabbed Jaxon’s hand, took a deep breath, and tried to smile. Jax stepped in front of the flashes first. People craned their necks to see behind him. Taking Jaxon’s hand, I gracefully stepped out of the car and listened to the barrage of questions that flew at us.

  “Jaxon? Are you and Violet dating?”

  “Can you two confirm how long you’ve been together?”

  “Violet, are things serious between you two?”

  “Can we get a picture?”

  We took a few minutes to pose, but moved on from the cameras quickly. Jax walked up to Connor and clasped him on the shoulders. Connor turned around and wrapped his brother up in a huge hug. A smile tugged at my lips as I watched the two interact. It was strange to see them both standing there together. Sure they were twins, but I recognized every difference in their appearances. Jaxon reached back and tugged me forward to meet his brother and his beautiful wife.

  “Connor, Sophia, this is Violet Montgomery.”

  “It’s so nice to meet you,” Sophia said taking my hand.

  “Vi, I’m excited to get to know you,” Connor said as he took me into a side hug.

  “Not too excited I hope,” Jax said dryly. “She is your sister after all.”

  My body went stiff and Connor choked out a laugh. “Jaxon,” I whispered under my breath. Panic filled me as I turned away from the press.

  “Don’t worry, love. The cameras are behind me and they are far enough away they can’t hear anything I’m saying.”

  I shot him a dirty look, and he pulled me into his side. He kissed my temple and the sound of hundreds of camera shutters filled the air.

  “Any other surprises for tonight, Jaxon?” Connor asked chuckling.

  “Umm, actually,” I started, biting down on my lip before continuing.

  Jax cut me off before I could continue. “Well, maybe a few, but mom should probably find out she’s going to be a grandma before you do.”

  “Fuck, Jaxon. You move fast.” Connor reached over and wrapped me up in a huge hug. The smile on his face spread from ear to ear.

  “I’m so excited for you guys.”

  Everyone was called into the theater and we made our way to the entrance. Connor made sure Jaxon and I were seated with him and Sophia. The movie started and within minutes it was clear that Connor was every bit as good of an actor as his brother.

  An hour into the movie, the baby started to kick and it seemed harder than normal. As I put my hand over where the baby was kicking, I realized the movement was hard enough you could feel it from the outside. It wasn’t the first time, but it was good luck it was happening right now. I subtly reached over and took Connor’s hand, placing it over where the baby kicked. He looked over, shock registering on his face. A huge grin spread across his handsome face as he realized what I was doing. Nudging Jaxon with my elbow, I pointedly looked down to where his brother’s hand rested on my stomach. Jaxon beamed up at me and the corner of my lips turned up in a small smile.

  Jaxon finished up filming on our movie and started traveling to promote the movie he had finished filming before ours. The movie he made with Silver, just her name alone was enough to cause me to gag. Knowing he was with her now made me want to poke myself in the eye with a fork.

  I filmed with Gage and Stephen daily and they tried their hardest to keep my mind off Jaxon. His premiere was only a month away, and he was gearing up for a whirlwind of travelling. Jaxon texted the guys nonstop, asking them to keep an eye on me and make sure I was taking care of myself. I loved that he wanted to take care of me even when he was so far away, but I’m sure Gage and Stephen wanted to punch him.

  The rumors started slowly, and I might have missed them altogether if I hadn’t seen one of the tabloid magazines one of the makeup artists left lying around. The picture on the front showed Silver and Jaxon sitting way too close for comfort. They sat in a restaurant booth. Jaxon’s arm slung casually over the back of where they sat. Silver was laughing, curled up into his side with her hand resting on his chest. The picture might have been totally innocent, but my pregnancy hormones took over. I stormed into Stephen’s house carrying the magazine, telling him what a cheating bastard Jaxon was and I hated him.

  “Do you hear yourself, Vi? That man worships the ground you walk on. I have at least fifteen texts from today alone checking up on you.” He grabbed his phone and listed them off. “Is she drinking enough water? Has she sat down and put her feet up? Is she eating too many sweets? You know that makes her cranky. Don’t forget to remind her to take her vitamins. Do I need to go on? You’re acting insane.”

  “I can’t stand her. She’s so fucking conniving and I don’t trust her. I just know she’s going to try to get Jaxon to sleep with her. Fucking slutty bitch.”

  Stephen laughed and pulled me into a hug. “You’ve got to calm down prego. It’s not good for the baby. Quit freaking out, you trust Jaxon right?” I nodded, and he continued, “Go post some anonymous troll stuff all over Silver’s social media if it’ll make you feel better.”

  I choked out a laugh at his absurd suggestion, but it wasn’t that bad of an idea. It would make me feel better. Thanks to Stephen I blew off the stupid stories that kept popping up all over the internet. Something about them nagged at me though. Why would someone keep pushing the idea of Jaxon and Silver if there wasn’t something going on between them?

  I walked into the small coffee shop and looked around. The woman I was meeting sat in the corner booth reading a book. She looked up at me as I approached, but I couldn’t read her expression. I was nervous, but Jaxon assured me I would be fine without him. My hands shook as I introduced myself.

  Jaxon’s mother was a beautiful woman and I instantly knew that beauty ran from the inside out. Tea
rs pricked at my eyes as she whispered in my ear how happy she was to finally meet me and welcome me to the family. Alice Garrett is an amazing woman. Her eyes glittered the same emerald green as her son’s and she looked ten years younger than her age.

  “I can see why Jax is so taken with you, Violet. You’re beautiful. I googled you, but you are so much prettier than the pictures on the internet.”

  I flushed at the compliment and glanced down at the cup in my hands.

  “Everyone tells me Jaxon is hard to get to know, but we connected from the first time we met. I feel like I’ve known him forever.”

  “I’m glad that my son found someone to trust. After his last relationship, I wasn’t sure he would ever settle down. He’s only twenty-eight, but he’s been adamant he would never get married. I’m thankful that you could change his mind. Your friends are right though; he doesn’t open up to many people. He’s been shut off for the past few years.”

  “I’m not sure he would have if circumstances were different,” I said looking away.

  “Don’t doubt what you two have, Violet. Even if it happened quickly, it still exists. If you ever find yourself without it, you’ll regret not enjoying every second.”

  Alice spoke gently, but she was firm with her words. Jaxon’s father passed away a few years before, but it was hard hearing her speak so candidly. I couldn’t begin to imagine the loss she felt, and I selfishly prayed I never had to. Alice took my hands in hers. The look she gave me told me she understood where my thoughts wandered off to.

  “Now, I understand we need to be discreet, but I want to see the picture of my grandbaby.”

  I pulled the sonogram pictures out of my purse and passed them to her. Alice was overjoyed staring at the amazing little thing in the pictures. She talked about how much Connor’s kids enjoyed coming over to her house, all while making it clear she expected the same from our child. The woman was a master of making her point with the raise of her eyebrow or quirk of her lip. Her sons had inherited their mother’s flair for the dramatic.

  Taylor came over for yoga pants Sunday as often as she could. I missed seeing her every day, but it was still awesome having her near me. With both of our crazy schedules it had been a few days since we’d hung out.

  When she walked in the door carrying a pie, I almost attacked her. My cravings for anything apple was out of control. I looked down at the label and saw what it was, I almost cried from excitement. She leaned in and I gave her a smacking kiss on her cheek.

  She laughed and asked, “What’s that for?”

  “You take care of your big sister, even when she’s a moody bitch.”

  “I will not let my niece or nephew suffer just because your hormones make you insane. Plus, it’s leftover from Thanksgiving and I didn’t have to do anything.”

  Reaching past her, I grabbed the box and opened it. I didn’t care that it was leftover, I just cared that it was apple pie. My mouth watered at the sweet, cinnamon scent. Taylor took two forks out of the drawer and handed me one. She stuck hers into the middle of the pie and took a huge bite. Jaxon walked into the kitchen and smirked at her as she chewed. He snorted a laugh and she shot him a dirty look.

  “Just ignore me ladies; I’m going for a run. I’ll just stay down at Stephen’s when I’m done because I know I’m not invited to your girl party.”

  Grinning, I took a bite just as big as Taylor’s, making them both laugh. Jax kissed me on the forehead as he walked out the door.

  “You guys are so cute it’s disgusting,” Taylor said grimacing.

  “I kinda like him.”

  “I hope so, you are having his baby.”

  I ached to tell her more, but now wasn’t the right time. We moved into the living room after we made a huge dent in the pie. I turned on the television, but it ended up just being background noise. Taylor told me how she had decorated the new house. It was weird thinking of Taylor being so domestic, but she seemed happy. She wasn’t one for making things cozy and homey mostly because she never stayed long enough to bother. Her intentions seemed good this time though.

  I frowned, and she looked at me questioningly. “I’m grateful you’re still here, but aren’t you getting bored? This is the longest I’ve seen you stay anywhere in a long time.”

  “I promised I wouldn’t leave, Vi. I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon.”

  “Really?” I asked, doubt filling my voice.

  “I get that I have a past, but I don’t want to leave this time. I want to be here for you and the baby. Plus, I like living with Stephen.”

  “Hmm…Stephen.”

  “What?” she asked wearily.

  “Nothing at all. Are you guys enjoying living together?”

  “Yes, we are. If you want to know something, just ask.”

  I paused, wondering how I should ask her if she was going to start dating my best friend. There wasn’t a way to sugar coat it, and that wasn’t my style anyway. I blurted out, “Are you screwing him?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “We aren’t currently sleeping together.”

  “Currently? What the damn hell, Taylor? Talk,” I demanded.

  “I wish I had made Stephen tell you this. It’s not that big of a deal, on the night you married Aaron, Stephen and I slept together. We were both upset you had actually married the asshole, so we got drunk to drown our sorrow or something like that. We woke up next to each other wondering what the hell had happened. All I remember is that it was really fucking good. That man knows things.”

  “Yuck. No more details please my gag reflex works way too well right now. I love you both, but yuck. I don’t want to think about it.”

  Taylor smirked, but she didn’t elaborate. It wasn’t hard to imagine that they had slept together. Anyone that saw them together knew they had feelings for one another. For the first time in years they were both single at the same time and in the same city.

  “So do you like him?”

  “Of course I do, or I wouldn’t be living with him.”

  “That’s not what I mean and you know it.”

  She sighed.

  “I like him, but I’m not sure if we will go there.”

  I tried to mask my surprise at the fact she admitted that she liked him. She paused like she wanted to say more, but nothing came. I didn’t want to push. Experience told me to hold off and when she was ready, she would tell me everything. My sister was the first to help out when you needed it, but she didn’t like to talk about her business. Turning back to the television, I saw the relief on her face out of the corner of my eye.

  Stephen’s shoulders tensed as I walked up behind him. He turned around, and I saw his stormy face. I started to ask what was wrong, but I noticed the ring he held in his hand.

  Oh no.

  “Stephen, I was going to tell you.”

  “Really, Vi? You fucking married him and didn’t tell me?” Disbelief covered his voice, and I reached for his arm. He took a step back. “I’m supposed to be your best friend. We tell each other everything and you kept this from me. What else have you lied about? You’ve been so distant lately I don’t know what to fucking believe anymore.”

  “Stephen—“

  “How long?” he demanded. “Tell me how long you’ve fucking been married.”

  “Three months,” I whispered.

  Stephen carefully sat the ring down on the dresser and walked out of the room without a word. The cold look in his eyes made me shudder. His gaze fixed on the floor and he had never looked so closed off. I hated that my lies had done this, and I was terrified things would never be the same.

  Jax found me crying on our bed when he came in that night. My heart hurt from Stephen’s cold dismissal. He was hurt and frustrated and I didn’t blame him for that. I had never kept secrets from him or lied before and it was slowly poisoning everything between us.

  Jaxon offered to talk to Stephen to try to explain, but I told him I would do it when I was ready. Stephen had already been so distant lately, whi
ch was ironic considering he said the same thing about me. I didn’t know what to do to get through to him.

  I snuggled into Jaxon as he climbed into bed and wrapped his arms around me. Slowly, I drifted off to sleep against his shoulder thinking about how badly I had screwed up. My heart ached, and I just wanted for everything to go back to how it was before. Who thought that moving on with my life would be this hard?

  Two weeks after the Stephen incident, I wasn’t any closer to figuring out what the hell to say to him. All I knew was that I felt horrible, and I missed him. After Stephen found my ring, we had sat all our friends down and confessed everything. Taylor was happy that I had chosen someone good for me this time. She was upset I hadn’t told her sooner though, even if she wouldn’t admit it, but Taylor wasn’t one to hold grudges. I listened to her bitch at me for being a shitty sister for a few minutes and it was over.

  Gage wasn’t much help with Stephen either. All he would say was that Stephen had shut down and wouldn’t talk about it at all with him. He said he was happy for us too, but he admitted he already knew about our marriage; apparently he had overheard us talking and pieced it together a month before. Jax and I weren’t as smooth as we thought we were at keeping secrets.

  I slipped my hand into Jaxon’s as we walked towards the coffee shop. He smiled and pulled me in closer to his side. It was nice being out of the house for the first time in a week other than being at work. On one of his rare weekend’s home, we were meeting up with his mom, Sophia and Connor. Jaxon and Connor planned to go surfing while we enjoyed a girl’s day. The paparazzi still hadn’t figured out I was pregnant and we were so thankful for that fact.