“Do you want something to eat or drink?” Scarlett asks.
“No, baby, I’m good. I have to go meet the guys, they’re waiting for me,” I say, leaning over and giving her another quick kiss. “You guys have fun. Let me know if you want me to bring some food or anything back for everyone.”
I rush out of there like my ass is on fire.
RILEY’S IS PACKED TO the brim, but the atmosphere and the company is good so I can see why.
“Kat looked like she was having a good time,” I tell Tristan after Preston hands me my next beer.
“Good. She hardly goes out anymore,” he says, scanning the bar. “She deserves a night out. Woman is a workaholic.”
“We should all do dinner sometime this week,” I suggest to him.
“What about me?” Hunter interrupts, crossing his arms over his chest. “Do I need to find a woman to be invited to this?” He points to Riley. “How about her?”
Riley comes over to me, and I don’t like the smirk on her face. She slides me a beer. “For you, from the woman in red over there.”
I share a look with Tristan, who starts laughing. I’m almost too scared to look over to see who it is, but I do.
It’s Sharon.
Of course it is.
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, then ask the men, “What exactly does one do in this situation? Sending it back seems rude, but I also don’t want to give her any fucking ideas right now.”
“I know what to do,” Hunter says, grabbing the beer, drinking half of it in one gulp, then blowing Sharon a kiss.
“If you want to take one for the team, now is your chance,” I tell him, trying not to laugh. But seriously? The woman is everywhere. I didn’t take her for a Riley’s kind of woman, but what do I know?
The doors open, and in walks Scarlett and her crew.
“Here comes trouble,” Tristan mutters, and I can hear the smile in his voice. Kat runs up to him and he pulls her into his arms. Scarlett approaches me with a smile playing on her pink lips, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Hello, handsome,” she says, letting go of me and turning to her girls. “I’m going to order us some drinks.”
“Who is this?” Sharon asks as she approaches, acting like a jealous girlfriend.
“Scarlett, this is my client, Sharon Beetle. Sharon this is my girlfriend, Scarlett,” I introduce, inwardly cringing.
“I see,” Sharon coos, taking Scarlett in from head to toe.
Scarlett steps closer to me and takes my hand into hers. “Nice to meet you, Sharon. However I need to steal Jaxon now.”
She pulls me away to the other side of the bar, as Sharon goes back to where she was sitting. Scarlett gets on her toes and kisses me, then asks. “What the hell is she doing here?”
“Maybe she has a tracker on me,” I grumble, kissing her lips. “You look amazing tonight.”
“Thank you,” she says, smiling. “I need to go get my drink.”
She walks back to the bar, where her group’s drinks are being made. When she greets Preston with a hug, I scowl. How the hell does she know this guy?
The women all head to the dance floor while I turn to Preston and eye him skeptically. “How do you know Scarlett?”
“Scarlett?” he asks, eyes going wide. “Fuck, you’re her man? You lucky bastard.”
I narrow my gaze on him. “Just remember that next time you touch her.”
“We’re friends,” he says, hands up. “Plus now that I know you’re her man”—he trails off—“and not that biker guy . . .”
He heads off to serve other customers, and a few minutes later, Riley comes over and sits next to me. “Having a good night?”
“Yeah,” I tell her, smiling as I watch Scarlett dance. She looks so free, a big smile on her lips.
“She’s beautiful,” Riley says to me. “And not just on the outside.”
“I know,” I say, then look to her. “What about you? Single?”
“No,” she shakes her head. “I’m married.”
She doesn’t say it like it’s a good thing. She says it in a sad, almost wistful way. I’m about to ask her more when I’m dragged to the dance floor by Scarlett, where we stay for the rest of the night.
She loves to dance, and I love seeing her do something she loves.
Even if I have to hang around her crew for the rest of the night.
chapter 36
Scarlett
I WAKE UP TO A bottle of water, a banana, and two painkillers on the side table next to the bed. “What a legend,” I say to myself as I pop the pills and swallow a large gulp of water, hoping it’ll cure my current predicament. I allow my head to fall back to the pillow but smile when I remember everything we got up to last night. I’ve never had a girls’ night out like that before, but the big surprise of the night was Jaxon singing. I wish I could have recorded that so I could replay it on more than just my mind.
“Good morning,” Jaxon says as he walks into the room, looking like he wasn’t out until all hours of the night.
“Did you go for a run?” I ask him, wondering how he does it. “How do you find the energy?”
He lifts his shirt up to flash me his six-pack of abs. “These don’t come easy, babe. If you want me to look good while eating your cooking, I need to run and spend time in the gym.”
“Can you bring those abs over here?” I ask him, my fingers itching to trace them. My tongue wants in too.
He steps forward, chuckling at my request. “Why? Feel the need to get reacquainted?”
“Indeed,” I murmur, placing my fingers under his T-shirt and letting them roam. “Oh yeah, that is nice. Are you going to come back to bed? I might need a closer inspection.”
“Do you now?” he asks, lifting his shirt over his head and letting it fall to the floor. “This might help.”
He slides onto the bed in nothing but a pair of low-riding basketball shorts, and climbs in next to me. “Is this close enough?”
“I don’t know,” I say slowly, feeling playful. “Let me have a look and I’ll let you know.”
I lift the blanket and run my fingers down to the V of his hips, and then back up through the center of his muscular stomach.
“That feels nice actually,” he says, sighing in content.
Just nice?
I need to up my game.
I start kissing him down his stomach, from in between his pecks down to his navel, and then lower. He doesn’t stop me, just watches my every move with intent. When I pull down his shorts, he makes a sound deep in his throat, a guttural moan of pleasure, which turns me on so much that I take his cock into my mouth without any teasing. And he loves it. I move down to his balls and lick in between them, before sucking on each in turn. I make sure to be gentle, and look up at him in the eye so he can see who is pleasuring him.
Me.
Only I can give him this.
He’s mine.
“You look so beautiful right now,” he tells me, pushing my hair off my face. “You’re a temptress, Scarlett. Fuck. A seductress. One look into those deep, soulful eyes, and all I want to do is be inside of you.”
Well, he’s going to have to wait until I finish playing.
“Come here, Scarlett,” he murmurs, and I lift my head to look at him to see what he wants. He touches my ass and adds, “Want you to sit on my face.”
I move into position, lowering myself onto him, facing his cock and then lower my own mouth onto him.
I gasp on his dick.
Couldn’t think of a better way to wake up in the morning.
THE REST OF THE week passes by in a blur. Jaxon is busy with court, and I keep myself busy at the library. I do a little more gardening, and catch up with my new friends whenever I can. This morning though, I can tell something is weighing on Jaxon’s mind. He’s be
en quiet since he woke up and seems to want his space. Every time I come into the same room as him, he doesn’t say anything, lost in his own thoughts. I have no idea what’s wrong, or why he won’t say anything, but something is obviously upsetting him. Is it something I did? I know I shouldn’t think that way, but old habits die hard. It’s like he’s gone cold, and I don’t know why. I don’t know how to fix it, and I know I should just give him some space, but I don’t like being pushed out of his bubble.
“Is everything okay, Jaxon?” I ask him, brow furrowing in concern. “Do you want me to make you something to eat?”
Why do I always think food will fix everything?
“Not hungry, but thanks, babe,” he says, trying to force a smile, but it comes out as more of a grimace. “I’m going to head to the gym before work.”
He kisses the top of my head, and then walks out of the house.
I have no idea what is wrong.
And I don’t like it.
HE COMES HOME FROM work late, and he didn’t reply to any of my messages or calls all day. I’m sitting on the couch, feet curled up, a mug of coffee in my hands as he walks in. He doesn’t even say anything to me, just gets in the shower. I don’t know what to do, or what to say. I don’t want to push him, but this is our relationship, and he can’t just do this to me without giving me some kind of explanation. He needs to tell me what’s wrong. I can’t help fix it if I don’t know. I put down my coffee and go sit on his bed, wanting to talk to him when he comes out of the shower. He appears a few minutes later, towel wrapped low on his hips.
“Jaxon,” I start.
He lifts his head and looks me in the eye. He looks sad. I wish he would tell me why.
“Will you tell me what’s wrong? I don’t want you to shut me out, and something is clearly wrong.” I keep my tone soft and even. I don’t want him to think I’m attacking him, and I don’t want him to get defensive or push me away even further. I think when you speak to someone, tone and body posture is everything. I want to let him know that there is no judgment here, this is a safe place, and he can trust me. It’s just me and him.
He can trust me.
And he needs to, if he wants this to work.
chapter 37
Jaxon
WILL YOU TELL ME what’s wrong? I don’t want you to shut me out, and something is clearly wrong,” Scarlett says to me, her eyes filled with confusion and sadness. I’ve been a zombie today, and although I tried to hide it, mainly by escaping, apparently I’ve failed. I don’t want to hurt Scarlett, and she looks like she’s upset by me being so closed off, but today is just a really hard day for me.
Really hard.
I’m used to spending this day alone, lost in my thoughts, either working out in the gym until I stop from sheer exhaustion or opening a bottle of whiskey and drinking alone. However this year I have her, and I’m clearly not handling it very well.
Today is Olivia’s birthday.
I went to her gravestone on my lunch break, and then I didn’t even end up going back to work.
I sat there.
For hours.
Talking to her, asking her questions, like Why didn’t you just come to me?
I would have saved her.
I would have given anything to save her, anything.
I don’t understand why she didn’t come to me; I’m her brother. Her protector. And I fucking failed. I scrub my hand down my face, realizing that Scarlett is waiting for my answer and once again I’m just lost in my own thoughts, not paying attention to anything outside of those. She’s probably wondering what the fuck is going on right now, and as my woman, she deserves an honest answer. I wrap the towel around me tighter and sit on the bed.
“My sister died,” I blurt out, not knowing how else to say this. “And today was her birthday. I’m sorry if I’ve been acting off all day, but yeah, I’m just not good at dealing with today.”
She reaches over and takes my hand, stroking my knuckles with her thumb. Silent support. “I’m sorry about your sister,” she finally says. “Why didn’t you tell me? Do you not like to talk about her?”
I shake my head. “No, it’s not that. I kind of pretend . . . I pretend that it never happened. It’s easier that way. She was my sister, Scarlett, my only sibling. I don’t know what happened, or why she didn’t come to me, but I wasn’t there for her, and now she’s gone. I don’t know how I’m meant to get over that.”
“I don’t think you are,” she says softly. “I think you just miss her, and deal as best as you can. Maybe you try to remember good memories, and how she would want you to be living your life if she were here. Maybe you hope that time will help heal, help make it easier, but also accept that there will always be a place missing in your heart because of her, and that’s okay. It’s okay to feel like this, Jaxon. I just wish you wouldn’t shut me out, and maybe one day you’ll feel comfortable talking about her. You keep her photo out there. I’ve always wanted to ask about it, but I didn’t because I knew it was something you didn’t want to discuss. I’d hoped you would bring it up when you were ready.”
“But I didn’t.”
“No, you didn’t,” she repeats, sliding closer to me and resting her head on my shoulder. “Will you tell me about her now?”
I take a deep breath. “She was beautiful. Kind. Gentle. Loving. I used to have to threaten boys in school to stay away from her. She just had something about her, you know? Like people could somehow sense that she was special.” I stop and smile, thinking about her. “She used to tell me she was an empath because she felt everything so deeply. I don’t believe in any of that stuff, but it was true that she was sensitive.”
“She sounds amazing,” Scarlett tells me, ducking her head. “I have to admit something. When Demon was here he mentioned her, so I kind of already knew that she’d passed away, but I didn’t want to ask you about it.”
My lips tighten.
Demon loved my sister; it was obvious. I don’t know why they didn’t end up together, but I wish that they had. Maybe she’d still be here. I sometimes wonder if Demon has the same thoughts, but I’d never raise them to him. It’d hurt too much to even consider. I know the two of them had feelings for each other, and soon after is when she met her husband. The one who made her hate her life so much that she ended it. A man I will hate until my last breath.
“Demon and her were close,” I admit, not going any further into it than that. “I should have told you. I don’t know; I’ve never had a woman I’m in so deep with that I had to explain, if that makes sense?”
She places a kiss on my stubbled cheek and sighs. “Can I ask you how she passed away?”
My body stills at her question, but I know she needs the answer. “She committed suicide.”
Her eyes widen. “Shit, Jaxon. I’m sorry.”
She jumps onto my lap and brings her arms around me, hugging me tightly, like with nothing but her will and love she can put all my pieces back together. “Did you go to her gravestone?”
I nod. “Yeah, I spent most of the day there. I tried to do some work but couldn’t concentrate. Tristan knows, and he shook his head at me when he saw me at work. I don’t think anyone expected me to show up at all, but I was trying to stay distracted. Ended up sitting at her stone, bottle in one hand. I brought her the biggest bouquet of red roses I could find because I know they were her favorite. So romantic, she used to say.”
Little did I know, she wasn’t getting any romance, or love. I don’t know how anyone can harm something so beautiful. Someone. It’s like he knew she was special, and instead of trying to embrace that and protect that, he decided to destroy her I wonder if she thought she could fix him, or if she could love him into being a good person. I wouldn’t be surprised, Olivia thought kindness and love were the cure to all evil.
“If you want to go back, I’ll go with you,” she says, clearing
her throat. “If you want me to, of course. If you prefer to go alone, that’s okay too.”
“I usually go every month,” I tell her. “Next month, I’ll take you with me.”
I don’t know if she knows just how big of a deal this is. I’ve never taken anyone to Olivia’s gravestone. I’ve never even told anyone I go there once a month. I keep it all to myself. This is me really letting her in. Not just in a little, but all the way. Soul-deep.
“Okay,” she whispers, glancing up at me. “Come on, let’s get into bed. Maybe you can share some funny stories about you and her growing up. I’d like to hear them.”
She gets off my lap and climbs into bed, so I do the same.
And then we talk, bodies pressed together, my mind no longer closed off.
I share memories, stories, and jokes with her.
She laughs or she squeezes me tighter. She gives me whatever I need. She shares my pain, my frustration, my longing. She shares the burden, so that when I’m done, I feel lighter.
Freer.
Safer.
Less guilty.
Like everything will be fine, and it’s okay to remember my sister, and talk about her. Remember the good times. I don’t want those memories to fade. I want to remember her smile and her laugh, that scent she always wore. The look in her eyes as she’d watch me, like she adored me, like I could do no wrong in her eyes.
I would have died to protect her, but instead she died trying to be strong on her own.
I look up at the ceiling and think, I hope you’re happy now, Olivia. You were too good for this world anyway.
chapter 38
Scarlett
WHAT THE HELL ARE you doing here?” I ask Demon when I find him sitting in my library, browsing through a magazine, his feet up on a chair. “Making yourself comfortable, I see.”
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