Collide Series Box Set

by J. C. Hannigan

  "No," I answered, the off-handed humor fading from my voice. "But I…"

  "Well, that doesn't make me feel better. How is pepper spray going to help you if an attacker grabs your hair?"

  "Gee, thanks. Really, make me feel strong and capable why don't you?" I said dryly, rolling my eyes in exasperation.

  "Oh, I think you're strong and capable alright." Jax smirked. "I would be afraid for anyone who attempted it. I saw the look in your eyes that day when I caught you off guard."

  "So then why are you here?" I asked, shaking my head. "What makes you think I need a chaperone?"

  "I just wanted to make sure you got home safely," Jax said, raising his hands in surrender. "And maybe I wanted an excuse to see you."

  I remained silent as I flicked off the lights, leaving only the dim bulb over the display counter on. Jax waited outside for me as I went about my tasks. I punched in the alarm system code before pulling the door shut behind me, locking it with the key Jamie had given me.

  I turned to glare at Jax again. "I don't need anybody's help."

  Jax studied me for a moment, his face lit up by the street lamps. "I don't believe that," he said, his voice gentle. I took a steadying breath, calming myself. I couldn't deny that the real reason I was so annoyed was because I was happy he had shown up; happy that he was looking out for me.

  I opened my eyes again. A movement behind Jax caught my eye, and I watched as a figure slid into the shadows of an alleyway. Paranoia crept up on me and Jax's words rang in my head.

  "Fine, you can take me home then," I grumbled, trying to push back my fear stubbornly. People walked at night; home from jobs and to friends’ houses, out for dinner and to the bars for a drink. It wasn't a crime. I was just unsettled from Jax's words. I was also angry with myself for not paying attention to the local news. There was nothing more inexcusable than being ignorant to what was going on in your own backyard. I looked around, expecting to see Jax's truck.

  "I actually parked it outside of your apartment," Jax explained, seeing my confused look. I raised an eyebrow at him in question. "I stopped in to see you and Jenna said you were at work and would be walking home soon."

  "So that's how you knew." I started walking, shaking my head slightly. I could hear him following me, his long strides catching up to me with ease.

  "I could teach you, you know," Jax said a couple steps later. He looked at me, his expression serious yet passionate.

  "Teach me what?" I asked.

  "How to defend yourself. I've been doing Mixed Martial Arts since I was a kid," Jax answered. "Everyone should know how to defend themselves."

  I didn't reply right away. I figured he was probably referring to his childhood. We walked in silence while I mulled over his words. My apartment building was several steps away when I finally reached a decision.

  "Okay," I finally said, turning to face him. It would be good to know how to defend myself a little better. I mean, I knew the places to hit a man to cause some pain, but knowing a little more wouldn't hurt.

  "Great. Let me know when you want to start." Jax grinned.

  "I will." I paused, looking up at my building and hesitating. "Did you want to come up and maybe have a drink or something…of water? Jenna and I haven't really had a chance to go grocery shopping this week."

  "Sure, that sounds great." Jax laughed.

  We walked up the stairs to my apartment. I opened the door, expecting to see Jenna alone...not entwined on the sofa with the Harry Potter look-a-like, Lucas.

  "I guess he texted you back?" I remarked, closing the door behind Jax and I.

  Jenna quickly tried to disengage herself from Lucas's arms. Her face was beet red with embarrassment. "I guess Jax found you?" she shot back, crossing her arms. I smiled, walking over to the refrigerator to grab two bottles of water.

  "I guess so," I said over my shoulder. "Did you two want anything to drink? Or...did you get enough of each other's saliva?"

  Jenna knew I was joking, but she was still visibly flushed with embarrassment. By the time I handed Jax a water bottle, Jenna had put some distance between herself and Lucas. She smiled slowly at me, showing me that she was about to get me back for embarrassing her. I took a slow sip of water, challenging her with my steady gaze.

  "Well, now that Jax is here, maybe you could finally ask him about Saturday?" she asked innocently, blinking at me.

  "What's Saturday?" Jax asked.

  "Some dorky music festival at Major's Hill Park." I shrugged.

  "Hey! It's not dorky, my friend plays in one of the bands," Lucas protested, shooting me a wounded look. "They have a major recording label. There's nothing ‘dorky’ about Autumn Fields!"

  I shrugged in apology, not realizing how invested Lucas was. "Well, their band name is kind of dorky," I supplied, earning a sharp look from Jenna.

  "Oh yeah, I was going to go to that with one of my roommates," Jax answered, surprising me. "I'll go with you, if you want," he added, looking at me.

  I almost choked on the water I was drinking. I swallowed hard. "I wasn't even planning on going," I answered, shrugging my shoulders. "Besides Lucas, who's going to cover the shop on Saturday?"

  "I already spoke to Jamie,” Lucus answered. “He said we could both take the day off, that he and Mark would be fine without us." I believed him, but I was still going to double check with Jamie about it.

  "Well, fine." I sighed, feeling cornered.

  "Cool, it's a date. Another one," Jax said, grinning at me.

  * * *

  Two days later, I dramatically flopped down on Jenna's bed and stared at her with solemn eyes while she put the finishing touches on her makeup. I was still angry with her for all but bullying me into this concert. I hadn't planned on going because I knew I wouldn't like it. I enjoyed music; I just didn't enjoy crowded, chaotic places. Plus, it was outside. I knew it would likely be cold, and I didn't like being cold.

  "Stop sulking," Jenna ordered, frowning at me. "This will be fun!"

  "Right, fun," I huffed. My stomach tingled with nerves, and I didn't know if I could blame it on the concert, or the looming fact that I was about to see Jax again.

  Jenna was muttering under her breath, trying to find what she dubbed as 'concert appropriate attire'. She glared at me. "You look perfect!" she accused, gesturing to my black denim skinny jeans and faded black skull top. She returned to root through her closet. "I don't want to look like a snob!" she added, tossing a conservative button up blouse aside with disgust.

  "Just wear blue jeans and that black V-neck top with your brown jacket," I said, rolling my eyes. "It's not a fashion show. You'll be fine. Nobody else will care."

  This would be my first concert. Shocking, considering that my father, Randy Jones had played in a metal band called Screaming Dragons in the eighties. That's how my mom met him, at a smoky bar in Toronto during one of his performances.

  I didn't know much about my dad; I didn't remember him. I was three-years-old when he overdosed on cocaine. All I had were the snippets my mom told me, the faded leather jacket I still wore everywhere, and old pictures. I knew that my mom loved him desperately, blindly, and that he loved her. I knew that he was talented; I still had one of his demo tapes that mom passed on to me. I knew that he loved us, but that he suffered from depression and addiction for years, even before he met my mom. He kept all of it a secret from her, and she'd been too love-struck to figure it out until it was too late.

  I didn't necessarily blame her for my father's death, but I still couldn't understand how blind she had been. Of course I was blinded by love too. Love messes with your perception. Love has you seeing only the things that you want to see; the good things.

  "Hello? Harlow? Jogging down memory lane again?" Jenna's voice broke me from my reverie.

  "No, I'm just tired," I lied, pulling myself up and swinging my legs over the edge of her bed.

  Before Jenna could call me out, a strong knock rapped against our apartment door. "I'll get it," I said, stan
ding up with relief. I didn't want to get into it with Jenna right now, and I could tell by the look on her face that she was going to press for answers.

  I walked down the hall, leaving Jenna to finish getting ready. I opened the door to Jax and Lucas. They were standing in the hallway, awkwardly not speaking to each other. Aside from a couple of brief encounters at The Bean and the other night in our apartment, Jax and Lucas had yet to actually meet each other.

  I leaned against the doorway and crossed my arms, smiling. Jax towered over Lucas and his defined muscles made Lucas look scrawny. Lucas seemed aware of it and he straightened his spine, attempting to appear taller than he was.

  "Good afternoon." Jax smiled a smile that could melt butter, his eyes sweeping down to take in my appearance with appreciation and desire. The heat of the look set my own blood on fire. I knew Lucas could feel the sexual tension between us. He shifted uncomfortably beside Jax.

  "Is Jenna ready yet?" Lucas asked as I stepped aside to let them in.

  "No,” I said. “Go hurry her along. She's primping like we're going to a beauty pageant, not a lame outdoor concert."

  Lucas' eyes narrowed momentarily; I knew my comment about the lame outdoor concert bothered him a little.

  I nodded in the direction of Jenna's room, and he took off to find her, leaving Jax and I alone in the living room.

  Jax stepped towards me, his hands gently grabbing my upper arms. The touch awakened my own desires, and I bit my lip to stifle the gasp that threatened to spill from my lips as he pulled me closer. He lowered his head, his lips brushing gently against mine almost questionably. My own hands lifted to the back of his neck and I pulled him towards me hungrily.

  I had done a lot of thinking since the last time I saw him on Thursday night. I was tired of fighting my reactions to him, tired of being afraid of what would happen if I gave in. I was tired of letting someone I hadn't heard from in years hold me back.

  Besides, I didn't sleep any easier denying myself. My dreams were just as charged as the tension between me and Jax. It didn't make for a restful night’s sleep.

  Jax's tongue teased my lips, silencing the thoughts in my head. All I could hear was the roaring of my blood. I kissed him back, allowing myself to fall into him.

  "Um...are we ready to go or..." I reluctantly pulled away from Jax's arms, looking down the hallway at where Jenna's voice had come from. She was standing beside Lucas with a bemused smile on her face.

  "Actually, if you want, we could skip out?" I cocked an eyebrow at Jax. He laughed, but the desire was evident in his eyes...and in the way he used me to block his body's reaction to the kiss.

  "You guys can't miss this." Jenna frowned, stomping towards us, Lucas trailing awkwardly behind her. "We've already got the tickets and it's going to be fun!"

  "Fine." I rolled my eyes at Jax. "Let's go then."

  The four of us left the apartment, Jenna pausing to lock it up. She tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled shyly at Lucas as he took her hand. Jax and I lead the way down the stairs and to the street, where Jax's massive truck was parked against the curb.

  "Your chariot awaits," Jax told us dramatically, gesturing to the truck and bowing slightly.

  Lucas glanced towards the tiny Honda Accord parked behind the truck and shrugged as he stepped forward to open the back quad cab door. He held it open for Jenna with an excited grin.

  I rolled my eyes, trying not to smile as I watched Lucas help Jenna climb into the back. I didn't wait for Jax to do the chivalrous thing; I didn't need his help. I climbed in to the truck with ease. Jax shrugged, grinning at my stubborn, silent declaration.

  I pulled the door shut, giving Jax a wary smile. "Let's get this show on the road."

  Jax grinned at me, nodding once as he merged his truck back onto the road. The drive to Major's Hill Park was a quick one, but we had to park a block over and walk. The city had shut down the roads surrounding the park for the concert. I stepped out of Jax's truck, zipping my dad's leather jacket up against the chill. I knew I would be thankful for its warmth later on when the sun faded, taking the warmth of day with it.

  Jax was leaning into the truck bed, hoisting something out. I looked at him curiously, one eyebrow arched in question.

  "I grabbed a couple blankets," he answered, shrugging. He tossed his arm around my shoulders, pulling me to his muscular body. My heart jumped in response and I stiffened against the urge to melt into him.

  Jenna and Lucas were in their own little world, walking ahead of us. Jenna's hand was entwined with Lucas's, and he kept looking at her and smiling as they quietly conversed. The corners of my mouth turned up, an involuntary response to my best friend's happiness. It was good seeing Jenna like this.

  "Oh look, a smile," Jax commented almost gleefully.

  I rolled my eyes. "I smile."

  "Not often enough." Jax's voice was husky, his breath hot on my earlobe. His heavy arm was still across my shoulders and he somehow managed to pull me closer while we walked. I stumbled over the uneven ground, but Jax steadied me.

  We followed a mob of other people heading towards the stage set up. It was a lawn concert, and I was thankful that Jax brought blankets. We found a spot a little way’s away from the stage, and Jax spread out the blanket. The blanket was large enough we could all sit comfortably. I sat between Jenna and Jax while Lucas sat on Jenna's other side.

  I exhaled, my hair blowing outward with the gust of air from my lungs. This all felt so...date like. It was making me nervous. I pulled my legs up to my chest, staring straight ahead at the stage. There were people on stage setting up.

  "This is a charity music festival," Lucas told us, leaning in front of Jenna so he could look at Jax and I. "Proceeds go towards the local food bank and soup kitchen. Last year we raised five thousand dollars."

  "That's impressive," I remarked, easing up a little.

  "Yeah." Lucas glanced at me, smiling slightly as if to say not so lame now, huh?

  Lucas started to talk to Jenna about something; I stopped paying attention after the first sentence. As nice as I thought Lucas was, and despite being extremely happy for Jenna's happiness, he bored me a little. Instead, I scanned the crowd.

  The concert wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be. The bands were actually pretty good, but the chaos and the noise around me had me tense and on edge.

  I was relieved when it finally came time for the grand finale. The band that Lucas's friend played in, Autumn Fields was apparently the main attraction of the fund-raising event.

  A loud cheering roar from the crowd accompanied the band members as they approached the stage. Apparently, Autumn Fields was well known. Lucas hopped up and tugged Jenna, hollering with the rest of them. Begrudgingly, I stood up too. Jax stood closely behind me. I could feel the heat of his body against my back, through the distance that separated us.

  It was difficult to make out the band from where we were sitting. They were a band of three guys and one girl. The girl stepped up to the microphone, almost shyly. Her long, caramel coloured hair billowing about in the wind.

  The guitarist stepped forward, giving her a reassuring grin. "Hello, Ottawa!" he said, flashing a charming smile to the screaming crowd. He was charismatic and completely in his element as he chatted with the fans, telling them a funny story about their travels. I shivered against the biting wind, rolling my eyes at his show-boating. The temperature was dropping and I just wanted to leave. Finally, he stopped talking and they started their set.

  Her voice is what captivated me, its soulful contralto beauty. The guitarist had an equally enticing voice that nearly matched hers in talent and complimented it perfectly. I found myself loving them, although I likely wouldn't admit that to Lucas.

  Jax pulled me to rest against his chest, his arms around my stomach as we stood and listened to Autumn Fields. My heart beat frantically against my chest. I bit my lip, staring ahead at the stage.

  "Can we go now?" I had to raise my voice and almost shout in Jenna's
ear. She was so occupied with Lucas that she had barely said more than two words to me. Lucas's arm was around her waist, his attention completely focused on stage. She was so starry eyed with him that she'd barely taken in anything around us. I didn't blame her. They did seem to have a connection...one I hadn't seen Jenna have with anyone as long as I'd known her. She was friendly with Jake, but she had never had that dopey, happy look on her face before.

  "Yeah." Jenna nodded. "But I'm going to stick around. Lucas wants me to meet the band!"

  "How will you get home?" I asked.

  "We can call a cab," Jenna assured me, her eyes finally taking in the position Jax and I were in. She smiled. "Have fun and be safe," she added. A pained look crossed her face momentarily, but it was gone before I could question her on it. I knew it likely had everything to do with...well, her past. Jenna smiled at me again before she turned to say something to Lucas.

  "Do you want to go?" I asked Jax instead, looking up at him over my shoulder. He grinned at me like he was waiting for me to ask those words all night long.

  We left the blanket on the ground with Jenna and Lucas. Jax took my hand, and we weaved through bodies as we made our way back to Jax's truck.

  We had to pass the beer tent where several people were waiting in the lineup. Several more hung out around it, drinking beers and talking, socializing.

  I thought I saw a head of dark curls—a head I wouldn't forget anywhere, but when I blinked again, the person that I had thought was Andrew Cooper was gone. I stopped walking, my heart pounding with adrenaline. It couldn't have been him, I told myself. Andrew Cooper had moved with his mom. Where, I wasn't exactly sure. I hadn't been privy to those details, but I'm sure if I did some sleuthing I could figure it out easily.

  "Hey, are you okay?" Jax asked, looking at me curiously.

  I shook my head. "Yeah, sorry...I thought I saw someone." I resumed walking, tugging gently on Jax's hand.

  Jax drove us back to my apartment. I chewed on my lip as he parked his truck against the curb. I wanted to invite him up, but I was afraid of what would happen if I did. I knew the inevitable would happen, and although my body was certainly ready for it, I wasn't sure if my mind was. Plus, I wanted to do some sleuthing. I unbuckled my seat belt, intent on telling Jax I'd see him later.